The Rebels now have a foothold in the Imperial Assault universe!

We may speculate when ready....

Given how all three of the characters just announced are dead by the time the earliest campaign to date begins, I'm expecting the next (big) boxed expansion to be Rebels themed so that the timeline makes sense for campaign play.

That would make it strange to announce figure packs before we know the expansion context for them, but possibly FFG wants us to have something to look forward to while saving the bigger announcement for GenCon. That might also explain the fact that there is no visible time period on the mission cards, they might have been removed from the graphic not to spoil the box.

...and now the thread devolves to half the people being all in on Rebels and the other half vowing to burn all of their Imperial Assault stuff in a big pyre because they think the show is dumb.

(and FWIW, I'm neither, I watched the show and quite enjoyed it but I'm not married to it either)

I think your Rebels big box is a sound bet. In a way, it'll be the Imperial Assault Prequel box...

"The Obi-Wan Kenobi Ally Pack, The Grand Inquisitor Villain Pack, and Greedo Villain Pack aren’t directly associated with any other Imperial Assault products, meaning that these characters enter the game for the first time in these figure packs."

While I think it's a fair speculation that there will be more Rebels content (campaign or not), I do not think that The Inquisitor will be included in the campaign.

Adding these guys really helps to beef up the skirmish game, and so will more Rebels. They will naturally be limited when it comes to campaigns and timelines, but they'll be great for skirmish.

While I think it's a fair speculation that there will be more Rebels content (campaign or not), I do not think that The Inquisitor will be included in the campaign.

The agenda mission card in his pack awards him as a villain.

Yup... I'm expecting a full Rebels expansion now.

While I think it's a fair speculation that there will be more Rebels content (campaign or not), I do not think that The Inquisitor will be included in the campaign.

The agenda mission card in his pack awards him as a villain.

Absolutely.

What I meant was I don't think you'll see him in the actual campaign booklet text. Just like you don't see Bantha Riders or Hired Guns, but you can work them in by earning them in a mission (so long as the mission timeline is compatible).

That would make it strange to announce figure packs before we know the expansion context for them, but possibly FFG wants us to have something to look forward to while saving the bigger announcement for GenCon. That might also explain the fact that there is no visible time period on the mission cards, they might have been removed from the graphic not to spoil the box.

The article says: "The Obi-Wan Kenobi Ally Pack, The Grand Inquisitor Villain Pack, and Greedo Villain Pack aren’t directly associated with any other Imperial Assault products, meaning that these characters enter the game for the first time in these figure packs."

It looks like they might be standalone character packs, not associated with an expansion at all.

Right, but if they awarded as part of a mission reward that means you could bring the Inquisitor in to say Bespin when he was clearly killed like 4 years earlier in the timeline. That doesn't make any sense thematically, which means they have to have an expansion on the horizon (probably with the 1 timeline) that will be Rebels orientated.. or at least bridge the two.

Absolutely.

What I meant was I don't think you'll see him in the actual campaign booklet text. Just like you don't see Bantha Riders or Hired Guns, but you can work them in by earning them in a mission (so long as the mission timeline is compatible).

Indeed.

However, the mission timeline for using the inquisitor in any campaign does not make sense, and we know he's supposed to be usable in campaign play. Hence, we need a campaign expansion for him to make sense.

Unless your point is that while we'll see a Rebels campaign, he won't be mandatory to play it and won't be a villain token in the box. Which I agree is perfectly possile and reasonable. That would make the inquisitor the same to the 'Rebels campaign' as IG-88 is to the Return to Hoth campaign for example - you can include him and he fits, but he's not integral to the story. If anything, I think Kallus would make for a much better villain to include in that box and base the story around, since he's not narratively constrained to only going after Force users.

Right, but if they awarded as part of a mission reward that means you could bring the Inquisitor in to say Bespin when he was clearly killed like 4 years earlier in the timeline. That doesn't make any sense thematically, which means they have to have an expansion on the horizon (probably with the 1 timeline) that will be Rebels orientated.. or at least bridge the two.

Yes, that is what I meant. I think the "Rebels expansion" name for this speculative box we dreamed up might be a confusing misnomer though. "A campaign expansion thematically set in a time period either concurrent with the Rebels TV show or set within its immediete past" might be more specific, since that is what the announced figure packs are IMO pointing to. In fact, we don't even need the Ghost crew to be in the campaign at all, and that might even be safer bet for FFG to take. While I'd imagine most people could get behind agent Kallus or a bunch of Mandalorian warriors starring in IA, an angsty Mary Sue teenager with a laser slingshot is a bit more divisive.

X-Wing released a new core set for TFA stuff. Now they are following up that TFA core with an expansion that is strictly TFA, "Heroes of the Resistance."

I wonder if IA will do a Rebels core? I have mixed feelings because I don't want a bunch of duplicates all over again (can you say Stormtroopers?)

I was certain we would get the Rebels crew in the game at some point, now the only question is whether FFG will try to finish up the OT with a Return of the Jedi box or two or if they will go ahead and jump into Rebels with those characters being released as allies. Though the big question is what season they'd pull the characters from, considering most of the characters are a tad different between seasons 1 and 2, not to mention the upcoming third season. Personally I'd like it if they kept the characters back for one more year, or just include the characters who aren't having changes done to them, aka the members who aren't Jedi, so that we can get a version of them that represents either their overall character or the one closer to the OT timeline. Granted they may just release different versions of them two, similar to how Luke will get a Jedi version of himself later.

Right, but if they awarded as part of a mission reward that means you could bring the Inquisitor in to say Bespin when he was clearly killed like 4 years earlier in the timeline. That doesn't make any sense thematically, which means they have to have an expansion on the horizon (probably with the 1 timeline) that will be Rebels orientated.. or at least bridge the two.

Yes, that is what I meant. I think the "Rebels expansion" name for this speculative box we dreamed up might be a confusing misnomer though. "A campaign expansion thematically set in a time period either concurrent with the Rebels TV show or set within its immediete past" might be more specific, since that is what the announced figure packs are IMO pointing to. In fact, we don't even need the Ghost crew to be in the campaign at all, and that might even be safer bet for FFG to take. While I'd imagine most people could get behind agent Kallus or a bunch of Mandalorian warriors starring in IA, an angsty Mary Sue teenager with a laser slingshot is a bit more divisive.

But it can't be TO Far ahead if it using the Inquisitor because he is dead in Rebels. Unless they plan to do a Rebels era expansion without any of the Rebels characters (as it would be a dead give away to us who is alive and who is dead).. which seems pointless. So to include the Inquisitor it HAS to happen before Episode 4 and even before what season 3 of Rebels. If they care about timeline, which they seem to. But then again maybe they just gave us the Inquisitor with no plans in bringing Ezra or Kanaan or any of the others into the game... but that just seems really, really weird.. and random. Put it this way, as it stands right now thematically he could not be used in any mission we have available to us, pretty pointless for the campaign.

Right, but if they awarded as part of a mission reward that means you could bring the Inquisitor in to say Bespin when he was clearly killed like 4 years earlier in the timeline. That doesn't make any sense thematically, which means they have to have an expansion on the horizon (probably with the 1 timeline) that will be Rebels orientated.. or at least bridge the two.

Yes, that is what I meant. I think the "Rebels expansion" name for this speculative box we dreamed up might be a confusing misnomer though. "A campaign expansion thematically set in a time period either concurrent with the Rebels TV show or set within its immediete past" might be more specific, since that is what the announced figure packs are IMO pointing to. In fact, we don't even need the Ghost crew to be in the campaign at all, and that might even be safer bet for FFG to take. While I'd imagine most people could get behind agent Kallus or a bunch of Mandalorian warriors starring in IA, an angsty Mary Sue teenager with a laser slingshot is a bit more divisive.

But it can't be TO Far ahead if it using the Inquisitor because he is dead in Rebels. Unless they plan to do a Rebels era expansion without any of the Rebels characters (as it would be a dead give away to us who is alive and who is dead).. which seems pointless. So to include the Inquisitor it HAS to happen before Episode 4 and even before what season 3 of Rebels. If they care about timeline, which they seem to. But then again maybe they just gave us the Inquisitor with no plans in bringing Ezra or Kanaan or any of the others into the game... but that just seems really, really weird.. and random. Put it this way, as it stands right now thematically he could not be used in any mission we have available to us, pretty pointless for the campaign.

The next big box HAS to be before Episode IV, otherwise they have given us 3 useless figure packs for campaigns.

NONE of these guys survived past Episode IV, so they will not be allowed in any timeline after episode IV.

I think it's safe to bank on a Rebels big box, as the only non-prequel but pre-Episode IV material available is Rebels, a time in which all three of these character existed.

X-Wing released a new core set for TFA stuff. Now they are following up that TFA core with an expansion that is strictly TFA, "Heroes of the Resistance."

I wonder if IA will do a Rebels core? I have mixed feelings because I don't want a bunch of duplicates all over again (can you say Stormtroopers?)

I don't think so. The moment they'd announce it, there'd be a pitchfork-toting mob at FFG HQ's doorstep going "Rararararr, why are you MAKING ME buy two 100$ core sets for this game, rarararrr". And then there would be a metric ton of forum threads all over the internet with people confused about why there's two core sets and which to buy and why and I don't get this at all I'll buy Rebellion instead.

X-Wing got a new core set because that core set is a cheap introductory product, really more of a demo kit than an actual game. And at the time, it was a good excuse to put an updated and cleaned up rulebook on the market, since the errata and clarifications and new tokens and new mechanics and new play formats and all that junk was getting unwieldy after all those expansions and all those years tournament play. And it gave them the option to errata the damage deck. And it was probably cheap as chips and quick to manufacture to do that in place of a straight up reprint of the old core set, since all that's really changed is the cards and the paintjobs. The Force Awakens core set is de facto a stealth second edition of the game, which is very well played on FFGs part, considering how backhurt people tend to be about new editions.

Bottom line is, the Imperial Assault is too young of a product line, too high price point and would have too much redundant overlap in the miniatures to sustain two core sets concurrently, and even more so to have a new core set replace the old.

God ******* dammit... RIP Mara Jade...

This sounds like an excuse to put Darth Maul into the game. I don't want to be the nattering nabob of negativity, but I couldn't stand these inquisitors. I thought was ridiculous addition to the universe, but that's just me. I was so happy with IA being relatively Jedi less, but I knew it couldn't last. I'm having Star Wars galaxies flashbacks now.

X-Wing released a new core set for TFA stuff. Now they are following up that TFA core with an expansion that is strictly TFA, "Heroes of the Resistance."

I wonder if IA will do a Rebels core? I have mixed feelings because I don't want a bunch of duplicates all over again (can you say Stormtroopers?)

I don't think so. The moment they'd announce it, there'd be a pitchfork-toting mob at FFG HQ's doorstep going "Rararararr, why are you MAKING ME buy two 100$ core sets for this game, rarararrr". And then there would be a metric ton of forum threads all over the internet with people confused about why there's two core sets and which to buy and why and I don't get this at all I'll buy Rebellion instead.

X-Wing got a new core set because that core set is a cheap introductory product, really more of a demo kit than an actual game. And at the time, it was a good excuse to put an updated and cleaned up rulebook on the market, since the errata and clarifications and new tokens and new mechanics and new play formats and all that junk was getting unwieldy after all those expansions and all those years tournament play. And it gave them the option to errata the damage deck. And it was probably cheap as chips and quick to manufacture to do that in place of a straight up reprint of the old core set, since all that's really changed is the cards and the paintjobs. The Force Awakens core set is de facto a stealth second edition of the game, which is very well played on FFGs part, considering how backhurt people tend to be about new editions.

Bottom line is, the Imperial Assault is too young of a product line, too high price point and would have too much redundant overlap in the miniatures to sustain two core sets concurrently, and even more so to have a new core set replace the old.

A while back I said that eventually Disney is going to overwrite the OT like so many bits on a HDD platter. Eventually people will be like "Luke who?" And it will be about how George's true vision was about Ahsoka being the chosen one the whole time.

This sounds like an excuse to put Darth Maul into the game. I don't want to be the nattering nabob of negativity, but I couldn't stand these inquisitors. I thought was ridiculous addition to the universe, but that's just me. I was so happy with IA being relatively Jedi less, but I knew it couldn't last. I'm having Star Wars galaxies flashbacks now.

100% my thoughts exactly.

But no... kids want their laser swords... bzoom vroom voom im a jedi!!

I'm fine with that. Ahsoka is awesome.

EU/I-hate-everything-new people: I take my kids bike riding in a town where there's potholes, sidewalks abruptly end into people's front yards or have 16" drops, and goatheads in the gutters.

You can whine about it, or you can embrace it. But it's here.

Sorry Boba Rick, I guess unlike you I can actually read books and enjoy them.

Anyways, there is no time period event on these side mission cards. So you can bring Obi-wan and Greedo on missions when they were already dead.

#lolffgcaresaboutstarwarslore

EU/I-hate-everything-new people: I take my kids bike riding in a town where there's potholes, sidewalks abruptly end into people's front yards or have 16" drops, and goatheads in the gutters.

You can whine about it, or you can embrace it. But it's here.

Well since we are playing the reductio ad-absurdum game, how about the "I would literally eat a tube of George Lucas' feces so long as it had the Star Wars logo emblazoned on the canister" people. So you are equating people who liked the EU with "people who hate everything new" and by extension your failed analogy of dangerous bike riding? That hardly makes sense. I guess schlock is only schlock if it doesn't come from Lucas Disney? So that new stuff was bad, but this new stuff good? Was Kyle Katarn worse than Kanan? There was some good in the EU and there was some bad in the EU. I liked most the Clone Wars, save for Ahsoka, but Rebels is kiddie garbage, except maybe for Hera, that has completely changed the lore. But, it sounds like you are saying continuity is irrelevant. We'll just change it up whenever like a soap opera... or wrestling.

EU/I-hate-everything-new people: I take my kids bike riding in a town where there's potholes, sidewalks abruptly end into people's front yards or have 16" drops, and goatheads in the gutters.

You can whine about it, or you can embrace it. But it's here.

Well since we are playing the reductio ad-absurdum game, how about the "I would literally eat a tube of George Lucas' feces so long as it had the Star Wars logo emblazoned on the canister" people. So you are equating people who liked the EU with "people who hate everything new" and by extension your failed analogy of dangerous bike riding? That hardly makes sense. I guess schlock is only schlock if it doesn't come from Lucas Disney? So that new stuff was bad, but this new stuff good? Was Kyle Katarn worse than Kanan? There was some good in the EU and there was some bad in the EU. I liked most the Clone Wars, save for Ahsoka, but Rebels is kiddie garbage, except maybe for Hera, that has completely changed the lore. But, it sounds like you are saying continuity is irrelevant. We'll just change it up whenever like a soap opera... or wrestling.

You must be new around here right Rikalonius?