All this talk of Kaan being broken (he is under-costed), and no mention of Atton Jaq Rand? He's the most ridiculous character created yet.
Double Greater Mobile - OK, so you want to make him awesome. 20 damage base + assassin - Wow! Assassin in in play most of the time, this gut is sick. 60 damage most of the time and easy ways to get him up to 80 in both factions, if not 100. Also keep in mind (Jaq + Gary vs living) +17 attack twice for 40 each (52 pts) is better than 4 +16 attacks at 20 each (Cad bane vs uniques). Same damage output total, but as it was already pointed out, with the meta full of damage reducing abilities (sheilds and the like) less shots for more damage is better. Also - more likely to be attacking a living character than a unique. Oh, and 2 activations is better than 1. So he is an offensive beast, with built in greater mobile to keep him alive. He's worth 36 points already. Oh wait - he's a pilot so you can also easily and cheaply give him evade and speed 8. Yikes! Then the fact that you can pair him with Revan for the best offensive swap in the game, quick and deadly all in on phase. Jedi mind trick is something that could come quite in handy, especially since it doesn't replace attacks or turn. OK - now here's where it gets so stupid it makes me want to puke. Override? SERIOUSLY!?! WTF!?! So you use a big nasty shooter that in one phase can swap in from across the board, lay down 80-100 damage then LOCK THE DOOR in your face? Why on EARTH was he given overrride? Give him door gimmick, or even advanced door gimmick, but letting one character be your sick offensive punch then lock the door is a mistake that should have ended with ERCs. Oh but wait - we're not done yet. He has avoid defeat. One of the worst abilities ever created. At least with a medical droid you had to keep someone adjacent, and wedge isn't really an offensive threat. But putting it on a main piece, and that piece has FORCE POINTS to reroll!?! STUPID. But it's not like he has easy access to renewal . . . oh wait - 2 easy options under 15 pts. Wow. If someone is rolling hot, they could never die. In MO regionals one guys made 6 Avoid defeat saves in a row. SIX!!! I'm impressed I still won. I hate abilities that let luck so strongly factor into a game. Luck is already innate in a game involving dice, why do we need to amplify it with stupid abilities like reserves, soresu style mastery, vapaad mastery and avoid defeat. So yeah - Jaq is stupid.
That being said (and more on topic) - no Sith squad without him will make the top eight, I'd even say no OR will either, if either faction even makes it. I'd even say that if a Sith squad makes it, it will contain Revan, Jaq, and Kaan - or no Sith will make it.
Vong - nope, sorry. Only Nom + Cad + Yomin + Workers can compete - and vs Lobot you lose. Why? Roran Corrob.
Mandos - nope. No even close. The problem is, and this is not factored into smaller 4 round regionals, 2 pt victories hurt a LOT more in a 6 round championship. Way more than a 4 round regional, and even more than you might think in a larger 5 round regional. Mandos have some tough squads, but they play slow, and have a harder time getting 3 pt victories. If you play Mandos you will not make the top 8 at GenCon - prove me wrong.
Speaking of squads that play slowly - how are you Mr. Weir? Holy cow Storm Commandos are the 2 pt kings. Look at Regional results - apart from Spry's build which has more attacker potential and a speeder variant which is better at 3pt victories but not as good overall, Weir and SCs have a TON of 2 pters racked up. Even their losses are often 2 pts for the opponent. That is annoying! And frankly I think even Spry's version will get at least one 2pter along the way, he just faced a bunch of Melee that had to keep running at him and get shot to bits. I do predict a few imps in the top 8, but more Weir squads will be the gatekeeper as they will HAND OUT 2 pt vicotries. Weir is the bandwagon squad this year, and many don't really know how to run it. Ysalimiri is the great equalizer, and then some.
Seps - yup, lancer is still dangerous. I predict 1 in the top 8. There will be a few droid swarms (IG and A-series) that will do decent, but not make the top 8.
Republic, republic, republic. How annoying of a faction - as if they didn't have enough, they got a ton more this year. Mace squads are all about match-ups and crit timing. One may slip in to the top 8, but more likely one will beat a better player with a better squad with several lucky crits and shake things up. Oh and then the stupid Naboo pilots swarm. Yeah - bad idea for a fig. Agree with the broken assessment. 1 will make the top 8. Thank GOD for Kaan which will help hold them at bay (I laughed with glee as I blew away tons of pilots and they tried to target my other figs and I informed them that they had to target the already dead Kaan!). Oh, and then there is the very little seen so far this year Yodabuck. Still awesome, still dangerous - he will make the top 8. Still think Mean Green Smashing Machine is the best Republic squad out there (Yodabuck, Panaka and Mace).
NR - Maybe 1. Ysalimiri really hurts Mara AND Corran. Big smashy squads can usually take them out, and lots o' guns can find a way if they out-activate and have a movement breaker. But they have enough tricks to maybe slip in there.
and good old Rebels - I think it will be like last year, they still have enough going on that they are a threat, and 1 will slip into the top 8. Hell good old-school 2010 style rebels still have what it takes. Especially since they can out-activate and the mass activation killers are less prevalent.
So - to summarize:
My original tallies added to 9, so to squeeze it down to 8 -
OR - 0 Mandos - 0 Sith - 1 Seps - 1 Republic - 3 Rebels - 1 Imps - 2 NR - 0 Vong - 0
-1 to any faction to let NR slip in.
That's my 2 (ridiculously rambling) cents
|