Star Wars: Shatterpoint – Jedi Hunters Squad Pack

The Jedi Hunters is another cracking release from AMG for Star Wars Shatterpoint with some brilliant models that strike dynamic action poses with their double bladed spinning Lightsabres. In the Jedi Hunters Squad pack you get Grand Inquisitor as a Primary, Reva Third Sister as a Secondary, plus Fourth Sister and Fifth Brother as individual Supporting Characters. Having Fourth sister and Fifth brother as two separate supporting characters is unique in the Shatterpoint squad packs and core box so far, allowing you to choose either fourth sister or fifth brother as a support in part of a squad.

The models are excellent with them really showing how imposing the characters are. The only slight criticism is that the 3rd and 4th Sisters are in similar poses, but at least it’s an excellent pose. The Grand Inquisitor especially looks really imposing and formidable on the table top and is the standout piece from the box.

The Jedi Hunter squad pack is also unique in its era association of both Fall of the Jedi and Age of Rebellion which allows a lot of flexibility in squad and strike force building.

The main man in the box. As a fan who enjoyed the Obi Wan series, this sinister Inquisitor has really been captured in the sculpt from AMG; the inclusion of two heads for the model allows for assembly as either the Rebels inquisitor or the Obi Wan tv series series aesthetic. Originally a Temple Guard in the Jedi Order he’s since taken a new path at this point in the story.

Onto his unit stat and stance cards, Grand Inquisitors keywords are Inquisitorious, Galactic Empire and Force User. At 8 squad points, grand Inquisitor brings 3 force to use alongside the roughly expected 9 Durability and 3 Stamina.

You Know Who We Are –  His first ability is a tactic that is resolved when Grand Inquisitor activates which allows another Inquisitorious character and Grand Inquisitor to make a Dash. Fairly common movement shenanigans with no limit on range, good for securing or getting back onto points and good for setting up synergies with other characters in the squad pack.

Secrets Uncovered – A two-force ability that is rather unique so far in Shatterpoint. It allows you to remove the opposing players control token from an objective within range 5. This won’t do much if the player retakes control by having a character already on the point but it will allow you to neutralise an undefended point and really mess with your opponents plans, set up, and potentially give you a scoring advantage in the struggle.

At a force cost of 2 it is expensive and you definitely need plans and forethought to maximise this ability, a good idea of your opponents remaining order cards and intent on the board can help the Grand Inquisitor leverage this ability to your advantage in progressing your scoring in the struggle. Note that it can be useful to remove control when you’re tied for models near an objective, which is particularly important if you’re running single model Support models from this box.

The Temple Records are Quite Complete – A reactive ability for one force, upping your defence dice and allowing you change stance when attacked in melee by a force user. More dice is better so flipping to the right stance and adding additional dice will help Grand Inquisitor when facing off against force users in a duel!

Clearly, You Were A Poor Student – The primarily identity of Grand Inquisitor. Not as selfish as Maul or Asajj, this ability benefits Iquisitorious models including Vader from the duel pack. It’s a fantastic identity allowing you to recover twice with any Inquisitorious after wounding an enemy character. Additionally if the wounded character was a Force User you may replenish two force. Removing conditions, healing and potentially getting force back for simply doing the job of hunting Jedi? A great identity that aligns with what the Jedi Hunters Squad box wants to achieve and keeping characters operational by removing limiting conditions and healthy, especially with synergies offered elsewhere (see Darth Vader).

His first form is the duelling based Makashi, best for flinging his spinning light sabre with 5 offence dice at range 4. Not the best ranged attack but the expertise track is ok with 2 additional hits easy to attain before turning one into a Crit, and finally an additional damage. This is an underwhelming number of dice at range but there are some useful conditions. Hitting the end of track can be up to 10 damage in this stance at range (again, unlikely) with conditions and manoeuvre ability included, though not much control with only 1 shove and that being quite deep in the track.

Melee attacks in this stance gain an extra 2 dice to roll which will help push more successes through overall and the expertise track has Crits and extra damage which can boost the potential overall damage in melee to a total of 12 with a full track and maximal expertise. It will take a good roll but the Inquisitorious can dish out the Exposed condition when set up right so high damage can be achieved with Grand Inquisitor.  Defensively 5 dice for range and melee defence with a defence expertise of more blocks is reasonable in this form.

Form V Djem So is definitely more defensive and using his force ability of The Temple Records are Quite Correct will make sure you are in the right form to defend when needed. 6 dice for range and melee defence (plus potentially 2 additional dice in melee vs a Force User) as well as expertise allowing you to downgrade Crits to hits and further in the expertise to make Crits to misses plus additional blocks is good defence expertise track similar to many Jedi and other force users.

Grand Inquisitor is definitely better off attacking in Form II Makashi unless you want to hit early triggers of reposition or disarm and potentially a shove.

Third Sister has a name, Reva! A great character in the Obi Wan Kenobi series who had a good story and depth; if you haven’t already it’s well worth a watch to get the feel of the Inquisitorious and inspiration for using them in Shatterpoint.

Call the Hunt – Third Sisters ability lets you dash an Inquisitorious supporting character within 4 or they can make a 5 dice attack. Useful for positioning the support characters to trigger Enfeeble or attacking a target you want to soften up or get those points of damage through. Situationally very good for 1 force.

Force Jump – Fairly standard, costs 1 force. Gets her places. More movement is always good and the Jump is my favourite style of bonus movement.

Deflect – Reflect 2 damage back after a range attack from an opponent. Hints at the Third Sisters Jedi origins. One of those abilities that will change how your opponent has to play even if you never trigger it.

Your Fear Betrays You – Signature ability for Third Sister, allows you to use opponents conditions in exchange for more dice on a melee combat action, 2 dice for each condition. Useful if you want to push for more dice and go for a wound. I wouldn’t use it to remove expose for more dice but something like a pin, disarm, or strain could be sacrificed to bump the output of Third Sister and get further along the combat tree. A very thematic ability but costs a force. Look to pair it with wounding a character and restoring force with Grand Inquisitors Identity ability.

The Third Sisters stance card is a little underwhelming, a maximum 7 damage from the tree plus expertise for an additional damage. She has the ability to apply an expose and up to 3 shoves with a jump at the end of the tree. Combined with Your Fear Betrays You and Enfeeble from Fifth Brother she definitely has the potential to get along her attack tree with ease. Setting up shoved into a a Call The Hunt is fun. Though a trigger on the combat tree for an active ability would have been useful to save on force.

A singular support character at 4 points cost, similar to Fifth Brother. When building a squad you can take either Fifth Brother or Fourth Sister as they are single character supports. You can include both in a strike team with each being in separate squads. Testament to their individual power.

Force Jump – Added mobility and ability to change height. Useful! Force cost of 1. If AMG keeps putting this on cards, we’ll keep cheering it along.

Force Pull – Great for manipulating your opponents pieces and their placement. Use this to move opponents characters from active objectives and into range for attacks. Great for 1 Force, especially compared to Bariss’ 2 force push.

Enfeeble: Pin –  Fourth sister gives out a pin to enemies within range 4 when attacked with a combat action by another inquisitorial character. A good condition that will help with positioning your opponents and board control. Even if the pin makes the opponent recover or spend a force on a movement it’s a tax on their force economy. Nice for stacking conditions from other inquisitors attacks.

Inquisitorial Mandate – This lets the Fourth Sister take control of an active objective if it would be tied when contesting. This really helps the inquisitors with their reduced number of characters in the supporting units. Both supporting characters, fifth brother and fourth sister can happily win contested objectives by themselves.

Swift Retreat – When Fourth Sister is wounded she can make a reposition which includes an advance even if engaged. Useful free move, Good. If wounded, Bad. I’m confused by this ability, not as good as Slip Away on Asajj for example.

Fourth Sister’s spinning light sabre can deal 7 damage from the attack tree and an additional damage from expertise track with enough results. Respectable output and conditions with a degree of control with shoves available, there’s also a free Ability at only 4 steps down the track. No range attack though, so Fourth Sister needs to be in the fight (or able to pull the fight to her). Despite this Fourth Sister rolls 5 dice in melee defence compared to 6 dice at range and the expertise free for defence adds blocks, typical for a support.

The stand out character in the box, a great suite of abilities that really help on the table. A singular supporting unit at 4 cost, fifth brother takes a whole supporting slot by himself. Despite being only 1 base compared to two for most other current support units, fifth brother has the tools to get the job done.

Force Repulse – Only seen on fifth brother so far in Shatterpoint and with a cost of 2 force it’s not a cheap ability but in the right situation it’s golden. For 2 force all characters within 2 of fifth brother are pushed 2 away; this includes allies so bear this in mind. Tactically it can help you displace opponent models from control points but with good positioning you could move your characters with a 2 push to a more advantageous position. Useful for for synergies like coordinated fire but also taking active objectives in the struggle.

Force Jump – A common ability, for 1 force perform a jump. Great for mobility, best kind of bonus movement in my eyes.

Enfeeble: Expose – Such a great ability! Range 4 to give out an exposed right before another Inquisitorious character makes an attack as part of a combat action. Really weakens opponent dice rolls with no expertise to tune your inquisitors damage up a notch and up their output!

Resolve – Gives fifth brother steadfast and protection. Ignore the first shove and reduce damage from attack pools by 1 really keeps fifth brother where he wants to be and on his feet, this makes his health pool of 9 deeper than it seems if taking multiple attacks.

Inquisitorial Mandate – Lets the fifth brother take control of an active objective if it would be tied when contesting. This really helps the inquisitors with their reduced number of characters in the supporting units. Both supporting characters, fifth brother and fourth sister can happily win contested objectives by themselves.

Only 7 total damage available but still respectable for a support damage track, especially having a shove or an expose on the first step of the attack tree. Fifth brother can get two shoves with 3 successes, 4 steps on the attack tree and he can use a force ability which can be efficient to pull off a force repulse but be wary of shoving your opponent out of 2 before triggering force repulse through the attack tree.

Respectable dice on defence and decent expertise combined with Resolve makes fifth brother reasonably durable but he will still be injured if focused down. He’s a good character to activate later in the struggle to take objectives, however he also wants to be within 4 of enemies to hand out expose, definitely a finesse piece who has some forgiveness but a canny opponent will recognise his strengths and do their best to make his abilities cost more force by injuring and wounding him.

I would be looking toward an Inquisitorious squad of Grand Inquisitor, Third Sister and Fifth Brother paired with Darth Vader, CC-7567 Captain Rex and the 501st Clone Troopers or Clone commandos. Darth Vader’s identity really pairs well with the Grand Inquisitors and they are Inquisitorious and dual era. Captain Rex can speed Vader along to the fight with Get a Move On Soldier, imagery I really enjoy with a bold Rex issuing commands to Darth Vader. Third Sister can move Fifth brother to a position to hand out Enfeeble expose conditions to increase the output from other inquisitors. Grand Inquisitor can also do the same to secondary and supporting characters with You Know Who We Are. Lots of positioning shenanigans for a brutally effective strike force who like to get up and personal in their hunt for Jedi. Darth Vader boosting attack dice pools and then wounding characters to heal with Clearly, You Were A Poor Student from Grand Inquisitor. Wombo combo. In addition the recently revealed 3pt Secondary in the form of Commander Ponds also lets you take the entire of this box, along with Vader to battle now we have a 3pt Secondary Character to round out the squads.