NOVA Squadron Radio – Episode 40: Mega News and Force Awakens
Welcome to NOVA Squadron Radio! We are back after the long holiday break and covering the massive amount of News that FFG dropped on us while we were gone. We are joined by very Special Guest Wade Piche from Fantasy Flight Games! We are also joined by our audio guru Cody Boyce, and we discuss the Force Awakens movie and our thoughts on it. All of that and a lot more!

NOVA Squadron Radio is:
Ed Horne – Host
Chad Brown – Co-Host/Editor
Sean Dorcy – Co-host
Bob Randall – Co-host
Kris Sherriff – Co-host
Wade Piche – Special Guest
Cody Boyce – Special Guest

Here are the show notes from Episode 40:

[0:00 – 2:10] Show Opening
[2:10 –40:10] Flight Deck
[40:10 – 2:08:37] News:
Capa Cup 2016 http://www.capacup.net/
Lothal Rebels Part Two https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/12/11/lothal-rebels-part-two/

Rule the Skies! https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/12/14/rule-the-skies/

Join the Resistance https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/12/17/join-the-resistance/

Begin Your Pursuit https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/12/23/begin-your-pursuit/

Hunted by the Inquisitor https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/12/31/hunted-by-the-inquisitor/

[2:08:37 – 4:00:00] Main Topic: Force Awakened Movie Review Part 1
[4:00:00 – 4:02:35] Show Closing

Musical Credits go out to the band ‘Insane Ride’ and their songs ‘Sound of Rock and Roll’ and ‘Wrong or Right’ found on the Free Music Archive at http://freemusicarchive.org/

Audio Editing & Mixing by Podcast Masters www.podcastmasters.net

Thanks for listening, and talk to you again in two weeks!

Here is the direct link: http://novasquadronradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/1/NOVA_Squadron_Radio_Episode_40_final.mp3

www.novasquadronradio.com

I will definitely have to listen to this tonight... been waiting to hear what you guys thought on all those tasty previews... TOO BAD FFG gave us mist hunter yesterday and not monday (ill assume thats when you guys did the recording) i can only imagine what your straight from the preview thoughts were about tractor shenanigans.

See, you can have a 3+ hour episode without me being on!

See, you can have a 3+ hour episode without me being on!

The Pats had a bye, how many interests and obligations can you possibly have?

See, you can have a 3+ hour episode without me being on!

The Pats had a bye, how many I interests and obligations can you possibly have?

Ha ha ha true. I was actually playing X-wing at my local league night which is the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. We'll be shifting the recording session shortly so I can get back in sync.

Better hope Tom's ankle is better. He's going to have to run backwards faster than Dontari Poe runs forwards, and that line isn't slowing anybody down.

Thank you guys ahead for spearheading this Podcast. I am looking forward to listening!

I will definitely have to listen to this tonight... been waiting to hear what you guys thought on all those tasty previews... TOO BAD FFG gave us mist hunter yesterday and not monday (ill assume thats when you guys did the recording) i can only imagine what your straight from the preview thoughts were about tractor shenanigans.

I swear someone with FFG waits for the show to be recorded before they release. Its almost funny to me!

fear not though, we will release another show next week (to catch us back up) and we will cover it!

I will definitely have to listen to this tonight... been waiting to hear what you guys thought on all those tasty previews... TOO BAD FFG gave us mist hunter yesterday and not monday (ill assume thats when you guys did the recording) i can only imagine what your straight from the preview thoughts were about tractor shenanigans.

I swear someone with FFG waits for the show to be recorded before they release. Its almost funny to me!

fear not though, we will release another show next week (to catch us back up) and we will cover it!

im not sure which topic its in, but KO is at it again with his (3 of a ship) shenanigans... and i formulated his list building strategy.

My commute is complete again! Looking forward to it gents!

Ha ha ha true. I was actually playing X-wing at my local league night which is the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. We'll be shifting the recording session shortly so I can get back in sync.

That's how important the Math is to you guys, the rest of the cast are changing our routine so we can get more Bob

Kris

Well that and we love talking to MJ every two week!

We will be recording tonight to help catch up us after the holiday break. And get on to Bob's schedule.

We will be recording tonight to help catch up us after the holiday break. And get on to Bob's schedule.

and so that we will get the Jumpmaster preview tomorrow...

and more importantly the Bob Fett crew card in the jump master

We will be recording tonight to help catch up us after the holiday break. And get on to Bob's schedule.

and so that we will get the Jumpmaster preview tomorrow...

and more importantly the Bob Fett crew card in the jump master

Yes, exactly.... as soon as we record, they'll release something new!

OK....I am just about finished with this. I'm at the point about theories and rumors. I just had a few things to add:

1) Luke might not know his daughter is alive (if it's his daughter). What if whomever was transporting her was attacked. She was dropped off before they tried to lure the attackers away (and failed). No word back other than a destroyed vehicle. So, maybe Luke doesn't know she's alive?

2) I like the idea of Plaeagus being Snoke, but it doesn't HAVE to be. It would be great, but not a necessity.

Good stuff!

So, I'm curious as to how the jousting value of the new defenders compares to the IG-88 with B+FCS+HLC+ATs (something I can't find calculations for, unless I'm just missing it). I think if we get a sense of that comparison we'll have a good idea of how good the defenders will be since they have similar strengths and weaknesses with the IG basically being a defender on steroids.

I'll second Kris's point about Ruthlessness. You could conceivably exploit it by getting in close to opposing ships, especially if your ships are cheaper. I think that this will be especially true of Aces who don't necessarily fly in formation and have an advantage over Vessery already.

I'll second Kris's point about Ruthlessness. You could conceivably exploit it by getting in close to opposing ships, especially if your ships are cheaper. I think that this will be especially true of Aces who don't necessarily fly in formation and have an advantage over Vessery already.

Wrong episode...

I don't think it's correct to say the Republic has no military and that the Resistance is a private military basically doing their work for them. In the film, they specifically say they are going to target the Hosnian Prime with Starkiller Base because (1) it's the current capital of the Republic (they rotate worlds) and (2) most of the Republic's fleet (severely reduced, but not eliminated) is based there. And after Hosnian Prime is destroyed, the Resistance leaders say basically "Uh-oh, we're in trouble, because the Republic fleet isn't around to protect us anymore."

My understanding from what I've read is it's more like a Cold War situation, where you have two major powers (the Republic and the Imperial Remnant / First Order), and the Resistance is probably most similar to rebels in Afghanistan during the USSR occupation. The Resistance appears to be officially disavowed by the Republic, but tacitly / covertly accepted as a useful thorn in the First Order's side, and the First Order knows it (hence Hux's big sermon about teaching the Republic a lesson).

See the Star Wars Databank on:

• The Resistance - A small, secretive private military force, the Resistance was founded by rebel hero Leia Organa to monitor the actions of the First Order. Most New Republic power brokers tolerate the Resistance while regarding Organa and her fighters as dead-enders with an unfortunate fixation on the past. Organa’s cash-strapped movement relies on credits, ships and equipment quietly funneled to it from the few senators who share her concerns.
• The New Republic - Eager to win over the war-weary citizens of the galaxy, the New Republic revived the Senate, signed a peace treaty – the Galactic Concordance – with the Empire’s remnants, and drastically reduced its military capabilities.

Also, from Wookieepedia:

• New Republic Starfleet (Canon) - Following the Battle of Endor, the Fleet augmented its size by capturing Imperial vessels, but it was reduced with the Military Demilitarization Act after the signing of the Galactic Concordance. Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, it was still the largest force in the galaxy, but nevertheless is a fraction of what was the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. The First fleet headquarters was based in the Hosnian system when the system was targeted and destroyed by the First Order's Starkiller Base. It is unknown how much of that fleet was lost in the attack.

I don't think it's correct to say the Republic has no military and that the Resistance is a private military basically doing their work for them. In the film, they specifically say they are going to target the Hosnian Prime with Starkiller Base because (1) it's the current capital of the Republic (they rotate worlds) and (2) most of the Republic's fleet (severely reduced, but not eliminated) is based there. And after Hosnian Prime is destroyed, the Resistance leaders say basically "Uh-oh, we're in trouble, because the Republic fleet isn't around to protect us anymore."

My understanding from what I've read is it's more like a Cold War situation, where you have two major powers (the Republic and the Imperial Remnant / First Order), and the Resistance is probably most similar to rebels in Afghanistan during the USSR occupation. The Resistance appears to be officially disavowed by the Republic, but tacitly / covertly accepted as a useful thorn in the First Order's side, and the First Order knows it (hence Hux's big sermon about teaching the Republic a lesson).

See the Star Wars Databank on:

• The Resistance - A small, secretive private military force, the Resistance was founded by rebel hero Leia Organa to monitor the actions of the First Order. Most New Republic power brokers tolerate the Resistance while regarding Organa and her fighters as dead-enders with an unfortunate fixation on the past. Organa’s cash-strapped movement relies on credits, ships and equipment quietly funneled to it from the few senators who share her concerns.
• The New Republic - Eager to win over the war-weary citizens of the galaxy, the New Republic revived the Senate, signed a peace treaty – the Galactic Concordance – with the Empire’s remnants, and drastically reduced its military capabilities.

Also, from Wookieepedia:

• New Republic Starfleet (Canon) - Following the Battle of Endor, the Fleet augmented its size by capturing Imperial vessels, but it was reduced with the Military Demilitarization Act after the signing of the Galactic Concordance. Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, it was still the largest force in the galaxy, but nevertheless is a fraction of what was the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. The First fleet headquarters was based in the Hosnian system when the system was targeted and destroyed by the First Order's Starkiller Base. It is unknown how much of that fleet was lost in the attack.

That's actually a really good point! I guess for me it just wasn't covered very well in the film and I could see how people would be confused by it.

I agree it wasn't covered well in the films. I agree that it could've had a little bit more info in it. I also felt it was fast paced and wished there were a few more moments of panning out to see the vista with some awesome Star Wars music playing for a few seconds here and there. Just for transition.

The Resistance to me feels more like CONTRAS in Central America. Some sort of secretly funded army that fights. I'd say they probably go help out all those independent systems that won't join the Republic.

That's actually a really good point! I guess for me it just wasn't covered very well in the film and I could see how people would be confused by it.

Oh, I totally agree with you there. It's extremely unclear from the movie. I definitely had to do some more reading to figure out what was going on.

I also was glad to hear you all had the same experience I did. The movie definitely improved with each viewing. After the first time through, I was like "Eh, that was fine." I realized upon reflection that the problem was, the first time, I spent most of the movie guessing / worrying about what would happen next. "Who is Kylo Ren? When will Luke show up? What's up with Leia and Han?"

The next time, I just enjoyed it for the ride, and it was awesome.

Also, wtf with C-3PO's red arm?

Still catching up on this one on my commute

Re: the Starkiller Base, they actually talk about the sun going dark. Poe says something like "As long as there's light, we still have hope" (which is actually a really cool metaphor because the sun is shining on Ben and Han on the bridge, and then when the sun goes dark, Ben does the deed.) And they show the sun going out. I'm not an astronomer, but I assumed if a sun goes dark, it's been drained to death.