I'm planning on doing reserve matches once we get a few waves behind us. In a reserve match you would build a large fleet, (Say 1200 points), but you can only field 400 points worth of units at any one time... and you can only use each model once.I think that would give a good chance to use all the ships in my Armada. Maybe see how older units fair against newer ones.

I like this. Perhaps a suggestion making this even better:

Build your 1200 point fleet. But instead of always playing 400 points, make this variable. Throw a die and get a battle size somewhere between 200 (or 250) and 400/500 points.

Of course, you would need wave 2 for valid low point battles

Instead of dice, this would be an excellent application for Fab's fleet generator.

that FFG takes their underperforming ships and buffs them in later releases with upgrades that work well for them.

They do. Every ship that is under performing gets a boost of one sort or another. It may not always be enough, but they keep buffing them until they get it right.

Power creep is a legitimate concern since FFG would want us to keep buying new stuff

there is next to no power creep in X-Wing. There's stuff that never worked quite right from the start like ordnance, where they come out with better stuff. But the only ship that's been "replaced" so far was the X-Wing, and that's mostly because it cost to much from day 1.

FFG does release stuff that you want to buy, but so far it's not really been in the form of power creep like you see in GW games. Rather it's normally either in the form of fixing things, or adding more options.

For example autothrusters was an answer to the turret heavy meta, that made Interceptors pretty much pointless. The ships we know about from Wave 7 are not power creep, but they all have stuff that people really want. Again, not because they are better but because they offer cool new options that work very well with existing ships.

If Armada ends up going the same way X-Wing does, then we're in for a good ride, because X-Wing is 3 years old now and has seen little to no real power creep.

it's going to be hard to straight power creep in armada

given the many facets of gameplays and the myriad of different ship capabilities relative to arc-distribution, ranges, anti-squadron batteries, command/squadron/engineering values, and titles to start, there's a lot of design space to fill before we even need to begin considering power creep to push new models

it's going to be hard to straight power creep in armada

given the many facets of gameplays and the myriad of different ship capabilities relative to arc-distribution, ranges, anti-squadron batteries, command/squadron/engineering values, and titles to start, there's a lot of design space to fill before we even need to begin considering power creep to push new models

On the Rebel side, some of what we've seen in Wave 2 simply makes Wave 1 better; Guppies with enhanced armament are cool, guppies with enhanced armament flying alongside an Ackbar Home One are even cooler (actually, Ackbar + H1 probably makes XI7 more desirable; you already get an extra red die, and you can change one blank to an acc, so a second additional red die seems less desirable than the ability to nearly neutralize redirect and use the acc on brace or whatever). Likewise, Ors doesn't obsolete X-Wings, she makes X-Wings more resilient.

I'm planning on doing reserve matches once we get a few waves behind us. In a reserve match you would build a large fleet, (Say 1200 points), but you can only field 400 points worth of units at any one time... and you can only use each model once.

I think that would give a good chance to use all the ships in my Armada. Maybe see how older units fair against newer ones.

I've been thinking about this a bit too. Do you see this as having a set-in-stone set of upgrade cards on each ship and you can pick your ships, or you're allowed shuffling of your cards, commanders, etc.?

I kinda like the idea of selecting 1200 pts worth of ships/set upgrades, playing a best of 3, and any ship you've used in a previous round, you no longer have access too.

On a slightly different note I think we will see the vsd become obsolete, as in my opinion the assault frigate is simply better. I think early rumours of the isd indicate a ship that is superior to the vsd 2 with the vsd 1 hanging on as a bulky launcher of fighters that doesn't quite match the assault frigate mark b

The ISD isn't really superior though. Yes from what we know the ISD 1 will have more dice but versus a VSD 2 at medium range, the VSD wins. Sure the ISD has more hull and shields bit that is part of being large.

we won't know how the big SDs stack until we get the full reveal of the ISD, but here's a guess:

the VSD is a big blunt brute of a warship, emphasizing either brute force (dominator, h9 warlord) or squadron support (hangar and FC slots, plus corrupter). Its weaknesses are its speed/maneuverability (worst in the game; will probably continue to be) and how specialized it is (front-arc or bust, pathetic anti-squadron for cost)

from what very little we know of the ISD, it seems it'll be more of an all-rounder. We know it's getting speed 3, a title that reduces its command stack (but not value, yay tokens!) to 2, and a combination of all 3 dice on the front arc (for the first variant) plus 2 anti-squadron dice (albeit one black, one blue). It keeps the front-arc or bust mentality, but there are unknowns that could help counter-balance that. One such potential unknown is the tractor beam (of which we know nothing about, but it's unique so far!) and a whole host of unspoiled upgrades/titles (and so many of them come in the ISD pack, looks like 18 in fact) that could make the ISD a flexible command ship.

to add to this theory, the ISD has apparently everything single upgrade type under the sun except for missile. It's got a new offensive retrofit, a defensive whatsit, ion cannons, turbo lasers, and three titles bringing it into the game immediately with the same amount of titles as the core set ships (poor Afmkii )

What you do to avoid power creep is simply to make the ISD more expensive than the VSD, leaving you with the more efficient but highly specialized brick VSD or a less efficient but far more flexible and adaptable ISD.

Note "efficient" doesn't mean that the VSD should have more dice or even a greater offense. As long as their offensive output or squadron support is similar, but the cost of the ISD noticeably greater, then the VSD will be the more efficient purchase. The ISD, meanwhile, will be taken for its greater speed, flexibility, and unique abilities (or because it's a frikken ISD).

At the end of the day, as long as 2 ISD are weaker ito of raw stats than 3 VSD and take up about the same # of points, the ships will be balanced.

We know a little about the tractor beam. One can read it to a degree, I just don't know how they will handle the speed reduction. I know it can only target ships of the same size or smaller though.

You also have to balance out the size of the large base. That means larger arcs so small ships might be able to fit into an entire side arc without the dance of a second arc hitting it.

Large ships will run over more squadrons and obstacles. They will break engagements completely (no pot shots at all). Those are also balancing things to consider.

Don't think I'll be running over any obstacles...but squadrons, yeah....

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

ramming these guys will be like pelting a tortoise with pebbles

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

4 to 5 MC30's

Those MC30s won't last long against those Star Destroyers.....

Don't think I'll be running over any obstacles...but squadrons, yeah....

You say that but obstacles will be placed in ways that mean you will overlap 1 to 3 of them at a time. Large ships are wider than range 1 and obstacles can be placed up to range 1. Remember you have over 5" of a base to move around a board at 22.5 and 45 degree clicks.

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

4 to 5 MC30's

Those MC30s won't last long against those Star Destroyers.....

Yeah I am defintely grabbing 3 or 4 MC30s before I worry about my MC80. MC30s are by far my favorite ship from Empire at War and Forces of Corruption. I just hope it gets included in the new canon soon.

When the ISD & MC80 are finally released, commence the ramming threads.

4 to 5 MC30's

Those MC30s won't last long against those Star Destroyers.....

If you place obstacles that close, it just means open space somewhere else. I've yet to hit any obstacle, no matter how placed, except the station, of course. Just a matter of skilled piloting.

Now hitting my own ship....lol, I've done that. Twice.

And even if you hit an obstacle with an ISD....these things have huge engineering lol...

Could also run Rieekan for the same price and have dead frigates still shoot and ram. (which. . . Honestly. . . Sounds dangerous as all hell versus a Nebulon-B Spear Tip. . . )

And even if you hit an obstacle with an ISD....these things have huge engineering lol...

How's it gonna be two cards? Even if I hit something, I don't see myself hitting another one n my next move....

How's it gonna be two cards? Even if I hit something, I don't see myself hitting another one n my next move....

Oh, if you look at the MC30's movement area you will see a corner to a white small box. Guess what that means. The MC30 is likely speed 4 or was at the time of that spoiler?