Star Trek Tactics II: HeroClix Starter Set!

Greetings HeroClix Fans!

We kick off our inaugural Star Trek Tactics II HeroClix preview with a closer look at the Starter Set accompanying this release. As with the initial Star Trek Tactics HeroClix release, Star Trek Tactics II is 100% HeroClix PAC and Rules compatible and is a fully playable world (or should we say worlds?) in of itself, and allows Trek fans to simulate fast paced,ship-to-ship combat in the Star Trek universe!

We begin our Star Trek Tactics II Starter set previews with the U.S.S. Fearless!

The original testbed for an experimental warp drive system, the U.S.S. Fearless possesses a Trait entitled The Traveller. The Traveller grants the U.S.S. Fearless the Improved Movement: Characters combat ability, but if it began its move adjacent to an opposing ship, you must roll a die after the Fearless completes its action. If the die result is a one, the Fearless is dealt one unavoidable damage to represent the stress the new engine has placed upon its hull.

However, the U.S.S. Fearless is in a great position to take full advantage of its The Traveller Trait as it begins play with Running Shot, allowing it to make ranged combat attacks while ignoring enemy ships as it maneuvers into position to unleash its phasers! Energy Explosion gives the Fearless the opportunity to damage multiple ships in tight formations while it’s range value of 7 keeps it out of range of some retaliatory attacks.

Mid-dial, the U.S.S. Fearless enjoys increased Warp speeds as it replaces Running Shot with Hypersonic Speed for the rest of its combat dial! Hypersonic Speed allows the Fearless to enjoy increased maneuverability and attack placement options but halves its range value (to an effective 4 squares) for any ranged combat attacks.

Defensively, the U.S.S. Fearless initially enjoys Energy Shield/Deflection which is replaced mid-dial by Super Senses (did you shoot at the Fearless, or its sensor echo?). Finally, the U.S.S. Fearless demonstrates the resolve of its crew thanks to some end-dial Willpower.

At 100 points, the U.S.S. Fearless provides some nice tactical options thanks to its speed powers and Trait, while the Federation and Scientist keywords allows for some handy and thematic team builds.

Next up we turn to the Klingon Empire as we examine a ship that played a critical role during the short-lined Klingon/Cardassian Alliance, the I.K.S. Drovana!

Immediately, we can see that the I.K.S. Drovana is well-suited as a close-combat vessel thanks to its power selection and its Trait, Cloaked Mines. Cloaked Mines allows the Drovana to use Smoke Cloud and for each of the opposing ships that find themselves adjacent to one or more of the Smoke Cloud tokens a die is rolled. If the result is a 5 or 6 the opposing ship is delat 1 damage. Cloaked Mines will slow opposing ships enough for the Drovana to move in for the kill or stymie enemy vessels just long enough as it moves to complete its mission.

The I.K.S. Drovana begins play engaging its enemies at close range thanks to Charge. However, if attacking opposing vessels at point blank range is not your cup of tea, the Drovana enjoys an 8 range value which, when combined with Ranged Combat Expert, can be devastating for its target!

Mid-dial, the I.K.S. Drovana further demonstrates its crew’s experience in close-quarters ship-to-ship combat as represented by Quake, while its initial Invulnerability is replaced by Super Senses as it relies on hit and run tactics thanks to its cloaking device.

Toward the end of its dial, the I.K.S. Drovana gets back into the melee attacking multiple targets thanks to Flurry while Toughness helps prevent some of the damage dealt by its foes.

The I.K.S. Drovana possesses the Klingon and Warrior keywords which should both be familiar to Klingon players, but also the new Cardassian keyword as well to further represent the brief Klingon/Cardassian Alliance. At 100 points, the Drovana will make a great ship of the line for your next Klingon fleet!

Our very first Romulan Star Empire ship previewed is none other than the vessel commanded by Sela (the daughter of the heroic Tasha Yar), the I.R.W. N’Ventnar!

The Imperial Romulan Warbird (I.R.W.) N’Ventnar starts the game with Stealth, representing both its cloaking device and its commander’s predilection for subterfuge. The Fire While Their Guard is Down special power further demonstrates the I.R.W. N’Ventnar’s willingness to strike unexpectedly as it grants an attack bonus for each action token on its target! Three opening clicks of Outwit allow the I.R.W. N’Ventnar to counter powers on opposing ships and take even greater advantage of its special power potentially!

Mid-dial the I.R.W. N’Ventnar switches tactics slightly as it utilizes Energy Explosion with its 8 range value. Outwit is replaced with Shape Change as Sela relies on her resemblance to her mother to sow confusion among her enemies Lastly, we see the initial click of Mastermind first replaced by Super Senses, with a late-dial return to Mastermind as the N’Ventnar relies on the rest of its fleet to run interference for it.

Throughout the I.R.W. N’Ventnar’s combat dial we see very steady and useful combat values and its team ability, the Romulan Star Empire, allows it to ensure that damage dealt by all ships with this team ability cannot be reduced below 1 against a single keyword of your choosing! Suffice to say, the Romulan star Empire team ability is not copyable, but it definitely means that when the Romulans are on the table, their enemies had best be on their guard!

At only 100 points, the I.R.W. N’Ventnar is a great pick for your Romulan fleet’s flagship and its Roumlan and Spy keywords ensure that it will be easy to build a team to best take advantage of its abilities!

Last, and certainly not least, we see our first Dominion ship, the 4th Division Cruiser 1!

The 4th Division Cruiser 1 is representative of the battleship mainstays of the Dominion’s war fleet. Its Jem’Hadar crew is specially trained in close-quarters ship-to-ship combat and this is well represented by its special power, In The Thick Of Things. This special power grants the 4th Division Cruiser 1 an attack value bonus of +1 for each adjacent opposing ship when it makes an attack, while an initial click of Exploit Weakness allows it to punch through its opponents’ defenses!

Early- to mid-dial the 4th Division Cruiser 1 switches tactics slightly as it gains Ranged Combat Expert. Your opponents don’t want to engage you in the melee? No problem. Reward them with some full-powered disruptors for their trouble! Initially the 4th Division Cruiser 1 is protected from harm thanks to Invulnerability, which is later replaced by Toughness.

Late-dial, we see the 4th Division Cruiser 1 moving back into the melee and pinning its enemies down thanks to Plasticity. Exploit Weakness returns and the 4th Division Cruiser 1 enjoys some close-combat defense thanks to Combat Reflexes.

This is the first we see of the Dominion team ability as well, which gives you the option to have one of your ships deal one penetrating damage to an opposing ship within two squares whenever a ship with this team ability is knocked out. Never underestimate the Dominion’s desire to win, as the Jem’Hadar are not afraid to use suicide tactics against their enemies!

With strong combat values and great damage dealing capabilities throughout its dial, the 4th Division Cruiser 1 is an effective addition to your fleet at only 100 points. The Dominion, Jem’Hadar, and Warrior keywords will allow for some exciting team builds, particularly once we reveal more ships from Star Trek Tactics II!

Thanks for joining us today for this sneak peek into Star Trek Tactics II! Until then, keep your phasers on stun and shields up!

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