I read that to just mean that you can't flood your open groups with lots of cheap Grey card Stormtroopers, even if you physically have the cards. It's a bit ambiguous, and you could read it to exclude the use of, for example, the Hired Guns, but I don't think that's the intent of that rule. They are trying (for balance purposes) to prevent Imperial players spamming too many figures with low threat cost per figure.

This is how I have always interpreted the rule. I am fairly certain it isn't meant to prevent you from using new models, just not more than is offered in the box. I intend on playing this way as well.

The rodians are not unique. They can be used just like the generic trandoshan bounty hunters, generic cat thingies (name escapes me at the moment) or any other non unique npc set.

Regarding Twin Shadows, I hope we will be able to use the heavy troopers in different missions of the main campaign... but the Raiders on Yavin, or any other planet than Tatooine, would just feel wrong...

I believe the Raiders have a trait where they can only be deployed on maps containing desert tiles.

Well, they have a trait that says "Habitat: Desert". What that really means is still just a guessing game.

It could mean that they can only be played to maps with deserts, but as a hard rule that would be problematic for Skirmish. That being said there's nothing that says what that ability means can't be different for Campaign and Skirmish.

I'm more inclined to believe that a"Habitat" keyword will mean that that is their preferred environment and they take a penalty outside it. That way, Ewoks can have "Habitat: Forrest" and just be fish out of water elsewhere.

I would assume they work the same as monster traits in Descent more or less.

http://descent2e.wikia.com/wiki/Monster_Trait

Regarding Twin Shadows, I hope we will be able to use the heavy troopers in different missions of the main campaign... but the Raiders on Yavin, or any other planet than Tatooine, would just feel wrong...

I believe the Raiders have a trait where they can only be deployed on maps containing desert tiles.

Well, they have a trait that says "Habitat: Desert". What that really means is still just a guessing game.

It could mean that they can only be played to maps with deserts, but as a hard rule that would be problematic for Skirmish. That being said there's nothing that says what that ability means can't be different for Campaign and Skirmish.

I'm more inclined to believe that a"Habitat" keyword will mean that that is their preferred environment and they take a penalty outside it. That way, Ewoks can have "Habitat: Forrest" and just be fish out of water elsewhere.

Most likely just like massive and parts only applies in Campaign.

The rodians are not unique. They can be used just like the generic trandoshan bounty hunters, generic cat thingies (name escapes me at the moment) or any other non unique npc set.

But how many hired gun cards are you allowed to use in a campaign? As the rule is written it would be one but I see no reason we should be forced to use less rodians than trandoshans.

It's just one of those sloppy rules like being forced to use every skirmish card you own when deciding the mission to play. Eventually it's get sorted out.

Not sure how that precludes you using them in an open group. They don't appear to be marked as unique figures. AFAIK uniques are the only ones that you have to earn.

Check out page 8 in the RRG:

"In a campaign, players are limited to the number of figures included in the game. For example, the Imperial player is limited to six regular and three elite Stormtrooper figures, even if he owns multiple copies of the game."

Yah, I can't see that applying to expansions. Or at the very least it is going to be FAQ'd. Some of the imperial skills apply to specific troop types. Being able to flood the game with more copies of them is a problem. Just adding variety is to be expected. Long term we'll probably get some more detailed open group building guidelines. I'd expect to use the twin shadows generic guys in the base campaign too.

In the absence of more specific rules for campaign use (and I have no interest in the Hired Guns if they aren't usable as open groups right off the bat), my idea is that you can only use what comes in one copy of the villain pack: 1 regular group and/or 1 elite group. That makes them as available as Royal Guards, Trandoshan Hunters, Nexu, as well as the Twin Shadows groups (presumably).

In the absence of more specific rules for campaign use (and I have no interest in the Hired Guns if they aren't usable as open groups right off the bat), my idea is that you can only use what comes in one copy of the villain pack: 1 regular group and/or 1 elite group. That makes them as available as Royal Guards, Trandoshan Hunters, Nexu, as well as the Twin Shadows groups (presumably).

Yep, this is what I'm hoping for.

Crossing my fingers on this one!

I think I might even send an email.

We also some time ago read that rule and thought, okay, so don't buy two core sets because that would be silly, but go ahead and pick up the inevitable storm trooper alt sculpt expansion when it comes out, better enabling the Imperial Might Class Deck and allowing you more freedom in Open Groups. Many missions will still have you hard pressed to use solely Storm troopers anyway I'm thinking.

if the Hired guns is a reward mission for the imperials, you could play it, 'whoever wins the mission gets the reward.' then you could have hired guns for the rebel player

So is wave 3 only 3 figure packs? Surely hope not...

How about Descent? What are the waves like?

So is wave 3 only 3 figure packs? Surely hope not...

How about Descent? What are the waves like?

Decent was never in "waves" and as far as I can tell, FFG has never used the term wave in reference to IA. Also there is no equivalent to these three packs in Decent as while these are usable in Campaign they are more tailored to Skirmish and Decent doesn't have Skirmish.

Descent has a steady stream of figure packs to replace mobs from the 1st edition. There are also coop and now campaign book packs. If Descent has anything that can be considered a wave it's the small and big box campaign packs that are accompanied by figure packs to replace tokens.

I think we'll have a big box expansion at the end of the year almost comparable to the core set but with a little less of everything. It may introduce a new coloured dice and condition as well.

In a campaign, players are limited to the number of figures included in the game. For example, the Imperial player is limited to six regular and three elite Stormtrooper figures, even if he owns multiple copies of the game.

This doesn't say "The Base Game."

Also, I think the sheet that comes with the ally/villain packs instructs you to "Add these components to the game."

So, the first of each Villain Pack is added to the game. Multiples of the same villain pack fall under "Component Limitations" so you could not use multiples of the Hired Guns.

Because the Hired Guns are not unique, they can then be used for open groups.

I think we'll have a big box expansion at the end of the year almost comparable to the core set but with a little less of everything. It may introduce a new coloured dice and condition as well.

I don't think my Rebel playgroup could handle another dice that I'd need to explain what it's purpose serves.

I think we'll have a big box expansion at the end of the year almost comparable to the core set but with a little less of everything. It may introduce a new coloured dice and condition as well.

I don't think my Rebel playgroup could handle another dice that I'd need to explain what it's purpose serves.

Guess that will make winning for you a bit more easy

I think we'll have a big box expansion at the end of the year almost comparable to the core set but with a little less of everything. It may introduce a new coloured dice and condition as well.

I don't think my Rebel playgroup could handle another dice that I'd need to explain what it's purpose serves.

As long as they don't go overboard with it. I think Descent may have introduced two different types of dice over the first couple of expansions leading to some power-creep. I believe lessons have been learned by FFG and with the competitive skirmish component we may never see new dice, which isn't necessarily a bad thing at all.

Descent added one dice, the green one, but every expansion after it was introduced included more green dice.

Is this descent second edition I assume?

I did see a shut up & sit down review of descent first edition. They covered expansions and one of the expansions was this huge campaign map where both the dungeon keeper and the heroes (not sure what they are called) would move across a world map attacking towns and dungeons which would then bring up the standard tactical game.

If we had something like that in assault it would be amazing.

As to dice, didn't descent introduce a clear die for stealth or something like that? I'm pretty sure it was in their review on it, but I can't remember exactly. I could see something like that representing cloaking technology represented by a card upgrade.

Is this descent second edition I assume?

I did see a shut up & sit down review of descent first edition. They covered expansions and one of the expansions was this huge campaign map where both the dungeon keeper and the heroes (not sure what they are called) would move across a world map attacking towns and dungeons which would then bring up the standard tactical game.

If we had something like that in assault it would be amazing.

As to dice, didn't descent introduce a clear die for stealth or something like that? I'm pretty sure it was in their review on it, but I can't remember exactly. I could see something like that representing cloaking technology represented by a card upgrade.

While I'venever played Descent, first or second edition, I think you are talking about Road to Legend. I constantly here that it was an amazing game so I'd love to see something similar in IA.

1st edition introduced a clear dice that added a dodge in the same way the white defence dice does in IA.

D1e had 2 major campaign expansions, road to legend and sea of blood. In these there was an overland map that the hero's travelled around, the overlord could recruit lieutenants to travel around the map. The overlord would besiege cities and the hero's would try and uncover the overlords lair. Extra dice and cards were added so hero's/monsters could level up far beyond normal levels during the long campaign.

Road to legend is widely regarded as the best, sea of blood was a coastal version where the party had a ship that they could upgrade with xp and as well as land based dungeon crawls had ship vs. Ship combat and a huge island outdoor map that could be explored. You got to do crazy things like swing from ship to ship on ropes and fight off sharks when you fell in the water. One of the lieutenants was a kraken and each tenticle was its own mini. Happy days.

Sadly I don't think we'll ever see anything like this for IA, FFG has a focus on accessibility and a campaign that takes months to play doesn't really fit into that.

That just sounds so fun. Sadly, you may be right about ffg and accessibility with that type of game.