Was at my FLGS this weekend chatting with some X-wing minded folks. One of them had seen an article "somewhere" suggesting that FFG will be changing the format for standard games from 100 pts to 150 pts. Has anyone else seen anything like this? With the inclusion of larger point ships I could see them doing this. But I have not seen any official talk of this to date.

If there had been official talk of that, it would be ALL OVER these forums. There has been no talk from FFG of changing the official 100 point standard format.

Everything in the game is balanced for 100--upping to 150 (heck, even upping to 110) would have serious, serious ramifications. I can't see 'em doing it.

We'll see 100 point matches being replaced right after FFG introduces ground combat, prequel ships, Star Destroyers, and a third faction. Incidentally, flying pigs will be in wave 6.

While I know nothing about OP's suggestion, I find it a little hard to believe everything is balanced for 100 point squads, since two Epic Play formats are officially sanctioned at higher points levels.

Everything that doesn't involve transports and or blockade runners is balanced at 100 points. The expensive ships are meant to be few and risky.

Perhaps, your fellow X-Winger had heard about the Escalation format in which you play four rounds increasing from 60 to 150 in 30 point increments. I don't expect Escalation to ever replace the 100 point dogfights, but it's certainly an interesting format full of tough choices to make. I think we may see more official support for it that after this year's tournament season is over (but that's just me).

why is it a game to see who can make the longest thread? Nobody read an article anywhere who wasn't lying.

Incidentally, flying pigs will be in wave 6.

I thought the Decimator was going to be Wave 5.

I love it how everyone jumps on the, omg it's not 100 points it must be broken bandwagon without any experience of actually playing it. Just because it is different does not make it worse (or less balanced).

In fact, 100 points is barely workable as it is. Generic pilots are way too common because for the most part you can't fit lots of named pilots into your list without decreasing ship numbers. Given that a lot of the named pilots are paying a premium for pilot skill that has marginal utility on top of paying for special abilities and upgrades. Rebels suffer horribly by having expensive pilots in expensive ships. There aren't many good 3 ship rebels lists without a Falcon in them.

I would hardly call 100 points balanced and certainly wouldn't say that 100 points is significantly more balanced than 150 points is. Sure there are downsides to moving to 150 points too, but if it encourages people to bust out more named pilots rather than having them sit in binders forgotten for all time I am all for it. The same goes for some upgrades. Yes at 150 points you'll get some people who take 12 Ties, but with 50 points extra you can meta that with an assault missile or two. Currently swarms are still solid lists precisely because it is hard to fit anti swarm meta into lists at 100 points.

That being said, my preferred format for playing is probably (2D6+3)x100 where you roll randomly before the game and get a points value of 60-150 points. It adds variety and lets you choose combos that sometimes don't quite fit into the "standard" format.

Anyway I like variety, it would be nice to have 150 points as an option for TO when organising tournaments, not sure I would want to play it all the time though.

I think 100 points is good because it forces you to strongly consider your squad selection. As any strategist would tell, you will never have enough of any resource or units when you go into a fight. Also the small point limit means you don't have to shell out $$$ for more expansions. You could have a perfectly capable squadron with only 3 ships. Heck a starter and 2 or 3 expansions will give you a competitive squadron. For more than 100 points I could see that with epic play (when we finally get more epic ships or at least one on the imperial side).

Things you can count on with point inflation is well a requirement for larger squadrons so more $$$ spent on expansion packs. Also you will see allot more munitions spam so more torpedoes and missiles and heavy cannons. In a 100 point match overloading a single ship with upgrades is a bad thing as it can be singled out destroyed. In a 200 point match you can count on a heavy point ship with plenty of cheap screen fighters to protect it. In a 200 point match you can just ignore the firepower value on Y-wings as it will have both Ion Cannons and torpedoes. B wings would be just monsters, and you can count on a 50 point bombers that has enough Academy pilot cover to make it so you can't just take out the expensive point overloaded ship. So for the lesser point cost it forces you to spread out your value among your squad. Sure you still have academy pilots but any ship that has more than 30 points is the weak spot that can be taken out and destroy the squadron effectiveness.

Besides the inevitable point inflation is not such a good thing and it doesn't necessarily make the game or hobby better. Take a look at one miniatures game that suffers greatly from point inflation and the other stuff that follows (i.e. power creep). Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy. Now I know that it is a completely different game and set up as you have to build and paint the models yourself but lets just take a look at the game mechanic. Early back in the days (around 3rd edition) 500 points was a viable army. Most matches took place around the 1000 point limit and power units such as land raiders were a rare thing. You didn't always see super hero units such as Gazskull and Abaddon in every match. Sure the hobby was still expensive with pewter models but you still could get the starter and a few boxes for about $150 and be able to play in any match. Now look at today, 2,000 points is the standard and you see at least 2 Land Raiders in most Space Marine Army. Dozens of models that moving them take 1 hour to get a turn in. Also almost every Ork list has Gazskull in it and with each new codex or battalion book they have to add in a new super unit such as Tyranid Hirriophant and that has even crossed over into the Fantasy range with each Warhammer Army having a large Super Monster. Those Epic play models such as the Baneblade that was originally intended for Apocalypse is now considered standard thanks to the power creep that comes with point inflation. Also I call it inevitable because this happens to just about every minatures game hobby. Take a look at the Warmachine/Hordes game. It started out the same way Rouge Trader did (which was the precursor to Warhammer 40,000) being a small squad level skirmish game that had only several models on one side. Now army sizes are slowly getting larder and the new colossus models are starting to make their way in. Like it or not it is going down the same path that Warhammer 40,000 went.

So as for point inflation I will say this, don't rush it. In other games it has gotten so bad that to be honest the most fun I had was the 750-1250 point list (no special characters no escalation) matches. Some people will claim with X-Wing that a 70 point match is allot of fun. So enjoy what we have now.