Hey Armada peoples, X-Wing Minis gamer here who's curious about the capital ships.

I'm curious about what it would cost for enough bits to play a representative game of Armada. Doesn't have to be full points, per se, but I'm wanting enough to be able to actually tell what the game is like. For example, in X-Wing, the core set doesn't cut it, since the lists cap out around 35 points and that's just not enough to extrapolate what the 100 point game is like. 50 to 75 points might do it, for X-Wing. I'd want to be able to invite a friend over and provide both sides' stuff.

I would also find suggestions about which packs to pick up that provide a nice variety of play options useful.

In case it matters, I buy exclusively from FLGSs, so it's all MSRP for me. We've got a healthy local scene where I live, and I'd like to keep that going.

Thanks!

the core game plays as 150 point game. I believe it caps at about 224 if you play both sides.

a normal game is 300 points so you would need a bit more then the core game to play full games.

I just bought 2 of everything.

Core is 180 actually and you could get as high as 200

I am getting into it, I bought one core, 1 of each of the core ship expansions, then bought two assault frigates, two gladiators, and two of each squadron set, and then another set of dice.

I could go the "two of everything" route, but I don't want to throw money at a game unless I feel like I'll actually like it enough to play it instead of X-Wing, hence wanting a minimal set of stuff to pick up.

Thanks for the point totals, that helps. Any other advice?

If you don't want a second Core set, I'd start with a Gladiator and Assault Frigate (and a dice pack). Something fun for each side. After that I would get one of each squadron pack. From there buy what fits your play style.

In addition to the above, I added a second Gladiator and CR90 for my set, but they are far down the list of what you need right away.

If you don't want a second Core set, I'd start with a Gladiator and Assault Frigate (and a dice pack). Something fun for each side. After that I would get one of each squadron pack. From there buy what fits your play style.

In addition to the above, I added a second Gladiator and CR90 for my set, but they are far down the list of what you need right away.

This.

A Core Set, a Gladiator, and an Assault frigate, and one of each squadron pack.

It can't build the super competitive builds we're finding (Need more fighters, etc), but it will give you a great variety of ships, and lets you get the feel for each faction.

I would recommend the fighter packs for each faction since they make squadrons really come into their own.

Agreed with er. You can hit very effective wave 1 lists with just the afmkii and glad packs plus fighter expacs (though I believe imps work out more effectively with 2 since they're mostly all specialist and the good ole xwing can carry multiple roles)

If you want to be super competitive instead of proxying cards, throw on a neb expansion for the titles and vsd for the flight controllers.

If you are just looking for an initial investment to get a feel for the game my advice would be a Core set, 1 Gladiator Star Destroyer, 1 Assault Frigate Mk.2, and one fighter pack of the Empire. The only reason I say Empire fighters is the X-wing is a good all around ship and has anti-fighter and anti-ship capability(thanks to bomber), where as the base Tie fighter, though good in numbers just isn't as effective at anti ship, so they need the other fighters help. You can get a dice pack but IMO it's not really necessary when you have decided to go full in. Plus at MSRP this keeps your cost to approx 200 US dollars.

I'll point out again that a 2nd core set is something you should really, really consider before you get it. Buy a core, and 1 each of Wave 1, then and only then should you think about a 2nd core set.

All you really need is a core set. From there is you enjoy the feel of the game buy more things.

All you really need is a core set. From there is you enjoy the feel of the game buy more things.

I disagree. I do not find the Core Set to provide a good game experience. I wouldn't even suggest using it for more then a demo. If that even.

well, you DO kinda need a core set.

1. it comes with the maneuver tool.

2. it comes with the damage deck

3. it comes with objective cards.

Those are required elements of the game that each player must have that can't currently be gotten anywhere else.

well, you DO kinda need a core set.

I don't think that anyone's claiming I wouldn't; it's just that I'd also need more than that to really get a feel for the game.

well, you DO kinda need a core set.

I don't think that anyone's claiming I wouldn't; it's just that I'd also need more than that to really get a feel for the game.

I disagree. If you play both sides you get a feel for how the whole game plays out.

Rebels shows you how GSD's move and how tougher squadrons works. Imperials shows you how bigger ships work and how their fire power is dispersed.

The core set is really a great intro to the game. From there if he/she likes it, they can buy more ships and squadrons to their hearts content.

What one really needs is to feel the scale of the game which really is the biggest draw of this game. Capital ships Feel like capital ships. Just my opinion though

Core set and one expansion each plus fighters will allow good 300 point games. Although, I was very happy playing a single Core before Wave 1 broke things open. It's better at 300, but I still had tons of fun playing 200.

I have two core sets. Unless you can get a set for >$50, don't buy a second core set unless you are rediculously hardcore into this game.

Here are some tiers of investment in increasing involvment/investment. Some of them have been mentioned before, but I'll collect them here for ease. These are assuming you want to be equally competitive in each faction.

The Basic - $210

1x Core Set

1x Assault Frigate MK II

1x Gladiator Star Destroyer

1x Imperial Squadrons

1x Rebel Squadrons

This not only seems to be about the break-point that will give you a in-depth taste of the game, but also provide a ton of replayability if you chose to not continute and just shelf it like a board game.

The Mainstream - $400

1x Core Set

1x Victory Star Destroyer

1x CR90 Corvette

1x Nebulon B Frigate

2x Assault Frigate MK II

2x Gladiator Star Destroyer

2x Imperial Squadrons

2x Rebel Squadrons

This lets you make 90% of the competitive lists, and you'll find you have to make very few concessions listbuilding.

The Full Monty - $690

2x Core Set

1x Victory Star Destroyer

4x CR90 Corvette

2x Nebulon B Frigate

3x Assault Frigate MK II

3x Gladiator Star Destroyer

3x Imperial Squadrons

3x Rebel Squadrons

The lists that you can't make tend not to be competitive anyway.

As requested, all are MSRP. Though, you really should encourage your store to get into discounting orders over a certain amount, or do a loyalty rewards program. Around me, one store I can get 10% back as loyalty store credit. The other I get 10% off $100-$199, 20% off $200-$299, and 25% off $300+. In this time of online discounting, stores need to not only provide clean space, but encourage in-store purchase loyalty.

well, you DO kinda need a core set.

I don't think that anyone's claiming I wouldn't; it's just that I'd also need more than that to really get a feel for the game.

I disagree. If you play both sides you get a feel for how the whole game plays out.

Rebels shows you how GSD's move and how tougher squadrons works. Imperials shows you how bigger ships work and how their fire power is dispersed.

The core set is really a great intro to the game. From there if he/she likes it, they can buy more ships and squadrons to their hearts content.

What one really needs is to feel the scale of the game which really is the biggest draw of this game. Capital ships Feel like capital ships. Just my opinion though

It kind of goes back to the whole "is the core set a good value" debate and there is no point to starting that again. As you noted it's an opinion thing, each person knows how satisfied they felt about the core set.

I felt extremely dissatisfied with the core set because it felt terribly incomplete to me. Clearly you took more away from it than I did and your opinion is equally valid. Once I added in wave 1 everything changed, my satisfaction with the game increased exponentially, it felt like a complete experience for me.

Which brings me to, I agree with those that suggest getting an Assault Frigate and a Gladiator. If you have the money the fighter packs will help fill out the experience, but you can probably live without them and still make up your mind in my opinion.

I would echo the core set is an outstanding look into the game much more then the x-wing core set does, Just pick up an extra pack of dice.

If your going more, I picked up a 2nd capital ship of each type from the core set, 2 gladiators, 2 imperial squads and 3 Rebel squads also 1 extra pack of dice.

Last I would highly recommend for storage use your armada box and print out the mini hangers that sir wilibald created, just get a 65 wight cardstock 4.50 at Walmart.

http://www.sirwillibald.com/?author=1〈=en

Here is the thread with lots of formation on it and about half way down you can see how it looks

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/141325-armada-microhangars/page-3?hl=tuck

It takes about 1 lord of the rings movie to cut out all of one side but once finished they look solid for presentation.

IMO the Core Set isn't really "representative" of the game experience, because the Imperial and Rebel ships play so differently.

Or, to be more specific, I suppose the set could be representative, but it would require each player to take turns playing each side. Which may not suit the OP's implied intention to be able to effectively demo the game to new players, because he'd need to play two games against every potential sucker, um, recruit.

For an effective demo ideally you'd want a fairly symmetrical match-up. I think that necessitates the purchase of an Assault Frigate. It's more similar to a Victory than either other Rebel ship is to a Gladiator.

So my suggestion would be to buy the Core and a Frigate expansion. Devise 250 point fleets (Vic + TIEs versus AF + X-Wings).

I have two core sets. Unless you can get a set for >$50, don't buy a second core set unless you are rediculously hardcore into this game.

Here are some tiers of investment in increasing involvment/investment. Some of them have been mentioned before, but I'll collect them here for ease. These are assuming you want to be equally competitive in each faction.

The Basic - $210

1x Core Set

1x Assault Frigate MK II

1x Gladiator Star Destroyer

1x Imperial Squadrons

1x Rebel Squadrons

This not only seems to be about the break-point that will give you a in-depth taste of the game, but also provide a ton of replayability if you chose to not continute and just shelf it like a board game.

The Mainstream - $400

1x Core Set

1x Victory Star Destroyer

1x CR90 Corvette

1x Nebulon B Frigate

2x Assault Frigate MK II

2x Gladiator Star Destroyer

2x Imperial Squadrons

2x Rebel Squadrons

This lets you make 90% of the competitive lists, and you'll find you have to make very few concessions listbuilding.

The Full Monty - $690

2x Core Set

1x Victory Star Destroyer

4x CR90 Corvette

2x Nebulon B Frigate

3x Assault Frigate MK II

3x Gladiator Star Destroyer

3x Imperial Squadrons

3x Rebel Squadrons

The lists that you can't make tend not to be competitive anyway.

As requested, all are MSRP. Though, you really should encourage your store to get into discounting orders over a certain amount, or do a loyalty rewards program. Around me, one store I can get 10% back as loyalty store credit. The other I get 10% off $100-$199, 20% off $200-$299, and 25% off $300+. In this time of online discounting, stores need to not only provide clean space, but encourage in-store purchase loyalty.

To date I have

x1 RAF

x2 CR90

x2 NebB

x2 VSD

x1 GSD

And I'm already out of space to store them!

IMO the Core Set isn't really "representative" of the game experience, because the Imperial and Rebel ships play so differently.

Or, to be more specific, I suppose the set could be representative, but it would require each player to take turns playing each side. Which may not suit the OP's implied intention to be able to effectively demo the game to new players, because he'd need to play two games against every potential sucker, um, recruit.

For an effective demo ideally you'd want a fairly symmetrical match-up. I think that necessitates the purchase of an Assault Frigate. It's more similar to a Victory than either other Rebel ship is to a Gladiator.

So my suggestion would be to buy the Core and a Frigate expansion. Devise 250 point fleets (Vic + TIEs versus AF + X-Wings).

The Space Whale does not have the one hit wonder power that the VSD has and the Gladiator is not like a Nebulon-B or CR90 in that it requires you to play it closet for attacks vs a Nebulon-B's long range front arc.

In order to really get a representation of this amazing game one should play both sides.

Similar to most FFG games, a credit score of 790 and an AGI of $175,000.

Seriously, just buy a core set and what you can afford. Make friends with someone who meets the above reqs and play a huge game!

Personally I think 220$. A core, AFmk2, gladiator, one of each fighter packs and extra dice unless you buy the core on Amazon like I did for 65$

I purchased two starters, I find it helpful to have multiple copies of certain upgrade cards, additional dice are needed as well.