Since I've been playing, I've tried to play the vast majority of my games on a standard size game play area, (6' x 3'), and I've found that not a single time, have we needed that much space. I'm convinced that 3x3 is perfectly sufficient for any game 400 points or less.

The reason is, you are typically going to be flying toward each other to try to shoot each other, so there isn't really much reason to have your ships 2 or 3 feet apart from one another. And there are 6 turns, so you don't even have time to fly that far to begin with. By the time you get close to each other or pass each other the game is about halfway over, or sometimes farther along than that, depending on speed. I just haven't seen any real reason to have a 6' x 3' play area at all yet. Never has it been necessary, we just find outselves all concentrated in a 2' x 2' section of teh play surface and have a TON of extra blank space.

Cue the Taylor Swift song 'Blank Space'.

The 6x3 gives you a chance for superior positioning plays. also don't forget you set up and play in the 4x3. The issue I have with a 3x3 at 300pts is it favors the imperials. Face my forward armaments or run off the table, either way I win. I play imperials and it would make most games unfun.

I feel at 400pts, havnt played it yet, you will run out of real estate real fast.

If the Rebel player isn't using most or all of the table, they lose.

If the Rebel player isn't using most or all of the table, they lose.

This. If they are taking 4 nebulon B and jousting, no.

If they are taking 5 CR-90;'s they need the space.

If they are taking an Assault Frigate, they need the space.

Even if the imperials are taking more than 1 gladiator, they need the space.

I'm leaning towards agreeing with Crabbok. In a 6 round game, there are areas of the board that don't get used. Those areas may differ each time, however. perhaps a 400 pt battle will encourage more spreading out. The 6 x 3 armada table makes it hard to play at home and if we want to play at our FLGS, we are essentially taking up 2 tables. I've wondered if the ships could not have been smaller, but then how big would the fighters be?

Armada is a bit of a tough sell to x-wing players. Need 'Epic' level game board + slightly higher cost + longer play time.

If the x-wing players are competitive the cost is the same. Wave 1 was $190 and wave 2 is $160. I have been A Ok with only one copy of each expansion except the TIEs which, with recent changes, I don't need. When I played X-Wing i found myself buying 2 copies of each ship min and sometimes 4 (interceptors and a-wings). The games cost the same, but lets stay on topic. (money argument is a huge pet peeve)

if your FLGS runs anything Games Workshop related they should have plenty of space for 6x3s. At home it is harder but It is the norm for most miniature games. 6x3 is big, and often you use 50% of the field, but 3x3 would be vastly unfair.

I don't think you're ever going to utilize the entire play area in a single match, but by having big margins on both sides of the setup area you have room for the battle to develop in either direction.

You need the margins to permit high speed maneuvering and flanking.

At 3x3 two victories can cover the entire play area with their few arcs (or at least enough to severely limit the ability to flank).

I think that the 3x6 is the perfect size for what fantasy fight wants the game to be. I've been playing on a 3x3 for a while now(because it was the only mat i had) now that I have a 3x6 the game plays out a lot smoother. I think that people are trying to play it like x-wing, and its not anything like it.

I think that the 3x6 is the perfect size for what fantasy fight wants the game to be. I've been playing on a 3x3 for a while now(because it was the only mat i had) now that I have a 3x6 the game plays out a lot smoother. I think that people are trying to play it like x-wing, and its not anything like it.

i'm not trying to play it like x-wing. I'm just a little sore that my gaming table is no longer suitable for armada. (its about 5 x 4).

Now I have to consider buying a new table if I want to host/play games of Armada. (or Epic X-wing)

If the Rebel player isn't using most or all of the table, they lose.

This is starting to seem about right to me. Played a tournament at the weekend, set up so that all games were Rebel vs Imperial. First two games were predominantly head-on fights in a small part of the table, and the Rebels were soundly beaten each time (10-0s and 9-1s). A bit of chat towards the end of game two, and when game three started we started using more of the board for our Rebel ships and really turned things around (a 9-1 Rebel win and the rest were 5-5 draws).

Also things are moving up to 400pts in a few months, so that'll bring in more of the board as more flanking ships/fighters are brought to the fight.

Also look at minefields. when the oppononet strings them out the best play is the go into that 1x3 edge and loop back into the play area to avoid taking unessicary damage. while most of the game happens on the 3x3 i find the game migrates across the entire 6feet as ships are moving and giving chase.

The 6x3 gives you a chance for superior positioning plays. also don't forget you set up and play in the 4x3. The issue I have with a 3x3 at 300pts is it favors the imperials. Face my forward armaments or run off the table, either way I win. I play imperials and it would make most games unfun.

I feel at 400pts, havnt played it yet, you will run out of real estate real fast.

6'x3' is perfect I think. It allows me to move around the board with less risk of flying off.

The various objectives really need the extra space and make for games that do not involve flying at each other ad shooting. 2 weeks ago I took a GSD flew him up a bit along the edge then turned him in towards the center and crossed the playing field, sweeping through the side arcs of the 4 Neb-B list I was playing. Needed that space for sure.

The 6x3 gives you a chance for superior positioning plays. also don't forget you set up and play in the 4x3. The issue I have with a 3x3 at 300pts is it favors the imperials. Face my forward armaments or run off the table, either way I win. I play imperials and it would make most games unfun.

I feel at 400pts, havnt played it yet, you will run out of real estate real fast.

Ok you make a REALLY good point here.

However even if you can't set up in a corner, and the rebel player is able to fly circles around you, it's still not going to go anywhere near using a 3 x 6 play area. I think the game is saying that because you need to restrict the setup space, the only way to do that is to have a HUGE board that 60% of it won't actually get used in any given game. You could just as easily have the imperial player set up in the center of a 3 x 3 board and have the same outcome.

Granted I'll admit that since building my table, I really do LIKE the look of a 6' x 4' table, with 2 3' x 3' matts laying side by side.... It makes the game feel more thematic and I like that much, but from the perspective of the economics of space, it just serves to make it more difficult for smaller stores to have tournaments.

3x3 screws the Rebels and plays into the Empire's strategy. When people here say the Rebels need that space to plan moves they are not lying. Back when we played on 3x3 even at 180 points the Imperial player could Tarkin Park his VSD in the corner and dominate the Rebels of they even came close to that corner because that tactic allowed no room to flank whatsoever.

Without the ability to flank the Rebels will lose 7 out of 10 times because the fly at each other and shot game favors the Empire a lot.

So even though you won't Use the whole table in one game yet (wait till we hit 400) the Rebels need the space for possibilities of maneuvering.

I think a part of the function of the 6x3 space is to allow for the progression of the games. As more waves are released and bigger versions of ships come out there may be a suggested 500 or 600 or more point format. If there is you'll need all the space.

if you bring 7 corvettes you defiantly will think you need 6 feet...

6x3 is about right for a 300-400 point game. Anything smaller and you can't really maneuver the faster ships.

we have gone down to 3 by 4 (the set-up area) in case of limited space

6x3 is essential for the full experience, though

it opens up flanking tactics for faster ships and prevents you from plopping VSDs in the corner and forcing ships into your arc that way

While most action will likely take place in the 4x3 central setup zone, the 1' on each side is, as others mentioned important for flanking. When moving at speed 3+, your turns have a very wide radius and the extra space is important.

As a Rebel player, I would be very disappointed if the table was shrunk. I use the space for flanking. I use the extra space as protection, staying far away from enemy ships when I can.

Also, I use the space to spread out objectives, and make them so my faster ships are advantaged.

I think that the 3x6 is the perfect size for what fantasy fight wants the game to be. I've been playing on a 3x3 for a while now(because it was the only mat i had) now that I have a 3x6 the game plays out a lot smoother. I think that people are trying to play it like x-wing, and its not anything like it.

i'm not trying to play it like x-wing. I'm just a little sore that my gaming table is no longer suitable for armada. (its about 5 x 4).

Now I have to consider buying a new table if I want to host/play games of Armada. (or Epic X-wing)

FWIW you probably don't actually need a new table. Get three 2x4 pieces of MDF (or two 3x4 piece) and lay them on the tabletop for gaming. The 1/2" overhang on either side should not pose a stability issue, unless someone is clueless enough to lean with their full weight on one of the short edges.

If the Rebel player isn't using most or all of the table, they lose.

This is starting to seem about right to me. Played a tournament at the weekend, set up so that all games were Rebel vs Imperial. First two games were predominantly head-on fights in a small part of the table, and the Rebels were soundly beaten each time (10-0s and 9-1s). A bit of chat towards the end of game two, and when game three started we started using more of the board for our Rebel ships and really turned things around (a 9-1 Rebel win and the rest were 5-5 draws).

Also things are moving up to 400pts in a few months, so that'll bring in more of the board as more flanking ships/fighters are brought to the fight.

This wouldn't happen to have been in Stirling would it?

I think it's quite tempting to crawl along with the AF but it always takes me by surprise when that thing is zooming around at speed 3.

As a Rebel player, I would be very disappointed if the table was shrunk. I use the space for flanking. I use the extra space as protection, staying far away from enemy ships when I can.

Also, I use the space to spread out objectives, and make them so my faster ships are advantaged.

And here is the real reason for such a large gaming space, Objectives. Just visualize the differences between Hyperspace Assault on these two different sized tables. Same goes for Minefileds and Intel Sweep and so many others. The larger table forces both sides to consider more in deployment than just deploy in the dead center.