Mission H2 - Blockade Run
Rebels (GR-75 with Combat Retrofit and 140 points) (played by JL)
- GR-75 with Combat Retrofit, Dutyfree, WED-15 Repair Droid, Frequency Jammer and Backup Shield Generator (51 points); started with Damaged Stabilizers card
- YT-1300: Han Solo with Marksmanship, Homing Missiles, Chewbacca and Gunner (63 points)
- Grey Squadron Y-Wing with Ion Cannon Turret (25 points)
- Gold Squadron Y-Wing with Ion Cannon Turret (23 points)
- Red Squadron X-Wing (23 points)
Imperials (200 points) (played by Beni)
- Initial Group: 2x Tempest Squadron TIE Advanced with Cluster Missiles (25x2= 50 points)
- Group A: 2x Scimitar Squadron TIE Bomber with 2 Cluster Missiles each (24x2= 48 points)
- Group B: Storm Squadron TIE Advanced with Cluster Missiles (27 points)
- Group C: 2x Scimitar Squadron TIE Bomber with 2 Cluster Missiles each (24x2= 48 points)
- Group D: Storm Squadron TIE Advanced with Cluster Missiles (27 points)
(the scene starts in a briefing room in the Rebel base in Hoth)
Rebellion Officer: well, it seems our decoy Transport group worked perfectly and has attracted most of the Imperial heat... We'll send our main Transport group in a few minutes on a trajectory almost opposite to that of the decoy Transport... I hope you all slept well, ladies...
(some minutes later)
Trooper Cartman Zherooh: Unidentified GR-75, you are exiting a blockaded system. Following order 34890 of Emperor Palpatine, you are hereby requested to stop the vessel and prepare for boarding and a customs check... uum, they are not stopping...they are coming directly at us!
Trooper Kenny Jax Junior: Yes, they are not stopping! Let's light up that bastard!
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| Two TIE Advanced charge the GR-75 head on while its escorts flanks them |
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| The Y-Wings attack the flank of the approaching TIE Advanced |
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| The TIE Advanced launch their cluster missiles on the reinforced front section of the GR-75 without causing much damage, and one of them is ionized by the Y-Wing escorts |
Trooper Kenny Jax Junior: I can't! My controls are not reponding! (mumbling to himself) I think I'm having a dejà vu... (a big explosion and Kenny Junior goes straight to Jedi Other World)
Trooper Cartman Zherooh: Bastards! They killed Kenny Junior! Frigate South Garden, please send reinforcements! A GR-75 transport is trying to break the blockade... they are shooting at us!
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| Only one of the TIE Advanced dodges the incoming GR-75 which crushes and destroys the other TIE Advanced. Meanwhile, two TIE Bombers approach the back of the Transport and are met by the Han Solo and his YT-1300. |
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| The GR-75 jams both TIE Bombers preventing them from gaining Target Locks and shooting missiles at the Transport. Han Solo starts piling damage on the Bombers. |
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| Meanwhile, the Y-Wings ionize the Bombers to make their mission even more difficult |
Frigate South Garden: That Rebel scum is trying to escape the planet! Turbolaser batteries: fire on the transport!
Trooper Cartman Zherooh: Wait! I'm still in the line of fire!
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| TIE Advanced 1 receives the last point of damage from Turbolaser fire... One would call this friendly fire, but there are no friends in the Imperial Navy |
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| Meanwhile, one of the Bombers has managed to launch one of its missiles against the Transport, but both are assaulted by Ion Blast fire from the planet and fire from the GR-75 escorts |
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| Han blows up one of the Bombers |
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| And the Y-Wings take care of the last Bomber |
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| A lonely TIE Advanced tries to approach the GR-75 |
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| and is quickly blown to pieces |
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| Two more Bombers are sent from the Frigate group and decide to maintain a bit the distance |
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| They wait until one last TIE Advanced also joins the battle |
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| The TIE Advanced dodges the X-Wing escort |
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| The Imperials try a desperate last attack, but they have very little time left |
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| The last Imperial ships get entangled with the Rebel escorts, and the Transport makes its escape |
Tactical Comments
This battle was quite easy for me playing the Rebels. Beni tried again a list based on Bombers and Cluster Missiles, which is very scary against a GR-75 with its 0 Agility, but he decided to directly attack the GR-75 with each of his reinforcements instead of waiting for 2-3 groups to join forces and do a more dangerous attack on the GR-75.This meant that I was able to pick his ships one by one and always had a big numerical advantage.
Also, because Beni did not attack the escorts, I was able to keep all my firepower until the end. Finally, causing 2-3 damage per turn against the GR-75 is not enough, because it can easily recover 2-3 shields per turn.
About my tactics, I liked the effect of the Y-Wings and their Ion Turrets. I think they denied the Imperial ships a lot of their mobility and they were the cause for the demise of one of the first TIE Advanced that attacked the Transport.
Finally, the Heavy Bombardment tokens added an extra level of tactics to the mission. I liked them very much and I think I'll probably use this mechanics to change a bit the Frigate Fire mechanics I designed for the 4th mission of my Pirates' Run campaign.
All in all, a very nice mission, even though our battle was an easy Rebel win.
You rebel scum !
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