Star Wars Zero Company Outlaws Guide: Swarm Pressure, Positioning and Anti-Overwhelm Tactics
Quick answer
The official warning for Outlaws is that they can overwhelm players with numbers. Prepare by keeping the squad mutually supportive, protecting a retreat route, and spending actions on controlling the approach instead of chasing one distant target.
This is faction-level planning guidance, not a confirmed enemy counter. Exact Outlaw unit counts, reinforcement rules, abilities, weaknesses, and encounter limits are Retail verification required.
What does “overwhelm with numbers” mean?
The developer description identifies numerical pressure as the main Outlaw threat. The danger is not necessarily that every Outlaw is stronger than an Operator; it is that too many enemies can create more threats than the squad can answer in one turn.
That can make formation, movement, and action economy as important as raw damage. The exact way Outlaws create numerical pressure in each mission is Retail verification required.
Keep the squad connected without clustering
Use a formation in which Operators can support one another while still occupying useful cover. Avoid sending one character so far ahead that the rest of the squad cannot respond if several Outlaws close in.
At the same time, do not stack every Operator in one small area without checking explosives, crossfire, or objective space. The best spacing depends on the map and enemy tools, which are Retail verification required.
Protect the retreat route first
Before committing to an attack, identify where the squad can fall back. A swarm becomes more dangerous when the team has only one forward direction and no safe way to regroup.
Keep enough AP for movement, cover, or a defensive ability after the first exchange. Exact AP costs and movement rules are Retail verification required.
Target priority against Outlaws
Do not automatically shoot the closest enemy. Start with the target that can most quickly turn pressure into a surround:
- A unit already approaching an exposed flank.
- A ranged enemy threatening an isolated Operator.
- A target blocking the squad’s retreat route.
- A unit whose actual ability creates additional pressure, if the retail build confirms one.
The final Outlaw roles and priority order are Retail verification required.
When Overwatch helps—and when it does not
Overwatch can help protect a predictable approach or a reinforcement route. It is less useful when the mission requires the squad to move, rescue someone, sabotage an objective, or extract.
The developers specifically describe Overwatch as more suitable for defending a point than for several movement-heavy objectives. Do not assume an Outlaw mission can be solved by waiting in one position until every enemy crosses the cone.
Exact Outlaw movement, Overwatch interactions, and reinforcement behavior are Retail verification required.
Squad planning for Outlaws
For a first encounter, aim for flexibility rather than a faction-specific tier list:
- Keep one reliable pressure role to remove a dangerous target.
- Keep support or recovery so one mistake does not collapse the formation.
- Keep movement, displacement, or control options if available.
- Avoid a squad whose entire plan depends on long sightlines or one stationary setup.
This follows the broader design goal of varied strategies, not a confirmed Outlaw-specific best squad.
Adapt to the mission objective
- Combat: control the approach and remove threats that can create a surround.
- Sabotage: do not fight every Outlaw if reaching and escaping is the real win condition.
- Rescue: keep a route open for the protected target and avoid being pinned in place.
- Retrieval: preserve resources for the retreat after the item is secured.
The final objective rules, enemy counts, and reinforcement timing are Retail verification required.
Common mistakes
- Splitting the squad so far apart that no one can support the lead Operator.
- Spending every AP on attacks and having no retreat option.
- Letting enemies reach the flank while focusing only on the closest target.
- Assuming more range automatically solves numerical pressure.
- Using Overwatch without checking whether the objective requires movement.
- Treating the official “numbers” warning as proof of exact enemy counts.
Confirmed now vs. retail verification required
Confirmed now
- Developers say Outlaws can overwhelm players with numbers.
- The game is designed to support varied tactical approaches.
- Mission objectives can change whether stationary Overwatch is appropriate.
- Squad customization allows players to shape different playstyles.
Retail verification required
- Outlaw unit types, counts, and reinforcement rules.
- Exact weapons, abilities, movement, and target priorities.
- Boss or leader units and encounter order.
- Best Specializations, equipment, and squad combinations.
- Difficulty scaling and objective-specific Outlaw behavior.
FAQ
Are Outlaws stronger than other factions?
Not confirmed. The official warning concerns their ability to overwhelm the squad with numbers, not a universal stat advantage.
What is the best weapon against Outlaws?
No Outlaw-specific weapon counter is officially confirmed before release. Use the mission objective and actual retail enemy kit to decide.
Should I use a full sniper team against Outlaws?
Do not assume it is ideal. Numerical pressure can make flexible positioning and close support important, while the value of long range depends on the map and sightlines.
How do I stop an Outlaw surround?
Protect the retreat route, keep Operators mutually supportive, and prioritize the enemy threatening your flank or next required action.
Bottom line
Outlaws are officially framed as a numbers problem. Keep the squad connected, preserve a retreat route, prioritize threats that create a surround, and adapt to the mission objective. Wait for retail testing before publishing exact unit counts or a definitive anti-Outlaw build.