With the upcoming IMPACT expansion, we really wanted to nail the epic, battlefield-changing feeling of dropping a Duster into combat. IMPACT offers the best way to do this through its scenarios—almost every scenario allows a player to bring a Duster, and some even include multiple Dusters! This is the perfect opportunity to readjust and tweak how Dusters function in BLKOUT.
Our main focus for any game update is to make things:
- More accessible (easier to understand and play)
- Fit player expectations
When it comes to Dusters, we want to make them easier to use, easier to field in a group, and easier to play. And of course, they should meet the expectations players have for a giant combat robot!
Naturally, we can’t make them overpowered. The design team and playtesting community had a fun challenge ahead of them to balance Dusters within the existing and upcoming BLKOUT ecosystem. Here are some key changes:
- Dusters no longer have a rear arc, making them easier to maneuver.
- Dusters no longer move like vehicles. They can rotate freely and don’t have to move in straight lines.
- Duster mobility is no longer inherently hard to hit, but the shooting model must catch the Duster completely out of cover to target its mobility, making positioning critical instead of relying on luck.
- Dusters now use their own skill to crush enemy infantry in base-to-base combat, rather than the enemy making a skill check to survive.
- Dusters now have access to their own armory and combat loads! Armory options include smoke dischargers, anti-tank missiles, and the ability to ignore infantry cover.
To further enhance Dusters and add excitement to the broader game, we’re introducing some excellent special rules. Our favorite is AUTO!
- AUTO(X): This allows a weapon to make X additional shooting actions after the first, before enemies can react. These shots must target enemy models within 4" of the first target.
AUTO allows Dusters and heavy weapons to engage infantry and other units, where their return fire may not do enough damage to stop them.
In playtesting, we’ve seen a Duster vault a building, crush an infantry model, and then take out two more with a sword while enemy rifle fire bounced harmlessly off its armor.
Wait—did I say sword?
Look forward to incredible new Duster rules, large-scale battles, and entirely new forces with IMPACT, coming this November!
