Secondly, I know you're exaggerating but it doesn't take 35min to set up a map.

I was exaggerating to make a Point.

Still,

1. The organizer determines what mission all players will use for the round and announces the start of the tournament round.
2. Each player reveals their Deployment cards and assigns ID tokens to each deployment group.
3. Players determine initiative.
4. Players build the skirmish map.
5. The player with initiative chooses one of the deployment zones and deploys all of his or her figures in that zone. Then the other player deploys all of his or her figures in the opposing deployment zone.
6. Each player shuffles their Command deck and presents it to their opponent. The opponent may shuffle and cut the deck if desired. Then each player draws three cards from their Command deck.

is more than 5 minutes, don't you think?

The time to play has become quite short:

After puzzling the maps, there is like 20 minutes play-time left?

Firstly, it's been that way since the last FAQ (although poorly worded), no one complained much about it before.

Actually, on every tournament I've been, it was set up and then the time started at 65 minutes.

Agree with this, although at every tournament I've been to, we just used maps. However at the regionals at the weekend we definitely waited for everyone to setup, then started the timer for everyone at the same time. A good amount of people still went to time so I think 60-65 minutes is needed, I think if setting up tiles etc. it probably is about 10 minutes in which case you end up with a 55 minute game which I do think feels 5-10 minutes too short.

I get why they've done it this way though to allow tournaments to run to a schedule.

Rich

Actually, on every tournament I've been, it was set up and then the time started at 65 minutes.

The recent events I've been to have been 65 minutes total, including setup, per the FAQ.

per the FAQ.

Could you give a reference, I didn't find that.

Could you give a reference, I didn't find that.

Sure. Under the Tournament Concepts header, second paragraph:

Skirmish tournaments for Star Wars : Imperial Assault are held in a series of 65-minute tournament rounds. This time limit includes time for setup.

Emphasis is from the FAQ itself, as red is a new addition in this version.

EDIT - Derp, sorry. It's not the FAQ, it's the Tournament Regulations PDF. Apologies.

This is the version that's legal starting 1st of August. But we're talking 'bout right now.

This is the version that's legal starting 1st of August. But we're talking 'bout right now.

Oh! Then feel free to ignore me, as I missed that completely.

It used to be 55min + 10 for setup

Then it went to 65min per round

Now they fixed the wording to be more specific 65min INC setup.

It was implied that setup was included in the previous update (the March 2016 one I think), but I can't download that anymore so I can't check.

In any case, every tournament I've been too has been very relaxed with the time, usually starting the clock once everyone is ready anyway.

It's never been a problem. Some stores that don't have timers just round up to the nearest 5 min on a wall clock or something.

And as for listing all the separate setup steps.... I dunno how you do it but rolling for initiative and putting your deployment cards out doesn't take long.

The longest time by far is deployment.

In any case, a bit of preparation still solves all these issues. Have your figures and cards ready, have your map tiles ready.
Whole setup shouldn't take longer than 5min.

I just don't think it's anywhere as big of an issue as people make it out to be.

With legal preprinted maps it's less of an issue anyways.