Clone Wars Sneak Peek 1

Yoda on Kybuck and General Grievous, Droid Army Commander

By Sterling Hershey

This October, Wizards of the Coast will release Clone Wars, the next set for the Star Wars Miniatures Game. It's too early to start presenting full previews of figures from the set, but we just can't wait to share some of the minis with you. So today we're giving you an early sneak peek at two of them: Yoda on Kybuck and General Grievous, Droid Army Commander.

Yoda on Kybuck

Yoda riding the Kybuck was a memorable moment in the original Clone Wars animated series. Certainly it was one of the most surprising, as no one could have predicted seeing the diminutive Jedi Master riding any sort of steed in the battle. Yet ride he did, plunging into combat against invading battledroids on Coruscant. Kybucks, native to Kashyyyk, are known for their amazing speed and agility. Such traits are vital for survival on the Wookiee homeworld. More than a few predators have failed to catch the kybuck, losing the chase in a quick, near-impossible, vector-altering jumping turn or flat-out run.

In the Star Wars Miniatures Game, combining the Force-wielding Yoda with the speedy Kybuck makes for a lethal combination for enemy squads. Galloping Attack enables the unit to make the most of Yoda's devastating attack bonus. Yoda can attack multiple enemies in a single turn and have enough movement left over to escape immediate danger or seek cover. If a particularly opportune series of targets presents itself, Yoda can boost his movement even more through the use of Master Speed -- up to five times in a single game, if he forgoes using Lightsaber Block.

Comparing this unit with previous incarnations of Yoda in the Star Wars Miniatures Game, this unit costs the least, with the exception of Yoda of Dagobah. It has the most Hit Points and a Defense comparable to most of the others. He has the potential for the most attacks, thanks to Galloping Attack, though Double Attack is in line with previous versions. Notably, Yoda on Kybuck has no commander effects and only two Force Powers. Finally, he has the most Force Points of any unit other than Yoda, Jedi Master.

Faction: Republic
Cost: 51
Hit Points: 160
Defense: 20
Attack: +14
Damage: 20
Special Abilities: Unique; Speed 10 (Can move up to 10 squares and attack, or 20 squares without attacking); Melee Attack; Double Attack; Galloping Attack (As this character moves, he can attack each adjacent enemy, +4 Attack; this turn, this character cannot attack any enemy twice and cannot move directly back into a space he has just left)
Force Powers: Force 5; Lightsaber Block (Force 1: When hit by a melee attack, this character takes no damage with a save of 11); Master Speed (Force 1: This character can move 6 extra squares on his turn as part of his move)

General Grievous, Droid Army Commander

As the devastating Clone Wars spread throughout the galaxy, the skull-like visage of General Grievous became a feared sight to the citizens of the Republic. At the head of his droid armies, Grievous executed brilliant strategies that gave the Confederacy of Independent Systems many victories in battle. His skill in wielding multiple lightsabers enabled him to cut down even the most capable attackers, including Jedi. As a cyborg, he gained the benefits and penalties of both flesh and machine. However, the Republic simply regarded him as an evil assailant, bereft of compassion.

In the Star Wars Miniatures Game, this version of General Grievous greatly enhances his droid army thanks to an upgraded commander effect. His droid followers become more deadly and harder to hit thanks to +4 bonuses to Attack and Defense. They also gain Twin Attack, allowing them to double their firepower while remaining mobile. These are all distinct improvements over the Supreme Commander version that allowed Double Attack and only upgraded their attacks. While these upgrades are excellent, they really shine when you realize that the new commander effect applies to all droid followers on the battle grid, not just those within 6 squares.

There is a cost to this additional power, however, when compared to other incarnations. First of all, this is easily the most expensive version of the General, with the exception of Grievous's Wheel Bike. He retains his 100 Hit Points, and his Defense remains comparable. However, he really pays for it in his Attack bonus, which drops from +10 or +12 down to +8. This is somewhat mitigated by the addition of the Jedi Hunter ability, but it's still clearly a loss. On the plus side, the inclusion of Blaster 20 gives Grievous a ranged attack, which was previously only available on the Wheel Bike version. Finally, this is the only version that does not have a single Force point. However, the new bonuses more than make up for these drops in his abilities and provide him with the tools to wield his droid army with greater effectiveness.

Faction: Separatists
Cost: 57
Hit Points: 100
Defense: 19
Attack: +8
Damage: 20
Special Abilities: Unique; Cyborg (Counts as both a Droid and a non-Droid; living; subject to critical hits and commander effects); Melee Attack; Triple Attack; Jedi Hunter (+4 Attack and +10 Damage against enemies with Force ratings); Blaster 20 (Replaces attacks: sight; +12 Attack for 20 Damage)
Commander Effect: Droids are subject to this effect: Droid followers get +4 Attack and +4 Defense and gain Twin Attack (Whenever this character attacks, it makes 1 extra attack against the same target).

About the Author

Sterling Hershey is an architect and freelance game designer. He regularly creates Star Wars Miniatures and Starship Battles scenarios and previews for the Wizards of the Coast web site. He is one of the authors of the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide and The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide, plus other products and online articles for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition. You can read more about gaming in a galaxy far, far away in his starwars.com blog, Delusions of Grandeur. Sterling lives in the Midwest with his wife, Mary.