Really like this ability, will probably use it or some variation.

I think your right about talons CE not synergizing well for the most part. Mostly I think that comes because talon squads tend to have such low activations. So most people use talon to set up for an early round strike.

If you have a higher number of activations though you can use it completely differently. For instances getting a character out of danger so he can use his opportunist later in the round. That is a tactic I haven't seen many people use however.

Do you think he'll have a place outside of Talon squads? You might be able to squeeze him in as a second attacker in a Thrawn squad or something?

I actually think he will have a lot of uses outside Talon. Not sure if people actually will use him, but anything that struggles to deal with that one commander effect will certainly think of using him.

can't be quiet while you insult the nicest SWM player I've met.
He's one of the best players ever.
your lack of respect for everyone, and every thing, appalls even me.

4-Lom (any) can be fun as well as HK.

The other Big fun group is Ig88A & IG88 Assassin Droid

+1 to your comment here Jak.

You can disagree with someone, but don't go an insult them. Thereisnotry is one of, if not the best star wars minis player, and for someone to insult him is just plain infuriating to me. The level of disrespect shown is just downright shameful. These posts by Jenari reminds me of the days when MandaloreDaBeast was around...

I actually meant the Original HK-47. lol. But there isnt alot of support for him.

I actually thought he'd get more talk and focus when he was previewed. Glad he's getting a closer look.

This character took a LOT of work. It really was hard to find some kind of balance (I hope we did!)

It started with simply wanting to give all fringe a unique kind of activation control. I get so sick of when you see a new piece that copies an ability that is unique to a faction and re-porposes it. It just comes across as a complete lack of imagination and lazy to me. I like preserving certain faction identities and uniquenesses.

I can't tell you how many times I heard "Why not just put Black Ops on him?" I wanted to pull my hair out! Black Ops is a fine ability, but in my opinion it is for the Mandos, and should stay there. That ability was created in vset 1 specifically for the Mandos.

I'm nothing if not stubborn (anyone who knows me will agree). Besides, we can get more creative than that, right?

In a way I wanted a reverse form of activation control. Think Dodonna - but forcing the other team to do what you want instead. I didn't want to just stop activation control, I wanted it to work against them. Make someone think twice about bringing it. But it was tricky. Balance is always a factor. The idea was this - it's a really minor boost if the opponent didn't bring activation control (force them to activate 2 on the first activation when it is not ideal for them to). But if they bring activation control, they don't get the choice, you choose for them. When facing San Hill or Ozzel - you'll most likely make them activate 2 when there's no direct engagement, and let the negative side of their CE do it's natural thing when engagement does occur. When facing Dodonna, it's basically saying no when they want to activate just 1. Then there is the Mando Tactician, and Grand Moff Tarkin that allow 3 activations in a phase. Well, knock that down to 2 anytime they try.

So unlike Black Ops that essentially makes it so the opponent wasted points on activation control, it turns their act control piece (especially Ozzel and San Hill) into a liability. We had to give the caveat of it only working in all Fringe squads because activation control and anti-activation control in the same faction is a very bad thing.

This is of course balanced by the fact that it only works when Aves is unactivated. And there are good reasons you WANT him activated.


Jam transmission is his other brand new ability, and it could prove to be big. For many years there has been an outcry against Mas Amedda and boardwide CEs. This had fallen on deaf ears for long enough. At first we thought of a straight counter (characters with booming voice lose booming voice) but once again - we could be more creative than that.

We felt it too strong to simply shut down boardwide CEs and Mas Amedda. Targeting one specific CE tempered that. Even moreso, having to have Aves specify the CE each round on his turn makes it so he has to be ACTIVATED to use the ability. Often the player with Aves will have a tough choice of when to activate Aves. Do you want anti-tempo control, or do you want Jam Transmission? Do you want to attack early with him, or get him in a safe position later in the round to utilize advanced warning?

Of course relay orders still allows the enemy to utilize their CEs within 6 through careful positioning (old school minis style!) So it's not simply board wide disruptive or ABM. The enemy always has an option to bring more relay orders in the base squad or through reinforcements to try and mitigate the effect. It is a very unique ability. I personally hope it doesn't get used again, lol.

He's clearly much more useful in fringe, since he was designed to be played with Talon Karrde. A moot CE and +5 points in other factions will hopefully make him played sometimes in other factions, but not broken. If the enemy doesn't have a boardwide CE or Mas Amedda, he's pretty overcosted.


Like I said - this piece was a TON of work to get to his final stats. All 4 designers on the set had significant input.

Beyond that - Darth Jim really deserves a huge thank you and co-designer credit for this piece. I was fully aware that this piece had several potentially powerful abilities and new concepts. Since it was designed primarily as a piece to be played in all fringe squads, I went to the foremost all fringe squad expert for consultation. He really helped shape the piece, and his advice and instincts help prevent it from being a giant disaster. At certain stages in the process Jim spoke up adamantly (but respectfully) against certain aspects of the design (that are no longer a part of the stats) to the whole design team. He helped tone it down and shape it into a specific tool that is useful but not an auto-include. I basically said - I want it so you'd consider playing it in some all fringe squads, but know it's not right for all of them. His sage counseling lead to the "Eureka!" moment of having the CE only work while not activated, and Jam transmission only work after. Once proposed, Jim thought long and hard about it and finally said - "I like it". That was the final stamp of approval in my book.


Obviously only time will tell what will really happen with this piece. We costed him a little above the price he should probably be on purpose. We didn't want another "oops". My prediction is that he'll see some play, maybe even squeak his way into a creative regional place-winning squad or two, but he won't be meta changing. Maybe a power level 7 or 8. We shall see. If people think twice about activation control or bringing Naboo for example, frankly that is just fine by me.

@Mando,

Thereisnotry,

please excuse me insulting your ability to comprehend sentences. You are such a great mini's player that you should be allowed to go off on insulting rants even if you are ranting about something that is missing the mark.

You are such a great player and person that your insulting rant should have just been overlooked.

my sincere apologies.


Is this what you wanted Mando?

Did you forget that the first sentence of TINT's rant said this:

Wow, this is arrogant and wrong-headed in so many ways

Everything in his rant had the purpose to make my position look idiotic. It was a "negative" rant directed towards me.

Of course I was going to show him that he was wrong to go off on a tangent and look down upon my position. Why the heck wouldn't I? I should have the right to "clear" my name.

I have no hard feelings towards TINT. I played against him a month ago, got destroyed. His placement was perfect. I guarantee you that if you ask TINT if being a great player should mean he has immunity to comments when he is not in the right he would say absolutely not.

You need to start being less bias in your posts here Mando. I am sure TINT understands that he said something in a wrong time/manner and it was, rightfully, shown to be wrong. His accusation was unfounded. As a man he will just move on, just like I will (unless some person butts in and starts making silly comments).