I'm researching ideas on how to improve vehicles and/or mounted weapons. What abilities could be added or improved to make the the current mini's more playable? I'm really interested in hearing what the community thinks.

For some custom characters I designed I expanded on adamBond's idea of having vehicles transport characters so that they can benefit the vehicle and make it more powerful.


Swamp Speeder
Republic
Cost: 46
Hit Points: 90
Defense: 15
Attack: 9
Damage: 20
Rarity: Uncommon
Base: Huge
Gender: It
Creator: R5Don4
Created: 1/21/2012
Updated: 1/21/2012
Sets: Critical Strike Part I

Special Abilities
Order 66
Double Attack (On its turn, this character can make 1 extra attack instead of moving)
Twin Attack (Whenever this character attacks, it makes 1 extra attack against the same target)
Flight (Ignores difficult terrain, enemy characters, low objects, and pits when moving)
Mount (This character can transport 1 Small or Medium ally who ends their move adjacent to it. Remove that ally from the battle grid; they move simultaneously with this character, have cover, and are considered adjacent to it. They can make attacks, counting distance from this character. A transported ally can return to the battle grid immediately before your first activation of the round. If this character is defeated, the transported ally is also defeated; save 6.)
Mounted Weapon (Only allies with Mounted Weapon or adjacent allies with Gunner can combine fire with this character)
Penetration 10 (Enemies' Damage Reduction is reduced by 10 against this character's attacks)
Rigid (Can't squeeze)
Speed 10 (Can move up to 10 squares and attack, or 20 squares without attacking)




Rogue Flight Gunner
Rebel
Cost:8
Hit Points: 10
Defense: 14
Attack: 8
Damage: 10
Rarity: Common
Base: Medium
Gender: Male
Creator: R5Don4
Created: 12/26/2011
Updated: 1/2/2012
Sets: Assault on Hoth

Special Abilities
Driver (Adjacent non-Unique Snowspeeder ally gains Transport (This character can transport up to 2 Small or Medium allies that have a Special Ability that contains Pilot or Gunner and who end their moves adjacent to it or begin the game set up on this character. Remove those allies from the battle grid; they move simultaneously with this character, cannot be targeted or take damage, and are considered to be inside it. They cannot make attacks independantly but can combine fire with this character if they are able to do so and are considered adjacent for combining fire. A transported ally cannot voluntarily return to the battle grid. If this character is defeated, all transported allies are also defeated; save 6.))
Gunner +20 (Can combine fire with adjacent allies who have Mounted Weapon, granting +20 Damage)
Attack Pattern Delta (Adjacent allied Rebel pilot who does not have Rookie gains Crack Gunner +10)
Rapport (This character costs 5 less when in a squad with a non-Unique ally whose name contains Snowspeeder.)

The T-47s of Rogue Group gave the Rebels enough time to evacuate Echo Base, although many of the squadron's members lost their lives in doing so.


AT-ST Field Officer
Imperial
Cost: 12
Hit Points: 30
Defense: 14
Attack: 3
Damage: 10
Rarity: Common
Base: Medium
Gender: Male
Creator: R5Don4
Created: 12/18/2011
Updated: 12/21/2011
Sets: Assault on Hoth

Special Abilities
Crack Gunner +10 (Can combine fire with adjacent allies who have Mounted Weapon, granting +10 Damage. The attack cannot be prevented or redirected)
Pathfinder (Allies are not slowed by difficult terrain within 6 squares of this character)
Rapport (This character's cost is 5 less in a squad with a character named AT-ST)

Commander Effect
Allies named AT-ST gain +4 Attack +4 Defense, Stable Footing and Twin Attack

Imperial High-Command regarded the AT-ST as a highly versatile weapon, excelling against infantry and lightly armored vehicles, but also useful for protecting vital units and patrolling hostile areas.

Imperial Army Pilot
Imperial
Cost: 12
Hit Points: 10
Defense: 13
Attack: 5
Damage: 10
Rarity: Uncommon
Base: Medium
Gender: Male
Creator: R5Don4
Created: 12/26/2011
Updated: 3/29/2012
Sets: Assault on Hoth

Special Abilities
AT-ST Driver (Adjacent non-Unique AT-ST ally gains Transport (This character can transport up to 2 Small or Medium allies that have a Special Ability that contains Pilot or Gunner and who end their moves adjacent to it or begin the game set up on this character. Remove those allies from the battle grid; they move simultaneously with this character, cannot be targeted or take damage, and are considered to be inside it. They cannot make attacks independantly but can combine fire with this character if they are able to do so and are considered adjacent for combining fire. A transported ally cannot voluntarily return to the battle grid. If this character is defeated, all transported allies are also defeated; save 6.)))
Gunner (Can combine fire with adjacent allies who have Mounted Weapon)
Pathfinder (Allies are not slowed by difficult terrain within 6 squares of this character)
Pilot
Rapport (This character's cost is 5 less in a squad with a character named AT-ST)
Relay Orders (Each allied commander can count distance from this character as well as from itself for the purpose of commander effects)

Commander Effect
Adjacent ally with Mounted Weapon gains Greater Mobile Attack.

AT-ST pilots were trained to have an incredible sense of balance and terrain, due to the All Terrain Scout Transport's bipedal locomotion instability compared to the quadruped AT-AT.

Blizzard Force AT-AT Driver
Imperial
Cost: 15
Hit Points: 30
Defense: 14
Attack: 6
Damage: 10
Rarity: Common
Base: Medium
Gender: Male
Creator: R5Don4
Created: 1/1/2012
Updated: 1/2/2012
Sets: Assault on Hoth

Special Abilities
AT-AT Driver (Adjacent ally named AT-AT Imperial Walker gains Armored Cockpit (This character can transport up to 2 Large allies or 4 Small or Medium allies that have a name or Special Ability that contains General, Commander, Pilot or Gunner. Those allies remain in play off the battle grid; they move simultaneously with this character, cannot be targeted or take damage, and are considered to be inside it. They cannot make attacks independantly but can combine fire with this character if they are able to do so, are considered adjacent for combining fire or they may make actions on their turn other than attacking or moving. A transported ally may not voluntarily return to the battle grid. If this character is defeated, all transported allies are also defeated; save 6.) and Armored Transport (This character can transport up to 2 Huge allies or 4 Large allies or 16 Small or Medium allies. Those allies remain in play off the battle grid; they move simultaneously with this character, cannot be targeted or take damage, and are considered to be inside it. They cannot make attacks, activate or make any action. A transported ally can return to the battle grid immediately before your first activation of the round. If this character is defeated, all transported allies are also defeated; save 6.))
Pilot
Rangefinder (Replaces attacks: Adjacent allies who do not move get +4 Attack against nonadjacent enemies this round)
Gunner +20 (Can combine fire with adjacent allies who have Mounted Weapon, granting +20 Damage)

One-seven, decimal two-eight

Also one more point, HP. Lots of it. If heroes have more health then an AT-ST and half the Separatist Huges, then something is sorely wrong. Anyways excited to see what gets settled on for the design

These are the custom abilities i created to help make vehicles more fun, competitive, and "realistic":

# Squad Leader (Huge allies with Mounted Weapons gain Troop Cart.)

# Defensive Formation (While removed from play by the Troop Cart special ability, this character gains the following: Replaces attack: Adjacent ally with Troop Cart gains +4 defense and Shields 1 until the end of the round, or until this character returns to play.)

#Maximum Firepower (While removed from play by the Troop Cart special ability, this character gains the following: Replaces attack: Adjacent ally with Troop Cart gains + 20 damage until the end of the round, or until this character returns to play.)

#Stay on the leader! (While removed from play by the Troop Cart special ability, this character gains the following: Replaces attack: Adjacent ally with Troop Cart gains +4 attack and Accurate Shot.)

#Wingman (While removed from play by the Troop Cart special ability, this character gains the following: Replaces attack: Adjacent ally with Troop Cart gains +4 attack +10 damage until the end of the round, or until this character returns to play.)

#Co-Pilot (If an ally removes both a Pilot and a Co-Pilot from play with the Troop Cart ability, it gains +2 Speed until either character returns to play.)

Associated custom minis:

http://www.bloomilk.com/Custom/2079/luke-skywalker--rogue-leader
http://www.bloomilk.com/Custom/2649/general-veers--blizzard-leader
http://www.bloomilk.com/Custom/2654/darth-vader--imperial-pilot
http://www.bloomilk.com/Custom/2067/wedge-antilles--red-leader
http://www.bloomilk.com/Custom/2655/chewbacca--co-pilot

My main problem with Troop Cart is that transported characters are very vulnerable to taking damage, from Accurate Shot, Sniper, Force Lightning, Splash, War Throat, Force Repulse, Flamethrower, Grenades, Missiles, Strafe, Self Destruct, etc. Some vehicle should provide greater protection.

Here are a couple possible abilities:

Shoot Over X: Creatures with a base size of [this unit] -X or smaller do not provide cover except to adjacent figures no more than one size larger. This creature ignores low cover unless target is adjacent to obstructing low cover. (note this last ability may need to be tied to unit size or the X factor.

Step/Roll Over Y: This unit ignores units of base size Y or smaller when moving. It may not stop in a space occupied by another creature and still provokes AoO with its movement. If forced to stop in a space occupied by a unit of size Y or smaller move the smaller unit to the nearest open space (Save Z) or destroy that unit.

Yah, that is actually a good point, maybe only dark side factions should get crush

I was thinking something like:

Tall:This character can choose to ignore small and medium characters when choosing targets. Small and medium characters do not provide cover against this characters attacks.

Also, I think all huge vehicles should have some sort of Splash, since their guns are huge compared to handheld blasters.