“The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.”
–Darth Vader, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
There is power in the dark side of the Force. Channeling the raw emotions of anger and hatred can grant a Force-sensitive individual the strength they need to realize their boundless ambition. In the hands of a true master, there is no telling what the dark side can accomplish. Nowhere in the Star Wars galaxy is there a better example of this than Emperor Palpatine. Through the power of the dark side, he was able to seize power and forge the Galactic Empire, altering the fate of the entire galaxy.
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Now, Emperor Palpatine is poised to show the Rebellion the true power of the dark side on the battlefields of Star Wars: Legion with the Emperor Palpatine Commander Expansion. Although he may appear feeble on the outside, this façade masks the potential to unleash his full fury on the enemy and turn the tide of a battle in a single instant.
In this expansion, you’ll find one easily assembled, unpainted Emperor Palpatine miniature, the Emperor’s three signature command cards, three upgrade cards, and all the other cards and tokens you need to add the Emperor to your army as a commander. Read on to see how you can use the Emperor to hatch your own schemes and seize victory!
Unleash Your Anger
Although he does not often appear on the battlefield, Emperor Palpatine’s mere presence is enough to change the tone of a battle. As the ruler of the Galactic Empire, he exemplifies the Empire’s tendency to concentrate power in expensive units that can pack a punch. In fact, at 210 points, Emperor Palpatine is the most expensive Star Wars: Legion unit thus far, costing more than an AT-ST or even the fearsome Darth Vader.
This may seem like a steep price to pay for a single miniature, but those who do will be able to wield the Force at an unprecedented level. With three Force upgrade slots, Emperor Palpatine can easily use the dark side to Force Choke an enemy trooper mini and—thanks to his Master of the Force 2 keyword—he surpasses his apprentice Darth Vader with the ability to ready two of these upgrade cards during the End Phase.
The Emperor works well with any Force upgrade, of course, but he’s perhaps at his best when he seizes upon his Anger. This new dark side-exclusive upgrade grants an aim token after you suffer one or more wounds, ensuring that Emperor Palpatine can retaliate with a potent salvo of Force Lightning should an enemy unit dare fire at him.
As useful as this may be, Emperor Palpatine is not typically one to wait to be attacked. The dark side thrives upon aggression, and if you’re looking to go on the offensive, Anger becomes even more effective when combined with Emperor Palpatine’s And Now...You Will Die command card. With this card in play, the Emperor can suffer a wound and gain a suppression token to perform an attack during his activation. Better yet, he can do this any number of times, and each time he does Anger will provide an aim token to reroll two of the six dice rolled with Force Lightning. Although the exertion from such an effort will take its toll, the Emperor is more than capable of obliterating multiple enemy units in a single activation, reshaping the fight.
As potent a combatant as he is, Emperor Palpatine is just as adept at manipulating his enemies into doing exactly what he wants. If he goads them enough with his Give in to Your Anger command card, he could disrupt their strategy for an entire round. This card gives Emperor Palpatine the power to choose an enemy trooper unit that your opponent must activate! Even more sinister, the selected unit gains four suppression tokens if it does not perform an attack during its activation, limiting its options and potentially sending it running away from the action in a panic.
You don’t necessarily need to scheme, of course, if you have the weight of the Imperial war machine behind you, and Emperor Palpatine can have An Entire Legion of troops ready to go at a moment’s notice. With this cards, you have the unprecedented ability to issue orders to every eligible unit in your army, making sure it is mobilized and ready to go. Although it’s unlikely to win you priority, this is of little concern when you have the freedom to activate any unit you’d like.
Even with his many strengths, Emperor Palpatine is still the head of the Galactic Empire and is afforded the protections of someone befitting his rank. He is almost always accompanied by an entourage of Imperial Royal Guards and, as such, you can ignore the rank of one of these units when building your army.
Not only does this leave three spots in your army open for other special forces units, it also ensures the Emperor’s guards are always ready to come to his defense by letting the Emperor issue an order to a friendly Imperial Royal Guards unit at Range 1–2 during the command phase. And, if he truly is in need of protection, Emperor Palpatine can use Pulling the Strings to have a friendly trooper unit at Range 1–2 perform a free attack or move action.
Rule the Galaxy
The Empire is the dominant force in the galaxy, but only Emperor Palpatine knows what it’s like to sit at its head. When he enters the battles of Star Wars: Legion, you can show your enemies the true power of the dark side.
