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 Post subject: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 5:27 pm 
Black Sun Thug
Black Sun Thug

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:16 pm
Posts: 69
Squad

55 Kazdan Paratus
37 Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
35 Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Master
26 Jedi Weapon Master
23 Mon Mothma
15 Lobot, Computer Liaison Officer
5 Youngling
3 Ugnaught Demolitionist

So I ran some numbers. Combats are extremely difficult to predict, but I'm assuming the following things:

1. Average match-length in our area is 8 rounds.
2. I will not have Recon on the first round, but every round thereafter I will.
3. All characters that have Reserves, Recon, and Anticipation will survive the entire game.

Obviously the last one is a huge and likely erroneous assumption, but for simplicity's sake I'm going to. Note that Palpatine gives the JWM, Qui-Gon, Kazdan, and the Youngling Bodyguard, and they will be adjacent to him so I have the ability to spread damage as I wish (AoE attacks notwithstanding).

I ran three imaginary games, and the results were as follows:

1. Every round got me reserves. I got two Fringe pulls (totaling 100 pts), one Republic pull (totaling 50 pts), and five Droid pulls (totaling 150 pts).
2. 7/8 rounds got me reserves. I got one Fringe pull (totaling 50), two Republic pulls (totaling 100), and four Droid pulls (totaling 120).
3. 6/8 rounds got me reserves. I got one Fringe pull (totaling 50), no Republic pulls, and five Droid pulls (totaling 150).

With that said, I'm trying my best to make a non-competitive squad more competitive, and attempting to build the best synergy with my Reserves. A very important key here is Mon Mothma's CE. I think it can be ill if used correctly. My best combos are the following:

Fringe
(Dash, Czerka, Mouse Droid x2)
(TBSVx2, Human Scoundrel)
If I pull the Czerka early, she buffs the TBSVs and the Scoundrel.

Republic
(Antarian Ranger x3, Mas Amedda, Youngling) I would pull these if I have the Czerka especially, for her buff of the Rangers)
(CC Cody, ARC Trooper Sniper x2) This is a self-contained unit. If one of these guys dies and Mothma's CE lets them attack, they can do 30 dmg to anyone in LoS.

Droids
(T1 Series Bulk Loader Droid, R4) Kazdan's Droid Mark on the T1 helps everyone else survive longer.
(ASN Droid, Mouse Droid) I like the ASN, I know most people don't. Czerka buffs him too.
(Chameleon Droid, Battle Droid) Czerka buffs the Chameleon.
(IG-86, Gonk Droid) I probably wouldn't pull this one unless it's the fourth or so, but the Gonk can make Dash even more of a monster. Czerka buffs the IG-86.

So any advice would be appreciated from you experts. I don't have a categorical knowledge of every piece like you guys do. Are there good combos I'm missing? Is my thinking sound? Anything would be cool. Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 5:31 pm 
Black Sun Thug
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:16 pm
Posts: 69
Oh, just noticed a possible mistake. Mothma's CE extends only to followers. For the second Fringe Pull, would it be better to replace the TBSVs with something else?


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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:47 am 
One of The Ones
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Well, Human Scoundrels with the Czerka, plus an R4 on the table would be pretty nasty with Mothma's CE. You might want to try working in Mas Amedda to the squad though, so you don't have to rely on Mouse Droids to extend her CE.

Kazdan squads are tough to run competitively, IMO. The problem is that you often need at least 2-3 Droid Reserves before your droids are good enough to do anything substantial. Plus, every time your opponent kills a Reserve piece, they still get points. So, you start with a 200 point squad, and you may add another 200 points to that, but now your opponent has lots of smaller, mostly weaker pieces to pick off, instead of beefier 40-50 point characters. Also, you really should try to fit in R2 Astromech somehow. He's invaluable for getting your Jedi into the conflict. Might also consider working Grand Master Yoda into it somehow (not sure how). Maybe instead of Mothma and the JWM. His CE would be awesome for Kazdan and Qui-Gon, and any Fringe followers you bring in.

Lately, I find that I like running Kazdan with the Rebels more than the Republic. You can pair him with Obi FS to give him Renewal. Gen Rieekan can give him Mobile/Evade so Kazdan survives a bit longer as he gets close to the engagement area. You can add in strong shooters like Han very easily, and Princess Leia can even give Kazdan an extra attack once he's adjacent. Also, you can run both Lobot CLO and R2 w/ Extended Sensor in a Rebel squad, giving you two Recon options for only 24 points total. In order to get double Recon in a Republic squad, you have to use Quinlan Vos, Infiltrator, and with Lobot CLO, that's 49 points total! The other thing I like about the Rebel option, if you run Rieekan, then you can bring in a TBSV with Reserves at some point, and now Kazdan and any other followers on the squad can get Greater Mobile Attack. Run another Jedi interference piece like Shaak Ti Jedi Master or something, and that can be pretty nasty.

Republic versions aren't too bad though. If you really want to make use of Mon Mothma's CE though, I would more likely go with a Black Sun build with Xizor instead of Kazdan. That way all your Reserves can be pieces that will benefit from her CE. With the Kazdan build, you could end up with a game like Option 3 that you listed above, where 75% of your Reserve pieces won't be able to benefit from Mothma at all. Of course, using Xizor would mean that you have much less chances of getting Reserves, since you'd only be getting them on 11's or 20's at that point.

As for the Reserves themselves, I think you have it set up pretty well. If you're going to use Dash, and R4 would definitley be helpful at some point. Luckily, you can bring in one of those with either Fringe or Droid Reserves. The Czerka really doesn't help you until you already have other pieces on the field that can benefit from it. So, on your first Fringe reserves, I would do Dash and a Human Scoundrel, and then 3 Ugs/Mouse Droids (most likely Mice if you aren't going to use Mas in the base squad). Then on your next Fringe Reserves, you can bring in a Czerka, a couple more Ugs/Mice, and a TBSV and another Human Scoundrel.

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Mand'alor
"You either die a hero, or you live to see yourself become the villain."
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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:47 pm 
Black Sun Thug
Black Sun Thug

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:16 pm
Posts: 69
Yeah, I looked at the Rebel option and wanted more to make this an ultimate Reserves squad. I actually almost threw Xizor in there as well. :)

Thanks for the Reserve tips especially. I think I'll go with this. I realized that Jar-Jar's Bombad Gungan works well with Palpatine's Betrayal. Keep Jar-Jar within 6 squares of Palpatine and use Draw Fire, then if it's a 1 just redirect it back at Palpatine. You get the benefit of Betrayal while keeping Palpy alive longer!

Squad
55 Kazdan Paratus
37 Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
35 Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Master
23 Mon Mothma
18 Jar Jar Binks
15 Lobot, Computer Liaison Officer
9 R2, Astromech
8 Mas Amedda

Reserves
Fringe
(Dash RS, Human Scoundrel, Wicket (or Ugnaught Droid Destroyer if I'm up against droids))
(Czerka, Human Scoundrel x2, Duros Mercenary (or Jawa if I'm up against droids))
(TBSV x2, Human Scoundrel)
(Against Droids, I can also do Jawa Scout x5)

Republic
(Antarian Ranger x3, Clone Trooper, Youngling)
(ARC Trooper Sniper x2, Antarian Ranger, Clone Trooper) This is a self-contained unit. If one of these guys dies and Mothma's CE lets them attack, they can do 30 dmg to anyone in LoS while Jolting.

Droids
(T1 Series Bulk Loader Droid, R4) Kazdan's Droid Mark on the T1 helps everyone else survive longer.
(ASN Droid, Mouse Droid)
(Battle Droid Officer, Juggernaught War Droid, Battle Droid)
(IG-86, Gonk Droid) I probably wouldn't pull this one unless it's the fourth or so, but the Gonk can make Dash even more of a monster. Czerka buffs the IG-86.


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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:55 pm 
Black Sun Thug
Black Sun Thug

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:16 pm
Posts: 69
Whoa! I totally forgot about the fact that Droid Reserves hits on 20 as well. That's another 30 points on the first one and 60 on the second!


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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:25 am 
One of The Ones
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Location: West Chester, OH (near Cincinnati)
Be sure to double-check the rules on Bombad Gungan. I'm pretty sure you redirect the attack/ability BEFORE the dice is rolled.

Overall though, I think your second squad certainly looks interesting! You can use Qui-Gon to BG for JarJar, Palpatine, or Lobot CLO, thus making sure that he dies first, but you still get Recon/Anticipation for a couple rounds in the meantime. Then Qui-Gon gives his FPs to Kazdan, making him into a fairly decent piece.

You'll still be relying on getting Reserves though, and I find that in the games where I need them the most, I roll Reserves the fewest times. There's always the chance that, even with Recon, you roll a 12 and a 16 every single round.

This squad is probably tweaked about as best as you can get it, and it should probably do pretty well at most LGS. Heck, I went 3-1 a while back with a Reserves squad that had only Kazdan for the Reserves pieces, but it also had more heavy hitters and didn't depend quite so much on the Reserves themselves. I just don't think Reserves squads can really hang at the very top. They're solid Tier Two for sure, and unless your LGS is ridiculously competitive, you should be fine.

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-Aaron
Mand'alor
"You either die a hero, or you live to see yourself become the villain."
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 Post subject: Re: 200 Point Reserves Squad...which Reserves are best?
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:38 pm 
Black Sun Thug
Black Sun Thug

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:16 pm
Posts: 69
Yeah, we're not hyper-competitive. None of us attend GenCon or anything similar, and the few of us that went to the Regionals here got trounced by NickName and his brother. :)

That said, thanks again for the help. After re-reading Bombad Gungan, I see that of course you're right, so I wonder if I wouldn't be better served putting an ARC Trooper Sniper or something in the squad instead of JarJar. I'll probably get the gungan out of there.


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