Databank Download: Boushh (Leia Organa), Lando and R2-D2,  Inside Job Preview Article

 

This “Inside Job” preview is a particularly fun themed set of characters featuring the “Spy” tag, each in disguise as they had been for a caper at Jabba’s Palace on Tatooine, seeking to recover Han Solo after he was encased in carbonite to be handed over as a trophy to Jabba the Hutt. This includes Leia Organa disguised as the Ubese bounty hunter Boushh, Lando Calrissian in the uniform of one of Jabba’s guards, and the ever-adaptable R2-D2 transformed into a cocktail serving droid to take advantage of his hidden compartments to stow vital weapons, such as a certain Jedi’s lightsaber. The group is especially well suited to be led by Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, ready to provide support as needed while infiltrating any lair of scum and villainy where the Rebel Alliance needs them.

 

Leia came into possession of Boushh’s armor with the assistance of Maz Kanata on the planet of Ord Mantell, after knocking the bounty hunter unconscious while in pursuit of information on the fate of recently captured Han Solo. Leia would use this disguise on more than one occasion, finding its size to be a reasonable match for her own stature and frame. This armor was perfect for deception, having been built to conceal Boushh’s features, with fully enclosed leather and a helmet equipped with a speech scrambler. The disguises employed by Lando and R2-D2 for the Inside Job are less elaborate and were more easily attained. R2-D2 does not generally find it difficult to avoid notice, given the disregard most people have for droids and the ubiquity of astromechs.

Boushh (Leia Organa) has access to several tactically versatile abilities, as one might expect of a spy with Leia’s intelligence and adaptability. Used together with the Inside Job crew these characters are particularly well suited to contest objectives, though Leia is also no slouch in combat when employing Boushh’s gear. Her Fan Out Tactics ability provides a highly useful Reposition either for her or another Spy, allowing an advance at the start of every activation which ignores being engaged. Additional board control and tactical movement can be achieved by performing a Low Blow, costing a couple Force tokens but allowing Leia to push an engaged  character away, follow-up, and even make a focus action.

 

 

Despite her small stature, Leia is not to be underestimated in melee, taking advantage of a Shock Lance to potentially topple more obviously formidable foes. Being Fearless and Inventive can give her an edge while she’s surrounded, gaining extra dice in her attack pool for each enemy engaged with her, which can be combined with a focus action (potentially from Low Blow) to greatly bolster her melee attacks. And if she manages to wound an enemy Primary Unit, she can demand I Want Fifty Thousand, No Less, forcing the adversary to spend a Focus token to prevent an additional Momentum token from being added to the Struggle Tracker, bringing her side closer to ultimate victory.

 

 

While disguised as Boushh, Leia’s Rough and Tumble stance represents a penchant for dirty fighting, making use of every potential advantage and misdirection. Leia is similarly formidable whether softening up a target at range with her heavy blaster pistol or closing to melee with the shock lance. She will usually try to keep some distance initially, but can use her abilities to make a strong melee strike when the time is right.

She has the capabilities to avoid staying in a protracted melee. The stance’s Combat Tree has a relatively high damage potential and multiple branch splits allowing a degree of customization on desired impact, offering an immediate Pin and the option of going for maximum damage along with an early Shove, or seeking to possibly Disarm, Strain, and Expose a foe. And while the stolen bounty hunter armor won’t hold up against truly devastating attacks, its defense Expertise Chart does provide at least some protection, given that Leia has a high Melee Defense stat.

Though certainly capable of holding her own, Leia will prefer to spring an ambush with the assistance of disguised Lando and R2-D2, who can position themselves right where she needs them. Thanks to the use of Clever Disguise, this pair may evade being targeted by ranged attacks so long as their Order Card is in the deck or reserve. Further, they can Mingle to move swiftly (Advancing instead of Dashing) to get where they need to be, given they can keep some distance from the nearest foe.

 

 

Forward Planning is a useful Reactive ability, whereby the pair can remove a condition from any Primary or Secondary Unit in their strike team, so long as one of the Inside Job pair are close by when their allies activate. I like to think of this as R2-D2 delivering a choice beverage, but it might also be a matter of Lando saying just the right thing at the right time. The duo can choose to take advantage of the Element of Surprise to gain extra dice on both of their attacks during a combat action. Timing is everything, and this surprise attack does have the potential to leave them Exposed if luck isn’t with them and they roll two or more failure results. Usually, this bolstered attack will leave the enemy reeling, being worth the risk.

 

 

Employing their On the Sly stance, Lando and R2-D2 are just as capable attacking at range as in melee, with a slightly higher ranged attack stat, but nearly identical ranged and melee attack Expertise Charts. This stance’s “Slippery” Defense Expertise Chart is decent, mitigating one or two strikes and possibly demoting a critical into a strike. And the stance’s Combat Tree is as tactically varied as the rest of the spy tool kit, offering decent damage, an early Shove, some Healing midway along, and options to Pin, Dash or to Disarm.

This group of deceptive characters is a great and flavorful change of pace from the more straightforward combat options one might select for the Rebel Alliance, as well as being great looking and immediately evocative of one of the most memorable cinematic sequences. There will be plenty of reasons for members of this trio to put on their disguises, whether or not they are confronting Jabba the Hut alongside Luke Skywalker.

 

 

Make sure to check back for our next Shatterpoint Unit preview, where we give you a first look  at how your favorite characters from the Star Wars™ galaxy translate into the gameplay of Shatterpoint. Pre-order your own copy of Star Wars: Shatterpoint at your local game store or through our webstore today.

Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!