HI all, I've noticed that the typical 135 minute 400-point game usually leaves at least an hour free in a 6 hour day allowing for a bit of food and chat.

If I wanted to aim for slightly longer games at 500 points (probably the better fit) does anyone see any particular issues with the core game system?

Turns would have to be marginally longer, so maybe 28 mins per paired turn and then that uses the whole day.

Other than that I'd not really want to enlarge the play area unless playing something substantially bigger like an 800 epic type game.

Thoughts?

Honestly before 800-1000 points you should play with the same rules and objectives as 400 points. Even then at that point margin you just reduce the max amounts of fighters and set a max upgrade limit on ships, just to speed up game time.

Maybe at 600 points add another foot or two to the battlefield. I'm basing that off of the adjustment to 6' x 3' with the jump from 300 to 400 points.

Give it a day or so, and I"m sure Admiral Nelson will comment. He prefers playing at this point level.

We play a lot at 500-600 points, and we don't change much. The table size works well, the objectives work well, squadrons work well. To be honest, the game doesn't take much longer at all since players tend to take the same number of ships. They can just afford bigger and better ones is all.

Yet to try this myself, but I'm eager to, and I don't think much would need to be changed. At 800+ points, I think you'd have to adjust objectives (or just double-up), but less than that I can't foresee too many issues.

Brozojoe had a good point about fighters, though: you may just want to put a hard cap on fighters at 150 points - slightly less than standard, but enough to reduce the amount of time spent in the fighter phase. Alternatively, bump up the activations to three squadrons per activation rather than two.

Yet to try this myself, but I'm eager to, and I don't think much would need to be changed. At 800+ points, I think you'd have to adjust objectives (or just double-up), but less than that I can't foresee too many issues.

Brozojoe had a good point about fighters, though: you may just want to put a hard cap on fighters at 150 points - slightly less than standard, but enough to reduce the amount of time spent in the fighter phase. Alternatively, bump up the activations to three squadrons per activation rather than two.

Or maybe limit number of squadrons, but keep the point cap the same? So people could run their dream formations of the more expensive and/or unique squadrons, but you still limit the length of the squadron phase.

I would adjust the cost of the Admirals. If playing a 500 point game an admiral should cost 1.25 points. Just multiply by the proportional difference of the added points. At 550 multiply by 1.375 etc. Since the effect is applied to all of the ships, the more powerful admiral seem to have a greater influence. To make up for that there cost should rise more than Ozzel etc. I am not even sure if the points should not be just a little bit higher than 1.25, but at least that is a good starting point. I seem to notice the R ball is more of a treat at higher point levels because you can an more tie advanced to the ball. However, I am not expert so tread with caution on this observation. The first I gave is the only solid/reliable one I can give you.

Table size is indeed not a problem. However, expect time to go up more than you might think. Because more ships are on the table it is more difficult to see the correct order of activation sometimes. Again, the more you play the less this is also an issue. At 550-650 you'll see a lot more ramming so be prepared for that and plan accordingly as the rammer or rammee.

Cheers Enjoy.

Thanks everyone, some good feedback there.

I had considered that in larger games ramming may become very common.. I may even alter the rules to make ramming a less common feature of the game.

Although I think Armada is great, ramming is my least favourite rule - IMHO it's far too common and too difficult to get out of after it happens

700 points with a 200 point limit on squadrons is fantastic. Really gives the sense of a battle rather than a small skirmish.