will we see a First Order Star Destroyer in Wave 3

By jarmus mrawn, in Star Wars: Armada

You know, I never would've guessed there would've been so much negativity about Imperials getting another big imposing star destroyer, but here we are.

Well if it ain't broke, Disney will sure as hell fix it until it is!

Seriously, we JUST got the Imperial... THE iconic heavy battlecruiser of the Galactic Empire.

We quite reasonably don't want them to dump a nearly identical ship on us just because they put an underbite on it and the Mouse wants his paycheck.

You know, I never would've guessed there would've been so much negativity about Imperials getting another big imposing star destroyer, but here we are.

I don't get it either because the entire flavor of the Empire is Big Imposing Star Destroyers. Remember that even in the core their ship is bigger than the Rebels'!

With a few exceptions, I'm fairly certain the Empire is going to be about the slow-moving heavier single-performance ships while the rebels are about synergies, starfighter activations, and speedy ship combinations. Empire is the rock, Rebels are the wave. That's just how it is.

And this means the Empire is prone to getting larger and more powerful ships with high command values, while the rebels are getting smaller and easier to command craft.

I hope we eventually get the new Star Destroyer as an Armada ship. However, there are tons of awesome ships from the decades of EU that I would also love to see, and preferably I'd see a significant amount of Rebellion era ships before I see New Order stuff.

There are going to be a couple of sources for ships that are not being considered here:

Rebels is set in the Rebellion era and would be cannon for ships.

The Live Action TV Show (if it is set in Rebellion era) would also provide a new source of ships.

Also, where the "Movie of the Year" is set in the Rebellion era that too would be a source of material. I have a vague recollection that there will be a movie set in the start wars universe that will be a stand alone piece, so while it could be set in almost any era those set in the same time frame as movies 4-6 could bring more ships.

All in all over the next few years we may well see more ships that expand into the game environments. I am sure Disney are aware that FFG will need new material after a time for X-Wing, Armada the LCG and Imperial Assault, and as FFG license the IP from Disney there is a two way benefit for one looking after the other.

There's also still plenty of Legends material to draw from. There's also a good chance said legends material will be pulled into canon.

What's that live action TV show? That's the first I've heard of it.

But I'm not seriously expecting Episode 7 mateiral until there's an obvious rebel counter to release with it. T-70s can be released opposite of TIE/FOs, but for the moment we have no flashy thing to counter the Finalizer. Maybe Episode 8, if I had to guess, is when the previews will be revealing resistance ships to fight against the First Order.

Unless Abrams parallels the original trillogy by saving the Final Fleet Battle for the climax of the last movie.

First order star destroyer is probably coming, but I think we need to see a rebel ship first because I doubt they will include only a single force awakens ship in wave 3 . I have a feeling that we will only get to see the falcon and x-wings in ep 7 so maybe we won't get any "new" ships until ep 8.

A better question - How big will the Finalizer be? Will it be scalable enough to put those SSD cries to rest?

A better question - How big will the Finalizer be? Will it be scalable enough to put those SSD cries to rest?

We haven't got any great size reference shots, but just going from relative size of the greeblies on the hull, turbolasers and such, it MIGHT be larger than the ISD, but not to the same degree as the SSD.

I personally think that wave 3 will consist of First Order Star Destroyer and either a Interdictor or Gozanti freighter.

For the Rebels a Liberty Class Mon Cal Cruiser and possibly a Pelta Class frigate like Phoenix from Star Wars Rebels.

I personally think also that the First Order Star Destroyer might be a inch or two longer than the Imperial Class since it does look slightly bigger than the ISD.

Edited by jarmus mrawn

I'd say they are the same size. At a glance the engine bank looks identical, as does the underside hangar.

And really for a main-line combatant starship do you need much bigger than the Imperial? Finalizer seems more like an optimized version of the Imperial rather than a replacement. I'd hedge my bets on the difference not being more than the difference between Venators versus the Imperial.

I'd say they are the same size. At a glance the engine bank looks identical, as does the underside hangar.

And really for a main-line combatant starship do you need much bigger than the Imperial? Finalizer seems more like an optimized version of the Imperial rather than a replacement. I'd hedge my bets on the difference not being more than the difference between Venators versus the Imperial.

1200m=>1600m is still 3/4 Venator and 4/4 ISD. Respectable size difference if Finalizer turns out to be 2000m. So at 9~in for the ISD, that could round up to an even foot long. Not as pronounced a difference as it could be, bit if it's as bulky as it looks, I could see that being an 'Epic' mini.

Well, is there any reason to think it wont be scaled with the Imperial and also put on a large base? Is the Finalizer really worth making a new base type for?

Not at all, but the initial chain of comments was involving the possibility of it being used as an Epic mini. I think we need something to fill that same void, although if I had my way it wouldn't be a ship at all - I want Armada Epic Stations.

Edited by RazelKorr

Liberty Mon Cal is practically a must have. I can see it on a medium base and slotting somewhere between a whale and MC80.

But really, if support and sales fizzle we may not see much more than a wave 3.

TBH FA ships would be terrible from a game design perspective (as they are bound to be linear replacements to existing types, especially if launched in a new core set) and may annoy some people, but they would have to be insane to not try and hitch every property they have to the Rampaging Cash Elephant of the upcoming movie.

You know, I never would've guessed there would've been so much negativity about Imperials getting another big imposing star destroyer, but here we are.

I don't get it either because the entire flavor of the Empire is Big Imposing Star Destroyers. Remember that even in the core their ship is bigger than the Rebels'!

With a few exceptions, I'm fairly certain the Empire is going to be about the slow-moving heavier single-performance ships while the rebels are about synergies, starfighter activations, and speedy ship combinations. Empire is the rock, Rebels are the wave. That's just how it is.

And this means the Empire is prone to getting larger and more powerful ships with high command values, while the rebels are getting smaller and easier to command craft.

Right now, the game is as follows:

Rebels have strong synergistic ships with individually amazing squadrons.

Imperials have strong individual ships with amazingly synergistic squadrons.

I figure I'd chime in here...

I really hope not. The EU as much as it 'doesn't exist' anymore, does exist. So many games/books that X-Wing has drawn from for fighters has plenty of ships left to chose from. I'm sure The Mouse has a desire to impose it's will on FFG to milk the franchise for what it's worth, but I don't think there is a reason to force ship(s) out there (hey the ONLY new capital ship we've seen in the trailers is the new SD and possibly those transport looking things in the most recent clip). If they drew the Assault Frigate into the game early, there is NO reason you won't see other non-movie ships before they start putting out more FA ships (if there is even more than what we've seen so far).

I have no doubt we will see the Finalizer... but not anytime soon.

I would say if we don't see it in wave three, it is 100% certain for wave four.

I would say if we don't see it in wave three, it is 100% certain for wave four.

Disney has to push First Order to go with the movie. I look forward to it. The SDs look just a little different though. I am more interested in seeing CW ships. X-wing got there FO update recently so wave 3 would be nice to get those ships.

How about the new SD being a stand alone, wave independent model released *gasp* without a rebel ship?

That would after all finalise the existing different total of ship types available to each faction... ;)

Bad pun aside, why not a special 1 ship mini-wave for this thing? Closely followed by wave 3 of course so that rebel exclusive players don't feel too left out (throw in a TIE/fo and T-whatever we are up to X-Wing card and bases as well if you like). Preferably a wave 3 with two medium ships per side. Especially the Dreadnaught... just sayin'...

How about the new SD being a stand alone, wave independent model released *gasp* without a rebel ship?

That would after all finalise the existing different total of ship types available to each faction... ;)

Bad pun aside, why not a special 1 ship mini-wave for this thing? Closely followed by wave 3 of course so that rebel exclusive players don't feel too left out (throw in a TIE/fo and T-whatever we are up to X-Wing card and bases as well if you like). Preferably a wave 3 with two medium ships per side. Especially the Dreadnaught... just sayin'...

If they had a mini-wave for the Finalizer, it would be a Finalizer-class and whatever large ship has replaced the Liberty-class. I think we'll see what the Rebellion/Resistance gets in the new film even if there isn't a big space battle. We know those X-Wings are going to have some sort of backup.

Hopefully we'll see the Inderdictor first.

The Imps could probably do with another Corvette-sized option as well.

At first I was thinking FFG didn't have a precedent with throwing a new ship from media in without a competing ship of the opposite faction (consider the recent X-Wing Wave 8, with the Ghost vs the Inquisitor TIE), but then I remembered we had one: Wave 3, HWK-290, released opposite of the TIE Bomber and Lambda shuttle.

So perhaps Finalizer could be released after all?

But hot on the heels of the Imperial... it'll be tough to design, because you don't want to make a craft that makes the earlier ship obsolete. It's the problem the designers are going to face when releasing the Vindicator against the Victory, or the MK-I Assault Frigate against the MK-II.

Edited by Norsehound

I'd say it would be perfectly legit to release ships with essentially the same stats & costs but different models and new upgrade cards. If well done I'd buy it just for the variety.