Editing Star Wars: Legion/Tactics/CIS (section)

====DSD1 Dwarf Spider Droid====
(55 pts.) The name says it all. The smaller droid that that Seps used that looks like a spider. Not the huge one that has giant laser-shooting satellite dishes. And not the crab droid either. Look... just google it if you don't know what it is.

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Upgrade Cards
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<B>Comms Upgrades (x1 Slot)</B>

Comms Jammer (5 pts.) - Prevents enemy units at range 1 from receiving orders. This isn't terrible, but you need to be close for it to work. Can be useful if you went with the flamethrower, or you're having a naked one do a self-destruct suicide run. 

HQ Uplink (10 pts.) - Exhaust this to allow a unit to issue an order to itself. Never a terrible choice, especially in a turn where AI might stymie your efforts.

Linked Targeting Array (5 pts.) - Gain '''Target 1''', allowing you to get a free aim token when the equipped unit is issued an order. Pretty useful, especially if you brought a Super Tactical Droid (generic or Kalani) around to make sure it gets orders via Direct.

Long-Range Comlink (5 pts.) - You always count as being within range of your commander. Situational, and not very helpful on smaller battlefields. 

Command Control Array (2 pts.) - When you use Coordinate, you can issue the order at range 1-2 instead of range 1. These don't have Coordinate so this is kinda (and by "kinda", I mean "totally") useless.

<B>Protocol Upgrades (x1 Slot)</B>

Attack Protocols (3 pts.) - Gives the unit '''AI: Aim''' and '''Precise: 2'''. Not a bad choice if you went with the Laser cannon (see Hardpoint upgrades). It might even be useful if you went with the Ion Blaster, although you'll lose an action each turn when the blaster is cycling (Super Tactical Droid's 3 pip might help here). Otherwise, you might want to look at the other two (or ensure you're always getting it an order somehow). Bear in mind that the droid has Precise regardless of if AI affected it that turn.

Defense Protocols (3 pts.) - Gives the unit '''AI: Dodge''', '''Nimble''', and '''Outmaneuver'''. Gives a nice little defensive boost on turns when you are unable to issue it an order. Might be most useful with the Ion blaster, which has a long enough range that it doesn't need to move. Bear in mind also that you still have Nimble and Outmaneuver even if you aren't affected by AI... 

Engagement Protocols (3 pts.) - Gives the unit '''AI: Attack, Move'''. Pretty much an easy default with no real downside, but no upside either.

<B>Hardpoint Upgrades (x1 Slot)</B>

Nose-mounted Flamethrower (15 pts.) - range 1 with '''Spray''', '''Fixed: Front''', and '''Blast''', throwing 1 red, 1 white per model in the target unit. A nasty infantry-eraser, always popular.

Nose-mounted Ion Blaster (10 pts.) - exhaust to attack with range 2-4, '''Ion 1''', '''Cycle''', '''Fixed: Front''', and '''Impact 2''' doing 3 black and 3 white. A pretty nice anti-tank gun, although exhausting to attack cuts its usefulness a little. Still, you can always ready the blaster using a Recover action without waiting for Cycle...

Nose-mounted Laser Cannon (15 pts.) - a range 1-3, '''Critical 1''', '''Fixed: Front''' attack doing 1 red, 3 black, 1 white. No frills, throwing a lot of dice with ok range and Critical for that extra push (bear in mind you already have normal surge to hit).

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Tactics
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For 55 points (plus at least 3 points of upgrades...), you get one tough little weapons platform. It comes with 6 wounds (threshold 4), '''Armor 3''' to cancel some hits, and white defense with surge. Not terrible for 58 points. It also has a built-in "wicked kick" (apparently it's built in Boston?) melee attack that does one of each color die with regular surge (which the unit has built-in). For its other special rules, it comes with '''Climbing Vehicle''' and '''Expert Climber''' (so it can climb terrain easily and without potentially suffering damage), and has the '''Programmed''' keyword, which requires it to be equipped with a Protocol upgrade. The Protocols (see Upgrades, above, for more details) each give the unit AI and some related keywords to reflect how it was intended to fight. 

Also note one last keyword that we skipped over just now: '''Self-Destruct 4'''. When the unit has suffered 4 or more wounds, you can do a free action that allows the unit to blow itself up. It's not an attack action, nor does it count against your normal two actions, so go ahead and do what you want to do first (attack, get into a better position, etc). The self-destruct attack is made against all units (friend or foe) at range 1 and is done with 3 red dice (still with regular surge), '''Blast''', and '''Impact 1'''. That's a spicy meatball. Although, as the name suggests, the unit is killed by doing this. So it's a pretty nasty last resort sort of thing.

In practice, the Spider Droid functions a lot like the Rebel/Republic AT-RT - it's a tough but mobile weapon platform that can be tailored for the role you want it to fill. Need some long-range anti-tank punch that can survive some counter-fire? Go with the Ion Blaster and Defense Protocols. Want a short ranged infantry murderer? The Flamethrower and Engagement Protocols should serve you well. Want a generic gun platform that is reliable but with no particular specialty? Laser cannon and Attack Protocols should fit. Or you could even use it as a suicide bomb- give it Engagement protocols and Comms Jammer, have it run right into the middle of the enemy army and be a nuisance until it gets the 4 wounds allowing it to trigger self-destruct. Hey, you're playing droids! They're not meant to survive! Just watch out for any lightsaber-wielding fools who can easily kill your suicide bomber before the bomb goes off.

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