I've been watching some batreps and campaign playthroughs lately and I've noticed a LOT of rules mistakes. Had I recorded my own initial attempts at this game, I would have been horribly embarrassed at how many mistakes we were making...

Basically, I had a lot of trouble with a perceived imbalance in the game, and then it became clear that this perception was due to incorrect play. Even a small mistake - compounded - can swing the game terribly in one side's favor or the other.

My advice to anyone getting frustrated with the game's balance is to read the instructions and FAQ again - carefully - trying to find where you're misunderstanding rules. You WILL find some things you're doing wrong and the game will seem more balanced after you do this...

Just my $.02 (from experience)

Well said.

Yes yes - there is a tutorial for a reason

The problem is... You don't always realize you're doing it wrong, or may not understand what you're doing wrong.

It happens all the time in X-Wing. People read a card/faq and think they understand it but don't really, and so reading it again doesn't help. Which isn't to say the OP's advice isn't good. It is, especially if you think something is wrong or imbalanced.

I'd say my golden rule for X-Wing would most likely apply here as well, and in Aramada. Although in those two games, there's a lot less cards, and I think FFG has realized what some of their mistakes are and make tighter rules.

It will just take some time to have enough games in where you end up knowing everything.

I just posted a battrep yesterday and it wasn't until I lookd at the pics later that I noticed we played the "celebration" card wrong. While we won't make that misake again and it didn't have any impact at all on the outcome, it could have under other circumstances. I'm sure we will screw up another rule or 2 till we get more play throughs. With enough games under your belt, you start to see everything a few times and the errors usually end. Of course, you need to read rules thoroughly. It wasn't until my second read through that I realized there was no cover mechanic. At first I thought since you count each square as 2 for movement purposes that it was the same for shooting making terrain squares into a cover bonus,but, for shooting you don't count terrain squares as 2 and that is something I didn't see the first time through as I skimmed the books looking for only skirmish relevant rules.

Also, don't get me wrong - as in that I think anybody is stupid or otherwise inept for missing rules. I've personally not seen a game with rules so difficult to fully master as Imperial Assault (granted, I've only been in the hardcore tabletop world for 3 years now). There are MANY tiny nuances that have big ramifications - and many times it doesn't even occur to you that you're doing it wrong (as VanorDM pointed out)...

I only wanted to throw this out as a suggestion for those who are looking for an answer when/if they think the game is imbalanced. The best thing for you to do is be open to the fact that you might be playing incorrectly, and re-read the rules/FAQ with that in mind. I can almost guarantee (again, from my own experience) that you'll discover a better balance...

I made a lot of mistakes at the beginning. Its a new game its just going to happen. To be honest having them happen on video is better so they know it happened and others know.

Luckily in our campaign group we have two "rules lawyer" types (myself and the rebel leader), so we have a vested interest in calling each other on rules mistakes, and thus we always have our noses in the RRG. We're about to start Story Mission 4.5 (Captured after Drawn In) and I'm pretty sure we have 95% of the rules nailed down. After this campaign, our entire group will probably be experienced enough to run campaigns on their own. Needless to say, we're also all pretty good at Skirmish rules with all this experience as well

tl;dr: Just like in video games, play the campaign to learn all the quirks before going to competitive play

I've personally not seen a game with rules so difficult to fully master as Imperial Assault

Just out of curiosity... Could you list a few of the mistakes you've seen? I know for X-Wing we have a list of common mistakes we see from new players.

I've personally not seen a game with rules so difficult to fully master as Imperial Assault

Just out of curiosity... Could you list a few of the mistakes you've seen? I know for X-Wing we have a list of common mistakes we see from new players.

Might even have some of these wrong from memory, but some of the things I've seen (and experienced) are:

• Assuming the white 'cancel' result cancels the entire attack roll, instead of only cancelling all damage (surges can still be triggered for benefits like healing, etc)
• Counting 2 move points after you've entered difficult terrain (basically 2 for every step inside difficult terrain)
• Assuming resting only pulls one strain/damage from your hero instead of their endurance value
• Using 'cleave' to throw bleed onto the second target (as well as the first target, where it solely belongs)
• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces
• When a 'mobile' figure is sitting on top of impassable terrain, that figure can be targeted by attacks
• Assuming that since ally cards can't take strain they don't convert that strain to damage (which they do)
• In a 2-person/2-hero game, the additional health given from the reward card applies to both the normal AND wounded side of the hero
• Forgetting you can sell your items back to the bank for half their cost
• A big one (fixed in the FAQ): 2 player/2-hero campaign - the book said each 'player' gets XP, instead of each 'hero', thus cutting the entitled XP in half for heroes

Those are really just the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, all easy to miss, but when you add them up, you could see a game HEAVILY weighing in one direction or the other and wonder why you're wasting your time...

Might even have some of these wrong from memory, but some of the things I've seen (and experienced) are:

• Assuming the white 'cancel' result cancels the entire attack roll, instead of only cancelling all damage (surges can still be triggered for benefits like healing, etc)
• Counting 2 move points after you've entered difficult terrain (basically 2 for every step inside difficult terrain)
• Assuming resting only pulls one strain/damage from your hero instead of their endurance value
• Using 'cleave' to throw bleed onto the second target (as well as the first target, where it solely belongs)
• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces
• When a 'mobile' figure is sitting on top of impassable terrain, that figure can be targeted by attacks
• Assuming that since ally cards can't take strain they don't convert that strain to damage (which they do)
• In a 2-person/2-hero game, the additional health given from the reward card applies to both the normal AND wounded side of the hero
• Forgetting you can sell your items back to the bank for half their cost
• A big one (fixed in the FAQ): 2 player/2-hero campaign - the book said each 'player' gets XP, instead of each 'hero', thus cutting the entitled XP in half for heroes

Let me add a few:

• Large figures cannot move diagonally.
• Surges are the last thing declared during an attack, so if players want to exhaust a card to add 1Block for example they have to do it before you declare what the surge is used for
• Pronouncing adjacent. I've heard adgendert, adchased, adgene, and several more (english is not our first language)
• LOS can be drawn through the base of the targeted model.
• LOS can be drawn from corners
• Havoc Shot can be declared after dice are rolled
• IP gains thread before end of round effects.

...

• Counting 2 move points after you've entered difficult terrain (basically 2 for every step inside difficult terrain)
• ...
• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces

...

about the first one, I'm pretty sure thats the way it is.

Page 11 RRG: Difficult terrain is represented by a solid blue line surrounding a space of the map. A figure must spend one additional movement point to enter a space containing difficult terrain.

Also, the nexu can pounce the same distance, you just have to place him in a way that one of his four squares is three squares away. I think you mean his movement, in which case you are correct.

I find that many times when people cry "imbalance" or that something is "broken", its simply that they are being outplayed. People never want to hear that argument, but in many cases, it's the truth. If you make poor tactical decisions time after time... if you play with your heart instead of your mind.... if you are unable to think ahead and can only see the activation in front of you... if you attack a model that has already activated and has no way to re-activate this turn instead of dealing with a threat on the other side of the board that might activate next and kill off a model of yours that hasn't activated.... if... well, you get he message.

I have been wargaming for 20 years now and have known many people that just don't have any real tactical sense.... which is perfectly fine... this isn't life or death, isn't a real war.... it's fun.... it's ok to suck. It's just not ok to suck an then blame it on the game being "broken", completely deaf to any attempts at advice, etc.

I've been watching some batreps and campaign playthroughs lately and I've noticed a LOT of rules mistakes. Had I recorded my own initial attempts at this game, I would have been horribly embarrassed at how many mistakes we were making...

Basically, I had a lot of trouble with a perceived imbalance in the game, and then it became clear that this perception was due to incorrect play. Even a small mistake - compounded - can swing the game terribly in one side's favor or the other.

My advice to anyone getting frustrated with the game's balance is to read the instructions and FAQ again - carefully - trying to find where you're misunderstanding rules. You WILL find some things you're doing wrong and the game will seem more balanced after you do this...

Just my $.02 (from experience)

I've personally not seen a game with rules so difficult to fully master as Imperial Assault

Just out of curiosity... Could you list a few of the mistakes you've seen? I know for X-Wing we have a list of common mistakes we see from new players.

Might even have some of these wrong from memory, but some of the things I've seen (and experienced) are:

• Assuming the white 'cancel' result cancels the entire attack roll, instead of only cancelling all damage (surges can still be triggered for benefits like healing, etc)
• Counting 2 move points after you've entered difficult terrain (basically 2 for every step inside difficult terrain)
• Assuming resting only pulls one strain/damage from your hero instead of their endurance value
• Using 'cleave' to throw bleed onto the second target (as well as the first target, where it solely belongs)
• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces
• When a 'mobile' figure is sitting on top of impassable terrain, that figure can be targeted by attacks
• Assuming that since ally cards can't take strain they don't convert that strain to damage (which they do)
• In a 2-person/2-hero game, the additional health given from the reward card applies to both the normal AND wounded side of the hero
• Forgetting you can sell your items back to the bank for half their cost
• A big one (fixed in the FAQ): 2 player/2-hero campaign - the book said each 'player' gets XP, instead of each 'hero', thus cutting the entitled XP in half for heroes

Those are really just the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, all easy to miss, but when you add them up, you could see a game HEAVILY weighing in one direction or the other and wonder why you're wasting your time...

Aside from the difficult terrain issue (which I actually think you have interpreted incorrectly) we haven't made any of these mistakes. Ok, we haven't used the Nexu yet, so don't know about that. Maybe I am too procedural a player for this to happen (I tend to be the one that learns and explains the rules in our group).

Ok, I did miss something about xp. I didn't realise that "player" gaining xp also counted for the Imperial player initially (I am Imperial and was thinking "How do I get xp when the players do?"). Thankfully I discovered it before it mattered. Probably thinking from a GMing style viewpoint at that point.

On the difficult terrain issue - I'm saying people count 2 points per space inside blue areas instead of a single EXTRA point when they enter the blue area. Sorry I didn't explain it better...

On the difficult terrain issue - I'm saying people count 2 points per space inside blue areas instead of a single EXTRA point when they enter the blue area. Sorry I didn't explain it better...

That's how I understood you the first time and I don't think that is correct. Each space inside of a block of blue terrain is considered difficult terrain so each time you move into a space that is difficult terrain, even if the space you left is also difficult, you must spend an extra movement point.

The group I play in has certainly made its shares of mistakes. Perhaps the biggest one is a rookie mistake with readying the hero cards, which may have had a huge impact on the gameplay and balance. So far, we've readied the cards at the beginning of Status phase and not when the hero activates. This means that reaction cards become available for heroes too early. For example Mak has a card that lets him become focused when someone is attacked by exhausting the card. So, heroes can get Focus effects etc. when they shouldn't.

When we noticed this mistake, we read the rules over and over again and there isn't a mention of how the class cards and items are supposed to be when a mission starts. Should they be in the same state as they were when the last mission ended? So, if some class card was exhausted at the end of the previous mission, it starts exhausted for the next one? Remembering these would be a huge hassle since we play about one mission / week.

The group I play in has certainly made its shares of mistakes. Perhaps the biggest one is a rookie mistake with readying the hero cards, which may have had a huge impact on the gameplay and balance. So far, we've readied the cards at the beginning of Status phase and not when the hero activates. This means that reaction cards become available for heroes too early. For example Mak has a card that lets him become focused when someone is attacked by exhausting the card. So, heroes can get Focus effects etc. when they shouldn't.

When we noticed this mistake, we read the rules over and over again and there isn't a mention of how the class cards and items are supposed to be when a mission starts. Should they be in the same state as they were when the last mission ended? So, if some class card was exhausted at the end of the previous mission, it starts exhausted for the next one? Remembering these would be a huge hassle since we play about one mission / week.

Holy crap, we've been making the same mistake! We're well over halfway into the campaign now, so IDK if I should try to change it back, considering that all 5 of us have gotten used to the "ready everything in Status Phase" model

I'very pretty much given up on discussing this games balance or possible lack of as I have come to the conclusion that many gaming groups are not approaching in a manner that would allow them to really answer that question.

From using the Imperial Player as a GM, to relying on a single player to now the rules and expecting that player not to usually dominate, or just not having a strong grasp of the rules in general; most issues I have seen online boil down to a group having major issues in regards to how they approach the game.

Might even have some of these wrong from memory, but some of the things I've seen (and experienced) are:

• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces

Those are really just the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, all easy to miss, but when you add them up, you could see a game HEAVILY weighing in one direction or the other and wonder why you're wasting your time...

RRG pg27 says otherwise for pounce. "One space of the large figure's base

may be placed in any orientation relative to that space"

You're thinking about turning, or was there an official ruling I missed?

The group I play in has certainly made its shares of mistakes. Perhaps the biggest one is a rookie mistake with readying the hero cards, which may have had a huge impact on the gameplay and balance. So far, we've readied the cards at the beginning of Status phase and not when the hero activates. This means that reaction cards become available for heroes too early. For example Mak has a card that lets him become focused when someone is attacked by exhausting the card. So, heroes can get Focus effects etc. when they shouldn't.

Holy crap, we've been making the same mistake! We're well over halfway into the campaign now, so IDK if I should try to change it back, considering that all 5 of us have gotten used to the "ready everything in Status Phase" model

Its especially fun since the the LTP guide they tell you to do it at the end of the round in the tutorial. It changes enough stuff from the campaign I'm not sure it doesn't do more harm than good.

I've personally not seen a game with rules so difficult to fully master as Imperial Assault

Just out of curiosity... Could you list a few of the mistakes you've seen? I know for X-Wing we have a list of common mistakes we see from new players.

Might even have some of these wrong from memory, but some of the things I've seen (and experienced) are:

• Assuming the white 'cancel' result cancels the entire attack roll, instead of only cancelling all damage (surges can still be triggered for benefits like healing, etc)
• Counting 2 move points after you've entered difficult terrain (basically 2 for every step inside difficult terrain)
• Assuming resting only pulls one strain/damage from your hero instead of their endurance value
• Using 'cleave' to throw bleed onto the second target (as well as the first target, where it solely belongs)
• Nexu pouncing way too far, forgetting that large base figures have to occupy half of their original position spaces
• When a 'mobile' figure is sitting on top of impassable terrain, that figure can be targeted by attacks
• Assuming that since ally cards can't take strain they don't convert that strain to damage (which they do)
• In a 2-person/2-hero game, the additional health given from the reward card applies to both the normal AND wounded side of the hero
• Forgetting you can sell your items back to the bank for half their cost
• A big one (fixed in the FAQ): 2 player/2-hero campaign - the book said each 'player' gets XP, instead of each 'hero', thus cutting the entitled XP in half for heroes

That if playing a campaign with less than 4 Rebel Heroes, then the hero(-es) with extra activation tokens cannot use these until all other heroes have been activated once already.

The group I play in has certainly made its shares of mistakes. Perhaps the biggest one is a rookie mistake with readying the hero cards, which may have had a huge impact on the gameplay and balance. So far, we've readied the cards at the beginning of Status phase and not when the hero activates. This means that reaction cards become available for heroes too early. For example Mak has a card that lets him become focused when someone is attacked by exhausting the card. So, heroes can get Focus effects etc. when they shouldn't.

When we noticed this mistake, we read the rules over and over again and there isn't a mention of how the class cards and items are supposed to be when a mission starts. Should they be in the same state as they were when the last mission ended? So, if some class card was exhausted at the end of the previous mission, it starts exhausted for the next one? Remembering these would be a huge hassle since we play about one mission / week.

Holy crap, we've been making the same mistake! We're well over halfway into the campaign now, so IDK if I should try to change it back, considering that all 5 of us have gotten used to the "ready everything in Status Phase" model

Crap, is this really the right way? My players are gonna be so nerf-herding unhappy about that.

On the difficult terrain issue - I'm saying people count 2 points per space inside blue areas instead of a single EXTRA point when they enter the blue area. Sorry I didn't explain it better...

That's how I understood you the first time and I don't think that is correct. Each space inside of a block of blue terrain is considered difficult terrain so each time you move into a space that is difficult terrain, even if the space you left is also difficult, you must spend an extra movement point.

...and that's why this thread exists. LOL. Misunderstood that rule - thanks for the light.