Databank Download: Hunter, and Wrecker & Omega

The turbulent history of the Bad Batch has had many ups and downs as both their circumstances and the political landscape around them shifted. They served for a time in the army of the Galactic Republic, but the bloody transformation to Galactic Empire saw their world turned upside down.

Arising from the same clone vats of the watery world of Kamino as millions of others, the Bad Batch was a result of unusual genetic experiments. Each trooper possesses an unusual mutation bestowing unique battle capabilities. Each member of Force 99 bears a simple nickname embodying their role in the squad. Hunter possesses extraordinarily keen senses that augment his situational awareness and make him a superlative tracker. His implacable demeanor also serves him well as the squad leader. We have Wrecker, whose freakish strength well suits his role as bruiser and literal wrecking ball. Lastly the most extreme outlier, Omega, a clever youth adopted into the group for her own protection, though she too began life as a genetic experiment within the Kamino clone vats.

Hunter has a variety of abilities geared toward ensuring his squad gets to the enemy swiftly and intact. We Prefer Going to Them, his Tactics Ability, works particularly well on other members of the Bad Batch, letting them make a full Advance at the start of his turn, or alternately giving a Dash to a Clone Trooper. After facilitating one of his allies in this way, Hunter can close within Striking Distance, an active ability giving him a Dash to get in reach of his chosen target and make a 5 dice melee attack. Enhanced Tracker also helps him get where he needs to be; this Reactive Ability gives him an extra Dash in direct response to an enemy Primary Unit finishing its move action, so long as he moves toward that enemy.

Sergeant Hunter’s other abilities represent the power of his uncanny senses, giving him situational awareness that verges on the preternatural. Though It’s Hard to Compete with a Jedi, Hunter can try. This potent Innate Ability allows him to reroll two Failure results when defending, or all failure results if he has been Exposed. This considerably increases the chances of rolling Blocks, further augmented by the excellent Defense Expertise Chart for his Modified Commando Armor. As The Leader of the Batch, his mere presence similarly affects the luck of his Clone Trooper allies during their attacks, swapping a Failure result for a Strike, or for his Bad Batch brothers, changing a failure into a Strike or an Attack Expertise result.

As a veteran commando, Hunter has mastered a pair of Stances that can augment either his ranged or melee expertise, depending on his plans. The Huntsman Stance is best employed when relying on his DC-17 Blaster Pistol, and when the foe remains at a distance. This Stance gives him higher Ranged Attack and Defense stats, and slightly improves his blaster’s Attack Expertise Chart. This Stance’s flexible Combat Tree can take a path offering maximum damage and a potential pair of Shoves, or the option to swap damage for an array of conditions, including Exposed, Strained, Pinned, and terminating in Heals and a Reposition. The Attack Expertise Chart offers additional bonus movement, such as a Dash or Reposition, along with bonus Criticals and damage.

When he reaches his foe Hunter can switch to Knife Fighter, proving to be a highly capable close quarters combatant. Alternating to higher Melee than Ranged Attack and Defense stats, this Stance similarly provides stronger outcomes to his Melee Expertise Chart (though he’s still no slouch with the blaster in this Stance). This Stance offers more than one chance to Reposition at better odds than when in Huntsman. The Stance’s Combat Tree gives some early Shoves to clear room or get an enemy away from an objective, if necessary, along with an early chance to inflict Strained.

Wrecker and Omega form one of the most unlikely but potent duos in the Bad Batch, combining brains and muscles. It might be said that Omega is too young to be in combat, but that won’t stop her from helping her brothers. Omega can keep a low profile and stay out of harm’s way, leaving the heavy lifting and incoming fire for Wrecker to endure. All while Omega finds creative ways to interfere with the enemy. Worth mentioning that Wrecker is a skilled demolitions expert in addition to his talent for smashing things more directly.

There is nothing subtle about Wrecker’s amazing strength, which is seen in the Tactics Ability Bulldoze. This not only provides a bonus Dash, it allows a nearby enemy to be Shoved away. As The Muscle of the Batch, Wrecker provides Steadfast to nearby squad members, and can benefit even Clone Troopers and Scoundrels with Protection. This can negate enemy Shoves and also reduce the damage a unit would ordinarily receive while Defending. One of the most favored techniques of the duo is to deliver an explosive payload to an unsuspecting target, particularly one guarding a priority objective.

With most enemy attention focused on Wrecker, it can be easy for enemies to forget they are dealing with two enemies in this duo. Hahahaha, Yeah!!! is an Active Ability that represents the pair tossing out an added ranged attack salvo while the foes are otherwise distracted, with Omega wielding her energy bow and Wrecker his blaster. I Wasn’t Sneaking… is an Active Ability that represents any of various destructive acts the pair might unleash on an enemy contesting an objective, gaining a special 5 Attack Dice roll which can potentially neutralize a foe and shift the struggle in their favor.

The Stances available to Wrecker and Omega can be considered to represent when one or the other has taken charge of an attack plan. Regardless of who takes the lead, they work together in the execution of these schemes. Both Stances provide the same decent Attack and Defense stats for Ranged and Melee.

Boom! is a Stance where Wrecker takes to the fore, often seeking to manhandle enemies or unleash a barrage of fire and explosions to get them out of the way. Tuning Out Distractions represents Omega taking a more cerebral approach to get the pair out of a jam, carefully choosing targets and doing their best to dodge or mitigate incoming fire. Boom! offers a Combat Tree boasting a pair of Dashes and a pair of Shoves, with an initial Pinning, some decent damage, and a chance to alternately inflict Strained on a foe. This Stance’s Ranged Attack Expertise Chart focuses on Strikes and Criticals, and its Defense Expertise Chart can take the edge off an attack with a lucky Heal.

Tuning Out Distractions has a Ranged Attack Expertise Chart providing more bonus damage than added strikes, which makes it a bit less useful against difficult to hit foes. This Stance’s Combat Tree has various inhibiting conditions (including Disarm, Expose, Shove, Pinned, and Strained), a small amount of Healing, and a possible Reposition at the end of the tree. Omega’s Quick Thinking marks this Stance’s stronger Defensive Expertise Chart.

It’s hard to go wrong with either Hunter or Wrecker and Omega as allies in a battle, and they might find themselves along any oddball groups of scoundrels or clone troopers. But they are most comfortable and dangerous when joining the other members of the Bad Batch.

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Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!