I climbed from T1-T5 playing only Empire, for faster queues. Used only rebels to T6 for the same reason. I play with my dick while I send my tank down a lane. Then, I pick off your bladesman with Sabine's aoe special ability. Then, I drop a pathfinder or my unique. I see you drop a sand trooper. I place my stun between your leader and your sand trooper. I shoot the sand trooper, and burst down the leader in 2.6 seconds, with the help of my unique/pathfinders. How many other Rebel leaders can deal with Imp defense during that significant first push as well as Sabine does. My point is that most Rebel Leaders are useless. You have no reason to play them over Sabine Wren or Han Solo. Whereas so many Imp leaders are viable. With regard to balance, every single high ranking player has been saying that Empire has an advantage. In fact, most of them are playing Empire 2v2 to climb, because they don't get opponents. Why? Because so few of them want to play rebels, because rebels suck at the higest levels.