Pondering the Fleet Command upgrades

By Nostromoid, in Star Wars: Armada

We don't know much about these new upgrades, just this: "With its forward battery armament of four dice, the Phoenix Home might appear a natural fit for the sort of direct Rebel strategy enabled by the Liberty Expansion Pack from Wave IV. However, the real strength of this vessel lies not in its forward attack dice but in its new Fleet Command upgrade icon. You can only equip one of these upgrades to your Phoenix Home, and all three of the Fleet Command upgrades that come in this pack are unique. Nonetheless, for a handful of fleet points, each of them allows you to spend command tokens to power advantages across every ship or squadron in your fleet!"

Phoenix Home is a natural fit for Fleet Commands, being the heart of the early Rebel fleet. However, I think we can all agree that it doesn't make sense to stop there. Home One commanded even more ships than that. The Devastator commanded ships (and the Executor commanded even more). Think we will see an upgrade to add a Fleet Command upgrade slot to a ship that doesn't already have one?

This is just spitballing, except that I'd like to ask people who have been around for several waves of the X-Wing game. When something new like this comes around, does FFG retcon it onto older pieces?

No. They do not.

I'm still kind of pulling for upgrade packs in the future that utilize these kind of unique slots though. Something in the future that gives another upgrade for the Experimental for the Interdictor, or Fleet Commands for the Pelta.

This all is kind of jumbled in to my idea that they should release an upgrade card pack or a title pack or a ship card pack.

(The only problem with the title pack is that it'd be pretty one off)

No. They do not.

I thought they had upgrades that would give you points or something like that to balance some things. And they just nerfed the JumpMaster by removing a turret?

I don't think FFG will reprint the ships we already have with new upgrade slots. I wouldn't be surprised if they create new upgrades that grant a slot however, or simply make new ships that can house these new powerful upgrades.

I think the CC pack... perhaps, its commercial success will allow for Upgrade Cards for existing ship (e.g., new Titles) to allow for more gameplay.

No. They do not.

I thought they had upgrades that would give you points or something like that to balance some things. And they just nerfed the JumpMaster by removing a turret?

I don't think FFG will reprint the ships we already have with new upgrade slots. I wouldn't be surprised if they create new upgrades that grant a slot however, or simply make new ships that can house these new powerful upgrades.

1) They have provided some points balance things (Such as Chaardan refit for the A-Wing, remove Missile slot for 2 points).

2) They changed an upgrade (Deadeye) from "Anything" to "Small base only", which was the Jumpmaster Nerf. because it reduced their action efficiency.

3) When they have added a new upgrade type ,which is what the question was based on, they have not gone back and refitted ships with it...

- Note, I reference in this point: Systems , Tech , and even Illicit .

Illicit is a little different... Illicit is only now being done, and it is being done in conjunction with a new version of the previous - and in this case, its a "New" version of the Milennium Falcon, giving the Old Rebel Falcon and YT2400 access to it, in a very limited way...

But the stand is: They don't go back. We won't see an ISD with an Experimental Retrofit. We won't see a HomeOne with a Fleet Command. Not for a good long while, and only if its deemed neccessary for extensive game balance (Which was the essence of the Chaardan refit)...

X-Wing has gone and rebalanced some cards from time to time. Armada has not (although you could call the XI7/AP debate the first one, if you felt like it, I wouldn't contain it)...

But the status quo of the ships themselves remain the same.

Frankly, Armada learned a lot of lessons from X-Wings Early Days - and those lessons are applied, and are stated as being applied by Developers... Armada is in a more balanced space. Now, will that remain the same? I doubt it, going forward -t here's always going ot be questions.... But by virtue of the fact that even things like Demolisher have not been hit - and are instead dealt with in conventional ways, beyond a Hard-Ban-Hammering.... It speaks well. But always difficult, the future is...

...

So let's Yodafy it.

When Armada reaches Wave 10 age, look so good, will it? Hmmm?

...

I think it'll be in a better place than Wave 10 X-Wing is. A More balanced, more even, more varied place... But that is purely hindsight at work.

They did Something similar in Xwing with modifications. So yes they could do it to Armada with fleet commands and limit the number or restriction to a fleet.

Good point Dras

I'm hoping for something like:

~ Bridge Commander

(Unique neutral Officer upgrade) - 2 points

"Your upgrade bar gains a Fleet Command icon."

It doesn't have to be seen as a retcon. They can package it as an exciting new option for other ships. Fleet Commands shouldn't be the sole province of the Rebels, much less one specific Rebel ship.

I also think that "Experimental Retrofit" is a bad name for an upgrade slot that is hardly experimental, and certainly not a retrofit, and that quite specifically encompasses only gravity well technology. There's conceptual space for things that would truly be "experimental retrofits," and the name shouldn't get taken up by something that fits it badly.

Edited by pasewi

Hope all you wish :D

Its hoping against Hope. For the Short Term ....

I am sure the Experiemental Retrofit slot will appear on the Rebel side, eventually... And I am sure the Imperials will get Fleet Command...

But at this point in time

In the underlined section of time where Armada is focused ... Gravity Well Technology is experimental ... The Interdictor was going through Testing, when Titus was on board... It was fairly unique - although I dare say not quite One-of-a-kind, which is why there's only one Title Card in there....

Basically, Gravity Wells are experiemental Technology in the timeframe given... As I'm sure Cloaking Devices and Targeting Scramblers are as well... They are all Experiemental Technology... And are not just Gravity Wells - only Gravity wells are a big portion of them...

I am sure it will happen eventually ....

but if you flood the market with all of your upgrades, and game changing upgrades, and modification upgrades, and do so monthly ....

... You end up with Star Wars: Attack Wing.

And no-one wants that.

Even if they do, they don't. They're just masochists.

I am in Full Party Pooper mode today.

I apologise.

I am in Full Party Pooper mode today.

I apologise.

Likely cause you are covered in poo/snot/other child like secretions...

Ard will soon understand this as well I'm sure.

they went back and gave Ywings bombs in XWMG. You get a torpedo upgrade for free that adds a bomb slot.

There is precedent for them retroactively adding slots.

Given their approach to things like this, expect something like an "Imperial Reinforcements" box with a new, repainted VSD with new upgrades and titles.

Slots, yes.

Slots for the New Good Stuff, No.

oops, wrong thread :)

Edited by Norell

I am in Full Party Pooper mode today.

I apologise.

Likely cause you are covered in poo/snot/other child like secretions...

Ard will soon understand this as well I'm sure.

PROJECTILE.

POOP.

Who knew that was even a thing??

I imagine these new slots will spread. How they'll do it who knows? If we take X-Wing as the example, slots, even "exotic" ones, have been added in various ways e.g.

System slot to TIE Advanced by title card

Illicit slot to YT1300/YT2400 by modification card

Only the Tech slot hasn't been added by way of a card but that's only been around for about a year and FFG seem to want to use this as the original era/TFA era differentiator.

What they haven't done is re-print old pilot cards with new slots (or even to correct them taking into account FAQ).

I am in Full Party Pooper mode today.

I apologise.

Likely cause you are covered in poo/snot/other child like secretions...

Ard will soon understand this as well I'm sure.

PROJECTILE.

POOP.

Who knew that was even a thing??

All the Dads.

I feel the only way this would happen is if FFG released the another Home One title card that gave the fleet command upgrade to the MC80. It would be a different point cost and not have the same effect as the current title. You can even do this for the experimental retrofit slot.

I am more hopeful for a offensive retrofit or officer that adds or replaces another slot with fleet command or experimental retrofit slot.

These slots arent as interchangeable as xwing ships

Because there are no "named ships", only titles, armada uses upgrade cards to give variety in that department

The pelta is the rebel interdictor. It aint sharing its upgrade slot anytime soon

Think of peltas with different fleet command upgrades as unique pilots in xwing, each with their own ability and cost increase over the base model

We don't know much about these new upgrades, just this: "With its forward battery armament of four dice, the Phoenix Home might appear a natural fit for the sort of direct Rebel strategy enabled by the Liberty Expansion Pack from Wave IV. However, the real strength of this vessel lies not in its forward attack dice but in its new Fleet Command upgrade icon. You can only equip one of these upgrades to your Phoenix Home, and all three of the Fleet Command upgrades that come in this pack are unique. Nonetheless, for a handful of fleet points, each of them allows you to spend command tokens to power advantages across every ship or squadron in your fleet!"

Phoenix Home is a natural fit for Fleet Commands, being the heart of the early Rebel fleet. However, I think we can all agree that it doesn't make sense to stop there. Home One commanded even more ships than that. The Devastator commanded ships (and the Executor commanded even more). Think we will see an upgrade to add a Fleet Command upgrade slot to a ship that doesn't already have one?

This is just spitballing, except that I'd like to ask people who have been around for several waves of the X-Wing game. When something new like this comes around, does FFG retcon it onto older pieces?

They sometimes do, but only as part of a new expansion that includes ships that are substantially similar the previous ship, or a new variant of the same ship.

An example in X-Wing would be the new Rebel Heroes pack that includes a new Millenium Falcon title and an upgrade that gives it an illicit slot. another would be the Imperial Aces pack, which includes a new title for TIE Interceptors that is crucial to the success of Soontir Fel in the X-Wing meta.

In Armada, the closest thing we have so far is the new Squadron options in the Corellian Conflict campaign.

In Armada, you'd ned a new product that has a ship that is substantially similar to an existing ship. For example, we see that there is a new Mon Calamari ship in Rogue One thanks to the new trailer. If that ship is listed as an "MC80 Assault Frigate" you could potentially see a new upgrade for "MC80 ships only" that gives existing ships a new slot or ability. If Imperials got a new ship called a "Victory picket cruiser" you could potentially see a new upgrade for "Victory ships only" that would give a new ability to the VSD.

Edited by thecactusman17

I am in Full Party Pooper mode today.

I apologise.

Likely cause you are covered in poo/snot/other child like secretions...

Ard will soon understand this as well I'm sure.

PROJECTILE.

POOP.

Who knew that was even a thing??

Sorry in advance!

40 or so years ago I went to work with my dad,he was an electrician and had to wire some farm buildings.

To my 8-10 year old amusement I saw a cow poo and cough at the same time.

Now this shotgun (being careful not to typo there) was funny enough, funnier still,but not to him, was the fact a farmland was stood behind the cow!