I can see that even in tournaments you can have those weird Rebels on Rebels or Empire on Empire rounds, so I guess why can't people just choose the ships they like regardless of the faction they're supposed to be in? Any thoughts? Maybe balance issues? Or could it be a possibility?

There are almost certainly balance issues--by which I don't mean "it's definitely unbalanced!" but that the game isn't played and probably isn't playtested that way, so it's hard to anticipate where problem areas will occur.

There's also a thematic/faction identity issue. There are lots of EU examples of Imperial factions battling each other; it's harder to explain Han Solo trying to kill Luke Skywalker, but if it helps you can visualize mirror matches as simulations or wargames meant to develop tactical innovations and maintain military readiness. But it's even more difficult to explain a pair of Interceptors flying escort for Chewbacca, and from FFG's standpoint the license might explicitly prevent them from depicting such a scenario.

It would destroy the game and turn it into the abomination called Star Trek Attack Wing...

Mixing and matching faction ships and captains to diff factions ships.

That kills a game to me

The only example of this that I could see working is when wedge steals a tie fighter. This isn't really a common occurrence bough and thematically is just....off.

I see no issue with it. But if I want an experience that feel slike I'm in a Star Wars movie I'll play an RPG or read a book. A lot of players get overly hung up on faction identity as seen above. I don't get it.

So far as I can tell, Faction specific upgrades could be a problem, but at this point I don't see a ship combo that breaks the game. Come Wave 5 there won't really be any that can't be mirrored anyway.

Played a mixed faction game about a month ago. Couldn't really break anything at 100 points and I tried for hours. Epic could have issues though. Jonus, Y-wings with Dutch and Garven plus Jenny w/321 title is very scary.

Keeping them separate is necessary for tournament play and for faction identity issues mentioned above. However, as long as you keep an eye on possible abusive combos, there is no real reason not to for casual gaming.

What about a 2 vs 2 with 1 Empire 1 Rebels on each team, I mean, we can use the simulation excuse and get rid of the balance issues maybe? Anybody tried that?

One of my first games was a mix and match faction 4-way melee, which was fun, though all the players, myself included, were Rookie Pilots.

Some time after Imperial Aces, I did another mixed faction game using Opportunist Wedge, Canor Jax, and I think I had Jan Ors, as well. Jax + Opportunist Wedge was quite the brutal combination, and I'm sure there are other unbalances. Darth Vader crewing a CR90, "Hey, let me hurt myself and regenerate to crit you," comes to mind.

I see no issue with it. But if I want an experience that feel slike I'm in a Star Wars movie I'll play an RPG or read a book. A lot of players get overly hung up on faction identity as seen above. I don't get it.

So far as I can tell, Faction specific upgrades could be a problem, but at this point I don't see a ship combo that breaks the game. Come Wave 5 there won't really be any that can't be mirrored anyway.

You bought the game... you play it the way you like... among friends... in a casual game. In a tournament setting, keep the factions the way they are as they are relatively balanced that way. If a third faction does ever emerge that allows forces to be mixed and matched, FFG will have to pay special attention to how those forces interact. I could see real issues with balance, power creep and power gaming. Right now, there is no "One List" or "Must Have" ship/pilot combos. With all restrictions removed, there would be even more variety... at first, then it will devolve into a few really powerful lists that will be used by anyone who wants to be competitive (even more so than currently). Any "flavor" or "fluff" or pretense about being a game of Star Wars fighter combat or of "... taking the role of squad leader and command(ing) a group merciless Imperial or daring Rebel pilots in furious ship-to-ship space combat..." In short, it will just be another game geared for tournament play that happens to come with really cool minis but lacks a greater connection to... anything else. It would be a Star Wars game without STAR WARS.

For me, it would take away much of the reason I enjoy XWM, the chance to use my imagination while playing a simple, fun and really well balanced game. For me, the SW aspect comes first and the competitive aspect of the game, second. It would turn XWM into the equivalent of "gaming tofu"- sure, it is protein and you could sustain yourself on it but... where is the flavor?

This is all my opinion and each of us gets our jollies in our own way, so not judging you or dissing your opinion, just voicing my own reasons why I think a "mix-n-match" style of gaming would be a mistake (and where I think the Star Trek equivalent game fails... big time!)

Fly Casual