Databank Download: Crosshair, Echo and Tech

Crosshair, Echo and Tech represent the most technically adept specialists of Clone Force 99, better known as the Bad Batch. Like others in that force, these unusual clone troopers benefitted from unusual genetic mutations that made them quite unlike most clone soldiers and brought certain special tactical advantages.

Starting with Crosshair, we have the cold and analytical sniper who prefers to strike at a distance. Crosshair was one of the few members of the Bad Batch unable to escape his inhibitor chip and who turned on the Jedi, remaining loyal to the Empire. This would divide him from the group even as the others returned to the world of their origins to rescue Omega, an important milestone in the group’s history. Throughout their service to the Galactic Republic, Echo held a place as a reliable mainstay soldier of the Bad Batch, noted for his bravery and strategic knowledge.

As his name suggests, Crosshair is a sniper and his abilities reflect this. He’s all about firing that rifle of his. Trick Shot, his Tactics Ability, may not do much damage but can force an enemy in his line of sight to lose their Hunker tokens, potentially negating their Cover. As part of the practice of finding the perfect sniper’s perch, Crosshair can Find the Shot, an Active Ability that lets him Climb into position and perform a focus action to increase his already formidable Ranged Attack stats. This combines well with The Deadeye of the Batch, his Identity Ability which gives Sharpshooter [2], increasing the effectiveness of his focus actions for ranged attacks. This also lets him ignore Cover, meaning he can utilize his Trick Shot to benefit his allies instead of himself.

While Crosshair might at times be accused of a self-obsessed focus on taking down his target, he is a veteran of team tactics and knows victory may require the assistance of his peers. Relax, I’ll Handle This, allows him to come to the aid of an engaged member of his team by firing on the enemy to alleviate their situation. This Reactive Ability lets him clear pesky conditions from those engaged with his target, made in exchange for Heals secured from his Combat Tree. When timed properly this can make a significant difference in helping Crosshair and his allies coordinate to take down a difficult foe.

Crosshair uses the Bad Play Stance, where sometimes he must use his rifle fire tactically to secure an objective instead of simply wounding a foe. As with any commando, Crosshair is competent and trained in melee, but if he’s engaged it means something has gone wrong. His Stance is focused on exploiting his Firepuncher Sniper Rifle, providing high Ranged Attack stats and an Attack Expertise Chart that prioritizes Criticals, with the possibility of added damage or a Reposition. His Combat Tree has high potential damage but offers an alternate branch with no less than three Shoves (at lower damage), when it’s especially vital to knock an enemy far back or off an objective. He can also Pin his foe early in the tree, and his higher damage branch also offers several Heals (which can be used with his Relax, I’ll Handle This ability), and a possible Reposition. And while Crosshair prefers to be firing rather than being fired upon, he has access to strong Modified Commando Armor, giving him protection from glancing hits. The Defense Expertise Chart of this armor is likely to downgrade a Critical and provide at least one Block.

After experiencing severe injuries in battles against the Separatists in the Clone Wars, Echo was outfitted with extensive cybernetics, including a socket-arm to facilitate his interfacing with computers. Echo’s skill in this arena is outmatched only by Tech, the team’s computer and weapons specialist, who has demonstrated phenomenal data analysis speed and capability. Several of the most notable successes of Clone Force 99 might be attributed to efforts that would have been impossible without Tech’s signal analysis and computer hacking. During combat operations, Echo and Tech often work very closely together to assist the squad’s more combat focused specialists.

When entering battle, it is the habit of Echo and Tech to Keep a Low Profile, hunkering down behind existing or improvised cover as they Dash ahead. The Hunker tokens they acquire in the process can be employed to augment other abilities. As the Brains of the Batch, for example, they can add a die to attack and defense rolls if they have one or more Hunker tokens.

Fight Smarter, Not Harder encapsulates the fighting philosophy of this pair. This Active Ability lets them give up their own Hunker tokens to remove an opposing player’s Control token from a nearby objective. They can also utilize their hardware to assist their squad mates thanks to Forward Planning. This Reactive Ability lets them remove a negative condition from a nearby allied Primary or Secondary Unit at the start of that unit’s activation.

Echo and Tech employ the Military Intelligence Stance, which allows them to effectively interfere with the enemy and deliver some decent damage in the process. This Stance’s Combat Tree begins with inflicting Strain on a foe and ends with the chance to use an Active Ability. The middle portion of the tree offers the choice of inflicting a pair of Shoves and Pinning a foe (most useful when driving someone away from an Objective), or alternately gaining some Heals and a relatively easy to reach Reposition.

Though these three may be the more technically oriented members of the Batch, they are still fully trained and qualified commandos, quite capable of holding their own in a firefight or melee. But as their Melee Defense stats suggest, they are not expected to endure an intense close quarters clash and will generally prefer to Reposition away from the enemy, if possible, relying more often on their DC-17 Blaster Pistols or rifle.

Crosshair, Echo and Tech bring some much-appreciated versatility and technical prowess to the capabilities of the Bad Batch and are not intended to fight alone. Together with the rest of their brothers and sister, the Bad Batch becomes greater than the sum of its parts, a group that has been through it all and only emerged stronger on the other side.

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Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!