My inroads into FFG games (and thus Rebellion) has been through X-Wing and, more recently, Armada. Both of those games have healthy Organized Play communities in my area (Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA). The backbones of the communities that play those games are Facebook Groups. Beyond that I have a centralized portal & calendar webpage called Concentrated Firepower [/shameless plug].

But as a board game that takes 3-4 hours to play, I wonder if it's just too different to organize a community around in the same way. Also, I wonder if FFG might even support there would be tournaments, given that a tournament of several rounds would simply seem too unwieldy.

So, some of you come from other FFG experiences. What opportunities do you think there are for Organized Play (officially-supported tournaments) or organized play (grassroots community-supported playing)?

I think it would be difficult to center an organized play program around a game like Rebellion.

First, as you already pointed out, games take a long time. And they take longer still when you're teaching new people how to play. As both a former retailer and a former OP manager for a game company, I feel confident in saying that good organized play events are held on weekdays in the evening, and typically don't ask anyone to be willing to commit more than about two hours of time.

Second, although the game is technically a 2-4 player game, in my opinion it's really a two-player game (and I know that there are some very intelligent and well-informed opinions that disagree with mine, so take my opinion at just that: one person's opinion). But either way, you're talking about needing a $100 set-up for each game that takes place, whether that is accommodating two players or three or four, it's still a bit much for organized play.

I can see game conventions running multi-round tournaments of Rebellion. At Origins, I've participated in tournaments of Twilight Imperium, which is a game that takes even longer to play than Rebellion. They typically don't have more than one round in the same day, which means players who advance play the next day. Or they have multiple feeder games over two or three days, with the top player from each feeder game playing in the final round.

Just my $0.02 worth.

A TI tournament? Wow, that must be a sight to see. Just had a thought tho. What happens when someone rage quits and flips teh table?

A TI tournament? Wow, that must be a sight to see. Just had a thought tho. What happens when someone rage quits and flips teh table?

I guess it depends on the rules for that specific tournament. I'm pretty sure some tournaments automatically advance the first person who rage flips the table to the final round.

Ah, ok. Just envisioning the cleanup on a rage flip of TI.

"LOCK DOWN IN SECTOR 7. LOCK DOWN IN SECTOR 7. WE HAVE A LEVEL 2 RAGE FLIP ON TI3 TOURNEY. I SAY AGAIN WE HAVE A LEVEL 2 RAGE FLIP ON TI3 TOURNEY. ALL UNITS ADVANCE WITH CAUTION. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON OUR SOULS. ALL UNITS COPY"

I think it would be difficult to center an organized play program around a game like Rebellion.

First, as you already pointed out, games take a long time. And they take longer still when you're teaching new people how to play. As both a former retailer and a former OP manager for a game company, I feel confident in saying that good organized play events are held on weekdays in the evening, and typically don't ask anyone to be willing to commit more than about two hours of time.

Second, although the game is technically a 2-4 player game, in my opinion it's really a two-player game (and I know that there are some very intelligent and well-informed opinions that disagree with mine, so take my opinion at just that: one person's opinion). But either way, you're talking about needing a $100 set-up for each game that takes place, whether that is accommodating two players or three or four, it's still a bit much for organized play.

I can see game conventions running multi-round tournaments of Rebellion. At Origins, I've participated in tournaments of Twilight Imperium, which is a game that takes even longer to play than Rebellion. They typically don't have more than one round in the same day, which means players who advance play the next day. Or they have multiple feeder games over two or three days, with the top player from each feeder game playing in the final round.

Just my $0.02 worth.

None of FFGs games meet the criteria of being able to resolve an OP event in a two hour time frame, provided you've got more then 2 participants. I can't think of any game even those with robust OP programs that wrap up in two hours. That seems an impossible criteria.

Though yes outside of Cons, or multi-week casual events Rebellion would be not possible as an OP Event. I could foresee a 8 player Double Elim event being held over 3 days (2 rounds a day). That could be fun.

I know pandemic can be played in tournaments. Maybe something similar here?

For X-Wing/Armada I've run (and helped in running) tournaments. Weekends are much better for turnout, and the time much more than two hours, even for Imperial Assault.

I think OP is possible, but probably more like a league than as limited-time tournaments.

Kind of hard to do. I mean it doesn't last as long as a twilight imperium game but still takes a long time. I haven't head of any TI 3rd ed tournaments. Why would there be a rebellion tournament?

My buddy and I have toyed with the idea of testing the interest for a league.Try to get a game in every week or two. About the only way you could do something competitive with this game.

Okay, I've added Rebellion to Concentrated Firepower and have created a Facebook Group: Rebellion Grand Moffs of Portland .

So, it might not be Organized Play, but there will be play, and it will be organized.