billiv15 wrote:
I just don't see it. You get just as many mice without Gha in most cases.
Sure. The thread could have been retitled "the 6+ mouse dump" or "10 mouse syndrome" to clarify that they could be built-in to the core squad as well.
I don't really see anyone focusing on Gha related solutions (and assume it's because they don't think Gha specifically is the problem either.)
The problem is there's no down-side to the garbage acts because you can avoid bringing them in when they're a detriment due to Reinforcements. It's like the difference between San and Dodonna. San has a downside, while Dodonna just says "okay, I'll activate 2 this phase." When you face Kybuck or something, use that 20 points more wisely.
Earlier in game's life, the options available to Fringe Reinforcements were pretty modest. (
4 Bespin Guards with 20D in cover for combined fire--yeah!) Today you've got everything if it turns out the mouse dump isn't a good idea. Excellent ranged combat troops with Lando or IG-86s. Great melee support with AAs. Super commanders like the Twi'lek Vigo. Amazing tech with Tactics Broker, cheap Override on R7s, mini-disruptive on Crumb, or It's a Trap for anti-stealth. It's hard to go wrong with Lobot in the current environment.
And Reinforcements with high acts is so prevalent at the top that it can use some more semi-counters. Nothing should break it entirely. A 10 point Fringe guy who prevents your opponent from getting Reinforcements would be overkill, for example. But I would like to see factions that need crowd control get something that works well on garbage acts without entirely crippling swarms. (Admittedly tough balance.) And I would also like to see specific factions start to get some Reinforcments counters that hurt it in a more general sense by making it slightly less useful.
An example of the former would be a cheap 10 damage Gallop piece in a faction that has difficulty boosting its damage. Gallop is great against non-combat acts because you get to continue the Gallop against 0 Damage characters even if you miss, so it's not an auto-win against, say, a Stormtrooper swarm because of the danger of AoOs.
And a couple examples of the latter type of counter would be Communications Jamming:
Option A) Characters brought in through Reinforcements or Reserves cost 2 more. (credit to Deri)
Option B) Reinforcements are not set up before starting the first round. Save 11 before initiative each following round to set them up. If the character with Reinforcements is defeated, they are set up automatically before initiative the following round.
Both options add uncertainty to Reinforcements... the former by affecting how efficiently the points can be spent, particularly on lower costs figures, and the latter by affecting when they will appear in the game.