My thoughts on a number of the upcoming releases. Not complaints, just observations.

FFG is clearly trying to add additional strategy into the meta, which currently consists of, "How can I do the most damage possible as soon as possible?" The current options in the game promote this as the primary and most effective strategy. The game could continue to go this way, but that shows that while the game is expanding, it is not developing. Other strategies exist, such as Ion weapons that give you momentary control, but if you do nothing but do Ion damage, you could put yourself at a disadvantage.

Stress has, with a few exceptions, been a strategical hindrance that is most often caused by its own player at times when that player deems it necessary or less problematic. By introducing all of these abilities that more directly manipulate stress and motion, such as

-Pilots that can avoid stress entirely

-Upgrades that can remove allied stress

-Pilots that can remove their own stress

-Pilots that turn stress into a benefit instead of a hindrance

-Upgrades and ordnance that cause stress to opponents

-Ordnance that causes ion damage

It seems to me that FFG is trying to add another strategic approach to the game. Perhaps a squad that deals all stress all the time is weaker than one that focuses on damage, but the same can be said for a squad that focuses in Ion damage. Stress can, at times quite seriously, affect a ship's contextual options and maneuvering possibilities, particularly with multiple stress tokens. I welcome a change in the meta that more directly emphasizes board control as a viable competitive strategy in addition to firepower superiority.

You stress a ship a turn or two, allowing you to get that powerful final shot against it, or stress escort ships, forcing them to focus on clearing their own stress, allowing you to destroy your primary target without bother from the escorts.

Thoughts? I don't even mean to say that control don't already exist and are not used in tournaments by some players, but will the greater number of control options catch on? Or will firepower always, or for the time being, remain the best way to play competitively.

Sound off.

Two words:

Rebel swarm.

Two words:

Rebel swarm.

Any swarm promotes the "More damage is the best approach" philosophy, but good point.

But, will rebel swarm catch on? or will the weaknesses of ships that most easily allow it like the Z95 and A-wing keep rebel lists to about 4 ships?

Two words:

Rebel swarm.

Any swarm promotes the "More damage is the best approach" philosophy, but good point.

But, will rebel swarm catch on? or will the weaknesses of ships that most easily allow it like the Z95 and A-wing keep rebel lists to about 4 ships?

To quote myself from another thread:

I know what you're getting at. Ancillary ways of approaching the game. I think you'll see some added stuff going on, but I don't expect these new approaches will ever become to mainstay of the game. Damage will always be the most integral part of the game (Dead is the best status you can give an enemy). However, I do think you'll see people experimenting with ways to supplement their lists to bring on unexpected hindrances for your opponent.

At this point, Ions are about the only thing out there like that. Most people don't expect to see it, and don't plan for it. This means it has some viality on the small scale, but whether that translates into significant tournament success is currently undecided.

I have hope that we start to look at more than just how much you can pew-pew, and I hope FFG continues to explore ways to integrate various additional strategies that layer over the main function.

But, will rebel swarm catch on?

I think you'll see the avg rebel list start to become the 4-5 ships rather then the 3-4 ships it is now. Between Rebel Aces making A-Wings more cost effective and Z-95's there will be a lot of lists that can now added that 4th or 5th ship.

Add in the Ion Pulse and Flechette Torpedoes, and you'll also see more secondary weapons I think. At 2-3 points it will be easy to find room for those in most rebel lists. But perhaps not with that 4th or 5th ship.

Of course you'll also see a few lists like ORS + 6 Bandits. Not sure how well that many naked ships will do, but a YT + 6 Z's should be fun to play at the very least.

I also think that between Cracken, Blount, and Bandits being able to field a fair number of Assault Missiles you might see the Tie Swarm either less popular or maybe just moved away from the 6+Howl lists.

So yeah I think Wave 4 will have a fairly large impact on the Meta, and we haven't even seen everything yet for the E, Defender and Phantom.

I know what you're getting at. Ancillary ways of approaching the game. I think you'll see some added stuff going on, but I don't expect these new approaches will ever become to mainstay of the game. Damage will always be the most integral part of the game (Dead is the best status you can give an enemy). However, I do think you'll see people experimenting with ways to supplement their lists to bring on unexpected hindrances for your opponent.

At this point, Ions are about the only thing out there like that. Most people don't expect to see it, and don't plan for it. This means it has some viality on the small scale, but whether that translates into significant tournament success is currently undecided.

I have hope that we start to look at more than just how much you can pew-pew, and I hope FFG continues to explore ways to integrate various additional strategies that layer over the main function.

I agree that destroying ships is the best *cough*only*cough* way to win. But, what is the best way to destroy ships? Tournament time limits tend to force you to shy away from powerful strategies that take longer amounts of time, such as board control. Ions have given me trouble in tournaments and in a weekly league I play at the FLGS. I am hoping we see board control emerge as a winning strategy to destroy ships faster. Preventing actions and evasive motions is definitely potent, but it takes time. More ways to do so could help reduce the time. A defenseless ship is easier to destroy than an easily defensible ship. So let's take a turn or two to reduce defenses, making our focus fire more potent.

Just some thoughts, could be crazy. Could be cool to see control take a more intuitive role in the game's strategy as it develops over time.

I definitely think After wave 4 and rebel aces, rebel swarm will be much more common. It won't be a name and six Z95s, but the average rebel list could change from 3-5 ships to 4-6. Right now it's hard to fit 5 ships, but it will soon be much easier for 5 or 6 and people who like swarms will get to fly them on the rebel side too. And 3 ship Falcon lists will still be a mainstay, as well.

Could be cool to see control take a more intuitive role in the game's strategy as it develops over time.

I think that we'll see stress become a much bigger part of the game once Wave 4, Reb Aces and the transport are released. I think something like a flechette torp, could be come something you don't bother with as a alpha strike, but something you hold in reserve until you can bring some major pain to the other guy. Like hitting a Interceptor with it after they used PtL and are about to get hit with a Ion or Pulse missile.

I don't know about the rebel swarm getting to be more than 5 ships. The Z-95 combines the worst aspects of a lot of our ships. It has less maneuverability, mediocre dial, low firepower, and lower hull than our workhorse fighters. I think its a much tougher choice for a Rebel player than an Empire player to stick in an highly evasive Academy Tie.

Not sure I'd call the Z95 dial bad, it's near identical to the X-wing with a shorter K-turn and a few different greens. And like I said, we won't likely see a squad of all Z95s. However, I can definitely see it as a squad filler. For 12 points you can get some upgrades, OR another ship to absorb some fire. With 24 points left, you could add an X-wing and and upgrade or 2, OR 2 Z95s, which carry less firepower but they can keep up with X-wings and it could give you low-priority targets instead of 1 mid-high priority target. Always about trade-offs.

Rebel swarm will NOT be like Empire swarm, I can assure you. Large imperial squads almost always feature like-ship lists, while rebel swarm lists will undoubtely be most often mixed-ship lists. 8 Z95s or 6 A-wings simply don't feature the firepower of ace lists or the efficiency of TIE swarm.

Blount and Munitions Failures with Assault Missiles are going to do interesting things to the swarm squad. Or even the general Rebel Synergy squads. Biggs is nice, until someone starts launching Assault Missiles.

Add in what the Phantom will do against the general weenies, or even those with only 1 Agility. Things are going to change, and I'm excited to see what else Wave 4 brings.

And like I said, we won't likely see a squad of all Z95s.

I fully plan on running squads of 6 Z-95's. They're not that much worse then a X-Wing, have some pretty good pilots, and can carry really cheap ord.

Cracken, Blount w/Ion Pulse and VI. 4 Bandit Squad with Ion Pulse. I'd dare say that's a fairly sold list, perhaps not a world chap list but I'd take it to friendly games at least and expect do well. Drop one of the Bandits and you can upgrade all the missiles.

Not sure I'd call the Z95 dial bad, it's near identical to the X-wing with a shorter K-turn and a few different greens. And like I said, we won't likely see a squad of all Z95s. However, I can definitely see it as a squad filler. For 12 points you can get some upgrades, OR another ship to absorb some fire. With 24 points left, you could add an X-wing and and upgrade or 2, OR 2 Z95s, which carry less firepower but they can keep up with X-wings and it could give you low-priority targets instead of 1 mid-high priority target. Always about trade-offs.

Rebel swarm will NOT be like Empire swarm, I can assure you. Large imperial squads almost always feature like-ship lists, while rebel swarm lists will undoubtely be most often mixed-ship lists. 8 Z95s or 6 A-wings simply don't feature the firepower of ace lists or the efficiency of TIE swarm.

I guess I should of stated that I think the X-Wing has a mediocre dial but I mean that as it should be considered the baseline which most should be compared against. It's OK just not wow.

I think we'll see more A-Wings as point filler. They come to a nice round 15pts with the refit and are more survivable and maneuverable than the Z.

When it really comes down to it starship battles in Star Wars is all about pew pew; relying on inflicting as much damage as you can, hopefully thin out the opponent and split his/ her ships up and take them down one by one.

FFG have given thought to this and have developed linked missions such as those in the transport expansion which will probably offer more strategic play: the ability to control the board and the on going effects from mission to mission. There are certain aspects that will perhaps translate from these mission to the current 100 point system but it's most likely that things will remain as they are in that format.

I like the idea of different strategies and meta, but ultimately the 100 point battles are dogfights to eliminate the opponent as soon as possible.

So will the meta for (presumably) larger formats like Cinematic and Epic have a different meta? Or allow these other strategies to be more reliable?

There has been some outcry and equally as much calm about many if the new cards. And while I'd LIKE to see these strategies become more common in the 100 point game, I don't see it as likely.

Cinematic play is a scenario format.

We can't say anything about Epic until we actually know all the rules for Epic.