Dropzone Commander Factions: The Shaltari Tribes
4 Minute Read
Oct 9 2014
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Today we finish up the initial four factions of Dropzone Commander with a discussion of the Shaltari Tribes. We will return to humanity next time with an article on the Resistance, but for now our focus turns to the stars far from Earth…
The Shaltari Tribes are the ancient, distant, and often cold alien entity in the Dropzone universe. They have technology that is largely unfathomable to the humans they face in battle, and their motives are no less complex and convoluted. Their race is fragmented into what are colloquially known as tribes. Maddeningly for the humans that deal with them, a tribe is just as likely to be overtly hostile as it is to be friendly, and their actions can run the full gamut between these extremes. As a result, humanity must treat each encounter with these aliens with suspicion at the very least.
Gates. I promise, you’ll hate them…
In general, the Shaltari are more expensive, less armored, and carry a smaller amount of firepower than their equivalents in other factions. All of this is offset, however, by their Gate technology.
Whereas other factions must bring their units with dedicated transports to the table, the Shaltari have a collective Gate pool that can be used once per turn with any battlegroup. This means that they can reposition at a moment’s notice, using the Gates as fulcrums to quickly bounce across the battlefield. As long as a Gate is still around, a Shaltari is never out of options!
This is the true strength of the Shaltari force. When battle starts to swing against the Shaltari, they can relocate to a weaker position of the field. If a flanking maneuver successfully breaks the enemy open, reinforcements can be flooded into this zone. Rather than knowing where your CQB specialists are hiding, the enemy will be forced to look with uncertainty at all of your Finite Mass Gates (infantry carriers), because any of them could bring the Shaltari screaming down from the mothership.
The downside to all this is an inherent fragility and high cost in the Gates themselves. Enemy AA units and Fast Movers will quickly shred the fragile Gates, because they are essentially floating plates of teleporters and focal lenses. They must be protected, because they are the lifeblood of the Shaltari.
Skimmers and walkers: a combined approach
The Shaltari use a style of warfare that balances resilient walkers and fast skimmers. It is very possible to construct an army completely from the walkers or completely from the skimmers, but the best balance comes in a mixed approach. While they aren’t as resilient as many of their opponents, they bring respectable firepower and an absolutely ridiculous web of AA fire to keep the skies clear. Used appropriately, they can retain the initiative throughout the game. Used poorly, they will fall apart like a house of cards.
The Gates add leverage to these units, which is made more important by the fact that they are generally outnumbered. Use this quick mode of repositioning to stack the odds in favor of your fighting units, and the enemy will feel like you’re just running circles around his poor, primitive models.
Shaltari Braves. Come to the wall. They dare you.
The final point for the Shaltari is their outstanding infantry. While a Shaltari adult may only be a few feet tall, his armor is more akin to that worn by genetically engineered brutes from a certain grimly dark future…
The Shaltari have the heaviest, hardest-hitting infantry in the game. They are limited in number, but are extremely difficult to destroy. They sport Active Countermeasures against low-Energy shots, making the return fire from enemy Infantry somewhat lessened. Their rapid-firing grenade launchers ignore some types of cover, and their Gauss Rifle can open some of the heavier armor in the game.
With all of that said, be aware of their positioning and their timing. The Gates give them a big advantage in board presence, but they are also prone to being overwhelmed in CQBs. Use them as special forces teams, providing them with tons of support to keep the numbers even. One on one, the other infantry of Dropzone stand next to no chance of defeating the Shaltari.
The Shaltari bring an interesting mix of units to the table, and learning to use them is a big challenge. However, once their basics are mastered they become a truly frustrating faction to bring to battle. They are for generals who enjoy the challenge of bringing trickery and deception to their wargames. Use the Gates wisely and protect your units, and the enemy may start to wonder if the battle was scripted from the start…
Any Shaltari players in attendance? What are some nuances you’ve learned from this tricky race? Share your secrets in the comments below!
For a healthy dose of gaming insanity, visit us at Enter the Maelstrom.
Author: Randall Madden
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