Sunday, May 27, 2018

Rebel Buying Guide

Once you've gotten a taste for the gameplay of Legion with the Core Set, it's time to start expanding your options so you can play full games of 800 points. If you've decided to throw your lot in with the Rebellion and are trying to decide what to get next, then this is the guide you're looking for. You'll find listed here each of the currently released Rebel expansions with a quick description of their contents.

While you may eventually want to collect them all, I recommend that you start with just a few expansions and build your collection gradually. This will give you a chance to get a feel for what units best match your playstyle, gives you some time to paint your new models as you get them (if you want to paint them at all), and helps to avoid spending too much at once. 

As you decide which expansion boxes to get first, I strongly urge you to prioritize certain types of expansions over others; for a full 800 point army you need at least 1 Commander and 3 Corps units. If you have decided to buy only 1 Core Set, then I recommend including at least 1 Corps unit expansion in your first set of purchases in order to meet the minimum requirement of 3 Corps units in a standard game. 

Also, since you are required to have at least 1 Commander unit and can field up to 2 in an 800 point army, I would recommend picking up at least 1 Commander unit expansion. This is one of the most efficient ways to add variety to your list building options, as you will no longer have to include Luke Skywalker in every single army.

With this in mind, here's a rundown of Rebel expansions:

Commanders

As stated above, standard 800 point armies require 1 or 2 Commander units. Commander expansions include a single unique figure of a Star Wars character, their Unit Card, 3 unique Command Cards, and several upgrade cards. As such, Commander expansions can go a long way toward giving you more options to play with.

Leia Organa
(for a more detailed look at how Leia plays in the game, click here)
This expansion includes 1 figure: Leia Organa, one of the most important Rebel characters in the entire Star Wars franchise. It also includes 3 Command Cards and 3 upgrade cards.


Gameplay-wise, she is a support-oriented commander and is particularly good at keeping troopers alive and willing to fight. Her Command Cards are Coordinated Bombardment, which lets her perform a special long range attack; No Time for Sorrows, which lets you move 2 trooper units at the beginning of the round; and Somebody Has to Save Our Skins, a fun card that lets you activate 2 units in a row for a sort of one-two punch. Her included upgrade cards are Commanding Presence, Esteemed Leader, and Environmental Gear, all of which are also available in the General Veers expansion (Imperial). 

Leia is presented wearing her uniform from the briefing scene before the Battle of Endor in The Return of the Jedi. Personally I don't think this figure is her best likeness, but gameplay-wise I think she's an excellent addition.

Pros: Efficient stats and low points cost, good support abilities, good Command Cards, decent upgrades, iconic character

Cons: Relatively easy to kill, lackluster sculpt (in my opinion)

Han Solo
Han Solo is expected to release in the third quarter of 2018


Corps

As stated above, standard 800 point armies require 3 to 6 Corps units. Corps expansions contain several figures, their Unit Card, and several upgrade cards. The Core Set only include 2 Corps units for each side, so you need to make sure you acquire at least 1 more Corps unit beyond this in order to play a standard 800 point game. Because they are a staple, having a greater variety of Corps units can give you freedom to explore different army builds.

Rebel Troopers
(for a more detailed look at how Rebel Troopers play in the game, click here)
This expansion includes 7 Rebel Trooper figures, 2 of which are Heavy Weapon troopers. It also includes 5 upgrade cards (2 of these match the Heavy Weapon minis).


Rebel Troopers are a pretty solid generalist unit, and as the Corps unit with the lowest cost they are currently the Rebel player's bread and butter. As far as Heavy Weapons go, the Z-6 Trooper is pretty good for its price point-- useful for a bit of extra damage and able to split fire to lay down suppression, though a tad unreliable; the MPL-57 Ion Trooper is a bit expensive and can be hard to use effectively. Additional upgrades include Rebel Trooper (which is restricted to Rebel Troopers only), Impact Grenades, and Grappling Hooks (both are also available in the Fleet Troopers, Stormtroopers, and Snowtroopers expansions).

The figures themselves resemble the Rebel strike team on the ground at the Battle of Endor, but can easily be painted in a wide variety of different schemes and color combinations.

I recommend considering a box (or more) of Rebel Troopers as one of your first purchases. Even if you have 2 Core Sets, a fifth unit of Rebel Troopers is worth looking at.

Pros: Low points cost, no glaring weaknesses

Cons: Rebel Troopers are generalists, and as such if you are looking to fill a certain niche you can probably find a more specialized unit that can fill said niche more effectively

Fleet Troopers
(for a more detailed look at how Fleet Troopers play in the game, click here)
This expansion includes 7 Fleet Trooper figures, 2 of which are Heavy Weapon troopers. It also includes 5 upgrade cards (2 of these match the Heavy Weapon minis).


Compared to Rebel Troopers, Fleet Troopers are more dangerous, provided you can get your target into range. They can be upgraded with a couple of different Heavy Weapons: the Scatter Gun Trooper really ups their damage with consistent red dice and the Pierce keyword; the MPL-57 Barrage Trooper, while expensive, is pretty versatile as it can hit targets at range 3 rather than only range 2 and has both Impact and Blast.  Additional upgrades include Fleet Trooper (which is restricted to Fleet Troopers only), Impact Grenades, and Grappling Hooks (both are also available in the Rebel Troopers, Stormtroopers, and Snowtroopers expansions).

The Fleet Troopers are very recognizable from their appearance in A New Hope, and at this point Fleet Troopers are the only alternative to Rebel Troopers for filling the Corps unit slot. Either one of these reasons alone may be enough to justify getting a box. However, at this point the jury is still out as to their competitive efficiency, so you may want to test them yourself before you buy more than one set.

Pros: Very good close-quarters combat potential, powerful Heavy Weapons, great for a display/diorama opposite Darth Vader and/or Stormtroopers

Cons: Out-ranged by every other Corps unit, lack defensive keywords to offset white defense dice

Special Forces

You are not required to field any Special Forces units in a standard 800 point game, but they can help diversify your forces, are typically more powerful than Corps units, and tend to have some cool tricks. They're definitely worth a look if you want more infantry troopers.

Rebel Commandos
Rebel Commandos are expected to release in the third quarter of 2018


Support

You are not required to field any Support units in a standard 800 point game, but they can be powerful and can help diversify your forces. 

AT-RT
(for a more detailed look at how the AT-RT plays in the game, click here)
This expansion includes 1 AT-RT mini with 3 different weapons attachments. It also includes 5 upgrade cards.


The AT-RT can be outfitted in several different ways and provides good fire support for its points. However, it can be brought down pretty quickly unless your opponent was foolish enough to completely neglect any anti-armor capability. It has the same 3 Hardpoint upgrades as the Core Set: AT-RT Flamethrower, AT-RT Rotary Blaster, and AT-RT Laser Cannon, all of which have their uses. It also comes with Long-Range Comlink (also available with the Core Set as well as the T-47 Airspeeder, 74-Z Speeder Bikes, and AT-ST expansions) and Comms Jammer (also available with the T-47 Airspeeder, 74-Z Speeder Bikes, and AT-ST expansions.)

Worth noting is that this expansion offers a different sculpt from the Core Set AT-RT. The driver has both hands on the controls (while the Core Set AT-RT driver is holding a rifle in one hand.)

Though the AT-RT doesn't appear on-screen in the Original Trilogy, it is currently the Rebel's only choice for a Support unit and fills that role quite well.

Pros: Decent firepower, can be outfitted for a variety of different specialties, can provide light cover for advancing troopers, alternate sculpt adds variety

Cons: Wilts easily to weapons with Impact, no on-screen appearance during Galactic Civil War

1.4 FD Laser Cannon Team
1.4 FD Laser Cannon Team is expected to release in the third quarter of 2018

Heavy

You are not required to field any Heavy units in a standard 800 point game, but they can be quite powerful and can help diversify your forces.

T-47 Airspeeder
(for a more detailed look at how the T-47 Airspeeder plays in the game, click here
This expansion includes 1 T-47 Airspeeder mini with 2 different weapons attachments. It also includes 5 upgrade cards.


Its Hardpoint upgrades allow it to shoot from the rear as well as the front. The fairly cheap Mo/Dk Power Harpoon is thematic if a bit gimmicky, offering some interesting utility against vehicles and a good chance for suppressing troopers; the more expensive Ax-108 "Ground Buzzer" simply offers raw damage. Other upgrade cards included are Wedge Antilles, a unique Pilot upgrade that can improve the Airspeeder's maneuverability, Long-Range Comlink (also available in the Core Set as well as the AT-RT, 74-Z Speeder Bikes, and AT-ST expansions) and Comms Jammer (also available in the AT-RT, 74-Z Speeder Bikes, and AT-ST expansions.)

The T-47 Airspeeder is a great looking model, fun to paint, and of course very recognizable from its role in The Empire Strikes Back. For some it may be worth buying for these reasons alone. In terms of Legion gameplay, it is the fastest unit in the game and works well as a flanker or a strategic reserve, able to chase down priority targets and ravage the enemy's backline.

It does require care and skill to keep it alive and use effectively, and thus many players have expressed doubts about its usefulness in competitive play. I don't entirely agree with this sentiment-- I think the T-47 fills an important niche and can be used to great effect-- but if your primary interest is competitive play, be forewarned that results may vary.

Pros: Excellent mobility, reliable damage, cool looking model

Cons: High points cost, can require significant practice to use well

Operatives

You are not required to field any Operative units in a standard 800 point game.

None Currently available


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