“Army or not, you must realize you are doomed!”
   –General Grievous, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

The Galactic Republic has become ineffective, crippled by corruption and bureaucracy. The galaxy needs new leadership and—with the backing of commercial entities like the Trade Federation, the Techno Union, and the Retail Caucus—the Separatist Alliance is prepared to do whatever is necessary to seize power.

To that end, these influential organizations have pooled their resources to create a massive droid army capable of overcoming any foe with sheer numbers alone. Led by the nefarious cyborg General Grievous, this army poses a threat to any star system in the galaxy. Soon, you can mobilize your own legions of battle droids and begin a campaign against the Republic with the Clone Wars Core Set for Star Wars™: Legion.

Within this Core Set, you’ll find the units that will form the cornerstone of your Separatist Alliance armies, including an unpainted, finely detailed General Grievous miniature ready to lead your forces into battle. Following Grievous into battle are eighteen unpainted B1 Battle Droid miniatures—enough for two full corps units—and a unit of two Droidekas represented on the field by two pairs of miniatures: one in their standard upright stance and another in the speedy wheel mode.

Join us today as we take a closer look at the Separatist units included in the Clone Wars Core Set for Star Wars: Legion!

Sinister Cyborg

Even with a droid army that vastly outnumbers their opponents’, victory for the Separatists is not guaranteed. In addition to facing clones bred for battle, Separatist droids must also contend with powerful Jedi Knights wielding the power of the Force. While few are capable of matching a Jedi in combat, General Grievous is one such warrior.

Grievous proudly uses the Jedi’s signature weapon against them, brandishing the trophy lightsabers he’s collected from his vanquished foes in battle. These weapons prove just as dangerous in Grievous’s hands as they do a Jedi’s, allowing him to make powerful attacks while also blocking incoming blows and blaster bolts alike. Better yet, Grievous carries four lightsabers, allowing him to take on several enemy units at once. While General Grievous may not have the Force-attuned reflexes of a Jedi, his cybernetic body makes him just as quick to react, helping him avoid the piercing blows of any lightsabers or blasters used against him. 

Whether he enters battle with only his lightsabers or pairing them with his personal DT-57 “Annihilator”blaster, General Grievous savors the opportunity to battle his enemies at close range. Before he can make such an attack, however, Grievous must first close the distance with his target. Fortunately, a variety of modifications make him particularly adept at traversing the battlefield. His cybernetic modifications give him the power to maintain top speed on any type of terrain and also allow him to immediately scale any obstacles he encounters without slowing down or taking damage.

Grievous will relentlessly pursue and attack any target loyal to the Republic, of course, but he has a particular hatred for Jedi. As such, he has a better chance of landing blows against units with a Force upgrade icon, letting him quickly dispatch some of the opposing army’s most useful assets. What’s more, Grievous has been trained in the Jedi arts by Count Dooku himself, making him even more of a threat to those who would challenge him to a close-range duel.

Even when he isn’t in the thick of battle, General Grievous is a ruthless tactician whose army is his deadliest weapon. With the massive numbers of battle droids under his command, General Grievous is unafraid to use Aggressive Tactics to accomplish his objectives. When he does, he grants surge tokens to up to four units in addition to their faceup order tokens, better preparing them for the challenges of the battle ahead.

One of the primary advantages of a droid army is that its soldiers can easily be replaced. General Grievous takes advantage of this fact to the fullest, using his position as Supreme Commander of the Separatist army to have his army’s more expendable units absorb the fire directed at more valauble troops, including himself. At the same time, Grievous takes this opportunity to become even more versatile and ready himself to both defend or attack with even more surge tokens. 

Finally, General Grievous doesn’t simply want to achieve his army’s goals; he wants to completely annihilate his enemies on the field. As such, he won’t hesitate to order his troops to crush his opponents, even when his army already holds an advantage.

Roger Roger

Operating with the support of several powerful corporations, the Separatist Alliance has vast manufacturing might at its fingertips. The end result of this might is what makes the Separatists such an unprecedented threat to galactic stability: their massive droid army. Manufactured rather than recruited, this seemingly neverending supply of battle droids is enough to break the spirit of the most battle-hardened and loyal clone troopers.

Unlike these clone troopers, individual B1 Battle Droids are not effective as lone combatants. Rather, the cheaply-produced B1 relies on attacking in massive groups in order to overwhelm their foes and claim their objectives. A basic unit of B1 Battle Droids begins with a minimum of six droids, making them intimidating opponents despite carrying the notoriously unreliable E-5 blaster rifle.

Units of B1 Battle Droids can always press their advantage with more members, of course, and they don’t need to be the standard B1 Battle Droids , either. A single B1 droid with the improved E-5C blaster   greatly enhances its unit’s firepower at an affordable cost, while an E-60R B1 Trooper gives your Separatist army the firepower to fend off any vehicles the Republic may deploy to the battles of the Clone Wars.

After General Grievous issues orders to a unit of B1 Battle Droids, they can use their Coordinate ability to issue orders to another unit of B1 Battle Droids until every unit of battle droids has received orders!  

Even if they carry heavier weapons into battle, B1 Battle Droids must be carefully managed to be used effectively. In the absence of orders from their commanders, they will heedlessly fire on the target of their choice without so much as aiming or moving into a more advantageous position. Fortunately, B1 Battle Droids can feed one another tactical data quickly and easily. So long as they are grouped closely enough together, these droids can coordinate their movements and attacks by passing orders to their fellow droid troopers, potentially allowing you to ensure the entire corps of your army is ready to go at a moment’s notice.

B1 Battle Droids may form the backbone of the Separatist military, but they are only one part of its overall strategy. The opposite of the B1 in nearly every way, Droidekas add excellent firepower and powerful defense to the Separatist forces, opening up enticing new tactical options. Not many can withstand the withering onslaught from a pair of Droidekas’ dual twin blaster cannons, even a Jedi. The fire from a team of Droidekas comes in such heavy torrents, in fact, that Jedi are incapable of deflecting it back at them with their lightsabers. 

While Droidekas are normally limited by their lumbering pace, they can always transform into wheel mode, quickly moving into the perfect position to open fire. This may leave them vulnerable to enemy fire, but a rolling Droideka is difficult target to hit, letting them slip past defensive positions and catch the enemy unawares. Once they’ve opened fire, Droidekas are protected by powerful shields that reduce their need for cover and let them press the attack against the most dangerous Jedi and clone troopers. Despite being hampered by the same AI that drives B1 Battle Droids to attack at all costs, Droidekas can easily be reined in by upgrading their communications systems. A simple HQ Uplink, for example, ensures that your Droidekas are looped into your orders.

Topple the Republic

The Republic’s time is up. With a mighty droid army and one of the most ruthless tactical minds in the galaxy, the Separatist Alliance has what it takes to usher in a new order. Do you have what it takes to lead them to victory? Deploy your droids and conquer the galaxy! 

Build your Separatist Army and enter the Clone Wars. The Star Wars: Legion Clone Wars Core Set (SWL44) is set to be released in the third quarter of 2019. Head to your local retailer to pre-order your copy today, or pre-order your copy through our website with free shipping in the continental U.S. here!