Want to play with some scum in your imps? Some rebs party with your scum? Sure, 2 rules. Scum/Reb/Imp can never be friendly ships to each other, and all cards have to remain faction aligned. No zuckuss on a deci, no biggs taking heat from a contracted scout, no unhinged astromechs on xwings. I think this prevents the unintended card combos that would have to be accounted for. Thoughts? Is there still a loophole for cross ability super powers?

I'd say levy a 3-5 point surcharge for the "mercenary contract" and then go ahead and let the scum be friendly ships with the imps/rebs. Other than that, I agree you should probably have ships be faction-pure; after all you probably don't want it turning into That Other Game, published by That Other Company.

If a ship is not friendly, it is an enemy.

That means you could have Boba Fett in a swarm of ships on his team rerolling all his dice.

Ventress could add extra focus to Soontir, freeing him from the ubiqitous PtL.

Guri always gets a focus by flying in formation.

Do not mix 'n match Scum with Kagi or you'll never target lock again.

etc etc

Unless you create a new state: neutral.

Ok, create new state, they aren't an enemy, today.

I think friendly status would open us shenanigans, and I am sure there would be some worth more than a 5 point tax. Though as a house rule, you just need to identify and make it an exception.

Ok, create new state, they aren't an enemy, today.

I think friendly status would open us shenanigans,

I agree, friendly would create too many unwanted or overpowered interactions.

Still, can you imagine a bunch of Dead Man Switched Z95's flying with Biggs Protection?

Though, I still giggle at the prospect of blowing up a bunch of my own Z's with a Seismic Torpedo and a chain reaction. .

If you want to make use of Mercs:

1. They need to cost a little more to include them.

2. Maybe you could be a Scum crew on a Rebel ship but then that ship would need to pay the tax as well.

3. I kind of like the "scum aren't friendlies" idea. Now if they are in your squadron then they are "allied" ships if something calls for that but that isn't exactly the same as really being friendly. It's like the difference between your friends and your aquaintences.

If your only balancing method is the say that ships don't benefit from "friendly" abilities you aren't giving it any balance at when you could just make selections that don't care about that status.

Came up with an idea HERE .

Basically it is a soft split of the primary factions into the subfactions where one subfaction is the faction you are playing and the other subfaction in your primary faction is an ally faction that has point limits based on the size of your squadron list.

As for using scum as mercenaries you simply replace the other subfaction as an ally, but cannot use faction restricted upgrades on mercenary (allied scum) ships.

...

• List value of less than 60 squadron points up to 15 squadron points of allies
• 60-89 points up to 20 points of allies
• 90-99 points 30 points of allies
• 100+ points 40 points of allies

...

• Rebel Alliance with Resistance Allies
• Resistance with Rebel Alliance Allies
• Rebel Alliance with Scum Mercenaries
• Resistance with Scum Mercenaries
• Scum & Villainy
• Galactic Empire with Scum Mercenaries
• 1 ^st Order with Scum Mercenaries
• Galactic Empire with 1 ^st Order Allies
• 1 ^st Order with Galactic Empire Allies

...

So basically points spent on ships and upgrades equipped to ships that are out of your subfaction (be it the primary faction ally or scum mercenary) counts to your ally/mercenary point limit.

Came up with an idea HERE .

Basically it is a soft split of the primary factions into the subfactions where one subfaction is the faction you are playing and the other subfaction in your primary faction is an ally faction that has point limits based on the size of your squadron list.

As for using scum as mercenaries you simply replace the other subfaction as an ally, but cannot use faction restricted upgrades on mercenary (allied scum) ships.

...snip...

So basically points spent on ships and upgrades equipped to ships that are out of your subfaction (be it the primary faction ally or scum mercenary) counts to your ally/mercenary point limit.

Oh man, giving me flashbacks...

I don't want to go back! Don't make me go back there!!!

That was what that solution would feel like. I prefer KISS for any rules but especially for house rule.

As to when they could hand out to anyone, in standard they could hand it to enemies, if you can do it to your enemy and friends then why not mercs/employers. I don't like the cost, the scum are not all acting in collective intrest, but you don't see a cost to hire black suns, boba or mandelorions. It just lets you play Han smuggling for a hutt with hired gun help, or imps with any bounty hunter, or say running a patrol with Fenn Rou to catch the rebs trying to use his system to get to lothal. Without being to borked, and easy to use.

Came up with an idea HERE .

Basically it is a soft split of the primary factions into the subfactions where one subfaction is the faction you are playing and the other subfaction in your primary faction is an ally faction that has point limits based on the size of your squadron list.

As for using scum as mercenaries you simply replace the other subfaction as an ally, but cannot use faction restricted upgrades on mercenary (allied scum) ships.

...snip...

So basically points spent on ships and upgrades equipped to ships that are out of your subfaction (be it the primary faction ally or scum mercenary) counts to your ally/mercenary point limit.

Oh man, giving me flashbacks...

I don't want to go back! Don't make me go back there!!!

Not even close. Besides Primary factions are the Allied system of X-wings, it is just that primary factions are Battle-Brothers and everything outside your primary faction is Come the Apocalypse. So with the current system we have Scum being the Tyranids of X-wing. Hows that for a nightmare that you are already in?

Either way the system I made doesn't need a chart, Pick one of the 5 factions. Then chose Allies (default option which also include lists that only use 1 subfaction like scum) or Mercenaries. Then it is simple you either playing only within your primary faction or only a single subfaction with some scum mercanaries.

How about an idea from Imperial Assault -- the "Temporary Alliance" card. For example:

V1 -- "Hired Gun" (2 points) -- You may include one non-unique Scum Pilot valued at 25 points or less, including upgrades, in your squad.

V2 -- "Bounty Hunter" (3 points) -- You may include one non-unique Scum Pilot valued at 35 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

V3 -- "Mercenary Help" (4 points) -- You may include one Scum Pilot valued at 40 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

V4 -- "Alliance of Convenience" (5 points) -- You may include one Scum Pilot valued at 50 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

How about an idea from Imperial Assault -- the "Temporary Alliance" card. For example:

V1 -- "Hired Gun" (2 points) -- You may include one non-unique Scum Pilot valued at 25 points or less, including upgrades, in your squad.

V2 -- "Bounty Hunter" (3 points) -- You may include one non-unique Scum Pilot valued at 35 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

V3 -- "Mercenary Help" (4 points) -- You may include one Scum Pilot valued at 40 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

V4 -- "Alliance of Convenience" (5 points) -- You may include one Scum Pilot valued at 50 points or less, including attached upgrades, in your squad.

The only way the card method could be implemented is with an EPT upgrade. Still the wording would be hard to make. I can think of a Unique EPT.

Bounty Hunter contract scum only, your faction is now considered Imperial.

3 points.

Still I think that would be tough to add in plus the whole nightmares it would cause with squad builder.