Statistics
At a cost of 40 points, Rebel Troopers are currently the cheapest unit the Rebel Alliance can field. A standard unit of Rebel Troopers has 4 minis, each with a wound threshold of 1 and courage of 1; without additional upgrades, it can only take 4 hits before it's completely eliminated. Just 1 suppression token is enough to suppress a unit of Rebel Troopers, and they can only have 2 suppression tokens without being at risk of panicking.
Rebel Troopers have a white defense die and convert surges to blocks, which means they have a 33.3% chance to block each incoming hit.
Speed 2 gives them average mobility.
Rebel Troopers have a white defense die and convert surges to blocks, which means they have a 33.3% chance to block each incoming hit.
Speed 2 gives them average mobility.
Whether fighting at range with their A-280 Blaster Rifle or in melee with an Unarmed attack, they throw a black die each. Each die has a 50% chance to hit. This yields an average of 2 hits from 4 troopers, of which 0.5 are crits.
Nimble allows them to gain 1 dodge token after spending 1 or more.
Total Hits vs. % Chance; Dotted Red = Ranged, Black = Melee
The above probability distribution reaffirms that Rebel Troopers perform the same attacking in melee as they do attacking at range. In both cases, the Most Probable Result is 2 damage from a standard unit of 4 troopers. They are about twice as likely to 2 or more damage (68.75%) as they are to roll 1 or less (31.25%.)
With their white defense dice converting surges into blocks, each individual trooper has 1.5 EHP. Since a standard unit of 4 Stormtroopers averages 1.5 damage per ranged attack, you would expect to lose 1 Rebel Trooper to each attack (this is an average that ignores the use of cover, aim tokens, and dodge tokens.) If the Stormtroopers don't suffer any losses in return, then they would expect to destroy the unit of Rebel Troopers after 4 attacks. However, under these same conditions an enemy unit of Rebel Troopers would get the job done in 3 attacks.
Whether fighting at range with their A-280 Blaster Rifle or in melee with an Unarmed attack, they throw a black die each. Each die has a 50% chance to hit. This yields an average of 2 hits from 4 troopers, of which 0.5 are crits.
Nimble allows them to gain 1 dodge token after spending 1 or more.
The above probability distribution reaffirms that Rebel Troopers perform the same attacking in melee as they do attacking at range. In both cases, the Most Probable Result is 2 damage from a standard unit of 4 troopers. They are about twice as likely to 2 or more damage (68.75%) as they are to roll 1 or less (31.25%.)
With their white defense dice converting surges into blocks, each individual trooper has 1.5 EHP. Since a standard unit of 4 Stormtroopers averages 1.5 damage per ranged attack, you would expect to lose 1 Rebel Trooper to each attack (this is an average that ignores the use of cover, aim tokens, and dodge tokens.) If the Stormtroopers don't suffer any losses in return, then they would expect to destroy the unit of Rebel Troopers after 4 attacks. However, under these same conditions an enemy unit of Rebel Troopers would get the job done in 3 attacks.
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| Total Hits vs. % Chance; Dotted Red = Ranged, Black = Melee |
With their white defense dice converting surges into blocks, each individual trooper has 1.5 EHP. Since a standard unit of 4 Stormtroopers averages 1.5 damage per ranged attack, you would expect to lose 1 Rebel Trooper to each attack (this is an average that ignores the use of cover, aim tokens, and dodge tokens.) If the Stormtroopers don't suffer any losses in return, then they would expect to destroy the unit of Rebel Troopers after 4 attacks. However, under these same conditions an enemy unit of Rebel Troopers would get the job done in 3 attacks.
Upgrades
Rebel Troopers have 4 upgrade slots: Heavy Weapons, Personnel, Gear, and Grenades.
Heavy Weapons Slot
Total Hits vs. % Chance; Blue = Z-6, Red = MPL-57
From the above probability distribution for Heavy Weapon attacks, we can conclude that the Z-6 has better potential damage while the MPL-57 has better consistency (that is, a much lower chance of rolling 0 damage.)
The Z-6 Trooper (22 pts) lends 6 white dice to your attacks, with an average of 1.5 damage. This is equivalent to the average firepower of 3 regular Rebel Troopers, but unlike most other Heavy Weapon upgrades it doesn't add any keywords to your attacks. However, it also has the potential, however unlikely, to deal up to 6 damage on its own. Most of the time you can expect to roll a bunch of blanks with just 1 or 2 hits or crits. Still, its a decent deal for 22 points as you get some extra punch and your unit can take 1 more wound before its destroyed.
If your Z-6 Trooper squad is in range of multiple enemy trooper units, you might consider splitting the squad's fire-- firing A-280 Blaster Rifles at one unit and the Z-6 at another. This gives you a chance to give suppression tokens to both squads, and without giving up the opportunity to stack weapon keywords since the Z-6 doesn't have any.
An MPL-57 Ion Trooper adds 1.5 average damage, same as the Z-6 Trooper, and also has Impact 1 and Ion 1. This gives you an interesting method to deal with enemy vehicles; even though its 2 dice won't deal a ton of damage, each ion token reduces the number of actions that vehicle can take by 1. If you have a pair of these and can get 2 ion tokens on a vehicle before it activates, it won't be able to do anything that round (except make its compulsory move if its a speeder of some kind.) So in a way, this upgrade is actually more valuable when you are facing tougher, more expensive vehicles like the AT-ST.
However, the MPL-57 does have its drawbacks: it is a pricey 32 points, and must be exhausted on use. This means if you want to use it for 2 or more consecutive rounds, you will have to spend actions refreshing and attacking, rather than aiming, dodging, or perhaps most importantly, moving. Still, if you expect to face powerful vehicles, bringing some of these can really frustrate your opponent-- and the MPL-57 Trooper can always attack with the A-280 Blaster Rifle (or a grenade upgrade) when the Ion weapon is exhausted.
Personnel Slot
Rebel Troopers have 4 upgrade slots: Heavy Weapons, Personnel, Gear, and Grenades.
Heavy Weapons Slot
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| Total Hits vs. % Chance; Blue = Z-6, Red = MPL-57 |
From the above probability distribution for Heavy Weapon attacks, we can conclude that the Z-6 has better potential damage while the MPL-57 has better consistency (that is, a much lower chance of rolling 0 damage.)
The Z-6 Trooper (22 pts) lends 6 white dice to your attacks, with an average of 1.5 damage. This is equivalent to the average firepower of 3 regular Rebel Troopers, but unlike most other Heavy Weapon upgrades it doesn't add any keywords to your attacks. However, it also has the potential, however unlikely, to deal up to 6 damage on its own. Most of the time you can expect to roll a bunch of blanks with just 1 or 2 hits or crits. Still, its a decent deal for 22 points as you get some extra punch and your unit can take 1 more wound before its destroyed.
If your Z-6 Trooper squad is in range of multiple enemy trooper units, you might consider splitting the squad's fire-- firing A-280 Blaster Rifles at one unit and the Z-6 at another. This gives you a chance to give suppression tokens to both squads, and without giving up the opportunity to stack weapon keywords since the Z-6 doesn't have any.
However, the MPL-57 does have its drawbacks: it is a pricey 32 points, and must be exhausted on use. This means if you want to use it for 2 or more consecutive rounds, you will have to spend actions refreshing and attacking, rather than aiming, dodging, or perhaps most importantly, moving. Still, if you expect to face powerful vehicles, bringing some of these can really frustrate your opponent-- and the MPL-57 Trooper can always attack with the A-280 Blaster Rifle (or a grenade upgrade) when the Ion weapon is exhausted.
Personnel Slot
Currently, the only available Personnel upgrade adds a single Rebel Trooper mini. At 10 points, this provides a 25% increase to firepower and a 25% increase to survivability with 25% increase to cost. This upgrade is probably worth taking if you are only bringing 3 or 4 corps units. An extra Rebel Trooper mini can also help you get more value out of any other upgrades you attach to the unit. For example, you may also want this if you are planning on including a Heavy Weapon trooper, as it will help to keep the expensive Heavy Weapon mini on the table.
Gear Slot
Grappling Hooks (3 pts) might be helpful for getting your troopers safely into position to capture objectives, flank an enemy, or escape destruction. Just how helpful is going to depend on the terrain you're playing with.
Targeting Scopes (6 pts) allow up to 3 rerolls when you use an aim token. With black dice, your chances of rolling 3 blanks is pretty low, and once you start coming under fire you might not even have 3 dice to roll in the first place. The additional reroll is more worthwhile if you decide to take an additional trooper and/or a Heavy Weapon trooper. For Rebel Troopers, I think this upgrade pairs best with the Z-6 Trooper, as its 6 white dice mean you will almost always have 3 or more blanks to reroll, even after taking some losses. In my opinion it doesn't pair as well with the MPL-57 because your need to refresh means fewer opportunities to aim.
Grenades Slot
Concussion Grenades (5 pts) lets you attack at range 1 with Blast, making it great for assaulting enemy troopers that are in behind cover or already suppressed.
Impact Grenades (5 pts) are the cheapest way to gain Impact and improve your anti-armor capabilities. If you are worried about not having enough anti-armor weapons, then this could be 5 points well spent.
The Rebel Troopers' Role in your Army
Rebel Troopers are a vital component of Rebel armies, as they are important for gaining objective tokens. Remember that keeping your commander units nearby will help them stand their ground so they can fight and score points rather than routing under enemy fire.
Their obvious weakness compared to Stormtroopers is their white defense die. In a game where units usually must survive to the end in order to score points, defense is very valuable. You should look for ways to utilize cover as much as possible while moving them into position to take objectives. Once your Rebel Troopers are in position, in many cases they will likely benefit more from dodging rather than aiming.
Being Nimble actually makes them quite good at surviving many small attacks, provided you can get a dodge token beforehand. If a unit of your Rebel Troopers is threatened by multiple enemies, you may want to activate them early so they have a chance to dodge before getting ganged up on.
Unlike Stormtroopers, Rebel Troopers don't gain any offensive efficiency when engaging in melee. However, there may still be times when you want to do so anyway, either to prevent other units from attacking you at range or to tie down enemy troopers (it costs one's entire activation to withdraw from melee, and can only be done at speed 1.)
Keeping your relatively fragile Rebel Troopers alive may be a challenge, but low points cost and good offensive efficiency makes simply taking a large number of them a good option. If you do plan on bringing them in smaller numbers make sure you take steps to increase their survivability and look for ways to screen their advance.
Possible Rebel Trooper Loadouts
Z-6 with Scopes
Rebel Troopers (40 pts)
-Z-6 Trooper (22 pts)
-Targeting Scopes (6 pts)
Total: 68 pts
By adding a Z-6 and Targeting Scopes, this loadout looks to simply maximize damage. You will want to quickly get into a position with cover and a good vantage point so that this squad can just aim and shoot. The Z-6 will usually roll several blanks for you to reroll, but you should of course prioritize rerolling any blank black dice first.
If you can spend the 10 points for the Rebel Trooper upgrade, it can help get more use out of Targeting Scopes and protect your investment in the Z-6 trooper as well.
Anti-Armor Squad
Rebel Troopers (40 pts)
-MPL-57 Ion Trooper (32 pts)
-Impact Grenades (5 pts)
Total: 77 pts
The "Anti-Armor Squad" aims to make the MPL-57 even more effective against armored vehicles by adding Impact Grenades. Since keywords are additive, your attacks against Armor at range 1 can have up to Impact 5 (depending on how many troopers are still alive), increasing your chances of making some damage stick and dealing an ion token. The next round, when your MPL-57 is exhausted, if you want to attack and then run away or dodge instead of refreshing, your attack can still benefit from Impact.
Rebel Meat Shield
Rebel Troopers (40 pts)
-Rebel Trooper (10 pts)
Total: 50 pts
Sometimes, quantity is a quality of its own. The "Rebel Meat Shield" takes this philosophy to heart, aiming to provide the most bodies for the least amount of points. The purpose here is simply to improve your ability to survive attacks and increase your opportunity to score objectives, while still preserving points for support and heavy units to provide your offensive firepower. For 250 points, 5 units of "Rebel Meat Shield" provide 25 minis. That's a pretty beefy corps that can weather numerous attacks, while still leaving 550 points for the rest of your list.
As always, thanks for reading!
Return to Unit Guides
Change Log
1/2/2018: updated to discuss some effects of courage, suppression, and panic
1/30/2018: added Upgrades and Possible Loadouts sections, some wording and other minor changes
3/23/2018: added Hit Percentage Curves for Heavy Weapons upgrades
4/5/2018: added additional info about Heavy Weapon upgrades, per the suggestion of TallGiraffe of the FFG Forums
Gear Slot
Grenades Slot
Impact Grenades (5 pts) are the cheapest way to gain Impact and improve your anti-armor capabilities. If you are worried about not having enough anti-armor weapons, then this could be 5 points well spent.
The Rebel Troopers' Role in your Army
Rebel Troopers are a vital component of Rebel armies, as they are important for gaining objective tokens. Remember that keeping your commander units nearby will help them stand their ground so they can fight and score points rather than routing under enemy fire.Their obvious weakness compared to Stormtroopers is their white defense die. In a game where units usually must survive to the end in order to score points, defense is very valuable. You should look for ways to utilize cover as much as possible while moving them into position to take objectives. Once your Rebel Troopers are in position, in many cases they will likely benefit more from dodging rather than aiming.
Being Nimble actually makes them quite good at surviving many small attacks, provided you can get a dodge token beforehand. If a unit of your Rebel Troopers is threatened by multiple enemies, you may want to activate them early so they have a chance to dodge before getting ganged up on.
Unlike Stormtroopers, Rebel Troopers don't gain any offensive efficiency when engaging in melee. However, there may still be times when you want to do so anyway, either to prevent other units from attacking you at range or to tie down enemy troopers (it costs one's entire activation to withdraw from melee, and can only be done at speed 1.)
Keeping your relatively fragile Rebel Troopers alive may be a challenge, but low points cost and good offensive efficiency makes simply taking a large number of them a good option. If you do plan on bringing them in smaller numbers make sure you take steps to increase their survivability and look for ways to screen their advance.
Possible Rebel Trooper Loadouts
Z-6 with ScopesRebel Troopers (40 pts)
-Z-6 Trooper (22 pts)
-Targeting Scopes (6 pts)
Total: 68 pts
By adding a Z-6 and Targeting Scopes, this loadout looks to simply maximize damage. You will want to quickly get into a position with cover and a good vantage point so that this squad can just aim and shoot. The Z-6 will usually roll several blanks for you to reroll, but you should of course prioritize rerolling any blank black dice first.
If you can spend the 10 points for the Rebel Trooper upgrade, it can help get more use out of Targeting Scopes and protect your investment in the Z-6 trooper as well.
Anti-Armor Squad
Rebel Troopers (40 pts)
-MPL-57 Ion Trooper (32 pts)
-Impact Grenades (5 pts)
Total: 77 pts
The "Anti-Armor Squad" aims to make the MPL-57 even more effective against armored vehicles by adding Impact Grenades. Since keywords are additive, your attacks against Armor at range 1 can have up to Impact 5 (depending on how many troopers are still alive), increasing your chances of making some damage stick and dealing an ion token. The next round, when your MPL-57 is exhausted, if you want to attack and then run away or dodge instead of refreshing, your attack can still benefit from Impact.
Rebel Meat Shield
Rebel Troopers (40 pts)
-Rebel Trooper (10 pts)
Total: 50 pts
Sometimes, quantity is a quality of its own. The "Rebel Meat Shield" takes this philosophy to heart, aiming to provide the most bodies for the least amount of points. The purpose here is simply to improve your ability to survive attacks and increase your opportunity to score objectives, while still preserving points for support and heavy units to provide your offensive firepower. For 250 points, 5 units of "Rebel Meat Shield" provide 25 minis. That's a pretty beefy corps that can weather numerous attacks, while still leaving 550 points for the rest of your list.As always, thanks for reading!
Return to Unit Guides
Change Log
1/2/2018: updated to discuss some effects of courage, suppression, and panic
1/30/2018: added Upgrades and Possible Loadouts sections, some wording and other minor changes
3/23/2018: added Hit Percentage Curves for Heavy Weapons upgrades
4/5/2018: added additional info about Heavy Weapon upgrades, per the suggestion of TallGiraffe of the FFG Forums
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