Top 5 Rebel Strategies 

Was recently playing a game where the empire managed to get three cards that were able to remove sabotage every turn, so I never was able to keep units from deploying or being built that way, but a better strategy is to use cards and rebel transports to defeat the empire on the ground because it results in the same things that a sabotage token would achieve and is less easy to remove than a sabotage token.

@@DudeMcFlude1The Empire _always_ has a card that can remove sabotage and is a resolve rather than an attempt. It's one of the Empire's starting cards. Doing so also gives it a project card which can pile up dangerous Imperial might very swiftly and are also resolve cards using logistics. These do count to the mission hand limit of 10 though. Be aware that if you are making it fairly obvious you are going to try to sabotage repeatedly the Empire is likely going to start replying by always using this mission which ultimately leaves the Empire coming out on top. You want to hide your intent to sabotage. If you can destroy Imperial ground forces on a subjugated system without too much cost that's always the best option. If the Empire wants to keep that system subjugated they will have to send forces, which means a lot of delays as they have to use a leader, enough forces to pry yours out. If the Empire's forces on a planet are small this is actually pretty easy to do. The flip side is the Empire may just decide to ignore that, especially if it can go capture a Rebel system. A good idea might be to turn that system also loyal to the Rebellion to make it a juicy target for subjugation if you really want to distract from another front that's getting uncomfortably close. The Empire, of course, can always ignore just about everything you try to do and just march in a straight line towards what it has correctly guessed to be the Rebel base.

Sure worked against me today.

Note: The Empire still gets to subjugate a planet if it is the only ground forces. It also still destroys the Rebel base. If the Empire is stranded that is helpful, but the Empire can concentrate its own forces and may prioritize in other regards. There's a lot of back and forth play.

I am confused. If you sabotage a subjugated system, the marker removal is as easy as in a full-Imperial system. At least per the rulebook entries I read, both subjugated and full-imperial systems fit the definition used on the marker removal card. Or am I wrong here? If so, could you please explain, ideally with reference to the rulebook (but I get that it may not be convenient)? Thanks! Cheers from Warsaw :)

@@samsphaneron Research and Development requires a loyal imperial system. The only other way to remove sabotage is with the Construct Factory project card, which does work on subjugated worlds. What did you read that would make you think otherwise?

@@ryancparker hmm that changes quite a bit our understanding. It may be an issue with translation then, we play the Polish localized version. Therein, the card refers to "imperial systems", which by definition in the rulebook cover both imperial and subjugated systems. I believe the lack of "loyal" being referred to in any way in the PL version led to this misunderstanding

@@samsphaneron That makes a huge difference. The first line on R&D reads: ‘Resolve in any system that has imperial loyalty.’ This creates situations where you will battle for loyalty over a system just to keep it sabotaged to prevent deployment.

@@ryancparker I see, so imperial loyalty demands a non-subjugated Imperial system, correct? Maybe that's why I can never win a game, being a Rebellion fanatic myself and refusing to play as the Empire haha. I'll have to read the English version of the rulebook then for full clarity

I do love surprise moves in this game. They can be risky, but they're so satisfying to pull off.

This can be done in the base game. In some cases it’s easier given base game combat gives an advantage to the attacker as opposed to the expansion which gives a defender advantage.

I've played against someone who placed on Ilum and got away with it for a looong time. High possibility of danger, but if you can play it right, as you said, it's a solid choice.

@@RTFM I did this the day after posting this comment and I won again 🤣

@@Tomcat_92 Haha, nice!

My favourite as well, played it in my very first game, and although I lost, the Imperials were stunned. guess what I did 2 games later... exactly :D

Seconded!

Not saying that you CAN'T pull off that kind of bluff, just that it has the potential to go catastrophically wrong without the Imperials even trying. Good to know that you were able to make it work though.

In our last match, my opponent moved the rebel base late in the game and tried to get cheeky with their choice, placing the new rebel base in a system where I had a Death Star & fleet (but no ground forces). On a whim, because I had the card, I blew up the planet that same turn, not realizing I was making the game-winning move. I love this game.

@@NStPpodcast can you actually move to a system when there are units in space? If I recall correctly, I thought about it last time (it was my only choice and I had to move because next round I would be dead anyway) but I checked manual and from polish translation it seemed like there is rule that prevents you from doing that, it have to be fully clear system

@@pgkrzywy I just double checked and you are absolutely right! I may have misremembered and they moved adjacent to the Death Star, or we misplayed, both equally possible...

@@Silt44 Thanks for checking! I’m glad that we were playing by the rules so fair (at least in this case 😅)

Some of the objectives are easier than others, or will be more suited to your circumstances, so it kinda changes from game to game. I would try to gain at least four points from objectives though.