Last week I introduced my cousin's husband to the game. He played the Empire and I played rebels. He got really excited about building a super star destroyer and a second death star. I kept getting objective points and telling him that the most important thing for him to do is find my base. In the end he was surprised when I won and said he had been chasing red herrings.

Do you think that projects are red herrings for the Empire? Is it worth it to tie up a leader for two turns just to get accomplish a project? It is highly possible doing some of your projects will make it easier for the rebels to win. (Super lasering everything or giving them a second death star to destroy)

I think it depends on the current differential between the turn marker and the Rebel win marker. If there are three or less turns in between, then most projects will not really see the table before the game is over (assuming they place things on the build queue and you don't get any build acceleration). About the only thing that might help are the Superlaser cards. Earlier in the game, you can definitely get use out of projects. Additional units need to be put to use, though, searching for the rebel base. If you build the SSD and just leave it backfield, then, yes, you are wasting efforts. Personally I find the two for one of the Superlaser worth it (if the Rebel Base is on the destroyed system, or the now loyal system, you've gotten closer to the finish line), although using it too much is risky.

Project cards are great...if used right.

Construct factory allows you to clear sabotage in non-loyal systems, and can add units to the build que. Very useful.

Oversee Project allows you to deploy things quicker. Great for use with the SSD or Death Star. You can cut 2 rounds of the construction time of some high value units.

Construct SSD gives you access to an amazingly powerful ship.

Super lasers are pretty powerful. You can destroy the rebel base, wipe out a stronghold of Rebel ground forces, or use it to build loyalty/stop the rebels from completing objectives. Keep in mind though that you may be handing the rebels some easy objective points.

Construct Death Star is my least favorite. The starting DS is powerful and fun to wield early on. By mid game though, it can be a handicap that needs to be constantly babysat and cared for. Building a second one only creates more headaches for me. But having 2 of these things on the board can be intimidating.

Keep in mind though that projects are action sinks. It takes an action to draw a project, then it takes another action to use the project. That's not very efficient.

If you already have a big advantage in space combat, building more Death Stars or SSDs can be a waste of time.

There is a way to build an SSD or DS in 1 turn even, but it takes like 5 total actions to pull off. The rebels can do a lot of damage to you with 5 actions.

Construct Factory is the only one that I consider to be a straight up win/win with no down side.

If you have an action advantage (you've captured, turned, frozen a few of their leaders), it's ok to poke around the project deck a little.

If you have actions to spare, projects are ok.

Otherwise, I typically find projects to be a gamble.

Ever since I got married, I live in the projects.

Red Herrings isn't right. Calling them a double-bind for the Imperials seems better. On the one hand they either need the extra units or they need the superlaser online but neither of these cases gets them through the probe deck faster or lets them move units through more systems. As pointed out it take a leader to draw them and a leader to complete them so they aren't very efficient.

It is important for the Empire to maintain an overwhelming military advantage and to build a 3rd fleet a soon as possible. (The Empire starts out with 2 fleets worth of units.) Also, a Death Star without a means to fire does not benefit the Imperial Navy. Keep the station fully functioning so it may be used when the time is right.

Projects are the way to accomplish all of these tasks.

Projects aren't missions I "actively" pursue. I usually only draw project cards after I've played Research and Development to repair a system that the Rebels have sabotaged. If I draw a good project that is useful at the moment, then I use it. If I draw a not so useful project then it's a candidate for discard when I have more than 10 missions in hand. I'll usually keep 1 Death Star laser card just in case I happen across the Rebel base with the Death Star but no more because of the possibility of giving the Rebels a 2 point Objective. If I have drawn the 2nd Death Star or an SSD project but its after turn 5 It's pretty much worthless to me as it won't be complete in time to make a difference.

Actively drawing project cards but not using them will fill your hand quickly. Then if you have too many cards, you may end up having to discard them anyway.

They are not red herrings and are very useful in helping you find the rebel base.

The issue pops up when you see them as an end in themselves.

How Every Rebel Victory feels like.

Actually the rebels in this video often do more than many rebel players in the game Rebellion. 2 Death Stars and Killed the Emperor. That is more of a victory than Times Up!

Projects aren't missions I "actively" pursue. I usually only draw project cards after I've played Research and Development to repair a system that the Rebels have sabotaged.

Actively drawing project cards but not using them will fill your hand quickly. Then if you have too many cards, you may end up having to discard them anyway.

By the time I have 6 leaders, I'm playing R&D every round. (If I'm not, than the Rebels are not putting enough pressure on me.) It is an amazing card with a duel use.

The goal is to find the base. In order to do that you have to find and beat the Rebels. Meaning you need production and time to move the fleet around and look. So missions can do four key things. 1. They cycle through your cards to get the good cards (like send 1 AT-AT, 1 AT-ST, 2 storm troopers to a system). 2. They help with production (which we communist need to hold down the terrorists) 3. They help infiltrate so that you don't have to move your fleet as much to find the base. 4. They capture terrorist leaders limiting their resources. Boba Fett and Greejatus are slam dunk mission men. Greejatus works in systems to build strength (which increases production) and Fett is there to tie up leaders (either capture them or prevent Chewie from working his fists). I actually like to open on the first move and move my fleet into two systems and capture their left or single resource. If they are Terrorist systems, then this is better becasue it limits his production that opening "build" round Maybe do 1 mission the first 2 rounds.

I've seen the Rebels load up on Mon Calamari cruisers too often to ignore the need for a Super Star Destroyer. It would have been a handy deal breaker for me during those confrontations because even with some capital ship and fighter superiority I've had trouble with big fleet engagements, and it plays right into their hands.

Of course it behooves the Imperial player to have a Superlaser Online.

Keep in mind though that projects are action sinks. It takes an action to draw a project, then it takes another action to use the project. That's not very efficient.

No no that's not accurate. There are two ways to draw project cards.

R&D gets you to remove a sabotage and draw a project which makes the project card almost like a free bonus. If R&D didn't let you draw anything but just removed sabotage it'd almost still be worth it.

The other is the secret research card that allows you to draw 2 project cards. So that's twice as good as you described.

Honestly the biggest problem with project cards is that they fill up your hand and often you have to discard down to 10. I'd like a project that increased your hand size or something.

I'd agree that project cards tend to have too high of an opportunity cost to them. I find that I have better things to do with my leaders.

Still, they can be fun. Also, as davidumstattd suggested, if you don't have stuff that needs moving, then slap Tagge on R&D. If the Rebels go and sabotage some place, unsabotage it. If not, grab a project card.

Everything in moderation. You obviously need troops to move their butts and find that base, but projects can be gamechangers.

I know a lot of people criticize the DS because it has pretty big potential to be a liability. Well, that's true- it's not a guaranteed win for the Empire- but it would be kind of silly if it was. The game is about balance, and the incredible power of the DS (including being able to completely vaporize the Rebel Base planet in a single move) needs to have some sort of disadvantage. Same goes for the huge advantage of adding a Super Star Destroyer to your fleet- you don't just get it for free.

So, using the project deck is important- but, I wouldn't say it's something that absolutely has to be done each turn. Still, neglecting it can have serious consequences if the Rebels manage to stack up a lot of sabotage on you- hurting your production and very likely scoring some victory points in the process.

One issue with R&D is a Rebel player will often sabotage subjugated systems to force the Imperial player to vacate it (if they want to avoid Cut Supply Lines) or have to use Rule by Fear to make it loyal (if it was neutral) to make it eligible for R&D. The second option is a major action sink. In that case it may as well be done on a loyal system to get a choice of cards.

That said, I believe the Imperial player should use it at least twice per game. Oversee Project and Construct Factory can be critical for reinforcing supply lines.

One issue with R&D is a Rebel player will often sabotage subjugated systems to force the Imperial player to vacate it (if they want to avoid Cut Supply Lines) or have to use Rule by Fear to make it loyal (if it was neutral) to make it eligible for R&D. The second option is a major action sink. In that case it may as well be done on a loyal system to get a choice of cards.

That said, I believe the Imperial player should use it at least twice per game. Oversee Project and Construct Factory can be critical for reinforcing supply lines.

While this is true, Cut Supply Lines is only one card, and sabotaging subjugated systems has minimal impact on the empire's income. The biggest advantage to sabotaging subjugated systems is that it reduces the empire's ability to deploy troops. But it's almost easier to just move the empire's fleet to an adjacent system and use that system to build in.

The choice between sabotaging subjugated vs. loyal is always an interesting choice based a lot on what you think the empire will do. In the 4 player game it gets even more potentially complex given the turn order.

The death star is in general a liability to the Empire after the first 4 turns or so.

Problem is, we all know the bloody thing can be quite easily blown up.

Personally (and especially now Rogue one is out) I think there's an argument for making the death star plans a bit more interesting.

Clearly the Rebels went to a great deal of trouble to get the plans, including a fleet action.. simply getting it on a card 'for free' seems a bit easy now.

Also now I think about it, I think a few more of the better Imperial cards could have been tied to the DS rather than other units as well.

Something that can blow up a planet is a lot more scary than even a super star destroyer

One thing to consider with logistics missions and action opportunity cost is that the logistics leaders for the Empire (Tarkin, Tagge, Ozzel and Jerjerrod) are limited to those missions, some basic missions (like starting ones) and non-essential combat due to limited skill icons and tactics values. Unless you are attempting specialty missions (Fear Will Keep Them in Line, Probe Droid Initiative, etc), these leaders would probably just be ferrying forces for reinforcement or easy subjugation. While expansion is important, exchanging two actions (R&D and the project execution) could be worth it to get a SSD (it's rare to get Corellia and Mon Cal/Utapau loyal at once for big SD builds), a factory to get a free build and sabotage removal, or extra deployment prior to a base invasion.

The death star is in general a liability to the Empire after the first 4 turns or so.

Problem is, we all know the bloody thing can be quite easily blown up.

Personally (and especially now Rogue one is out) I think there's an argument for making the death star plans a bit more interesting.

Clearly the Rebels went to a great deal of trouble to get the plans, including a fleet action.. simply getting it on a card 'for free' seems a bit easy now.

Also now I think about it, I think a few more of the better Imperial cards could have been tied to the DS rather than other units as well.

Something that can blow up a planet is a lot more scary than even a super star destroyer

Easy? You call that easy?

What's significant about what happens in the movies is how fast the rebels are able to get the DSP after it's construction. What we see in lore is basically a turn 2 DSP which is rather incredible, requiring multiple mission cards and a failed attempt at "Retrieve the plans."

The death star is in general a liability to the Empire after the first 4 turns or so.

Problem is, we all know the bloody thing can be quite easily blown up.

Personally (and especially now Rogue one is out) I think there's an argument for making the death star plans a bit more interesting.

Clearly the Rebels went to a great deal of trouble to get the plans, including a fleet action.. simply getting it on a card 'for free' seems a bit easy now.

Also now I think about it, I think a few more of the better Imperial cards could have been tied to the DS rather than other units as well.

Something that can blow up a planet is a lot more scary than even a super star destroyer

Easy? You call that easy?

What's significant about what happens in the movies is how fast the rebels are able to get the DSP after it's construction. What we see in lore is basically a turn 2 DSP which is rather incredible, requiring multiple mission cards and a failed attempt at "Retrieve the plans."

Yeah, the thing about the Death Star is that it's of course figured into the balance of the game. If it was harder to kill, the Empire would be at a much larger advantage.

It's just one of those situations, so common in games like this and War of the Ring, where the game is balanced enough to the point that both sides feel like they're at a significant disadvantage.

edit: cuz I'm an idiot who can't quote proper like