Team Covenant 3 hour play session - discussion, questions, spoilers!

By Armandhammer, in Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg-rJrJmkAU&list=UUT0_zqao2b2kJBe-bmF_0og

Part 4:

No more unboxing videos. No more previews. Just a bunch of guys giving us raw footage of two campaign missions!

The purpose of this thread is for members to post any questions, thoughts, concerns, likes/dislikes that you found while watching.

Numerous *spoilers* about the results of the sessions/campaign surprises will be mentioned throughout! You've been warned!

1) Overall, game looks fantastic! The narrative element seems to suck you even more

2) So. Many. Tokens. I literally cringed when I saw how messy the table looked. A tackle box of some kind for the tokens seems mandatory

3) It was nice to see the Imperials win the first mission. For such a small map, I thought the Imps would just get steam rolled by the Rebels but the alternative activation really gives those stormtroopers a shot or two before they go down

4) So it seems that the majority of missions will require the Imps to wound all the heroes. I think most of here are familiar with that notion, but it was odd seeing it in action only because once a hero is wounded, the Imp player will most likely ignore that hero and focus elsewhere. Thematically it's just weird: Wookie dives in the middle of stromtrooper force to go on a rampage, but will most likely be gunned down after his fury. In this game, once wounded, the stroomtroopers will most likely shoot a non-wounded hero instead of finishing off the wookie who is clearly in vulnerable position.

5) I was literally grinning form ear to ear when the door slammed shut during the first mission.

I'm going to really love these little surprises. I've mentioned this in my thread about replay value but my biggest concern still remains: 2nd run through, the rebel player is going to make sure that everyone enters the building at the same time. It was nice to see that there was an alternative trigger than could've been activated at that time, and I'm hoping that the majority of scripted events will offer choices for the Imperial player (If Darth Vader is going to spawn when a door opens, I'm hoping there is choice for his deployment on the board)

6) Passive accuracy bonuses on some of the cards are appreciated, I didn't even pick up on this throughout the previews. Makes missing from 1 to 2 spaces impossible, which makes sense.

7) White defence dice is going to epic! I feel there will be plenty of memorable dodges

8) It's important to reiterate that: "During a campaign, a hero performing an attack may spend 1 surge to recover 1 strain." Could've helped the Rebels a bit during the first mission

9) 2nd mission: "Walls are not terrain and are not affected by abilities that

affect terrain. For example, Massive figures can enter blocking
terrain but cannot move through walls." I think they played that kind of wrong haha.
10) I would pay an extra 50 dollars if everything came painted. Gosh darn it.
So pumped for this game! :)
Edited by Armandhammer

I was just about to post this, Team Covenant said they would have " big Imperial Assault video," and were hinting they would put it up mid week, I guess they were excited themselves and got it out earlier.

I wish they had a larger game table and played with the camera angles a little.

Those guys are so polite when they play, my group would never get get past the censors.

I wish they had a larger game table and played with the camera angles a little.

Certainly would have been nice to see the figures up close!

I forgot to mention the LOS dispute at the 39:00 minute mark in part 2.

I think that the stromtrooper DID have line of sight because:

"Line of sight can be traced parallel along a wall (8), blocked
space (9), or door (not pictured)"
+
"A figure can trace line of sight through itself and through
its target"
Didn't make a difference in the end really.
....
Cause Imperials rock! :lol:

Great to really see it in action, and get a feel for what the story-line can throw at the rebel players.. Even more looking forward to the release after seeing these videos.

I agree with you totally on the LOS discussion too, that stormtrooper really should have been able to fire around the corner going by the rules as I've understood them.

Also, they did a few mistakes in the movement of Large figures in addition to letting the AT-ST move through walls. At some point during the second mission they claimed that the E-web couldn't move sideways, but the only limitation I can find in the rules are that large figures can't move diagonally.

I'm also not sure they used the cleave ability correctly. I think they said, at some point in the first mission, that the cleave hits a figure adjacent to your target, but the rules states that you can hit another figure that is a valid target for YOUR figure. Playing it the way they said could mean that you can deal damage to an opponent that is out of reach of your Melee weapon (if for example a stormtrooper is located behind a E-web that you are attacking head on)...Don't think it mattered for the outcome of the mission though...

Anyway, a great couple of videos despite a few errors in the gameplay.

If all the missions go up to just 5 or 6 rounds the Rebels are really going to push hard to get their objectives done in time, and this also means that the rest action isn't as over powerful as some have feared, since overusing that action will mean the rebels won't have enough time to win the mission...

If all the missions go up to just 5 or 6 rounds the Rebels are really going to push hard to get their objectives done in time, and this also means that the rest action isn't as over powerful as some have feared, since overusing that action will mean the rebels won't have enough time to win the mission ...

So it would be in keeping with the cinematic theme of the movies, funny that.

;)

If all the missions go up to just 5 or 6 rounds the Rebels are really going to push hard to get their objectives done in time, and this also means that the rest action isn't as over powerful as some have feared, since overusing that action will mean the rebels won't have enough time to win the mission...

The first two missions offered a nice balance between combat and objectives, and I hope the majority of the missions are like this.

My one concern with the round limit is that It would be a shame if the Rebel team started to get a little "anxious" as the campaign progressed: a "run to the objectives and ignore combat" type of group mentality could develop, which wouldn't make for interesting gameplay.

Wow, that is some cool gameplay. It does seem heavily weighted in the Imperials' favor, though. I guess I'll have to see how it goes when I get to play myself.

10) I would pay an extra 50 dollars if everything came painted. Gosh darn it.
So pumped for this game! :)

applying a basic paint job would be easy enough, especially if you use a quick shade like the one Army Painter makes. Its a little messy, but you can achieve great results really quickly!

Wow, that is some cool gameplay. It does seem heavily weighted in the Imperials' favor, though. I guess I'll have to see how it goes when I get to play myself.

The first mission was very close. Plus, they forgot to use surges to recover strain, which would've helped that one player (the smuggler I think) greatly.

I wouldn't really count the second mission as that AT-ST went through walls lol.

Overall, It seems quite balanced. Guess we will find out.

10) I would pay an extra 50 dollars if everything came painted. Gosh darn it.
So pumped for this game! :)

applying a basic paint job would be easy enough, especially if you use a quick shade like the one Army Painter makes. Its a little messy, but you can achieve great results really quickly!

I've painted miniatures before (games worskhop) and to be honest I'm more of a gamer than a painter at this point. I don't have time anymore to paint :P

Thanks for posting the video!

So at about 20:30 in part 2 Zach uses the force push. I haven't seen the card but I can't imagine that it is push for 3 movement points as Robert corrected him. I'm pretty sure it would be 3 spaces like he tried to do at first

So at about 20:30 in part 2 Zach uses the force push. I haven't seen the card but I can't imagine that it is push for 3 movement points as Robert corrected him. I'm pretty sure it would be 3 spaces like he tried to do at first

So at about 20:30 in part 2 Zach uses the force push. I haven't seen the card but I can't imagine that it is push for 3 movement points as Robert corrected him. I'm pretty sure it would be 3 spaces like he tried to do at first

From what I have seen FFG is pretty clear when it wants to use movement points or spaces. I guess the card says spaces or movement points.

Edited by Jonnyb815

So at about 20:30 in part 2 Zach uses the force push. I haven't seen the card but I can't imagine that it is push for 3 movement points as Robert corrected him. I'm pretty sure it would be 3 spaces like he tried to do at first

Yup, good call. Zach had it right the first time:

"A figure can move into a space occupied by a hostile figure, but must spend one additional movement point to do so." (Learn to play, page 8)

+

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/imperial-assault/core-set-previews/preview-4/force-throw.png

"...push that figure 3 spaces ..."

EDIT:

" Move X Spaces: If an ability moves a figure a listed number of spaces, this movement ignores movement point costs. All other effects of terrain and figures apply (for example the figure cannot end its movement in another figure’s space). When moving in this way, a large figure’s base cannot rotate and must retain its orientation." (Rules reference guide, page 19)
Edited by Armandhammer

Any way you guys could post some comparison shots of the miniatures compared to a Descent hero, a Warhammer 40K Space-marine, or an old Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Mini?

Thanks Amandhammer! To bad the thread was hijacked by people complaining about pricing of the miniatures. It's neat to know I can use old WotC minis for proxies if need be.

Edited by Omegaclone

Part 3 is up.

They address some rules errors they made in the earlier videos. They seem like nice guys, I wish they had a larger game table and played with the camera angles a little it gets rather ho hum.

I believe its a stream and uploaded right away. I also believe the footage is from a webcam rather than the dslr they use for their interviews which they use two cameras for

Edited by Jonnyb815

Part 3 is up.

They address some rules errors they made in the earlier videos. They seem like nice guys, I wish they had a larger game table and played with the camera angles a little it gets rather ho hum.

Great! Thanks for the update! Added the link to the OP.

It was my favourite mission thus far, but the gameplay wasn't all that exciting compared to the first two.

I just don't think the Imperial player gave the rebels a hard time. Maybe it's ideal if all your troops open one door first instead of spreading out in the beginning? Tough call.

It was cool that Darth Vader enters the game around turn 7, but the deployment points are so far away that he seemed irrelevant. Lucky there was that officer there to order him to move, which is a very funny thought :lol:

Plus, I agree with ya, the camera angle/quality is getting annoying but it's tough not be thankful for a gaming session of Imperial Assault lol.

EDIT: Oh. ya. The Rebels could only shoot though doors when they are adjacent to them. Guess that was a pretty big mishap. :P

For those of you that are interested around the 1:20:00 mark:

"In a campaign, resolve mission rules first, followed by effects

triggered by the Imperial player, then effects triggered by Rebel

players." (Page 2)

Edited by Armandhammer

I think the atst had LoS to the closest door, right?

Can't wait for video number 4...

Really enjoying this chance to get some insight into the game while we sit around waiting for it ;)

I think the atst had LoS to the closest door, right?

Really tough to tell because it's unclear what spaces the AT-ST model is occupying and what spaces the door is occupying.

Regardless, it's too bad it didn't really do anything this match haha.

It was cool that Darth Vader enters the game around turn 7, but the deployment points are so far away that he seemed irrelevant. Lucky there was that officer there to order him to move, which is a very funny thought :lol:

For those of you that are interested around the 1:20:00 mark:

"In a campaign, resolve mission rules first, followed by effects

triggered by the Imperial player, then effects triggered by Rebel

players." (Page 2)

Imperial Army Captain 007:

" Darth Vader strike down that Rebel saboteur ! ... Err if you would not terribly mind doing so MY LORD. Thank you . Nice day we are having My Lord. Any luck finding your son ... [ choke , cough , cough ]"

Good rules catch Armand, I saw that as well, but just absorbed it when you typed it out.

Team Covenant is how I found out about the game, or at least how I got interested in it. I checked out some of their previews over the long Thanksgiving weekend, then checked out FFG's previews for more, and now I think I'm hooked. The campaign mode is really what grabbed me. If it was just the skirmish game, I'd probably skip it (especially with the non-prepainted figures), but the campaign will let me run a pseudo-RPG for friends without taking monumental amounts of prep time coming up with adventures and stats for NPC foes and allies. So stoked for that. And after running the campaign, it retains value as a skirmish game (not to mention replayability of the campaign mode). Maybe this is a sacrilegious comparison to make, but it reminds me a little bit of a video game, in that it has co-op and competitive modes.