I'm not likely to play in many tournaments. I do enjoy the strategy of X-wing, but I don't have enough time to be serious about it and track down all the cards needed for effective synergies. My main opponent is my 10-year old son. As well as just dog fighting in the Star Wars universe, we enjoy the missions, particularly the political escort mission. Having a focused goal adds to the the fun of the game. I have seen people finding ways to bring more of this to the game, the Heroes of the Aturi Cluster being the most famous.

My idea is a faction based around all the convoys that transport the materials and goods that keep the galaxy going. The blue collar spacers if you will. This would be everything from convoys of GR-75s and Action IVs down to battered Y-1300s, Y-2400s, and HWK-290s risking blockades to smuggle black market goods. Getting your convoy through a Imperial blockade, running black market goods past surprise inspection stops, and evading rebel convoy raiders would be the goal behind this faction. The Rouge One trailer has shown that the Rebellion is trying to gain credibility by maintaining justice, thus Jyn Erso has been arrested. So the Rebellion might "misunderstand" a humble merchant's need to deliver his cargo on time. Also, a free "imperial contract" upgrade might allow access to basic t.i.e. fighters while attracting the interest of freedom fighters in need of supplies. The faction would also need fighter escorts to protect the goods in the dangerous days of the galactic civil war. Reliable Z-95s, cheap Scyks, and even protectorate starfighters would general fill this roll. Although good pilots are hard to find so the best would be a escort commander with rookie wingmen.

Any input or thoughts on basic balance and how to reasonably include the big ships are appreciated.

Does this mean I could finally get a Cargo Freighter or Cargo Tanker and haul a string of various classes of containers across the battlefield?

Seriously, though, I love this idea, as it fits in perfectly with X-Wing Alliance, which was pretty much what got me into Star Wars space combat.

Does this mean I could finally get a Cargo Freighter or Cargo Tanker and haul a string of various classes of containers across the battlefield?.

That's the general idea. Anything from a one-off mission to a campaign to supply a planet or military operation. A couple of huge ships and a gaggle of cheap escorts or armed freighters ready to fight off predictors. Both players who want a little more than "shoot all the other ships" and imperial bullies and vicious scum get to dig into their respective rolls a bit more.

A "tibanna gas tanker" upgrade could gain two basic sycks, but if the tanker blows ever ship at range 2 rolls two attack dice. Things like that.

Anything that brings more freighters into the game is fine with me!

...something like a smaller version of the Eravana or the Container Ship from Rebels...much as I'm fine with scum versions of the GR-75 and Gozanti as freighters, it would be nice to have another for escort/payload-delivery based missions.

Container tug:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/221872-middys-simple-repaints-mods/#entry2283095

Does this mean I could finally get a Cargo Freighter or Cargo Tanker and haul a string of various classes of containers across the battlefield?.

That's the general idea. Anything from a one-off mission to a campaign to supply a planet or military operation. A couple of huge ships and a gaggle of cheap escorts or armed freighters ready to fight off predictors. Both players who want a little more than "shoot all the other ships" and imperial bullies and vicious scum get to dig into their respective rolls a bit more.

A "tibanna gas tanker" upgrade could gain two basic sycks, but if the tanker blows ever ship at range 2 rolls two attack dice. Things like that.

I can see it now. The pirates close in, thinking, "He's hauling Tibanna gas and bacta! We've got this!" Then, BAM! Hit them with the furniture and dry goods! Hehe...they'll never see it coming.

I wonder if you could do a "capture the container" mode of having to pick up a container and take it to your hyperspace point (ships carrying the container would have a slight stat reduction, and drop the container when destroyed).

I'm not likely to play in many tournaments. I do enjoy the strategy of X-wing, but I don't have enough time to be serious about it and track down all the cards needed for effective synergies. My main opponent is my 10-year old son. As well as just dog fighting in the Star Wars universe, we enjoy the missions, particularly the political escort mission. Having a focused goal adds to the the fun of the game. I have seen people finding ways to bring more of this to the game, the Heroes of the Aturi Cluster being the most famous.

My idea is a faction based around all the convoys that transport the materials and goods that keep the galaxy going. The blue collar spacers if you will. This would be everything from convoys of GR-75s and Action IVs down to battered Y-1300s, Y-2400s, and HWK-290s risking blockades to smuggle black market goods. Getting your convoy through a Imperial blockade, running black market goods past surprise inspection stops, and evading rebel convoy raiders would be the goal behind this faction. The Rouge One trailer has shown that the Rebellion is trying to gain credibility by maintaining justice, thus Jyn Erso has been arrested. So the Rebellion might "misunderstand" a humble merchant's need to deliver his cargo on time. Also, a free "imperial contract" upgrade might allow access to basic t.i.e. fighters while attracting the interest of freedom fighters in need of supplies. The faction would also need fighter escorts to protect the goods in the dangerous days of the galactic civil war. Reliable Z-95s, cheap Scyks, and even protectorate starfighters would general fill this roll. Although good pilots are hard to find so the best would be a escort commander with rookie wingmen.

Any input or thoughts on basic balance and how to reasonably include the big ships are appreciated.

You don't need a forth faction for that... I believe these smugglers fit very well into Scum & Villainy. That said, you could convert some rebel ships for S&V. For a campaign, you could have missions against the Empire, the Rebels and other S&V (those are not an unified faction, anyway).

Anything that brings more freighters into the game is fine with me!

...something like a smaller version of the Eravana or the Container Ship from Rebels...much as I'm fine with scum versions of the GR-75 and Gozanti as freighters, it would be nice to have another for escort/payload-delivery based missions.

Container tug:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/221872-middys-simple-repaints-mods/#entry2283095

Oh God, yes!

LOVE the VCX ih Hutt colors.

I wonder if you could do a "capture the container" mode of having to pick up a container and take it to your hyperspace point (ships carrying the container would have a slight stat reduction, and drop the container when destroyed).

I came up with something along these lines a while ago, drawing up some cards/stats and posting on the Facebook group for them:

"Got my MicroMachines QuadJumper [from Germany, couldn't find one in the UK!] - thinking of using it with these stats, dial and mission :

I now realise the cards should be presented in a different way, using Titles for the tractor beam...but the idea was there - the QJ is extremely manoeuvrable, but slow!

I can see it now. The pirates close in, thinking, "He's hauling Tibanna gas and bacta! We've got this!" Then, BAM! Hit them with the furniture and dry goods! Hehe...they'll never see it coming.

I wonder if you could do a "capture the container" mode of having to pick up a container and take it to your hyperspace point (ships carrying the container would have a slight stat reduction, and drop the container when destroyed).

"Oh, they hired a sketchy transport and the captain dumped the banthas when some pirates jumped him"

Does this mean I could finally get a Cargo Freighter or Cargo Tanker and haul a string of various classes of containers across the battlefield?

Seriously, though, I love this idea, as it fits in perfectly with X-Wing Alliance, which was pretty much what got me into Star Wars space combat.

Just ordered some more containers and a load of Plastruct to use with cargo carriers...really want to try and come up with something like a smaller version of the Eravana.

...kinda hoping that, as well as hauling stuff per the above, with the new ShadowCaster apparently pooping its [nubbed] debris field out via an illicit cargo upgrade, the same game mechanic could perhaps be used with the nubbed container tokens [from the MF expansion, I think] to provide lots of smaller obstacles!

(Oh, how I want to poop on Soontir and Jumpmasters, )

The Corporate Sector Authority is totally a thing. Would make a great faction.

HotAC Expansions inbound ... Mercenaries of the Aturi Cluster (Scum), Merchants of the Aturi Cluster (CSA).

...Merchants of the Aturi Cluster (CSA).

Would love this...kinda like Privateer was to Wing Commander

...Merchants of the Aturi Cluster (CSA).

Would love this...kinda like Privateer was to Wing Commander

Yeah, I loved that game ...

Privateer remains my favorite flyer of all time. That's sort of the feel I had in mind for the "armed freighter" convoys. A YV-666, an 'Oota Goota" Yt-1300, and a VCX-100 sneaking glitterspice through an asteroid field under the nose of a gozanti patrol. Alternatively, victory points for a scum opponent could be earned by reducing a freighter to one structure point causing it to "redirect course" to the pirate base.

Before building a list, the free trader player would choose either "armed freighter" Or "escorted, bulk freighter" corporate strategy and then choose ships.

Privateer remains my favorite flyer of all time.

Even the ships looked 'right' - would be more than happy to have those in X-wing, even though they're completely unrelated

I'd fly a Galaxy over either of the YTs any day of the week.

I'd fly a Galaxy over either of the YTs any day of the week.

Yup, was always my favourite design, although I generally ended up in a Centurion if I wanted to get anywhere close to completing it !

Nothing to do with X-wing, but have you seen https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixelfactor.interstellarpilot&hl=en_GB ? Not bad as a poor-mans Privateer on Android...

(...although you may have to pay to get the 'Universe' mode - had it a while now, so can't honestly remember )

So an armed freighter list seems straight forward. The fire power and maybe the upgrade bar of the various freighters in the game needs to be downgraded, both to fit more than 2 in a list and to give them a civilian vibe.

I assume the large combat ships like the firespray and the G1-A would be to expensive for credit conscious shipping companies. The imperial fighters would be out except for a convoy upgrade that would allow for basic tie fighters. I think someone had created a card for the mining company ties from SW Rebels. Odanan also had a light tie in his custom card set that might work.

The hard part would be getting the huge ships to work decently. They would basically be guided terrain that the other ships had to maneuver around. Perhaps the number of huge ships could be based on the size of the play area and the number of escort fighters would be based on the number of huge ships with "convoy upgrade" points to add a few fighters or allow some tricks. A "retired veteran" or "Dishonorably discharged veteran" could be added to keep the free trader player from having little more than a swarm of entry level fighters.

The imperial fighters would be out except for a convoy upgrade that would allow for basic tie fighters. I think someone had created a card for the mining company ties from SW Rebels.

I put together something to use TIEs: https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/205833-scum-gozanti-project/page-2#entry2113559 - also a Mining Guild Defector card [as I'd already converted one ship]

I've since combined two ideas into one, with the scum Gozanti freighter having both Docking Clamps and external cargo containers...so it carries its own fighter escort

So an armed freighter list seems straight forward. The fire power and maybe the upgrade bar of the various freighters in the game needs to be downgraded, both to fit more than 2 in a list and to give them a civilian vibe.

I assume the large combat ships like the firespray and the G1-A would be to expensive for credit conscious shipping companies.

...also did cards for the G1-A, as a "Small Goods Smuggler", that gave a reduced cost, unarmed version, together with an alternate title granting the barrel roll as per the Mist Hunter, but with any cannon as armament [if used on a normal G1-A, primary is disabled, similar to the Outrider] - may change that to no better than the Mangler (cost), on reflection

...and a crew card for the YT-1300 - "Regular Crew" - that uses both crew slots for -2 cost, so you can run up to 4x ORS, and a zero cost title card "Tramp Freighter" that allows ignoring faction restrictions (as that seems to be a favourite 'hoped-for' on the forums ) - I think the ORS stats are probably ok as they stand for what you're suggesting? - maybe just disallow the Outrider title on the WSF YT-2400...

Have you been able to play test the cards you made? It all sounds good on paper.

The hard part would be getting the huge ships to work decently. They would basically be guided terrain that the other ships had to maneuver around.

If you're thinking in terms of a 3x3 play area, maybe just allow restricted movement similar to the Shuttle in the original Core Mission 1 ? - so mission completion is either escape the opposite edge, or survive a number of rounds (or until a hyperspace jump is possible, as in HotAC ?)

...really don't think all Epic capabilities are suited...no independent or small company captain is going to damage their ship by ramming except as a last resort, and won't be carrying any of the defensive options as in the Rebel Transport...so maybe just allow simple shield regen and the "protect" action for evades ?

Have you been able to play test the cards you made? It all sounds good on paper.

Unfortunately not ...discussed costs etc on the Facebook card-design forum and a little here, but my only regular opponent is strictly a 100pt death-match player...in 6mths I've only managed to get him to play 2 missions

...so I just dream these things up and try to be as realistic as possible with abilities vs costs - I've just recently started playing some of the HotAC missions solo, to try & see if that might make a good test-bed...

The hard part would be getting the huge ships to work decently. They would basically be guided terrain that the other ships had to maneuver around.

If you're thinking in terms of a 3x3 play area, maybe just allow restricted movement similar to the Shuttle in the original Core Mission 1 ? - so mission completion is either escape the opposite edge, or survive a number of rounds (or until a hyperspace jump is possible, as in HotAC ?)

...really don't think all Epic capabilities are suited...no independent or small company captain is going to damage their ship by ramming except as a last resort, and won't be carrying any of the defensive options as in the Rebel Transport...so maybe just allow simple shield regen and the "protect" action for evades ?

I agree. If ships that big break formation in a convoy chances of getting them all out alive are low. They would collide or scatter like stampeding cattle. In the main hyperspace routes you hope there is enough traffic to answer a distress call. If you are risking the outer rim with big, unarmed ships, you are either a rebel convoy, illicit, or hoping to make a big payoff on a risky venture. Whichever it is, you had better pack enough of an escort to fend off predators. No one can hear you scream in space... oh wait, that's another franchise.

Mmmmmm...."Nostromo" !!

...nah, maybe that's a little too big