Databank Download: Inferno Squad

The Inferno Squad is an elite special forces unit serving the Empire, which was created following the destruction of the Death Star at Yavin 4 to prevent any similar catastrophes from ever happening again. Specialized in infiltration, extraction, and engaging in combat in myriad environments, this squad is admired within and feared by enemies of the Empire. They are antithetical to Rebellion forces, adept at engaging in the sorts of unconventional warfare.

Iden Versio leads the Inferno Squad, daughter of famed Admiral Garrick Versio, who created them to strike at the Empire’s most insidious threats, including those from within. Iden was given the liberty to utilize unconventional tactics and ignore protocols. The squad’s second-in-command is Gideon Hask, a highly skilled former pilot noted for fanatical loyalty to the Empire. Another veteran agent that has proven his worth is Del Meeko, a versatile soldier who can assume the roles of scout, sniper, operative, or anything else required by Iden. All soldiers in the squad are members of Imperial Special Forces and have undergone extensive training.

As a result, every soldier in Inferno Squad has Covert Operations, an Active Ability that lets them Dash into position and take a focus action, gaining Sharpshooter [1]. As primary, Commander Versio is well equipped to lead this tight-knit team. Her ID10 Seeker Droid assists her, hovering above the fray to spot enemies to facilitate fire. When Iden is close to an enemy this lets her Remove any hunker tokens, and if the foe was already in the open, they become Exposed. Her vengeful Identity Ability The Empire Sends its Regards gives any of her Galactic Empire allies benefits for wounding an enemy unit, allowing them to Pin or Strain another nearby enemy, then heal slightly and Dash.

The Commander’s two Stances are Full Auto and Burst Fire. The differences between these stances are subtle but meaningful, as she gains slightly higher Ranged Attack stats in Full Auto and a stronger Ranged Attack Expertise Chart. This chart reflects how, when firing at this rapid rate, it is more likely that bullets will get through an enemy’s defenses, turning one or two of the enemy’s block rolls into failures.

The Combat Trees of these stances show some telling differences. Burst Fire offers higher potential damage, reflective of more deliberate shot placement, with an early option to Expose the enemy. Full Auto has a slightly more defensive Combat Tree, representing using a hail of blaster fire to buy time and regroup. This Stance’s tree offers earlier heals and a more accessible Reposition, or alternately offers Shoves to drive an enemy away from on objective. Versio has a strong Melee Attack Expertise Chart in either Stance, and while her Defense Expertise Chart is identical, she has slightly better Melee Defense Stats in Burst Fire.

Alongside Versio one will invariably find Gideon Hask, whose abilities are well suited to her goals. Victory is more important to Iden than other considerations. Long Live the Empire is an Active Ability whereby Hask commands a subordinate to reach an objective at all costs. The ally takes some damage and might even be injured as they make a Reposition toward the objective, ignoring adversaries in their way. Gideon is quite willing to push himself past his own limits as well, shown by May We Live Up to Our Name. This lets him Dash and retaliate with an immediate attack against an enemy that wounds him. Under Hask’s direction, all Galactic Empire soldiers benefit from being close to allied Scouts, gaining a bonus strike to attack rolls thanks to Defiance Will be the Death of You. It’s always better to shoot the enemy too much rather than too little.

Gideon’s Imperial Aggression Stance is well named, as he is a fearsome adversary with strong Attack Stats for ranged and melee, and he has solid Expertise Charts as well. His Combat Tree offers high potential damage, some of which can be swapped to instead Shove the enemy twice and then Dash to a better position.

One of the most important choices an Inferno Squad player will have to make is whether Commander Versio and Gideon Hask should be supported by the sniper Del Meeko, or alternately a pair of Imperial Special Forces soldiers. Both are viable options. Del Meeko is highly skilled, but sometimes having one more soldier in the force will make all the difference.

 

 

Del Meeko is deadly accurate with his DLT-19X Targeting Blaster. His Trick Shot Tactics Ability lets him plink a chosen unit even before his main attack, doing a bit of damage and removing Hunker tokens. Deadeye gives him Sharpshooter [2], which works in combination with Covert Operations. And thanks to Special Forces Sniper, Del Meeko can ably substitute for two ordinary soldiers by gaining a second combat action during his activation.

 

Del Meeko’s Suppressive Fire Stance offers good Ranged and Melee Attack Stats. His Ranged Attack Expertise Chart can Shove an enemy away from a key position, and his Combat Tree offers a number of useful benefits, including an early Disarm. Suppressive Fire offers more to control a pesky adversary than going for the kill shot. But make no mistake, Del Meeko can take adversaries down quickly when the need arises, particularly with two combat actions. And it’s best not to underestimate Del Meeko in melee either, as he is a veteran special forces operative.

There are times when foregoing Del Meeko to bring a pair of Imperial Special Forces is the right choice. Though Del Meeko can attack twice, he still only has one body. These soldiers have Special Forces Conditioning, a Tactics Ability that makes them quite durable, able to remove damage and a condition each activation.

Following ISF Doctrine as their Stance, Imperial Special Forces do have less slightly impressive Expertise Charts than a veteran agent like Del Meeko, but are nonetheless quite effective with their E-11 Blaster Rifles and Vibroblades. Their simple Combat Tree offers solid potential damage and an early opportunity to Pin targets in place.

Whether wiping out hidden Rebel bases under the cover of night or neutralizing allegedly treasonous elements inside the Galactic Empire, the Inferno Squad does not disappoint. You can rely on Commander Versio, Del Meeko, and especially Gideon Hask and their soldiers to achieve their objectives with ruthless efficiency and minimal moral qualms. (At least until after the Galactic Civil War, at which point things get a little more complicated between them.)

That’s all for today’s Databank Download. Thanks for joining us as we took a closer look at this elite special forces unit. Make sure to check back for our next Shatterpoint Unit preview, where we give you a first look at how your favorite characters from the Star Wars™ galaxy translate into the gameplay of Shatterpoint. Pre-order your own copy of Star Wars: Shatterpoint at your local game store or through our webstore today.

Until next time, Atomic Mass Transmissions, signing off!