So I mentioned this in another thread but thought it was a good topic to discuss. I plan on playing both The Imperials and Rebels and for now I won't be focusing my purchases (wave one) into one side. At this point in the game there really is no need since the game at 300 points will be easy to make purchases into both sides. Heck, since you already purchased the Starter Box you are already half way to being fulling loaded in both factions.

So if we take the Art of War and apply the philosophy to Armada learning to play and use both sides will make you a better Admiral and player. Also being open to discussions and knowing what the other players are talking about becuase you use and understand how a ship works is the best way to go.

So I ask, why pick a faction to be your solo faction right now and why be so opposed to the other faction at all? Both the Rebels and the Empire have different styles to offer and both are going to be enjoyable. So why not be open? The ISB isn't going to be knocking on your door if you do.

First, i prefer rebels, it's as simple as that. I prefer how they look and I don't really like the slow big guns kind of gameplays, since i tend to favor gameplay with mobility.

And now a little break, because the Art of war is full of fallacies or missinterpretations. The argument about playing everything will make you a better player is false, it's simple, you won't have everything at your disposal and at the end, you will end up playing whatever you choose to play:

- Playing a lot will make you a better player.

- Having a positive attitude towards learning the game will make you a better player.

- Focusing your practice on fewer lists against the widest amount of match ups will make you better.

- Playing against people who are better than you will make you even better.

It may seem like a good idea to play varied lists as a learning process, but playing against them, if it's on the hands of a good player who is experienced with it will yield you more knowledge on how to make them work and faster than it would take you by yourself. By know your enemy, know stats, gear options, movement, and then face them with what you play, that's what will teach you, instead of spreading your experience, knowing how to play something but mastering nothing.

So by know your enemy, you can either, try to learn something from the ground, and then try to counter it. Or you can actually start learning against somebody who already knows with a list you want to be comfortable with.

Two reasons.

1). Star Destroyers

2). For some people it'll be to expensive to be able to have two fleets up and running. Which, whilst not evident atm, will become evident as the game gets bigger and bigger. That and just general reasons such as not enjoying the play style of certain factions ect ect

Whilst I agree with the general idea of knowing your enemy, there's other ways to do it. Experience playing against them, theory crafting, watching other games, and generally getting immersed with the game. That and playing against people better than you, who understand the finesses of certain things, and asking them say 'Why did you do X and not Y' after the game.

It doesn't require you to own and play two fleets. I personally will, but that's because most of my time gets taken up by other stuff, and thus I generally have no one else to play with.

It is better to pick a side right now. Its cheaper, and one can get familiar with the game. I'd rather, for the same money, have a wide compliment of ships and the ability to adjust a strategy, than be limited to half of what my money could buy. That said, I may still be compelled to purchase the a ship from "the other side," in order to utilize an upgrade card. My strategy for "my side," so far, compels me to not only buy ships, but an expansion pack just for the commander card. Now, in the future, I will have the option to swap out ships.

as i am also an avid X-wing player and strapped for cash flow with both games competing for it. i'm only planning on buying into the imperial side of things. If my wife decides she really enjoys this game as well she'll be buying the rebel side

otherwise what is likely to happen is that i am only going to buy one of each expansion for both sides (max) so that i have enough to play with friends or occasionally the wife

Largely I'll just do Imperial because I'm not a traitor, and my roommate always sides with the rebels and buys up the rebel stuff. So I've got no real need to invest in the rebellion.

Besides star destroyers, like fezzes, are cool.

Cost. Why build only one WH40K army: cost.

Cost. Why build only one WH40K army: cost.

With respect, why build a WH 40K army at all? I can't bear the thought of giving money to the Gaming Company that Shall Not Be Named.

Cost. Why build only one WH40K army: cost.

With respect, why build a WH 40K army at all? I can't bear the thought of giving money to the Miniature collector's Company that Shall Not Be Named.

Fixed it for you

I expect a lot of people would say it's cost.

But, in addition to missing out on the experience of the other side, you will be missing out on something critical my manager always likes to point out about these FFG miniatures games: It's a card-collecting game.

There will be cards in rebel packs that imperial players are going to crave, and vice-versa. If you're not willing to ply the secondary market for them, you are going to want ships from The Other Side.

Though I'm an Imperial Navy Fanboy (one of the reasons I'm relaxing on X-Wing, I see Scum drowning out future Empire releases), I will also be collecting the rebels. Not only is it good to once and a while break from what you love, but I find I want to have a completed set and have enough to provide for friends in pickup matches.

First, i prefer rebels, it's as simple as that. I prefer how they look and I don't really like the slow big guns kind of gameplays, since i tend to favor gameplay with mobility.

And now a little break, because the Art of war is full of fallacies or missinterpretations. The argument about playing everything will make you a better player is false, it's simple, you won't have everything at your disposal and at the end, you will end up playing whatever you choose to play:

- Playing a lot will make you a better player.

- Having a positive attitude towards learning the game will make you a better player.

- Focusing your practice on fewer lists against the widest amount of match ups will make you better.

- Playing against people who are better than you will make you even better.

It may seem like a good idea to play varied lists as a learning process, but playing against them, if it's on the hands of a good player who is experienced with it will yield you more knowledge on how to make them work and faster than it would take you by yourself. By know your enemy, know stats, gear options, movement, and then face them with what you play, that's what will teach you, instead of spreading your experience, knowing how to play something but mastering nothing.

So by know your enemy, you can either, try to learn something from the ground, and then try to counter it. Or you can actually start learning against somebody who already knows with a list you want to be comfortable with.

But I expect some Rebel tactics and lists from you in a month or so.

Hmm... The money issue is understandable I just find it interesting that it is such an issue for most players at this stage. Even if you bought only one ship a month you will be up to date with all the ships before the next wave.

I guess I am not in the norm becuase even in other miniature games I have collected more than a couple of factions and in X-Wing I own both Imperial and Rebel ships. The Scum I am not out to play right now but I am collecting a couple for the upgrades.

I hear people's thoughts and maybe I am different and I tend to learn better with hands on experience than through even a game against. (I do learn but not as well.) But we all are different at times.

Well good luck. And let's see some good tactics posted after some experience has been earned.

To be honest, me and another person bought Armada at the same time. We both bought a set of Armada and after doing so swapped out the contents: He got all my Rebel stuff and I go all his Imperial stuff (obv including cards and stuff).

I decide like X Wing to only play Imperial and he is a Rebel player only.

why pick a side?

I will play both simply because once the waves are released it will take very little time to sell out followed by a massive wait period for reprint of product. At least that is the case here already with X-wing. So when Wave 1 hits the shelf, I am on for a little of everything.

why pick a side?

Seriously, I set aside some funds with Tax Returns for game purchases and GW made my decision easy, so now I have funds for more Armada.

why pick a side?

Eloquent.

Like many here cost. I would love to have fleets from both someday but right ow I prefer the current and upcoming rebel inventory so that's what I am focusing on.

I'll try to get enough for both sides to have a good ammount of flexibility in fleet building. I do want to get experience flying the Rebs despite being an Empire man. Going to sell some junk for wave II and be happy with that stuff for a while.

Same here for me - cost. I want to play both sides, especially for the reasons mentioned above of getting upgrade cards usable in both factions as well as getting to know how all the ships play differently. But I also want to continue playing XWing and start playing Imperial Armada. Something has to give... so hopefully I'll eventually buy Rebel stuff, but for the foreseeable future, it's Imperial only.

I'm buying both sides Pretty heavily at least one of every purchase ... the only other game I play is warmachine and I've bought all the stuff I need for my 4 armies.

Plus I like the idea of Rebel vs Imperial ... if I just bought the side I wanted (Imperial) It would be only be Imp on Imp as I haven't met 1 Rebel player yet in my city.

I play a side because I think it's fun to have a team to be on the side of. We humans are partisan/tribal creatures - just look at politics, street gangs, and team sports.

In this context, it's just good fun!

Considering mastering the game, I think Beatty is right that it's a good idea to know both factions. I've read the Sun Tzu's Art of War, and I think it's entirely applicable. I'm not sure where DreadStar is coming from in his critique of the book or its application in this context.

I do think that the main lessons from the Art of War are difficult to apply to this game or X-Wing, because there's not a lot of subterfuge that you can engage in. The best way you can apply the know thyself/enemy is to know your own tendencies as well as the tendencies of your opponent, which doesn't necessarily depend on faction.

But, my brain is already taxed enough as it is to try to master this game to that level. I get more fun for my time playing by the Empire and writing articles on HNN about my games.

Because you don't need to play something to know how they are played, and you will dillute your learning process and time by trying out different stuff, you will gain much more.

That's the common missinterpretation of know your enemy, which plenty of times it's an advice people give around and which is just not feasible. If you play a MMORPG, a MOBA, a shooter, you won't start playing with every class/hero/weapon, you focus on one, and learn how to use it against the different enemies, which basically is, knowing your enemy by how it interacts with you, not trying to learn about him on a vacuum or on different match ups that may not affect you at all.

Or on any tournament of any game, the player who plays what he deems his deck or army very often, which he has been refining is more likely to defeat an opponent of his experience who is playing something new or different very often.

Of course this is silly since most people actually play both, because they want to change from time to time (i know i do), and this is for most people a non serious competitive hobby , so the discussion is pretty moot, i just wanted to clarify the know your enemy.

In short, If you don't know yourself, you can't know your enemy because you can't know how he may interact with you.

Well let's not let this turn into an arguement. Both point of veiws have their valid points and different approaches work for different people. I am in my 40's and have played games and lived a number of life experiences where stepping into the other person's shoes was the best experience for me and in gaming learning how to play the other side helps me far more than listening and playing against another player. I am sure there are many others out there like that even if you are not.

Also Mikael you are right, a lot of the Art of War is not going to be used here becuase honestly a lot of it is also about politics in times of war & peace, how to keep your troops supplied, how not to manage your army, how to apply fire as a weapon in battle and so forth. But I think you know where I am coming from.

So for me I will learn both sides now while the game is fresh and new. And if in the future I decide to run only one faction I will still have way more understanding of the other side for me to appy my own tactics. (Even after two games with the VSD I have a good feel for its movement and what frustrations Imperial players are going to have when the Rebels play the game of avoiding direct combat and using more indirect ways to gain VP.)

Also I will have a small advantage in my meta since it looks like there will be way more Imperial players for now. They won't know the Rebels well unless they play me or a couple other guys. I think it will be the same for most other metas since Imperials look to be the most popular.

Cost is the main reason for me. Armada is not the only game I play. I too did the swap strategy with a friend - he has all the Imp stuff, and I have all the Rebel stuff. We've had some great 300 point games already, but will be much better when Wave 1 hits.