Shatterpoint: Terror from the Deep Squad Vorschau

Atomic Mass Games zeigen eine neue Vorschau für Star Wars Shatterpoint: Terror from the Deep.

Databank Download: Terror from the Deep Squad Pack

This transmission we’re plunging below the waves to examine the formidable aquatic adversaries that challenged the Galactic Republic for the Separatist Alliance, led by the ferocious shark-like Riff Tamson, a Karkarodon commander and warlord.

Riff hales from Karkaris, an aquatic world that pulled away from the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. Many of his species aligned with the Separatist Alliance, Riff Tamson foremost among them. Though he would become a by aiding Count Dooku, he was motivated by a sincere desire to aid his people, who he thought would fare best among the Confederacy. Whatever the merit of his goals, he undertook a treacherously deceptive scheme after being sent as an “ambassador” of the separatists to Mon Cala.

Key to Dooku’s plans was opening a rift between the two sentient species native to that aquatic world: the Mon Calamari and the Quarren. Already at odds with one another, the Mon Calamari were staunch allies of the Galactic Republic, and it only required one great push to send many Quarren to full opposition. First, Riff assassinated the planet’s Mon Calamari king, Yos Kolina. Then, as an “advisor,” he entered into a conspiracy with Nossor Ri, a Quarren chieftain who opposed the idea of rulership falling to Lee-Char, the king’s heir. This sparked a civil war on the planet, one which Senator Padme Amidala and her Jedi bodyguard Anakin Skywalker, could not prevent. Hostile clashes followed between the Separatists and Republic reinforcements, eventually seeing Riff Tamson, on Dooku’s orders, taking Lee-Char prisoner and briefly managing to seize control of the planet. Riff and Nossor Ri proved to be deadly combatants, making excellent use of potent aquatic droids. Ultimately the young prince would prove to be Riff’s undoing, gaining proper vengeance for the death of his father.

As his shark-like appearance suggests, Riff is a swiftly moving and predatory attacker, capable of Hit-and-Run tactics. With this Reactive ability, after making an attack action, he can immediately Reposition. This can be used to considerable tactical advantage, either moving aside for others in his squad to strike, or moving directly where he’d prefer to be for his next strike. Those that have the higher ground on him can expect to be met with Death from Below, an Active ability that lets him Jump up and strike with additional damage, a move often followed by Hit-and-Run.

To deliver a bonus lashing, Riff can benefit from his other Reactive ability, Blood in the Water, when an allied supporting unit (if Separatist or Scoundrel) makes a combat action. This lets him Jump and gain a free 5-dice attack, if he has the range. This theme of exploiting the vulnerability of enemies near to him is most pronounced in There’s Plenty of Suffering to Go Around. This Identity ability lets him add dice to his attack roll for each nearby enemy that’s Wounded or Injured. This also lets him refresh a Force token when such an enemy becomes Wounded in his proximity.

What’s the difference between savagery and cruelty? This is a puzzling question raised by Riff’s two Stances. Of them, Savagery is slightly more geared toward melee attacks, with higher melee stats, while Cruelty provides slightly better ranged attack stats, though Riff is certainly capable of either type of attack regardless of his stance. As his stats suggest, he’s much more about offense than defense either way (though his Tough Hide lets him take a thrashing).

Savagery gives him the highest potential damage output, especially with the Expertise chart for his Explosive Knives he can hurl, and also provides some possible Healing on its Jaws Expertise chart if using melee. This stance’s Combat Tree is mostly about damage, but can also Expose, Strain, or Disarm the foe, or alternately Shove and provide a bonus Jump. When relying on Cruelty, Riff gets relatively easy access to Heals in his Combat Tree, and his hurled Explosive Knives Expertise chart offers bonus Criticals, but in this stance the Jaws Expertise chart does not provide Healing. The Combat Tree offers a couple choices, with up to three potential Shoves, making it sometimes better when trying to dislodge enemies from objectives. It also provides an earlier Strain, contrasting with a later Expose than on the Savagery stance’s tree.

Overall getting bit by Riff is not recommended as he bites hard and just gets stronger when there’s blood in the water. He fights smoothly alongside his Terror from Below squad, able to take advantage of Nossor Ri’s Riptide and distracting enemies with the rugged Aqua Droids. Though thematically it makes sense to combine these aquatic allies, there are other possible squads Riff could lead. He can be an excellent aggressive primary matched up with a variety of Separatist or Scoundrel options from the Clone Wars era. For example, it could work well to have Riff Tamson leading Aurra Sing and the Bounty Hunters. He’d also benefit if Count Dooku sent him a pair of MagnaGuard to serve as his bodyguards. It would also be fun to see Riff fighting alongside IG-11 Assassin Droid.

 

Now, let’s take a look at the rest of the Terror from Below squad, those following the lead of the ruthless and cruel Riff Tamson during his disruptive actions on Mon Calamari in service of Count Dooku’s Separatist Alliance. Here we will feature Nossor Ri, Riff’s collaborator, and the potent Aqua Droids they employ.

Nossor Ri has a complex history and a checkered past among those Quarrens who got swept up in the battles between the Separatist Alliance and the Galactic Republic before the Clone Wars. Though he would wind up on the wrong side of this fight, that was largely due to the manipulative orchestration of Riff Tamson, who came to Mon Cala as an alleged ambassador for the Alliance but in truth seeking to spark a civil war.

Nossor Ri had been a noteworthy Quarren chieftain who was originally loyal to the Mon Calamari king, whom he considered a close friend. Unknown to him, Riff Tamson, who would soon seek him out, had assassinated the king while encouraging the distrust of those who did not feel his son was ready to assume rulership. The truth is there were other sources of unrest among the Quarrens, forced to endure Mon Calamari rule and feeling they suffered as a result of their secondary status. Many Quarrens were already inclined to side with the Separatists, a tendency encouraged by Riff Tamson, who joined with Nossor Ri in advocating their cause, mostly to become a thorn in the side of the Jedi-backed Galactic Republic. The aquatic forces led by Riff and Nossor would prove their capabilities in battle, managing to go so far as to capture the heir to the Mon Cala throne, Prince Lee Char, who was soon slated for execution.

Though Nossor Ri had hoped to elevate another Quarren in Lee Char’s stead, these events would prove too much for him, as he realized the extent of the depravities of his so-called allies. Disillusioned and not willing to stand idly by while the son of his friend was executed, Nossor Ri would eventually turn on Riff Tamson to save the prince. Nossor and his peers subsequently abandoned the Separatist cause and assisted Republic soldiers in driving them away. Lee Char eventually took the throne, and Nossor accepted his leadership.

Before these reversals, Nossor Ri was a capable weapon in the Separatist’s arsenal, one who, alongside Riff Tamson, proved his capabilities especially when fighting in aquatic environments. Riptide, a Reactive ability, augments his attacks when in proximity of other aquatic allies. Nossor Ri also proved to have keen survival instincts, as demonstrated by Scatter, his Tactics ability that provides additional mobility at the start of his activation, which can be used either by himself or an allied separatist or scoundrel unit. This is usually a Dash but can become a Reposition if the unit chosen to scatter has taken damage.

The shifting nature of Nossor’s plans is demonstrated by Opportunistic Usurper, which allows manipulating the active unit as revealed by Order cards. This ability also prevents the unit from being targeted by ranged attacks while its card is in reserve, representing Nossor’s ability to remain hidden while gauging his best course of action.

Nossor Ri’s Opportunist stance demonstrates his fighting capability as being nearly equal with either ranged or melee weapons, having the same attack stats with his Quarren Blaster or his trident. Defensively, his Survivalist instincts can sometimes allow him to Reposition when evading attacks, possibly getting out of harm’s way. His Combat Tree offers modest damage, as well as a variety of tactical benefits, including several options to Heal himself, or to Disarm, Shove, or Pin down his foe.

Among several droid options employed to shore up the manpower of the Separatist Alliance, Aqua Droids would prove to be one of the more impressive combat-ready examples. Protected by heavy armor and given higher end combat conditioning, they are able to press the advantage against many types of enemy soldiers, fighting especially well against those not accustomed to aquatic environments. They are capable of making a Calculated Advance, an Active ability letting them Dash and make a focus action. They can also take advantage of the ability to Submerge to choose exactly when they wish to reveal themselves, possibly remaining in reserve when their Order card is revealed, so long as another unit can take their place.

Aqua Droids benefit from several pieces of advanced hardware to aid their attacks. Augmented Power Servos allow them to gain Impact [1] from the focus action granted by Calculated Advance, adding to their next melee attack. Enhanced Blast Armor helps absorb incoming damage. And Sonar Detection employs sonic bursts to augment accuracy, diminishing the effectiveness of Cover protecting its targets.

The Assault Protocol stance of Aqua Droids offers impressive Ranged Attack Stats, along with decent Melee Attack ones, and Armor Plating affords a Defense Expertise Chart that mitigates incoming attacks. The stance’s Attack Tree features a couple of easily attainable Shoves to knock enemies back from objectives, along with the option to Disarm or Pin the foe.

Fighting alongside Riff Tamson and Nossor Ri, the squad is highly effective at dismantling foes, working smoothly together, particularly when they can take advantage of terrain and elevation. While most adversaries dread being forced to fight underwater, this squad is perfectly built for such an environment.

Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!

Quelle: AMG Transmissions