For some other reason, I just happened to be looking at the Rebel Troop Cart a few minutes ago, and I finally realized what a vast improvement this piece is over the Desert Skiff from BHs.

I'll lay it out here.

Rebel Troop Cart
Cost: 15
HP: 50
Def: 18
Att: +0
Dam: 0

Speed 8
Troop Cart


Desert Skiff
Cost: 23
HP: 60
Def: 13
Att: +5
Dam: 20

Flight
Mounted Weapon
Rigid
Speed 8
Rapport (w/ Jabba)
Desert Skiff


Now, on first glance (and what I initially thought about the new Troop Cart) there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference. For 8 points less, the Troop Cart gains 5 Def (which is definitely great), but loses 10 HP, all attack abilities, and Flight. The loss of Rigid is nice and Mounted Weapon is probably a hindrance to the Skiff, but those aren't really that big of a deal.

So, initially, my response was to shrug off the Troop Cart and say "Eh, it's just a cheaper Skiff. That's kind of dumb." Well, in order to see what's really interesting about this, we have to look closer at the definitions of Troop Cart and Desert Skiff.

One of the things that always hurt about the Skiff was the fact that if the Skiff was defeated, anybody riding on it was defeated as well if you failed a Save of 11. Not too bad if you've got Force Users or Bodyguards riding on the Skiff, but otherwise, that's pretty harsh. Well, the Troop Cart only requires a save of 6 for that same effect. That's an extra 25% chance that you won't be defeated. That's a huge difference in my book.

Secondly, the Desert Skiff ability says that for characters riding on the Skiff, you count range to those characters by counting range to the Skiff itself, and then adding 1 square. Well, the Troop Cart says you count range to the passengers, by counting range to the Troop Cart itself! While, I believe this means that normal Melee attackers (those without Reach) can attack the passengers as well, this means that Melee pieces without Melee Reach can make their attacks from the Cart without having to disembark. This also allows characters to be effectively 10 squares away from a Commander and still be subject to the CE.

So, while I still think the Troop Cart will be a situational piece, I now feel like I see what makes it different, and what might make it actually more playable than the Skiff. The Troop Cart will certainly be better if the rules are clarified that enemy Melee characters cannot attack the passengers. Guess we'll have to wait till tomorrow to see how that one works out.

Nice analysis Lobo, thank you!

-b

But I can't use the Troop Cart in my Skiff of Doom squad.

LOL

You'll just have to come up with a Cart of Catastrophe squad instead.

Very nice analysis. Too bad im an Imp lover........

The extra range to attack something on the skiff is probabley because it has Flight. Since the RTC is down on the ground you can hit the passengers just as easily as the RTC itself.

Nice analysis.

The one upside to the skiff is that it has Flight. It can go through characters that the Troop Cart can't. Other than that, I agree. The Troop Cart is better.

Quick question: if the troop cart doesn't have mounted weapon, is it considered living and thus subject to HEAL?

Haha, that's something I actually just noticed when playing around with Chuck's MM and the 'open booster' option. If you pull a Medic and a Troop Cart, I do believe you could put the Medic on the cart and heal it!

That is, of course, unless they goofed something up and there will be an errata on the Troop Cart tomorrow morning, lol.

LOL, I was thinking the exact same thing. I was thinking too bad you couldn't just keep a medic on it for avoid defeat and... oh wait a minute

Wouldn't be surprised if it is indeed supposed to have mounted weapon despite not having an attack.

HAhahahaha, holy crap. Forgot about 2-1B. That's awesome. Heal 30 and Avoid Defeat for both the Troop Cart and the passengers! Sweet!

I want to Lightsaber Sweep with someone on the cart. :)

its a huge without flight.

The cart will drag ass.

Short, to the point, and accurate. You can't ask for a better reply than that.

This.....is genius!!

True, but it will still be a good situational piece.

And the figs on the troop cart only need a save of 6 to survive when the cart dies, while the figs on the skiff needed a save of 11 to survive, so the cart is definitely better. Not to mention that the cart could be part of Garn's reinforcements.

Ooohhh

Get ready for the Carts of Catastrophe!!!

Speaking of dragging... I wanted to put Dead Obi-Wan on it, to get him into battle quicker. Too bad he can't board it (since he's never considered adjacent). Maybe he can hitch a ride if he starts the skirmish on it?

Wonder what happens when you use Force Repulse while riding the Troop Cart? I suppose it probably takes damage, gets moved, and if it's destroyed you can disembark from wherever it happened to land, if you survive...

For 15 points this thing might have some uses.

I wanna try Leia, HC with it or with the passengers. Could be fun.