I've yet to play 400, but I can't imagine anything above 600 would be as smooth as it is now. 300 gets fuzzy with heavy fighters.

400 (even with everything being new) wasn't that bad. total: 6 ships, 11 squadrons.

I think wave 2 is going to discourage taking lots of small ships, as if you are in range an MC80 or ISD is too. Which means 8 dice incoming (or more), and most small ships melt when confronted by that. We'll see, but when a Glad goes poof in a single ISD forward shot, How do people think lighter ships will do? (A few small ships would be good, but they are going to need to maneuver very carefully. Neb B is actually the most survivable of the small ships, now, IMO. No redirects, but dual brace, so it's hard to knock out. It won't be feeling good, but it won't be dead.)

more small ships = more activations = well, opponent, I guess you gotta move into position for the firing squad. Come on now, don't be shy!

One thing to keep in mind is that at high point values your ships will die very, very fast. As in you move and never get a single shot off. This game throws a lot of dice. And your defender tokens don increase with the number of targets.

As in, your three defender tokens only really need to save you from at most 2 high powered attacks (eg two ISD front arcs, or maybe two AF2 side arcs per round. IF you now have so many ships that the opponent can focus 3,4,5 main attacks against your ship, it is going down regardless of defense tokens. Whereas at the 400 point limit the opponent may only have 3 ships.

Also, the objectives get a little twisted at high point values, so you will need to ad hoc them.

I've yet to play 400, but I can't imagine anything above 600 would be as smooth as it is now. 300 gets fuzzy with heavy fighters.

No 400 pointers under your belt... No Johnny Appleseed are you, hmmm?

Better get to it mang...you're missing out on alot of science.

Ive played wave one up to 1000 points and it was actually rather fun. (i still couldn't field all of my ships)

to streamline my bud and i activated 4 squadrons at a time. chqanged the dynamics a bit - but it wasnt too bad

with our orders for wave 2 i have a feeling 1500 point games are in the works. i have a 6x4 star field so i figure with a game that big we will use the whole thing (or the entire top of a pool table again )

ships do have the potential to die quick, but it plays much more into the strategy of which ships activate first, and gunnery teams are always required lol.

My group did a 900 vs 900 3player vs 2player game on a 9x3 surface.

7.5 hours to finish. Never again.

401 sounds correct to me when 400 does not cut it.

I feel like the game could work just as well at 500 points. What I have really found to be stupid expensive are the Fleet Commanders. I wish there was a 5 point fleet commander that did absolutely nothing for your fleet. He would just fulfill the requirement to have a fleet commander.

I've had similar thoughts on this as well. It isn't a huge deal for me, but the idea that every engagement has to include one of the "legendary" figures from the stories irks me a bit.

I have played a few 1000 point games with a friend, but with slightly modified rules. Most important is that we have a 500 points restriction for what is on the table, and added a 5th phase called "call reinforcements".
Basicly how it worked is that in the 5th phase you were allowed to call reinforcements to your starting area if your point total allowed for it (you had to stay below 500 points).

Basic rules Fleet size: 1000 points, normal rules apply for fleet building.
Fleet on table: 500 points, no more than 166 points (33%) in squadrons (some exceptions exist towards the end of the game).
Add a 5th phase: call reinforcement
Rounds: 8-10

Call reinforcement works as following (still working out some of the details).
This phase allow you to call ships and/or squadrons with some restrictions:

1. Reinforcements start in your starting area.
2. Your point total on the table should stay below 500 points (or whatever number you decide on).
3. Squadron total on the table should stay below 1/3rd of the point total. If you have no more ships left you are allowed to go over this restriction.
4. You can only call in ships and squadrons with hyperspace capability (use your best judgement).
5. Squadrons without hyperspace (tie fighters and such) should be called in toghether with a ship, a ship can bring no more squadrons than its squadron value.

We are still working out some of the kinks, I will update here if we come up with any changes or additional rules. Currently the empire is at a slight disadvantage because of rule 5, but we do not want to change this rule because it feels realistic.
I don't have an Interdictor yet, once I get one we will see if we can come up with a (fair) rule to compensate for the disadvantage the Empire currently has.

Also, it helps if you write down the point value of each of your ships to allow for quick determination of what you are allowed to call in.

2 V 2 with 400 point lists each is suitably epic.

I do prefer playing 500 point skirmish matches with my friend. Squadrons are fundamental for Star Wars battles and honestly at 400 im hesitant to bring any. 500 though I will bring a full complement.

Looking at Canon, the Average fleet battle seems to involve fleets around the size of 2-3 Star Destroyers.

Sorry, couldn't help it.

mcworrell and I have played 2 600 point games. took longer, but they were alot of fun. Being imperial and sporting quite a few triangles and godlike squad synergy is helpful. We played with no objectives. easier that way. this was even before wave thor so a new 600 point game would be even better

450-500 would be great.

450 for squadron math. 500 may lead to too much skew.

Has anyone here played Commands and Colors Epic?

In short, C&C is played with a three-section battlefield. Every turn, you play a card that lets you activate 2-4 units in the left flank, right flank, or center. It's incredibly frustrating, sometimes, because you just can't draw cards for the left flank, and it's collapsing and OH GOD, THE END IS COME! The Epic version uses a double-wide map, and each of the three sections has one player, with a fourth player standing behind them. Instead of the Overall Commander playing cards and moving pieces, he activates his players. For example, I can play three cards on my turn, activating 3 units left, 2 units center, and 2 units right; but I just hand the cards to my commanders, and let them decide what to do. (I'm actually forbidden to give them any instructions aside from the cards) They all move at the same time, and control the units in their sector, regardless of where the units used to be.

So, to get back to Armada, I would be interested in trying an Epic game. Similar to the CC final battle, three players per side of the map, but build a single 1200 point fleet. Each "deploy" step, the three players will deploy together, one ship or two squadrons. On our turn, we will each activate one ship in our sector. (if you have no ships in your sector, twiddle your thumbs) Three simultaneous actions, (or nearly so) and you're MOSTLY playing the guy across from you, but there will be a certain pressure to send ships or squadrons to other players, or to receive them.

Sorry if this is unclear, I've been thinking about it for all of five minutes, and may have to go work something out for a bigger ruleset. I think I can make this seriously, seriously epic. Also, seriously, seriously too bloody big.

Before CC we regularly played 500 point games and felt that was the sweet point. CC has the potential to get to 500 but starts you at 400 so it's the first time we've meaningfully played at that level. I much prefer the 500 point games.

We did play a 600 and that was cool too, but my pal plays slowly and 600 took too long to finish. It's also worth noting that Commander dynamics change quite a bit with the different point totals, e.g. Tarkin, Vader, Ackbar etc, become much better.

My last game was a house rule modification of 900 points total towards ships/upgrades/admirals and a full 300 points devoted towards squadrons. Yes, at that size the game is going to be an all-day affair, but oh my god it just looks totally awesome!

In the end i fielded 2 Liberties, an MC-80 Home One, 2 MC-30 Scout Frigates, a Rebel Assault Frigate, GR-75 BCC Transport, Command Pelta and Assault Pelta with 16 squadrons of fighters. My opponent fielded 3 Victories, 1 ISD, an Interdictor, a Gladiator and Gozanti with like a million fighters. We had lots of people commenting on our huge battle, with multiple peeps snapping phone pics.

If you want to reduce the time played and make it more manageable to control i'd probably opt for a 600 or 700 point battle, but i still liked our epic battle. Seeing all that Rebel and Imperial goodness on the board at the same time gets me going.

Having played some CC now, I can confirm that 500 is still not enough. Maybe 600 will cut it ???

810 points gives you enough room for 15 B-wings and 5 HWKs split into 5 strike groups. What else do you really need?

I've played a couple of 600 point games. I feel like you are really getting to critical mass at that point unless the table size is increased. The game was optimized for 6x3 at 400 points. When you go higher, the ships that use their maneuverability as one of their strengths really start to lose out by the simple fact there is more STUFF out there limiting their ability to dodge arcs and really use that maneuver. It gets dangerously close to a joust, which highly favors some ships over others. This is why the CC final battle has the hyperspace reinforcements rule, and why the 3 per side battle DOES take place on a larger surface.

1 hour ago, Xindell said:

I've played a couple of 600 point games. I feel like you are really getting to critical mass at that point unless the table size is increased. The game was optimized for 6x3 at 400 points. When you go higher, the ships that use their maneuverability as one of their strengths really start to lose out by the simple fact there is more STUFF out there limiting their ability to dodge arcs and really use that maneuver. It gets dangerously close to a joust, which highly favors some ships over others. This is why the CC final battle has the hyperspace reinforcements rule, and why the 3 per side battle DOES take place on a larger surface.

IMO 600 point is where the practical limit is for a fairly standard game, using a 6x3 table, 6 rounds and the usual selection of objectives.

600 is playable on a 6x3, it just seems to be pushing that limit, in my experience. I would definitely say that anything above 600, the 6x3 is not big enough.

Also, to bring this up again, this game would be a lot more interesting at large sizes if everything was simultaneous. ex pairs of squadron fighters via commands, all combat, all damage resolved, movement one by one, squadrons ...

meh, doesn't work well with squadrons.

44 minutes ago, Xindell said:

600 is playable on a 6x3, it just seems to be pushing that limit, in my experience. I would definitely say that anything above 600, the 6x3 is not big enough.

Yes, 600 is pushing it. It works, but it's right at the limit. 500 is entirely ok.

1 hour ago, Green Knight said:

IMO 600 point is where the practical limit is for a fairly standard game, using a 6x3 table, 6 rounds and the usual selection of objectives.

Agreed. I think 600 is the absolute limit for a smooth two player game.

A 600 point limit? I laugh in derision, hahaha! ~stands atop a parapet with a banner of "1,000+ or Death!" fluttering in the wind-

A modified CC thing with just 1 upgrade each ship (aside from a flagship) makes it flow nice and quick. As for the rest, dunno, maybe you're all just not serious enough gamers? Come back after a few proper epic games and grovel for forgiveness for your trespasses. I shall wait, for I have time.

Of course I jest, to a degree. I guess I don't notice it much: when you use squadrons of Star Destroyers, RAF's, and Libertii, the points go quick and the games just as quickly.