One of the things that I think this piece does to the meta, is seriously hurt players who are using the MTB. In a Deep Strike Situation (And Yoda makes these happen) He can remove all of the MTB's fodder, often in a single activation. Does he Truly hurt the playability of the MTB or am I imagining things.

Further, with Yoda on Kybuck in the meta, does that mean that Thrawn once again rules the initiative control? Does Quinlan Vos, Jedi Infiltrator become a piece that is needed for recon?

He also hurts glass cannon squads, including Han Cannon. With 160hps, if he can strike at Han and Leia last in a round, even winning init can't save Han and Leia. The key is figuring out how to get in that extra hit, which usually means you need to pull off the 16 square gallop and regular hit on one of the two.

I suppose this all depends on the matchup. What's to stop a Yobuck squad from using a MTB thus negating Thrawn? Even if you don't want to build into a MTB, against a Thrawn squad an MTB and a Gonk Droid brought in by Lobot would accomplish the mission of killing Thrawn in two rounds.

Now when Thrawn isn't facing a Yobuck squad, sure we're probably going to see a decrease in MTB specific squads because of Yobucks Deep Strike. But again, that's the beauty of Lobot's flexibility, bring in an MTB and ugos to counter Thrawn.

I think the best part about this Yoda, is that while he can be a nice counter to all shooter squads, he is a liability against some of the new melee peices - Djem so and reposte in particular. Good luck killing an opposing Anakin with Yoda - because you will need the dice to be heavily on your side to pull that one off.

There are also ways for swarms to keep him under control.

For example the following set up.

Let's assume I am playing an IC AA swarm style squad.

l & _ = Wall
A = Aqualish
J = Jarael
L = Luke Jedi
R = R2-D2 or R2PO
o = open spaces
_____________
l A A R
l A A J
l o L o
l
l

Now, if Yoda wants to use Gallop, he has to take AoOs from Luke and Jarael, and a Djem so from Luke. It might be worth it in this case, but he cannot just do it scott free. If I had a nice Caamasi wall in there, I am even better protected, as he cannot gallop them at all. There are ways around it, you just have to be careful.

And obviously, if you are within 4-5 of R2 and Yoda, this won't work, but I imagine that there is no reason to assume that R2 and Yoda could get that close to an AA swarm to start a turn without R2 dying and Yoda being based by 3 or more AAs anyways, and then, problem solved again.

The Yobuck is just great for a number of things. I really think that a solid melee team is the best counter. The new obi-wan and JWMs come to mind here.

Played Yoda on a tournament today.
Won vs Droids and GGDAC, New Rep jaina/jacen/han and Lukes SS with AA and han in STA.
Lost vs New Rep. Mara, Jedi/Kayle JBM/Gen. Wedge Ant.
And i lost a testmatch vs JWM with Jolee Bindo.

I think the best counter are 1-2 high HP figures with a good (melee) def.

I too played Yodabuck today.

--Depth Destruction--
51 Yoda on Kybuck
33 Captain Rex
23 Captain Panaka
18 Lando Calrissian, Dashing Scoundrel
9 R2-D2, Astromech Droid
8 Mas Amedda
5 Caamasi Noble
3 Ugnaught Demolitionist
(150pts. 8 activations)

I feel this is about the best it gets at 150 for the buck. I went 4-0 and beat a Luke SS squad, a Mara/Wedge Dodonna squad, an Obi/Clone build and a Kota/Fringe/Doombot squad.

I play Jar-Jar instead of Lando, but I see the effectiveness of both pieces, that may be the optimal build.

--Anibuck--
51 Yoda on Kybuck
49 Anakin Skywalker, Champion of Nelvaan
23 Padme Amidala, Senator
9 R2-D2, Astromech Droid
8 Mas Amedda
4 Gran Raider
6 Ugnaught Demolitionist x2
(150pts. 8 activations)

I am a big fan of this at 150, and Padme is interchangeable with Panaka as desired. With Padme, I often drop Mas as well and just go with more activations, just depends on the expected need.

While I like swapping Rex around, having Rex as my primary ranged attacker bothers me somewhat. And in the squad you posted Flea, I am somewhat ambivalent about those. Tint used Jar Jar with the last 18pts, I had a clone and some more activations with it, but I am just not sure what I like best. The base is probably one of the best options at 150 for Yoda, as you really can't get much more bang for the buck in there at 150. Heck, there isn't more bang for the buck (pun intended) than Rex.

The biggest issue you face with those are heavy jedi - lucking at 150 there are limits to what you can fit in, barring Obi and some JWMs (which should be almost an auto loss for Rex and Yoda). Other than that, it can beat about anything.

Now as to why I like this one, I forgo any significant range damage for another melee threat that can really move. With twin, Anakin can harass any big shooter pretty consistently, but more importantly, in the mirror, Anakin wins every time (barring Tint running away for 20 minutes and only finishing 4 rounds in an hour ).

This one can also handle JWMs with Obi a little better, although you will need some dice luck with Ani to hit them. But Djem so Twin on any hits and repostes can be a killer.

So while the rex swapping should be the common squad at 150, I think this one should also be right up there.

What is in the last 50 to take what we have to the 200 point level?
I could see in Bills Version, A Jedi Weapon Master and Captain Panaka.
In Flea's Version I can see possibly Ani.

I've used Aurra and Wicket at 200 with the above base, and it worked well. The option for Aurra to move 14 and shoot, or move 6 and double accurate jedi hunt is pretty solid. It also covers the problem of Padme with melee against Kyle as well.

I've also tried General Obi, Panaka, Ani and Yoda - which works pretty well as a group.

My squad:
Yoda on Kybuck
Captain Rex
Captain Panaka
R2-D2, Astromech Droid
Mas Amedda
Jar Jar Binks
Gran Raider
Ugnaught Demolitionist

Made another try vs Mara,Jedi/Kyle JBM/Gen Wedge A./Lukes Spirit/Uggies
Lost but close game.. becouse only jar jar made 3-4 save before he died.
Without jar jar save i would have no chance..

YoBuck aswell as other pieces (Kyle, BM/Lancer and others i am forgetting) have made me enjoy playing shaak ti, jm more. Yobuck got really popular at my lgs, as well as disruptive nr squads. Shaak ti double ripostes have been so sweet. Plus all the melee pieces get too scared to take aoo's. Her stealth also hurts rex/ig's and other non accurate shooters that are showing up alot. I played...

Shaak ti, jm
Luke's LS
Princess leia
r2p0
dodonna
uggiex3

at a 150 on saturday. I went 3-1. Shaak ti, wrecked kyle and yobuck. Her stealth helped and sometimes i just ended up moving her 10 spaces to attack. My loss was against durge+aurra, jh. there was 6 rolls that lost me the game. first san hill got a Bg droid first round. Then leia needed 11's on the BG and missed twice. He made the mind trick save on durge, and i failed both deflect saves with the LS.If an of those had gone my way which were all 50/50, i would have killed aurra and it would have been my game or atleast very close. It basically came down to durge being at full, aurra got away with 20 hp. and shaak ti couldn't chase because durge and a t1 completely blocked my path. But all in all it was great playing shaak ti. I completely destroyed in my other games.