Squad Analysis: Delta Squad, Form Up

The Delta Squad is an elite, four-member unit of clone commandos. While standard Clone Troopers engage in regular warfare, Delta Squad undertakes special operations such as rescue, sabotage, and intelligence missions. Each member has unique abilities that aid them on the battlefield of Shatterpoint: Boss is the tactical leader of the squad; Fixer, well… basically fixes things. He’s the squad’s handyman; Sev is the sniper; and Scorch is the explosives expert.

We know them from the first-person shooter Republic Commando, where they first see major action at the Battle of Geonosis, carrying out missions behind enemy lines and decimating the Geonosians. It’s absolutely fantastic that we get to play characters from fan-favorite video games. Especially when the game is as good as Republic Commando! Plus, now we can field a strike team composed entirely of Clone Troopers.

RC-1138 “Boss”

Role: Reliable damage dealer and leader-type character 

Strengths

Good damage dealer: In his stance Wet Works, he deals 6 damage on the first 3 fields. That’s pretty good! His maximum damage is 9 in Wet Works, plus 1 from his vibroblade melee expertise. That’s not too shabby either. He also has an active ability, Delta, give me an explosive solution, which allows him to order an objective to explode, dealing 2 damage to units within range two. It’s costly at 2 Force, but he can also trigger it through his combat tree in his other stance.

Very consistent: Part of what makes Boss an excellent damage dealer is his consistency, largely due to his Identity, "I’m a lot scarier than you are". For every 3 damage Boss takes, he adds 1 attack die to his rolls. For each Injured token, he adds 3 dice. That’s wild, considering he already has solid ranged and melee stats. So, for any player who loves rolling a ton of dice, Boss is your man (or clone)!

Mobility monster: Boss isn’t just fast himself. He boosts his Delta Squad teammates as well! His passive ability, "Let’s get in there and break things", lets him advance when he would dash, at the cost of 1 damage. He can also reposition by taking 2 damage. It’s a trade-off, sure, but a worthwhile one. This allows him to zip in and out of combat quickly. And taking damage even fuels his Identity for more dice. His active ability "Give me an explosive solution" can also target himself, granting a dash and a Hunker token. Then there’s his tactical ability, "Hang tight trooper, Delta Squad on our way", which is amazing for team movement: each allied Delta Squad character within range 4 can dash. That’s huge! Especially at the start of the game.

          
Boshuda secret trick: Okay, this only happens once in a blue moon, but it’s too fun not to mention. This opening move works only on the mission Shifting Priorities, where the entire midline becomes active. Boss activates, dashes everyone forward with his tactical, and advances himself to ensure everyone is within 2 of an objective. Then, using "Explosive Solution" for 2 Force, he dashes everyone again. Sev or Scorch will be closest to the midline point, and the other will head toward the midpoint. Boss advances toward the farthest midline point, declares a combat action, and triggers Sev and Scorch’s reactive ability "Rule 17" to dash one of them again and capturing the center line point. He then advances to seize the last far point. On top of that, everyone ends up with a Hunker token. Crazy!

Good stats: Boss has 10 stamina, 3 endurance, strong stances (only slightly lacking in conditions), and with his legendary Katarn armor a solid defensive expertise.

Weaknesses

Only two Force points: This is the most glaring issue for the entire Delta Squad. They’re all quite Force-hungry. Boss only brings 2 Force to the strike team. While he can trigger an active ability through his combat tree and refresh 2 Force when wounding an enemy, you’ll still find yourself quickly managing too few Force tokens.

Lacking vertical mobility: Despite his impressive speed, Boss lacks access to jumps. He has a climb in his defensive expertise in his Rapid Fire stance, but that’s about it.

Rating: A+

RC-1140 “Fixer”

Role: Defensive and offensive buff provider

Strengths

Awesome offensive buff: Now we finally get something for the clones that was previously limited to the Separatists. Fixer’s reactive ability “String ’em up” gives an allied Clone Trooper character +1 attack die for each Delta Squad unit (other than the attacker) within range 5. That’s an incredible aggro buff for units that are already quite offensively focused!

Great defensive buff: With the reactive ability “Forming up, sir”, Fixer hands out Hunker tokens to characters that end up within range 3 of him after making a move action. That’s great because clones like to strengthen their defenses, and it opens up excellent synergies like Obi-Wan’s “Knowledge and Defense.”

Good objective player: Here’s the deal with Fixer: his main job is to provide his teammates with powerful buffs. But wait... there’s more! He’s also handy (because he’s a handyman!) when conquering or defending objectives with his tiebreaker “Watch the master at work.” Tiebreakers are extremely valuable in Shatterpoint because they let you manage your numerical advantages more effectively.

Good stats: What?! He’s even got good stats? Now we’re moving into bat country. Seven attack dice for range and melee, decent expertise, and up to 7 damage with three heals in his lower lane.

Weaknesses

Too valuable: Fixer is so important to Delta Squad that he basically carries a target on his back all the time. Once he’s injured, his buffs start to cost Force. He therefore needs to stay out of the line of fire at all times.

Rating: A+

“Sev” and “Scorch”

Role: Heavy damage dealers and objective defenders

Strengths

Fantastic damage dealers: Sev and Scorch are the heavy hitters among the 5-pointers. They’re a two-character unit, meaning they can attack twice with one attack action. So far, nothing special. However, they can follow up their attacks with “Yes, more explosives!” which allows them to roll 5 attack dice. For each expertise result, the opponent suffers 1 damage. If they’re damaged, they receive a strain token. This is perfect for finishing off an opponent left with 1 health point or limiting their options for the next activation. It’s also handy because it circumvents revenge triggers that rely on “attacking,” since technically rolling the five dice doesn’t count as an attack. On top of that, Sev and Scorch have an out-of-activation attack with their reactive “Rule 17.” When another Republic unit within range 3 makes an attack action, Sev and Scorch can perform a 5-dice attack against the same target. All in all, they’re incredibly strong damage dealers.

Great objective defenders: When they contest an active objective, they gain Steadfast and Protection. That’s already excellent, but their defensive expertise strengthens this further. At 3+, they get 2 blocks, a crit-to-hit conversion, and, most importantly, a Climb, making it tough to dislodge them from an objective.

Weaknesses

Range dependent: Sev and Scorch are powerful, but their offensive abilities depend on being within range 3. Once they’re pushed out of that range, they lose access to their full potential.

Force hungry: The base cost for their most important offensive abilities is 1 Force. That’s already somewhat expensive, but once they’re injured, you’ll need to think carefully about when to use them.

Rating: A+

Good Squad Combinations

Hunter, Wrecker, 212th / Delta Squad

The all-clone team is not only thematically fitting but also the aggro meta choice for Delta Squad. The strategy is simple: maximize all potential synergies! It’s also relatively easy to play. Just don’t forget all your Clone Trooper, Bad Batch, and Delta Squad buffs, and keep an eye on ranges. Hunter’s Identity converts one attack fail into a hit for Clone Troopers, making the Deltas even more reliable and deadly. Fixer’s +1 attack die boosts the already aggressive Bad Batch to a whole new level. Wrecker’s range 3 protection bubble gives the Deltas a bit more survivability. You might consider swapping Echo and Tech for another Clone Support of your choice though. They’re serviceable, but there are better options right now, and the team could use Coordinated Fire.

Obi-Wan, Rex, 212th / Hunter, Fixer, Sev, and Scorch

Delta Squad plus Obi-Wan is a balanced midway composition (neither purely aggro nor purely defensive) but still very strong. Obi-Wan’s Hunker mechanics improve the Deltas’ survivability while adding valuable mobility through dashes.

Difficult Matchups

Revenger teams:

Cassian, K-2SO, Rebel Commandos / “Charming” Leia, Bodhi Rook, Baze, and Chirrut

Teams with strong revenge triggers naturally counter aggressive squads. Delta Squad wants to wound, but Cassian and Leia can punish that hard with their double revenge triggers, which either let two characters move or let Leia leap across half the board for a counterstrike. On top of that, Baze and Chirrut are arguably the best supports in the game right now. They become terrifying once activated with a Shatterpoint card due to Cassian’s Identity. Bodhi Rook and K-2SO are both solid but can be swapped out depending on your goals.

The Spectres are an equally difficult opponent for the Delta Squad.

Super-aggressive teams:

Iden Versio, Gideon Hask, ISF / Moff Gideon, DTE, Dark Troopers

Even though half the team was nerfed, they still embody the aggro archetype. You can easily swap in other aggressive Imperials like a a Stormtrooper heavy list under one of the Vaders. The key to defeating Delta Squad is to focus fire on Fixer first, then the others. Once their special abilities become too Force-expensive, they’re much easier to handle.

Good Missions

Basically most missions. Delta Squad is mobile and flexible enough to handle the majority of situations.

Difficult Missions

Never Tell Me the Odds can get rough once you lose the means to spend Force efficiently.

Verdict

Delta Squad is a fine addition to your collection. They’re clearly the meta choice for Republic players at the moment, but they’re also a fun team for anyone who enjoys hard-hitting Clones and straightforward synergies. If you like rolling plenty of dice, the Deltas deliver an explosive solution to your needs! Just be aware that Fixer carries a huge target on his back literally and figuratively. Your opponent will try to take him out quickly to mess with your force pool, and he might be due for a nerf in the next balance update. We’ll see how that plays out in the future. Until then: yes, more explosives!