Last week, Matt delved into the briny waters of Dystopian Wars to demonstrate how Attack actions work in the upcoming edition of the game. This week, it’s Edward Spence’s turn to surface once more and zoom in a little further (past the flagships, cruisers, and frigates) to highlight the new favourite tool in your fleet’s arsenal: Short Range Squadrons.

SRS Business

“The scale of Dystopian Wars is truly epic, seeing gargantuan vessels unleashing hellish volleys of firepower and exploding outwards in great balls of flame that can be seen for miles around. It is between these gigantic ships that Short Range Squadrons operate.

Representing those smaller vehicles that plumb the depths, zip across the waves, and take to the skies over these conflicts, these craft carry out specialist missions against the enemy. Unlike the other models in your fleet, Short Range Squadrons are represented on the tabletop by SRS tokens: detailed circular 45 mm bases, designed to be placed on top of one another in Stacks (more on this in a bit!).

Each Short Range Squadron has its own Squadron Grid. These operate in a similar manner to a model’s Unit Profile, showing the offensive capabilities (Attack and Intercept) and defensive capacity (Support and Resilience) of each SRS token, along with any unique SRS Properties they may have.

SRS tokens can be fielded by any fleet that includes Carrier units. At the start of each Round, in the Launch Phase, both Admirals alternate launching SRS tokens from their Carriers, each of which has the Launch Capacity (X) property, X being the number of SRS tokens that the model can launch. Once launched, these tokens can be distributed as the Admiral wishes, from small sorties of a single token to the combined efforts of masses of attack craft, represented by SRS Stacks of two tokens or more. Each Admiral chooses one of the following options for their Stack:

  • Place an SRS Stack next to an enemy model to Threaten an Enemy Unit.

  • Place a Stack next to a friendly model to Support a Friendly Unit.

  • Place their SRS next to a Minefield marker to Sweep a Minefield.

Each time SRS tokens are launched from a Carrier, their Admiral can choose to either create a new SRS Stack or add these tokens to an already existing Stack. Once all SRS tokens have been placed, the Round begins in earnest, as these Stacks await their SRS Missions.”

A Very SRS Mission

“While the previous edition of Dystopian Wars saw SRS Missions resolved at fixed points in each Round, in this new edition SRS Stacks operate a little differently. At the start of each Admiral’s turn, before activating one of their units, they can first choose to resolve an SRS Mission.

To Sweep a Minefield, the Admiral simply rolls a number of Action Dice equal to the number of SRS Tokens in the Stack. If at least one Exploding Strike is rolled, the Minefield is permanently removed from play.

Meanwhile, SRS Stacks that have chosen to Support a Friendly Unit can provide Air Support. Each time their chosen unit is targeted by an Attack or Boarding action, tokens can be discarded to add Bonus Dice to the unit’s Resistance Pool equal to the Support rating of each token sacrificed.

And last, but certainly not least, SRS Stacks that Threaten an Enemy Unit can launch devastating Attack Runs on their chosen target, rolling a number of Action Dice equal to the Attack rating of each participating token. However, unlike a regular Attack action, where each Success results in Damage against the target, for each Success scored in an Attack Run mission, the active Admiral rolls a Critical Damage Die and deals the resulting Critical Damage Effect. And if multiple Successes are scored? The Admiral rolls a corresponding number of dice, and chooses a single Effect from those rolled.

Attack Runs can be devastating, but they can be stopped. Before the Attack Run is resolved, an SRS Stack providing Air Support to a target can choose to make an Interception Attempt; the opposing Admiral simply makes an Action Roll using the Intercept rating of each supporting token, removing an attacking token for each Success that meets its Resilience rating. In this way, it is possible for an Attack Run to be over before it has even begun…

Additionally, any Stacks still remaining in the End Phase of the Round can be used to perform Aerial Reconnaissance, allowing their Admiral to draw Bonus Cards into their hand. These are only temporary additions, but allow Admirals to stack their hand with the Valour Effects and Minor Victories they want, ready for the next Round.”

A Range of Plans

“One of our key aims when looking at SRS tokens was to examine how they interact with the rest of the fleet and how they can provide more strategic options for players. Ultimately, this came down to three words: “statement of intent.”

Each time a Stack is placed, you are effectively telegraphing your intentions for the coming Round. And given the alternating placement of Stacks in the Launch Phase, so too are Admirals able to use their SRS tokens to respond to their opponent, each anticipating the other’s strategy and planning accordingly. However, much like the poker chips these tokens resemble, you can also use them as a double bluff. After all, plans can change.

Take Minefield clearance, as an example. In one of my test games against Matt, I had placed an SRS Stack in the Launch Phase, intending to Sweep a Minefield and clear a path for my Mehmed Grand Monitor. But then, halfway through the Round, things changed. After a particularly devastating Attack Run against a unit of Kutsovs, resulting in a nasty Navigation Lock Critical Damage Effect, one of Matt’s ships was now on course to collide with that very same Minefield marker. Suddenly, I found myself faced with a decision. Did I want to resolve that Stack’s Mine Clearance as planned? Or leave the SRS Mission unresolved and wait for the inevitable Kutsov-sized explosion to clear it for me?

Spoiler: I chose the latter.

With SRS Missions now resolved over the course of a Round and before a unit’s Activation, this simple change allows for greater strategic flexibility, as Admirals use their SRS Stacks not just responsively, but more aggressively as well. For example, inflicting the Shredded Defences Critical Damage Effect with a well-timed Attack Run is going to have dire consequences in the coming turn, as the Attack actions of the next Activated unit are brought to bear against the affected model.

Add to this a plethora of tools at your disposal to wrongfoot your opponent - be that in the form of bespoke SRS Properties or Victory & Valour cards that allow you to change SRS Missions mid-game - and suddenly, SRS tokens go from a very effective irritant to a key lynchpin in not just each Faction’s distinct playstyle, but your grand strategy.”

In Short (Range Squadrons)

Short Range Squadrons: They may be small, but they are mighty.

“They can be invaluable in your path to victory; without Carriers in your Fleet, you might find yourself at a distinct disadvantage. But be wary not to hinge your entire strategy upon these tokens. Rather, consider the unique call-and-response between your tokens and models like a good joke. Your SRS tokens provide the set-up; your units provide the punchline.

And as with all jokes, it’s all about timing. Time it right? And your opponent won’t know what hit them.”

Ed