Legion: Spec Ops Is Unique and Worth A Try

Star Wars: Legion Special Operations has been out for about a month. The hot takes have had some time to cool, and folks have actually played some games. So what’s the deal with this ruleset and why are we getting it for free?

On February 1st, just a few weeks after releasing the Core Rulebook, Atomic Mass Games put up another set of Star Wars: Legion rules called Special Operations. It did not take long for people to settle on describing Spec Ops as “Legion: Kill Team” and honestly that’s pretty accurate. AMG is calling these rules “a new game mode” which is intriguing because it makes me wonder if we might get more game modes in the future. Remember the opening scene from A New Hope? Legion: Boarding Actions, anyone?

AMG has stressed that the rules are in an “open beta,” a concept that is likely familiar to almost everyone playing these games. There are very basic versions of the rules, command cards and unit lists for each faction available for free on the AMG website, as well as a feedback form where players can, well, give feedback on games they have played. The open beta is being broken up into two reporting periods, the first of which is about to close. February was the first period of public beta testing, AMG is taking March off to review the results, and then the feedback form will go live again for April.

Let’s talk briefly about the major differences between this game and Legion. The biggest change is the number of models on the table and the size of said table. Instead of fielding an “army” (I always hated that term, as Legion is basically a platoon sized game) you are fielding a single squad on a 3’x3’ board, half of the normal 6’x3’. Apart from that, the only other major difference is that your squad will be made up of generic soldiers; there are no unique characters roaming the board.

Your list creation choices are very limited. Each faction has two squad choices which come completely built out. An Imperial player can choose either a squad of stormtroopers or special forces troopers, who’s armament is predetermined. Your command hand consists of Standing Orders, a few cards determined by your faction and a couple more that come with your squad. Beyond choosing your squad, the only other choices you get for list creation are your loadout cards. These are double sided cards that are unique to each squad and have special rules printed on them. Players select their loadout cards after the scenario has been selected.

All the gameplay changes are minor, despite what some might say, though they are changes. Suppressed units no longer lose an action; the defender gets to remove a die from their dice pool when they shoot. Panicked units roll a black die for each point of suppression over their courage value and suffer a wound on crits and hits. Cover does not cancel hits, but instead grants defensive surges, and there is no more difficult ground, just open or impassable. There is no squad coherency, obviously, individual troopers now have several points of health, and attack and defense dice have been reworked.

Again, none of these gameplay changes are “major.” I think some folks initially mistook a lot of little changes for a really big change. The game does play a bit differently, but it is still recognizable. But why are these rules going through an open beta now? Shatterpoint is coming out later this year, which means the final version of Spec Ops might be very close to coming out at the same time. I have some theories, cobbled together from some of the more thoughtful voices online and my own experiences.

First of all, squad level games are fun! Legion lets you field the largest personalities in the Star Wars canon, but there is something to be said for letting the regular foot sloggers trade blows from time to time. Shatterpoint is going to have all the heroes doing heroic things, which is great, but what if you want to play a squad of Genndy Tartakovski’s ARC Troopers, hitting vital objectives behind enemy lines? Legion: Skirmish doesn’t really cover this, because all the big heroes are still available. Maybe my ARC troopers running into Maul isn’t the experience I am looking for.

Shatterpoint is also going to be at a different scale. This has happened before with Imperial Assault and Legion, and it doesn’t feel great. Perhaps a set of skirmish rules made for Legion models will mollify some folks.

Lastly, I wonder if this rule set is partially spun out of conversations surrounding the Core Rulebook. Some of these rules feel like they were ideas for the CRB that were left on the cutting room floor. The reworked Panic mechanic in particular is one that I think would have been fun in Legion. If your squad is panicked and still taking fire the hits and crits represent squad members bolting for the rear.

So go give Special Operations a try, why don’t you? At the very least, go watch some games being played on YouTube! There are several up now, including one by AMG themselves that went up on Friday. The rules and cards can be downloaded for free from AMG’s website, and free stuff is great!

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