Hi, I've been playing N5 and I feel like speedball has only 3 good options(2 heals & Switch On) and 3 bad options.I just want to have 6 viable options. Since these 3 bad options are proactive options. And all of these proactive options are being bad, and all reactive versions are being good, naturally the Speedball usage is very reactive now. And I want to incentify players who use Speedball while building up their own plan proactively. So in our LGS local tourney we will try this version. I will update how it feels after the few games with this rule. - No changes for 2 heals & Switch On - Jet Pack(11-13): The bearer can use the Super-Jump (Jet Propulsion) Special Skill during this turn. This use of the item is restricted to Troopers with Silhouette 2. - Overkill, NanoShield removed. - Airdrop Cover(14-16): After Combat Jump roll, replace Speedball token with Deployable Cover scenery element. You choose which variants to use when you replace Speedball token to Deployable Cover. - Airdrop Supplies(17-20): Roll 3 booty dice right after you choose this option (before placing Speedball tokens for Combat Jump). The Airdrop Supplies contains these 3 booty results. An allied trooper Silhouette contact with a Airdrop Supplies Speedball Token automatically picks up one of the item it contains. After a trooper picking up booty result, If Airdrop Supplies Speedball Token has no booty result left in it. Remove Airdrop Supplies Speedball Token.
I like the airdrop supplies rule. It is aligned with the intent of helping break a stalemate during the game.
Airdrop Cover would be handy, I have a bad habit of leaving my troops in the wind after pushing an assault. It could be a pain when trying to dislodge troops from objectives, though. Jet Pack for the whole turn isn't too bad. Some troops may overly benefit from the mobility this offers. I think Airdrop Supplies goes too far. I can put a box of three goodies anywhere I want? Twice? They're both going in front of the Jotum. With six rolls on the Booty chart, I'm bound to get a ridiculous combination, like Mim -6 and Immunity (ARM). There's a reason Booty is on low impact troops or placed in high conflict areas in scenarios.
I like the airdrop supplies one but agree with Quantronic. I'd lean into the source "inspiration" of speedball and use the old combat jump failure rules for it. Have it so you pick 3 unique friendly models, for each one place the old combat jump template centred on them and make a roll. Place the booty box touching the outer edge of the template on the corresponding segment. And have them able to be taken by your opponent. So you still get a lot of potential power, but you've gotta spend orders to get them. And if you pick a closely clustered fire team and get lucky, maybe you can pick them up in 1 order but it's unlikely. If I were houseruling speedball I'd get rid of the terrible rule where you have to pay for the token at the start of the game too. Make this an actual last ditch effort upgrade to some of your units in dire need, rather than a binary decision before the game starts that's only worth using if the options are OP
