In my experience the models always get in the way, can they just be ignored and play with base plates only?

Do whatever you like when you play casually with your friends who also agree to do the same.

Be respectful when most other opponents politely decline to play with you and have a puzzled look on their face.

Tournaments = No way.

Oh yeah, I remember when a square with the word "Luke" written on it blew up the Giant Cardboard Death Circle and saved the Rebellion, it was great!

If you like games with cardboard counters instead of miniatures, then why not. But then they'd have to change the name to X-Wing Cardboard Counters Game. And I don't think it would have quite the same appeal.

There was a requirement that the model remain on the base at all times and if things got in the way you would just add or remove peg sections to raise or lower it. I don't think this has been a hard and fast rule, as a Falcon model was removed for a round during a World Championship final match, and there were no complaints from players or TO.

I tend to run my large ships exclusively on one peg, mainly for stability, and if there's a conflict the smaller models go up a peg.

The game play should not be affected one bit by leaving the models off of the board except that they help serve as visual reminders of what a ship is.

Without the models the game is not as visually appealing.

FFG rules specifically state that models MUST BE USED at all time. Furthermore only the physically unaltered (alternative paint is ok) FFG models can be used.

Lots of good responses

My main problem was my VT-49 Decimator kept falling off the peg when i moved it and i realized the game could be played without the models at all, it's not visually appealing that way no but what has always interested me was the tactics more than anything else.

I have a YT-2400 that was the same... loose peg syndrome. I ended up putting a dab of super glue on the peg stem to thicken it up a tad... of course let the glue dry before you put your ship on it or it may be perminently stuck on that peg.

What's the purpose? the main reason we all got into the game is for adults to have an excuse to fly little plastic ships around.

Sure, if you want to. The models are mostly aesthetic.

the main reason we all got into the game is for adults to have an excuse to fly little plastic ships around.

Have you been conducting a national telephonic poll, or did you just make that generalization up because it matches your opinion?

my VT-49 Decimator kept falling off the peg when i moved it

Try using a Huge ship peg.

my VT-49 Decimator kept falling off the peg when i moved it

Try using a Huge ship peg.

Do small ship pegs work?

What!! Sacrilege!

Just add or remove a post. I've flown ships directly mounted to the base to avoid nose bumping othe ships.

Plus it's harder to make space ship sounds without the ship.

I've just been keeping some plastic wrap with my X-Wing stuff. If I've got a ship that isn't staying on the peg I tear a piece off, fold it in half (maybe fold it again if it is really loose) and hold in on the peg while I attach the ship. It tends to give a nice grip to the peg, isn't permanent, and is something I can hand to my opponent during a match if they are having issues keeping their ships on pegs.

But But....Even chess has visually distinct miniatures.

This is a little bit cursing in he church my friend. the only answer is NO.

Try saran wrap on loose pegs. I carry a small square in my game bag and just tear off a small piece and place over the peg end. Loose ship problem fixed and if small enough piece you don't notice it.

my VT-49 Decimator kept falling off the peg when i moved it

Try using a Huge ship peg.

Not only do they work, but the large ships look fantastic on them.

Haha, that's like saying lets play 40k with just the bases! Stealt suit army go! Another rule, painted models play better.

For me, a part of the charm of this game is the models so whilst it can be played without them, why would you want to remove that part of the visual appeal? The only time I'll allow another opponent to play with just a base is if I've managed to steal their model without them noticing and they think it's at home or the car or somewhere. It would seem unsporting to do otherwise.

Haha, that's like saying lets play 40k with just the bases! Stealt suit army go! Another rule, painted models play better.

Don't laugh too soon. I had a complete muppet here that tried to organise a Warmachine tournament, and one of his pre-tourney rulings was that if you didn't have the models, you could field just the bases on their own. He didn't like it when I told him he was no longer wargaming and was now just playing checkers.

The models in any game system is what sets it apart from a board game with nothing but cardboard counters. There's a lot of folk that prefer that. I prefer a model. That's probably why I have nearly 5,000 of them covering many, many different game systems.

I...wat?...noooooooooo.

If you play for the "game" leaving the models home would sure make things a LOT easier. Sure it turns X-Wing into a board game instead of a miniatures game but the minis add nothing to actual game play.

but the minis add nothing to actual game play.

I don't agree, the visual appeal of the models add a great deal to the game play IMO. I wouldn't be nearly so involved in this game if was just cardboard tokens.

but the minis add nothing to actual game play.

I don't agree, the visual appeal of the models add a great deal to the game play IMO. I wouldn't be nearly so involved in this game if was just cardboard tokens.

You may disagree but it does not alter the truth. When I say "actual game play" I'm looking at it from a purely mechanical point of view. I think everyone should agree that actual game play would be even better if the models weren't there to get in the way of measurements and be the source of additional bumps that aren't actually bumps.

From a visual, and perhaps even emotional, point of view the game does lose a bit when you take out the models. I could even admit removing them may cause a small problem with visual recognition but take a look at the paint threads to see why that may be moot.

The models may make the game more appealing but if you were going to remove any component from the game they are the one thing that can be removed without actually altering how the game would be played. Bases, templates, cards, dials, dice, and everything else I can think of is essential to the operating of the game; the models are not.

When I say "actual game play" I'm looking at it from a purely mechanical point of view.

There's more to game play then the pure mechanics. So if you are going to speak about pure mechanics you should say so, because game play involves more than just the mechanics.

And no I don't think most people would agree the game would be better without the models even if they get in the way from time to time.

If this game had been produced with nothing but cardboard tokens, it would have 1/10th if that the popularity it does. The thing that attracts most people to it, is how it looks on the table. There's a reason why miniature games are still fairly popular but the old cardboard chit type games have for the most part died out.