Include them in an Imperial version of the Old Republic V-Wing.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Alpha-3_Nimbus-class_V-wing_starfighter

Or, just include a card that allows an astromech icon to be added to your upgrade bar and add some neat:

Include them in an Imperial version of the Eta-2, ARC170 or Alpha-3.

Make them Imperial-only crew cards (Similar to Chopper crew and R2-D2 crew). We almost never see Imperial fighters with specialized astromech slots; all the Imperial astromechs we do see instead simply ride the ship like a human does.

Or, just include a card that allows an astromech icon to be added to your upgrade bar

That would require errata to make R2-D2 "rebel only"

these days it is conceivable that they might do that, but still kinda unlikely. FFG really doesn't like to issue actual errata.

I'm sure it would be officially the "Imperial Astromech" slot (if so implemented) to avoid R2D2 shenanigans. Personally, the crew option seems better to me.

Or, just include a card that allows an astromech icon to be added to your upgrade bar

That would require errata to make R2-D2 "rebel only"

these days it is conceivable that they might do that, but still kinda unlikely. FFG really doesn't like to issue actual errata.

Or, just like the scum, you make a unique Astromech icon.

This leads to a follow up question, is there anything that we know that actually uses an astromech slot? There's the V-wing, and possibly even the ARC, but those predate the Empire (yes it also predates the Rebellion, but the ARC showed up anyway).

But I would say crew cards would be the way to go.

If they do it as crew we could see mouse droids

Well, it is worth noting that Imperial Assault just announced BT-1 (and his counterpart 0.0.0) from the Vader comics.

This leads to a follow up question, is there anything that we know that actually uses an astromech slot? There's the V-wing, and possibly even the ARC, but those predate the Empire (yes it also predates the Rebellion, but the ARC showed up anyway).

But I would say crew cards would be the way to go.

After the Empire was established they started manufacturing those fighters without astromech slots.

The V-Wing astro is also, like a really special design made specifically for that ship - it could easily just be a title (I'd say "Integrated Astromech", but that's already a thing) or some other mechanic without needing to go into full blown slots - or you could justify it as a reason to do "Imperial Astromech" and produce several of those cards. Given how SLAM only very recently appeared as an option for anything other than the K-Wing (and even then, it's an outside upgrade - only large ships with Illicit slots can take it) we do know FFG isn't averse to keeping options specific to a single ship for quite some time.

I'd err though that major droids like BT-1 will just show up as crew in some relevant expansion with Crew Slots. And considering imperial options, I'm pretty sure just about any large base ship empire gets from here to forever will rate at least 1 crew.

Make them Imperial-only crew cards (Similar to Chopper crew and R2-D2 crew). We almost never see Imperial fighters with specialized astromech slots; all the Imperial astromechs we do see instead simply ride the ship like a human does.

This is the most obvious and easiest way to handle them. In the event that there's a ship release that would give Imps access to astromechs proper, make it add the symbol by way of a title that restricts it to non-unique astromechs (maybe add an exception for Imperial-Only uniques).

Or, just include a card that allows an astromech icon to be added to your upgrade bar

That would require errata to make R2-D2 "rebel only"

these days it is conceivable that they might do that, but still kinda unlikely. FFG really doesn't like to issue actual errata.

It's iot like they just didn't FAQ the Heavy Scyk to give an extra hull. R2-D2 et al being FAQd as Rebel only would be like adding Limited to Tactician. Easy. Super Easy.

Well, it is worth noting that Imperial Assault just announced BT-1 (and his counterpart 0.0.0) from the Vader comics.

It's iot like they just didn't FAQ the Heavy Scyk to give an extra hull. R2-D2 et al being FAQd as Rebel only would be like adding Limited to Tactician. Easy. Super Easy.

Which is why I explicitly said it might be done.

A few years ago they seemed to go out of their way to avoid having to errata cards unless they absolutely had to. Now, they seem to have gotten over that to some extent, so a rebel only errata for artoo is possible.

Well, it is worth noting that Imperial Assault just announced BT-1 (and his counterpart 0.0.0) from the Vader comics.

I was unfamiliar with these droids before this announcement. Seeing that panel, it is uncanny how strongly I can hear Anthony Daniels delivering those lines.

Well, it is worth noting that Imperial Assault just announced BT-1 (and his counterpart 0.0.0) from the Vader comics.

I was unfamiliar with these droids before this announcement. Seeing that panel, it is uncanny how strongly I can hear Anthony Daniels delivering those lines.

I also recommend hearing Creepio (warning: hilarious/creepy droid ahead)

Well, it is worth noting that Imperial Assault just announced BT-1 (and his counterpart 0.0.0) from the Vader comics.

Someone watched auralnauts and said "how do we get Far-too and Creepio into the star wars universe?" and thus the legends were born...

And the reason why that probably won't happen is two-fold. The first is because the V-Wing, ARC-170, and Eta-2 were phased out well before the Rebel Alliance was a thing. In the new canon novel Rogue One: Catalyst, around the same time that Jyn Erso is about 2(who was born before the Clone Wars ended), the last of the Imperial ARC-170s are fighting against the very, very beginnings of what would lead to the Partisans down the road(Because Saw Gerrera was there, and he'd be inspired by the battle to begin forming a guerrilla group that would become the Partisans, not because the people themselves that fought there all became the Partisans). Even then, TIE Fighters were already in service, and the ARC-170s and Venator Star Destroyers, merely 2 years after the end of the Clone Wars, were considered obsolete. Technically speaking, the Galactic Civil War hadn't started yet. The only reason the ARC-170 is in-game for the Rebels is under the pre-text that they are old fighters used by the Rebellion during the GCW. By the beginning of Rogue One, Jyn is 8-10 years old, meaning at least 6 years have passed since then. Considering that Episode IV doesn't occur until 21-23 years after the most recent use of Imperial Clone Wars era ships, there simply isn't justification for their addition to the Imperial faction.

But it's mostly that they would only serve to further cramp well-filled design space. The V-Wing is a fast swarm ship.... so, it's a TIE Fighter, TIE/FO at best. The Eta-2 was a blindingly fast interceptor.... so a TIE Interceptor. This is all in addition that unless every unique astromech is errata'd to say Rebel Only, which leaves, what, 3-4 astromechs, ANOTHER astromech type is needed. Yeah, they COULD Errata all of those cards, but why bother? If the V-Wing and Eta-2 dials were any good, you wouldn't need R2, R5 is worthless, Targeting Astro might see use if either ship has sloops or tallon rolls but for 2 points i doubt it, and what does a cheap, high agility, dice mod stacked interceptor need? R7 Astromech to dodge even more damage. And if they made a brand new astromech type, they'd have to release a bunch all at once to make the upgrade slot feel valid.

It's a big snafu of stuff that probably means it won't happen. The V-Wing and Eta-2 would probably end up in Rebel or Scum hands before Imperial, because those already have the upgrade slots needed to make it work. Probably Rebel, cause Scum is full up on swarm ships and interceptors whereas Rebels are not.

As for crew that happen to be astromechs; yeah that's probably the easiest way that's happening.

It may be Legends now but Darth Vadar flies an Eta-2 sometimes escorted by imperial V-wings in the Vadar comics.

They'd be easy candidates for Astromech slot imperial ships

It may be Legends now but Darth Vadar flies an Eta-2 sometimes escorted by imperial V-wings in the Vadar comics.

They'd be easy candidates for Astromech slot imperial ships

some 20 years before the Galactic Civil War, sure. The Rebellion isnt even a concept when that's happening.

Ok, let's get some things straight.

The end of Ep 3 and beginning of Ep 4 are separated by 19 years. Not 20. Not 23-24. 19 years.

Asaaj Ventress did not survive past the Clone Wars but has been included as a pilot in this game.

And Vader in an Eta-2 is awesome and needs to be in this game. I don't even care if an astromech slot is included or not, but if so then it could be a mod or something. V-Wing can be scum, and ARC can remain with rebels, but Eta-2 needs a home in this game as the tiniest space ship that might have to be rescaled.

As others have said - crew. None of the Imperial ships that I can recall have integrated mechs like the Rebels do.

Ok, let's get some things straight.

The end of Ep 3 and beginning of Ep 4 are separated by 19 years. Not 20. Not 23-24. 19 years.

Asaaj Ventress did not survive past the Clone Wars but has been included as a pilot in this game.

And Vader in an Eta-2 is awesome and needs to be in this game. I don't even care if an astromech slot is included or not, but if so then it could be a mod or something. V-Wing can be scum, and ARC can remain with rebels, but Eta-2 needs a home in this game as the tiniest space ship that might have to be rescaled.

And if you make rebels the rough starting point of this game it's only a 14 year difference. That's half the time span between ROTJ & TFA which has ships and pilots in this game.