Hello, everyone! The time has come for the second map rotation on the new IACP map schedule. We of the IACP Steering Committee are pleased to announce that Chopper Base, Atollon will be joining the tournament map rotation, replacing Endor Defense Station, effective Monday, August 4th 2025. This map is found in the Hera Syndulla and Chopper expansion pack. Chopper Base, Atollon will have players battling for control of Phoenix Squadron’s home base. Its best trait is that it is broadly symmetrical, with neither deployment zone having a Positioning Advantage. The placement of doors makes it difficult (but not impossible) to fully engage in combat on the first round. The blocking terrain outside each deployment zone provides shelter from long range fire from either end of the map and down the middle. Finally, the symmetrical objective distribution means that both players have equal opportunity to earn points. This symmetry ensures both combat-heavy and objective-heavy game plans can be successful.
The Missions
The first mission, Krykna Infestation, allows for combat-focused figures to be useful in Round 1. Each team has easy access to 3 Kryknas without opening a door (although one of those three requires long range fire across the hangar or trash pit). Additionally, each terminal is within 3 spaces of a Krykna, so the beasties must be dealt with if you want to protect your terminal sitters. Deploying defeated Kryknas to the opponent’s deployment zone makes camping in the deployment zone a dangerous proposition, encouraging more dynamic play.
While this mission may seem to strike a Deathblow to Jabba the Hutt, Mortar Troopers, or other units that stay in the deployment zone, it is worth noting that at 2 damage a round, they need to suffer 4-5 Krykna strikes, while only one new Krykna spawns a round (and after damage is dealt). This means neither will die to even a concentrated Krykna attack until the end of Round 4. Considering most games end in Round 3 or 4, the Kryknas will not attack deployment-bound figures so fiercely as to chase them from the meta.
The second mission, Powered Perimeter, brings an element of random objectives not seen since Tarkin Initiative Labs. This puts a dynamic twist on the standard “hold the objective” missions we all know and love. At the beginning of each round, 4 of the 6 Signal markers will gain 2 VPs of value. With the even placement of the Markers, each deployment zone will have an equal number of VP accrual nearby. The slow buildup also means that Markers that are away from the combat or heavily contested will have the opportunity to build up 6 or even 8 VPs of value by the end of the game!
The Steering Committee has previously issued an errata to the Krykna Infestation mission on Chopper Base, Atollon. The first paragraph now reads: “Kryknas are neutral figures. A figure can attack a Krykna (Health: 8, Defense: 2 blocks). Krykna can suffer and be targeted by attacks and by abilities that can target hostile figures. When a player defeats a Krykna, that player gains 2 VPs and claims that Krykna.” The Steering Committee chose to issue this change to maintain consistency with FFG’s errata to the Triple Cross mission on Coruscant Back Alleys and to ensure that figures who can deal non-attack damage like Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Sabine Wren can be as effective as possible against the Kryknas threatening to devour them. We hope this change creates a more consistent playing experience for the IACP map rotations.