Dropzone Tactics – PHR Dropships, Incoming!
We’re back again this week with our rotation through the factions. This time we’re looking at the PHR Dropships.
The Post-Human Republic really relies on their dropships to get the job done. Their ground units are incredibly slow, so they simply have to get into the right position as quickly as possible. This is where their Dropships come in. They are up-armored and bring significant offensive capability, to help add to the overwhelming firepower the PHR are known for.
With the recent Errata, the job of a PHR commander in requisitioning sufficient air assets has become easier than ever! Points reductions across the board mean that the tax to haul your heavy hitters into battle has been reduced. This opens up more options for the rest of your force, making the “required” portion of your army that much easier on the wallet.
Let’s take a look at a few of the ways the PHR can use their Dropships to leverage them properly.
Be Aggressive
In general, Dropships are terribly fragile and significantly pricy. The combination means that you want to use them carefully, to get your soldiers exactly where they need to be to press your battlefield advantage. While there is no point in engaging in needless risk with the PHR dropships, they can endure a greater amount of punishment before they go down.
Use the combined resiliency of your Dropships and your walkers to get the perfect position for your limited mobility. Reaction Fire stands little real chance of hurting you in most instances, meaning that you can pull in for those last-minute activations and drop your cyborgs into Hell’s half-acre. With a high level Commander for initiative, and the natural survivability of the PHR, you will be well positioned to inflict punishment in the coming turns.
Don’t Skimp on the Dropships
Bring plenty!
If a unit isn’t good enough to work reliably from the board edge, it needs a Dropship. For factions like the Scourge and the Shaltari this isn’t always a problem. After all, your speed can reposition you for later-game strikes. The PHR do not have that luxury, needing four turns or more of movement to match the distance covered by their Skimmer enemies in a single turn. While the points investment is significant, invest in Dropships for those units that might need them. It may cost you a single turn of shooting, or perhaps two, but four turns of quality shooting are much more valuable than six turns of shooting the “only thing you can see.”
Leverage Offensive Power
Since you have to take the Dropships, it is good to note that the two larger variants come with Stealth Missile Batteries. These aren’t the most effective offensive weapons, but they are free shots that you can use each turn to keep your units in the fight. Since they have the Shape Charge special rule, no armor is too thick for them to lay the hurt on!
As you advance, keep the Dropships near their charges. It might be tempting to go off hunting light enemy units, but there is a good chance that you will find yourself outmaneuvered in the late game. For these times, you simply must have the Dropships handy to divert your attentions to the new vector of aggression. If they have spent two turns moving away after dust-off, there is little chance they will get back in time to make an impact.
Have at it, servants of the Sphere! What advice and/or tactics do you have in regards to your Dropships? Let us know in the comments below!
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