I was browsing the LGS the other day looking at X-wing and the amount of scum they had just had me thinking "so...when will scum come to Armada."

With all this talk of Wave IV I put up...I really really think an infusion of another faction could be a good thing. I was playing forces of corruption last night and the idea of Tyber Zahn's consortium really appealed to me...star vipers and skiprays with the assorted corvettes, frigates...that lovely little ship with the mass drivers...the Kedelbi Battleship and that massive Aggressor Class destroyer (with the huge cannons).

Maybe we're due for some scum guys? Could even have a pack that could include Z-95's, and Ugly fighters DYE-wing for example

Well seeing as your here, we've clearly already got scum.....

I was browsing the LGS the other day looking at X-wing and the amount of scum they had just had me thinking "so...when will scum come to Armada."

With all this talk of Wave IV I put up...I really really think an infusion of another faction could be a good thing. I was playing forces of corruption last night and the idea of Tyber Zahn's consortium really appealed to me...star vipers and skiprays with the assorted corvettes, frigates...that lovely little ship with the mass drivers...the Kedelbi Battleship and that massive Aggressor Class destroyer (with the huge cannons).

Maybe we're due for some scum guys? Could even have a pack that could include Z-95's, and Ugly fighters DYE-wing for example

I got sick of the game when I'd have mon mothma jumping to planets to remove corruption only to have it pop up again in the same place in seconds.

"Chancellor, another planet needs our help...."

I got sick of the game when I'd have mon mothma jumping to planets to remove corruption only to have it pop up again in the same place in seconds.

"Chancellor, another planet needs our help...."

Flotillas are the best cover for making a 4+ ship Scum wave; discuss.

That is actually a really valid point there Wing. I think right now the other two factions are balanced to the point where you cant really add anything other than a ship with a roll usually see on the other faction (like an Imperial ship who uses broadsides more or a Rebel front arc thrower.)

Ideally the scum faction would combine both roles and not really excel at either, but at the same time use slightly less effective vessels like Z-95's, DYE-wings whatever with salvaged or black market combat vessels. They would have their own flavor for sure.

Isn't the idea of a battle fleet of scum just a tad unthematic?

^that.

Scum and pirates running secret fighters to protect under-the-table shipments of expensive contraband is a lot more believable than some big space armada that invites an Imperial battle group to come over and flatten it. Pirates are best in smaller and harder to catch numbers to prey upon unguarded shipping. The criminal underworld works best at not making themselves prominent and operating in the shadows, not operating massive fleets that would get stamped out by an Imperial battle group.

...Part of the reason I left X-Wing behind is because Scum was getting a lot more attention than the two main factions, and I didn't like it. I didn't like that FFG was wasting expansion slots on ships that don't interest me, with material I couldn't use, and becoming stronger than the main factions. That's still happening in X-Wing. I'd be afraid that once Armada started down the scum path, forever would it dominate its destiny and consume it, it will.

I'd rather see Resistance/First order, or the clone-wars starships, before we see scum. I'm thankful Tyber Zahn and his ships were tossed out of the canon.

^that.

Scum and pirates running secret fighters to protect under-the-table shipments of expensive contraband is a lot more believable than some big space armada that invites an Imperial battle group to come over and flatten it. Pirates are best in smaller and harder to catch numbers to prey upon unguarded shipping. The criminal underworld works best at not making themselves prominent and operating in the shadows, not operating massive fleets that would get stamped out by an Imperial battle group.

...Part of the reason I left X-Wing behind is because Scum was getting a lot more attention than the two main factions, and I didn't like it. I didn't like that FFG was wasting expansion slots on ships that don't interest me, with material I couldn't use, and becoming stronger than the main factions. That's still happening in X-Wing. I'd be afraid that once Armada started down the scum path, forever would it dominate its destiny and consume it, it will.

I'd rather see Resistance/First order, or the clone-wars starships, before we see scum. I'm thankful Tyber Zahn and his ships were tossed out of the canon.

Don't forget the Chiss and the Hapes Consortium! Nova class Battlecruiser anyone?

^that.

Scum and pirates running secret fighters to protect under-the-table shipments of expensive contraband is a lot more believable than some big space armada that invites an Imperial battle group to come over and flatten it. Pirates are best in smaller and harder to catch numbers to prey upon unguarded shipping. The criminal underworld works best at not making themselves prominent and operating in the shadows, not operating massive fleets that would get stamped out by an Imperial battle group.

...Part of the reason I left X-Wing behind is because Scum was getting a lot more attention than the two main factions, and I didn't like it. I didn't like that FFG was wasting expansion slots on ships that don't interest me, with material I couldn't use, and becoming stronger than the main factions. That's still happening in X-Wing. I'd be afraid that once Armada started down the scum path, forever would it dominate its destiny and consume it, it will.

I'd rather see Resistance/First order, or the clone-wars starships, before we see scum. I'm thankful Tyber Zahn and his ships were tossed out of the canon.

I'm a bit of a radical on the issue. I don't even own "Rogues and Villains" because I hate these guys and all the abilities they have. I don't want some random meranery who had exactly one-and-a-half seconds of screentime in "Empire" to be stronger than all Rebel and Imperial Aces. It's also one of the things that keeps me away from X-Wing at the moment...

If Armada is going to get Scum, I'd rather see them as Scum-For-Hire, ships you can add to either Imperial (hired as bounty hunters) or Rebel (privateers working for the Alliance) fleets; corvettes and frigates, really cool titles that add a lot of flavor, maybe their own pack of squadrons...but with the downside being that your fleet Commander doesn't affect them.

They're mercs. They're extras. There for color, usable by either faction, but not really belonging to either.

If Armada is going to get Scum, I'd rather see them as Scum-For-Hire, ships you can add to either Imperial (hired as bounty hunters) or Rebel (privateers working for the Alliance) fleets; corvettes and frigates, really cool titles that add a lot of flavor, maybe their own pack of squadrons...but with the downside being that your fleet Commander doesn't affect them.

They're mercs. They're extras. There for color, usable by either faction, but not really belonging to either.

This is my favorite idea for this as well. Adds depth and flavor without unbalancing the game (since either side can take them) and also without wrecking the thematic feel of Armada. A giant pirate fleet showing up to take on an Imperial Star Destroyer is nowhere in canon that I'm aware.

A giant pirate fleet showing up to take on an Imperial Star Destroyer is nowhere in canon that I'm aware.

Its Everywhere in Canon.

Its just called the Rebel Alliance....

... Bunch of Ship-Jacking Pirates...

A giant pirate fleet showing up to take on an Imperial Star Destroyer is nowhere in canon that I'm aware.

Its Everywhere in Canon.

Its just called the Rebel Alliance....

... Bunch of Ship-Jacking Pirates...

Sure, and they've already got their own faction. Don't see that they need another.

A giant pirate fleet showing up to take on an Imperial Star Destroyer is nowhere in canon that I'm aware.

Its Everywhere in Canon.

Its just called the Rebel Alliance....

... Bunch of Ship-Jacking Pirates...

Sure, and they've already got their own faction. Don't see that they need another.

I completely Agree with that side of the assertion

Honestly, the only way I can see a "third faction" working in Armada is if they did a sort of "non-aligned powers" release. The Hapan, the Consortium, the Banking Clans, Corporate Sector, assorted mercenaries, etc. Groups that never really "officially" declared for either side, or even helped both sides. In some real sense, the game is far more about "what if" than it is about re-enacting canon battles, so I could see exploring the idea of "what if this faction joined this side?"

You could even give the new factional ships effects that only apply versus other factions, representing racial hatreds, old scores, or even a civil war aspect. "TRAITOR!!: Hapan Battle Dragons gain 1 additional die when firing on opposing Hapan ships. This effect may only be applied when firing on opposing Hapan ships."

As I've said elsewhere, I agree there are a great number of legit ways to create a third faction in Armada. I just don't think we need one.

^that.

Scum and pirates running secret fighters to protect under-the-table shipments of expensive contraband is a lot more believable than some big space armada that invites an Imperial battle group to come over and flatten it. Pirates are best in smaller and harder to catch numbers to prey upon unguarded shipping. The criminal underworld works best at not making themselves prominent and operating in the shadows, not operating massive fleets that would get stamped out by an Imperial battle group.

...Part of the reason I left X-Wing behind is because Scum was getting a lot more attention than the two main factions, and I didn't like it. I didn't like that FFG was wasting expansion slots on ships that don't interest me, with material I couldn't use, and becoming stronger than the main factions. That's still happening in X-Wing. I'd be afraid that once Armada started down the scum path, forever would it dominate its destiny and consume it, it will.

I'd rather see Resistance/First order, or the clone-wars starships, before we see scum. I'm thankful Tyber Zahn and his ships were tossed out of the canon.

To be fair, we are talking 400 points at the moment. The game is called Armada, but calling the 3-4 ships on the table an Armada is far fetched at best. I agree that large S&V ships would make little sense as they require hundreds of trained crew to work, but I am confident that a Hutt cartel could gather 300-400 points of small and medium ships or flotillas.

Like others said, the best way for me to implement them would also be as both stand alone and auxiliary faction. If you need to feel like a Hutt (not physically, though), bring 400 points of S&V. if not, just mix 1-2 small ships of scum with your empire fleet, or villains with your so-called rebel fleet.

It would certainly add variety to the game if done right!

I'm not sold on an entire S&V "armada". I think what could work is a neutral "mercenary" faction of ships that could be used by either Imperials or Rebels. Have some sort of limit like max of 25% of your fleet can be in "mercenary" ships. Maybe they don't work with your commander, too, who knows. That being said, I don't think they'll actually do that.

I would also throw my vote in the "against" camp for this, for several reasons:

1. There are now many canon ships (thanks largely to Rebels) which are not yet represented for the core two factions.
2. The logistics and complexity of running an actual fleet are far beyond the scale of criminal organizations and typically require either governments or mass rebellions, looking at history. S&V is perfect as a bunch of junky squadrons that are used for local efforts and even small battles, so I see why they are in X-wing; however, a massive punching match with huge ships would be far too much of a risk for them, and likewise, having the sort of infrastructure needed to support it would be a massive "PUNCH ME HERE" sign for the much larger Imperial fleet.
3. There is enough divergence between the two current factions and room for the meta to evolve that I don't think stepping into the "how do we balance a third faction" argument is even a good idea, especially not with Rogue One and new trilogy movies coming out that will potentially expand said factions.

No scum. We already have some worked in.

I know Emperor Petersen hates Clone Wars, and probably a lot of people do (I do not), but there is no denying the amount of content for a game like Armada with the Clone wars.

If there is going to be any more factions it has to be Republic and Separatist ships.

How cool would The Malevolence be? Having a giant ion cannon on one side of the ship.

You wanna see swarm....a swarm of tridroids and vultures...

so if you want to do scum for armada, this is what the league I am running is doing for that:

Corvettes and NEB Bs are allowed, plus ONE assault frigate; just no REBEL commanders. The scum also don't have a commander for this right now, just ships. Awings are star vipers, z95s are xwings with 3 HP, escort and cost 9. ywings are allowed as is. Sorta mimics what was in Empire At War pc game..closest I could think of anyway. No battle reports to report on yet but will be in May.

A giant pirate fleet showing up to take on an Imperial Star Destroyer is nowhere in canon that I'm aware.

Its Everywhere in Canon.

Its just called the Rebel Alliance....

... Bunch of Ship-Jacking Pirates...

They stole them.

From the Empire.

And then there's the X-Wing...

Didn't we have some threads a while ago with posters making strong cases for scum fleets? I'd have thought that some of them would have chimed in by now to state their cases...