I have been reading up on the game before I make a purchase, and I see many people suggest buying two core sets. Is there any advantage to this besides saving some money on a few ships? Thanks.

The extra dice are great. Backup maneuver templates, plus it's just a good way to add numbers to your fleet for a good value. You should still get an X and Tie expansion, great pilots in those!

Buying 2 cores will save money compared to buying all the ships separately. Also you will have extra tokens, dice, templates and a damage deck to share with a friend.

The main advantage beyond getting the 3 ships at a discount is the extra dice. The core set comes with 3 each of red and green dice and that simply isn't enough for regular play, you'll regularly get to rolling 4, sometimes more dice for a single attack.

Most of the extra stuff is gravy, but having 2 sets of templates and damage decks helps a lot for when you have to supply both players with stuff, like when teaching someone.

However, while you will almost certainly want at least 2 core sets eventually (I have 3 and am thinking about a 4th), there is no pressing need to get them both right out of the gate. If money is tight and it is a choice between getting a second core set or a couple extra expansions of different ship types, by all means wait on the second set. Once you start playing you will quickly see how useful it is, but it isn't going to hurt anything if you have to wait awhile before getting it.

I have three and doubt I'll buy another, but I do feel two should be standard if you want to build up. Range rulers for each player, damage decks for each player, enough dice to cover any attack or defense roll. It's really a good value as far as the game is concerned, ESPECIALLY when you think about how a single TIE fighter expansion costs the same real money as the others but usually fills a lot less points in a squad list.

3 ships MSRP for $45. The core set has 3 ships and MSRPs for $40. That and the fact it gives you the dice you need to play, when the dice pack alone costs $7. You save almost enough to buy a whole extra ship at MSRP. The extra templates and damage deck are just gravy.

My first goal would be getting a easy to use but proven 100pt squad of one of the factions. So for rebels starter+X+Falcon ($85) for some Han Shoots first action or Starter+X+B+B (also 85) for a Blue Thunder/Bloody Daggers/Biggs walks the dogs list. Print out some card you dont have and start playing some friendly games, get a feel for the game and base your next purchace on those expriences.

Imperial lists are a bit more expensive due to the lower average ship points cost and IMO harder to fly (both Swarm and Elite styles of lists).

A second starter could be nice but a secondary objective for me.

Six of each dice means you never have to do the annoying rerolling when you're rolling four or more, which can get pretty confusing when you're also rerolling due to actual game effects (Target Locks, Howlrunner, Captain Jonus). I can't actually think of a way to hit more than six dice rolled at once, and even if there is a way, it'd be incredibly rare.

Range Ruler and maneuver templates for each player. Never really needed two sets of maneuver templates (although it's a nice backup in case you lose or break one) but I've found having a range ruler each is pretty useful.

Plus you've now got twelve asteroids rather than six, so if you ever get into Epic Play you've got the stuff. That, and normal games with a thick asteroid field can be really fun.

And then of course you've got four TIE fighters. Can't argue with that.

I'd say a second core is higher priority than expansions, and then the first expansion I'd get would be the TIE fighter one. That gives you Howlrunner and Backstabber.

I only have one and I've done just fine. I did buy the dice pack to get more dice though.

When you take the cost of the dice pack into account Core Sets are very efficient.

I'm with pretty much what everyone else posted. I picked up the second starter for the discount on the three ships and the extra dice. The 2nd range finder has been a really bonus that I didn't think I'd use but do every session. Unless you're jumping right in with Litko tokens, the 2nd set of maneuver tiles and range finders means that you won't have to clutter the middle of the table with a shared pair.

I hadn't thought of giving each side their own damage cards, but will be doing that moving forward.

The only reason you wouldn't want a 2nd core set, is because you are going to never have 4+ Tie fighters or 3+ X-Wings in a list.

I'm with pretty much what everyone else posted. I picked up the second starter for the discount on the three ships and the extra dice. The 2nd range finder has been a really bonus that I didn't think I'd use but do every session. Unless you're jumping right in with Litko tokens, the 2nd set of maneuver tiles and range finders means that you won't have to clutter the middle of the table with a shared pair.

I hadn't thought of giving each side their own damage cards, but will be doing that moving forward.

I'd say a second core is higher priority than expansions, and then the first expansion I'd get would be the TIE fighter one. That gives you Howlrunner and Backstabber.

If you want to play Imp swarm or both factions I agree. If you want to play elite Imps or Rebels I'd grab an expansion.

It also depends on who your opponents are. Do they collect the game themselves (and have their own starterset) or do you lend them your ships?

I can't actually think of a way to hit more than six dice rolled at once, and even if there is a way, it'd be incredibly rare.

So, yeah, incredibly rare, but doable.

Having the extra set of maneuver templates makes the game run much more smoothly when you don't have to pass them across the table or try to remember who had which one last. Extra dice are good, cheaper ships are good, and spare asteroids and other bits are a good backup in case you lose them.

Eventually, if you find yourself buying a lot of ships, you can even provide ships and components for two separate games in a pinch.

I'm with pretty much what everyone else posted. I picked up the second starter for the discount on the three ships and the extra dice. The 2nd range finder has been a really bonus that I didn't think I'd use but do every session. Unless you're jumping right in with Litko tokens, the 2nd set of maneuver tiles and range finders means that you won't have to clutter the middle of the table with a shared pair.

I hadn't thought of giving each side their own damage cards, but will be doing that moving forward.

Outside of the starter 1 X-Wing vs 2 TIEs, each side is supposed to use their own damage deck.

Where does it specify that? All game play I've read in the rules only ever mentions one damage deck between both players.

Also... in the US, you can find them on clearance at Target for 20 bucks.... so.... take the idea of 3 ships for 40.. to 20.. can't beat that... add in the dice and everything else..

I have 4 core sets... I dont worry about much for anything, and have plenty of ships to go around when I get together with my friends.. I supply both sides and sometimes we have 2 games going, so 4 sets was a good buy for me...

Where does it specify that? All game play I've read in the rules only ever mentions one damage deck between both players.

I'm pretty sure that's a tournament rule rather than a core rulebook one

Tournament rules vary slightly from the core rules, mostly in setup and determining initiative

What everyone else said! I ended up with 3 core sets. Go buy a core set before this thread gets any longer!

Each player can have a full set of movement measurements which speeds up the game.

Where does it specify that? All game play I've read in the rules only ever mentions one damage deck between both players.

I'm pretty sure that's a tournament rule rather than a core rulebook one

Tournament rules vary slightly from the core rules, mostly in setup and determining initiative

You are entirely correct.

I've barely learnt the normal rules, never mind tourney ones. i'll get to those when I play in a tourney.

Thanks

A second set is handy and a cheap way of getting more ships and the other benefits mentioned by others. However, don't forget that buying the expansion packs for those ships gives you additional pilots and upgrade cards you can't get anywhere else, including Wedge for Rebels and Howlrunner for Imps - both very good pilot cards.

My advice would be to get a feel for the game with the starter set, then decide what else to buy, factoring in the ship, pilots and upgrades. The wiki is very useful for seeing what you get in each expansion (