While not having played with the rules, and having watched a handful of tutorials of SW: Armada through YouTube, I am wondering if we can "sucker punch" opposing fleets by ways of having more activations (and thus an advantage) in Armada?
Will this be a tactically sound and/or viable possibility?
We won't know until we get the rules.
I was thinking it could be an advantage to have more ships and initiative. In the demo example, the rebels have an additional activation plus initiative, and they get to choose who goes first (and consequently, last as well). So in a given round, they could move the Covette last, and then the next round move it first. If it was at full speed, it could potentially move eight "spaces" and shoot twice before the Victory had a chance to respond. That could be a significant advantage, allowing the Corvette to move up right alongside the Victory for a shot, before retreating to a rear arc and safety.
I really wish there was a way to steal initiative.
I really wish there was a way to steal initiative.
It probably will be similar to X-wing where you can "build" it into your list (IE lower point total wins it)
I think this will be very intriguing as well moving after you shoot means you need to be in position to anticipate your opponent almost two turns in advanced and not having a set order certainly gives and advantage to having more ships to choose the activation order
The balance here is whether you want to take a large ship with lots of firepower and able to absorb damage versus numerous smaller and more fragile ships lacking firepower.
The larger ship is likely to last quite well, but will only get one chance to fire per turn.
The smaller ships, although not being able to inflict as much damage in one go, will have more oportunities each turn.
Sometimes it's taking those consistent nickle and dime shots that eventually wear an enemy ship down. Two large vessels opposing each other often turns into a slugging match, and quite often it's the result of a critical hit that can decide it.
The more opportunities to fire each turn, the better. Even if you're not doing a lot of damage each turn, you're still doing damage.
It's not like Armada's initiative system is something we haven't seen before. About half the table top battle games I have ever played use this "take turns activating ships" style of initiative. Smaller forces will have a sort of disadvantage for simply getting few actions as well as letting lots of the opponents ships go after you and respond to how you went. However going later isn't strictly an advantage since attacking and moving happen together. So in some ways having small fleets allows you to fire more of your weapons earlier in the battle.
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
That won't be too bad actually. If you choose a command you can hold onto it and use it later but at a reduced effect. So there is a bit of leeway. That way if you read the board, or opponent, wrong it won't be as brutal.
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
That won't be too bad actually. If you choose a command you can hold onto it and use it later but at a reduced effect. So there is a bit of leeway. That way if you read the board, or opponent, wrong it won't be as brutal.
I'm not sure what you mean here. What reduced effect? It was explained numerous times during the demos at GenCon.
Every ship has a command rating. That is how many commands they need to plan in advance. So take the VSD. It has a command rating of 3. Before the game starts, you choose 3 commands and the order you want to activate them. Then you stack them.
On turn 1, you reveal the top command and execute it, then you plan a new command and put it on the BOTTOM of the stack, to be revealed on turn 4. Turn 2, you reveal the next command in the stack, the second one you planned before the game. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom of the stack to be used during turn 5. On turn 3, you reveal the next command, the final command you chose before the game even started. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom, to be revealed in turn 6.
So by turn 3, you are well in the thick of battle, and you are activating a command you chose before the game started, and planning a command you will not execute for 3 more turns.
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
That won't be too bad actually. If you choose a command you can hold onto it and use it later but at a reduced effect. So there is a bit of leeway. That way if you read the board, or opponent, wrong it won't be as brutal.
I'm not sure what you mean here. What reduced effect? It was explained numerous times during the demos at GenCon.
Every ship has a command rating. That is how many commands they need to plan in advance. So take the VSD. It has a command rating of 3. Before the game starts, you choose 3 commands and the order you want to activate them. Then you stack them.
On turn 1, you reveal the top command and execute it, then you plan a new command and put it on the BOTTOM of the stack, to be revealed on turn 4. Turn 2, you reveal the next command in the stack, the second one you planned before the game. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom of the stack to be used during turn 5. On turn 3, you reveal the next command, the final command you chose before the game even started. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom, to be revealed in turn 6.
So by turn 3, you are well in the thick of battle, and you are activating a command you chose before the game started, and planning a command you will not execute for 3 more turns.
I think it was the TC demo they mentioned you could potentially save your command (I think it was when the rebel player selected concentrated fire but shot at the Tie fighters,)
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
That won't be too bad actually. If you choose a command you can hold onto it and use it later but at a reduced effect. So there is a bit of leeway. That way if you read the board, or opponent, wrong it won't be as brutal.
I'm not sure what you mean here. What reduced effect? It was explained numerous times during the demos at GenCon.
Every ship has a command rating. That is how many commands they need to plan in advance. So take the VSD. It has a command rating of 3. Before the game starts, you choose 3 commands and the order you want to activate them. Then you stack them.
On turn 1, you reveal the top command and execute it, then you plan a new command and put it on the BOTTOM of the stack, to be revealed on turn 4. Turn 2, you reveal the next command in the stack, the second one you planned before the game. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom of the stack to be used during turn 5. On turn 3, you reveal the next command, the final command you chose before the game even started. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom, to be revealed in turn 6.
So by turn 3, you are well in the thick of battle, and you are activating a command you chose before the game started, and planning a command you will not execute for 3 more turns.
I think it was the TC demo they mentioned you could potentially save your command (I think it was when the rebel player selected concentrated fire but shot at the Tie fighters,)
Hmmm...
I'll have to rewatch that. It wasn't mentioned in any of the demos I watched or the one I participated in at GenCon, but obviously they can't go over everything.
The thing I am really interested to see how it works (I and I suspect will play a much bigger part of the game) is how the larger ships have to literally plan their actions a couple of turns ahead. In a six turn game a VSD has to choose actions for half the game before they even start to play.
That won't be too bad actually. If you choose a command you can hold onto it and use it later but at a reduced effect. So there is a bit of leeway. That way if you read the board, or opponent, wrong it won't be as brutal.
I'm not sure what you mean here. What reduced effect? It was explained numerous times during the demos at GenCon.
Every ship has a command rating. That is how many commands they need to plan in advance. So take the VSD. It has a command rating of 3. Before the game starts, you choose 3 commands and the order you want to activate them. Then you stack them.
On turn 1, you reveal the top command and execute it, then you plan a new command and put it on the BOTTOM of the stack, to be revealed on turn 4. Turn 2, you reveal the next command in the stack, the second one you planned before the game. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom of the stack to be used during turn 5. On turn 3, you reveal the next command, the final command you chose before the game even started. Then you plan a new command and put it on the bottom, to be revealed in turn 6.
So by turn 3, you are well in the thick of battle, and you are activating a command you chose before the game started, and planning a command you will not execute for 3 more turns.
I think it was the TC demo they mentioned you could potentially save your command (I think it was when the rebel player selected concentrated fire but shot at the Tie fighters,)
Hmmm...
I'll have to rewatch that. It wasn't mentioned in any of the demos I watched or the one I participated in at GenCon, but obviously they can't go over everything.
I think it may of been mentioned in passing in the TC vid but the best source on this one is the description page.
"You might concentrate your fire on an incoming capital ship. You might scramble to repair your shields. Or if you reveal a command that doesn’t offer an immediate benefit, you can place a token on your ship and save a lesser version of that command’s benefits for later use."
I think it may of been mentioned in passing in the TC vid but the best source on this one is the description page.
"You might concentrate your fire on an incoming capital ship. You might scramble to repair your shields. Or if you reveal a command that doesn’t offer an immediate benefit, you can place a token on your ship and save a lesser version of that command’s benefits for later use."
What I read from that is plan to repair your VSD on turn 3 (turn 4 if you feel lucky) and worst case bank the minirepair for turn 4. (I would bet you can only bank 1 command(well minicommand) of each type or only one total
I think it may of been mentioned in passing in the TC vid but the best source on this one is the description page.
"You might concentrate your fire on an incoming capital ship. You might scramble to repair your shields. Or if you reveal a command that doesn’t offer an immediate benefit, you can place a token on your ship and save a lesser version of that command’s benefits for later use."
What I read from that is plan to repair your VSD on turn 3 (turn 4 if you feel lucky) and worst case bank the minirepair for turn 4. (I would bet you can only bank 1 command(well minicommand) of each type or only one total
Kind of curious what a minor concentrate fire would do. I mean as is you only get 1 extra die. A reroll maybe?
Edited by SnowshadowI am really glad they worked in the "banked" command at a reduced value. It prevents actions from being totally wasted, but rewards those who plan more accurately. I think it is a nice balance, and helps keep it manageable for ships with large command stacks.
I am really glad they worked in the "banked" command at a reduced value. It prevents actions from being totally wasted, but rewards those who plan more accurately. I think it is a nice balance, and helps keep it manageable for ships with large command stacks.
This begs the question: How much weight must we give to the Command Rating of a ship?
Well, it seems that it is viewed as fairly significant by the designers of the game. They imply several times in the demos that the Victory has a weakness in its large command stack, and that is preferable to have a small command value that allows you to react quickly.
It also seems to be common sense: it is better to choose your actions at the beginning of each round after seeing the developments of the battle than it is to choose your actions three rounds in advance before you know what will happen. I would say it will be a significant advantage to have a low command value, though the small ships naturally pay for this advantage in other areas (durability, firepower, etc.).
I mostly just enjoy that its the opposite of X-wing that rather than having to plan your movement and have reactionary actions, you plan your actions and have reactionary movement, it will certainly take some time adjusting to that