Starter/Battle Force Box upgrades - Skirmish Lists #1

     Either you are starting to play Star Wars Legion, or start a new army in it, you need a decent list to get a grip of what your army has to offer without spinning wheels on unnecessary purchases. Here I provide some starting lists that you may even bring to your Local Skirmish Tournaments.

Disclaimer

       Featured lists are mainly for new players that look to start playing on budget, so:

• I may add up to 2 additional Expansion boxes to lists (the less the better),
• I'm not considering upgrade cards availability in said boxes in the process,
• I will not provide Command cards deck to leave this for your trial and error.

Starter box: Rebel vs Empire

    List not expensive to build, but it's hard to pilot as the whole faction. Lack of Vigilance (Command Card) is hurting Rebel Troopers, so you being "creative" is the name of the game. This list packs a punch, but has a glass jaw. Rely on your playmakers Luke and Boba (Up Close and Personal is used to combo with Making His Way in The Galaxy command card), with area denial in the form of ATRT.

Preferred objectives (in order): Breach, Pivotal Positions, Control. Elimination may be fine, as long as you don't lose rebel troopers at the start (that's why they have Prepared Supplies).

Expansions: Boba Fett (Daimyo). Optionally you can add (for command cards): Rebel Specialists Personnel, Luke Operative.

    Flexible list that adapts to the dynamic of the opponent thanks to the Relentless keyword of Vader and Dewback Riders. Offensively, you can move from cover to cover and still shooting, only to Spur Debacks and using Vader's Burst of Speed to charge on opponent's positions when the time is right. Defensively, you can use your range to soften the offensive and move from out of cover to shoot/saber throw and come back to cover.

Preferred objectives (in order): Control,  Pivotal Positions, Elimination. Breach is playable too, but you need to calculate Vader's movement to get to the end of the map in round 5.

Expansions: 2x Dewback Rider. Optionally you can add (for command cards): Empire Specialists Personnel, Darth Vader Operative.

Starter box: Clone Wars

    Fire supporting list that uses Obi and AT-RT as deterrents from direct attack. In reality AT-RT uses it's in-built missile launcher to get surged attack with any clone unit for additional punch. Opponent spreads out. Obi can pick them off one by one.

Preferred objectives (in order): Elimination, Pivotal Positions. Other two may be rough, requiring more planning of the gun line, especially in Breach to move everything forward in rounds 4 and 5.

Expansions: Phase II Clone Troopers and Republic AT-RT. Optionally you can add (for command cards): Republic Specialists Personnel.

    Assault group that aims to close the enemy out of objective. B1s hang around B2 to repair them and shoot only when necessary. Droidekas deliver crucial area denial and suppression that may panic enemies at the most important turn 5 or travel through the whole map to get to the objective in Breach. Grievous is a star of this that hangs around to charge into enemy positions when the time is right.

Preferred objectives (in order): Control, Breach, Elimination. Pivotal positions you should avoid, because all forces should be active in this list.

Expansions: Separatist Specialists Personnel and B2 Battle Droids.

Starter Set: Shadow Collective

    Very brutal list that aims to get close and unleash the devastating grenade barrage. Usual pattern of play is using Maul as one-man army on one flank and Black Sun blob on the other one. If you get to range 1 with Black Suns, use:

• Mag-Det's grenade for Impact and Blast,
• Fragmentation Grenade thrown by a single Black Sun for the whole attack's surge to crit,
• The rest of them use their Double-blasters for most optimal dice pool.

Preferred objectives (in order): Control, Breach, Elimination. Pivotal positions you should avoid, because all forces should be active in this list.

Expansions: 2x Black Sun Enforcers.

Battle Force Starter Set: Echo Base Defenders

    Typical Rebel list that looks uses emplacement troopers as area denial. Leia, Chewbacca and Tauntaun Riders are heavy hitters of this list. Still, you have to place and maneuver your units carefully, since they are fragile.

Preferred objectives (in order): Pivotal positions, Elimination, Breach. Control is to be avoided.

Expansions: None! Optionally you can add (for command cards): Rebel Specialists Personnel.

Battle Force Starter Set: Blizzard Force

    All in list that uses Vader and AT-ST as heavy hitters and Snowtroopers going into places where enemy hides from AT-ST. The vehicle has Arbmab setup to get close quick, to support Lord Vader.

Preferred objectives (in order): Control, Elimination, Breach. Pivotal positions objective is playable, but splitting force is not a thing that this list wants to do.

Expansions: None! Optionally you can add (for command cards): Empire Specialists Personnel.

Battle Force Starter Set: 501st Legion

    Heavy clone list, that looks to limit enemy's cover options, by using Arc Troopers with Jetpacks and Anakin. Place Order on P2s whenever you can for fire supporting AT-RT, or Anakin, optionally ARC Troopers.

Preferred objectives (in order): Elimination, Control, Pivotal positions, Breach.

Expansions: None! Optionally you can add (for command cards): Republic Specialists Personnel.

Battle Force Starter Set: Separatist Invasion Force

    Long range separatist force that uses B2 Droids as a deterrent from getting close. AAT wants to snipe enemy's vehicle, or shoot with Bunker Buster to deal with troopers. This list pulls some insane close-call wins in Skirmish: Droidekas can get anywhere, AAT can grind a side edge of the map to hide its weak spot, especially in Breach.

Preferred objectives (in order): Elimination, Pivotal positions, Breach. Control is playable, but not preferred.

Expansions: None! But consider Separatist Specialists Personnel, since this list is not using named Commander.

Conclussion

    Each starter box provides solid foundations to list building. Specialists Personnel expansions are one of the first thing to buy (as I sound like a broken record, but it's true). Post your lists based on starter set, or some optimalizations to mine and until then, Pandageek is rolling out.