There’s been a lot of talk lately about power creep in the X-wing game. After all, there’s a limit with what you can do with a few basic mechanics before you end up having to do “more” in order to introduce more interesting game play.

I think there’s still room for some lateral development in the game via new but complementary mechanics. Sure, there’s still the risk of power creep, but these provide more avenues for development and creativity which might hold down the tendency toward creep if used carefully.

Some suggestions include:

1. Additional maneuver options . There are four maneuver options for each maneuver template, without getting into reverse maneuvers: placing the ship with the rear nubs around the template (standard forward maneuver), placing the ship rotated 180 degrees (K-turn and S-Loop), rotating the ship 90 degrees in the direction of a turn (T-roll), and rotating the ship in the opposite 90 degree direction (not currently used). This opens up new maneuvers that could be on new ships’ dials, added via modification or title card, or via pilot ability. Examples listed below, pick names/flavors to taste:

a. Rudder kick. After executing a straight maneuver, rotate the ship 90 degrees to the left or right.
b. Antilles slide. After executing a bank maneuver, rotate the ship 90 degrees opposite the direction of turn.
c. Tanaab slip. After executing a turn maneuver, rotate the ship 90 degrees opposite the direction of turn.
d. Fel flick. After executing a turn maneuver, rotate the ship 180 degrees.
e. Solo turn. After executing a bank maneuver, rotate the ship 90 degrees in the direction of turn.

2. Squadron titles . These have been discussed several times on the boards here: title cards that allow ships to perform as members of a squadron that provide some common benefit. The IG2000 title and Attanni Mindlink are examples already in the rules, another good example proposed is the Rogue Squadron title set:

Rogue Leader (2 point Squadron Title, PS 6 or greater only, X-Wing only): Each Rogue Squadron Pilot in range 1-3 gains your pilot ability.

Rogue Squadron Pilot (1 point Squadron Title, PS 4 or lower only, X-Wing only): When defending, when in range 1-2 of another Rogue Squadron Pilot or Rogue Leader, roll one additional defense die.

3. Tactics cards . This idea provides for Tactics cards whose point cost and function apply to the entire squad, rather than an individual ship – essentially an upgrade “pooled” to the squad which can be used by any or all ships, and whose point cost applies to the entire squad. Examples might be:

“Break! Break!” (1 point Tactics): At the start of the Combat phase, 1 friendly ship may perform a free barrel roll action. Then discard this card.

“Get Set Up for Your Attack Run” (3 point Tactics): At the start of the combat phase, each friendly ship may perform a free Boost or Barrel Roll action. Then discard this card.

“Dodonna Feint” (1 point Tactics): When a ship in your squad performs a red maneuver, you may assign the stress from that maneuver to another ship in your squad. Then discard this card.

4. Changed dice probability . This is an idea taken from Armada and Imperial Assault – provide dice with different mixes of attack or defense results to change probabilities. A new die could be included with a new ship expansion that includes pilot abilities or upgrade cards that use the new die (so if you have the new ability, you have the requisite die, and vice versa). Examples might include:

Example Black Attack Die: 1 x Double Hit, 2 x Crit, 1 x Hit, 4 x Blank.

Example Upgrade. “Enhanced Targeting Computer” (1 point Modification): When attacking, replace one red attack die in your attack roll with a black attack die.

Example Yellow Defense Die: 1 x Evade, 6 x Focus, 1 x Blank

Example Upgrade. “Slippery Target” (1 Point EPT): When defending, replace one green defense die with a yellow defense die.

Example Blue Attack/Defense Die: 4 x Focus, 4 x Blank

Example Upgrade. “One with the Force” (3 point EPT). Once per round, when attacking or defending, you may add a Blue die to your dice roll.

The specific examples above are probably not perfectly balanced, but they do provide some different directions for the game to evolve.

This might get really complicated then.... and interactions with other skills, crew members, titles are hardly predictable.

Not a big fan of adding another die, but I do love how you implemented an X-Wing title. It also very elegantly tiptoes around Biggs, which has always been one of the biggest concerns for any future X-Wing titles.

I don't think the Rogue Squadron Pilot should get an additional green die if they're already getting pilot abilities.

Some interesting thoughts, but I deplore the idea of squadron titles. Let's leave list building as open as possible. Squad titles just close minds and force players into a box which points them to fly specific lists. For example- what happens when I want to fly X-wings with something other than X-wings? Well, I have to wait until another squadron title comes out, crossing my fingers it gives it an equally strong buff with the exact ships I was hoping to fly with it... Ya, I'd prefer to just be able to fly whatever I wanted.

I don't think we will ever see the additional dice mechanic placed in this game unless they did a full overhaul. That would just be too much of a jump from the basic concept of the game in its current form imo. And, with their expansion packs as tight as you can get already, I don't think they would want to make any changes to fit a dice in there. Maybe for the epic ships though.

I personally like the idea of another universal upgrade slot called pilot title or something along the lines. An example of an upgrade that would go in this slot-

Top of Class, pilot title, 0 pts, unique

You gain the elite pilot talent icon. You cannot equip this card if you have an elite pilot talent icon or if your pilot skill is 4 or higher.

So, along with giving flavor to the ships with ship titles, we can have a little flavor behind the pilots, even generics, with pilot titles.

Some very nice ideas, even if I, honestly, would prefer if FFG never escalated the number of new movements and mechanics. I specially hate the action economy and stack trends. It's like the game became so complex that the true spirit (flying well) got lost.

1. Yeah I don't think many of these are actual expanded mechanics. Well 1 and 2, FFG is already doing #1 first with the stop maneuver, then with new reversals like S-loops and T-rolls. Last the reversal maneuver is the latest in maneuver expansion. There are plenty of other maneuver options but again the dials are made to abstract constant motion and momentum of what is essentially a flight sim. Get too many maneuvers and the sense of inertia in momentum will be gone.
2. Titles is not a new mechanic. Well it was new in Wave 2 but that was a long time ago. Now squadron synergistic titles such as IG-2000 could use some more exploration but again that will require players to buy multiple copies of ships. Most players will buy only 1 of something unless it is their primary faction then they won't buy outside unless they really need some upgrade card from that expansion, (such as Imperial player buying a Star Viper).
3. I think this is more of a campaign set up then an actual competitive format set up. Say what you want about standard elimination but in being completely simple it avoids long drawn out games and random chance favoring certain builds. For Armada they needed a 6 turn limit with their objectives.
4. I don't think we need any more dice than we need any more tokens. Sure the probability for all dice is already worked out. Instead there could be more playing around with dice like discarding one focus result to force your opponent to discard a focus or evade token ept. The fact that dice modification and result modification has been separated does open up the design space.

But while we are talking about new mechanics being added let me put my input on what FFG has done and if it is good or not.

• Token creep, not just the ease in getting evades and double focus or focus+ evades. But now all the different types of tokens being added. From Munition tokens from Extra Munitions, to tractor beam tokens, even condition tokens to help you keep track of where your condition cards are. IMHO this is adding more clutter than necessary and not really changing the meta and opening the design space.
• Upgrade card changes. At first the mechanic was simple, equip upgrade card to pilot with matching symbol, add points up to your total squadron value. Then came universal slots (titles and modification), additional slot types (system, illicit, tech) double slot (Palp) as well. Those are pretty standard evolution but again the design space will start to crowd up as some slots tend to overlap (i.e. tech and system). So three new card mechanics were added (4 with the C-roc).
  • First the Dual Card, a card mechanic that I applaud. This is a great design option for so many reasons. The design flexibility simply on how it can be used, but essentially since both sides do two separate things it can be used in a couple of different ways. First is select side per game, so like adaptability which is do you want to raise or lower your pilot skill. You make the choice at the start, per game the dual mechanic makes no difference but in a tournament setting it has an advantage of VI as you can chose your pilot skill each game where VI will lock it at 2 above your basic skill. Second is activated flip where you can flip card in game. As of now both cards that flip have the opportunity to flip back to the original side. FFG could make a dual card that will flip one way but not the other .The difference between a single flip dual card and a discard is that the flipped side will still have an effect.
  • Next was the condition cards. A card which in turn has a second card in addition that you can apply to another ship via token. I am not a fan of this set up at all. For one it adds more clutter to an already cluttered play space. Unlike dual cards which gives you 2 upgrades in 1 card this gives you 2 cards and a token in a single upgrade/pilot card. Sure as of now you cannot equip more than one condition card but still as more conditions come this lack of density that condition cards have will not look pretty on the table.
  • Last was not really specified but a combination card and as of now it was only used once, The Mist Hunter title. Giving a requirement that you must also equipped another upgrade card with the equipped card it gives FFG an option to work around the slot system so as to not make a new ship broken. But like the conditions card it doesn't have much mechanical density thus making a single upgrade requiring two different upgrade cards.
• Turn Zero Creep. So with Turn 0 there was a lost of emphasis on obstacle placement with the same 6 asteroid tokens. Wave 5 brought in new obstacle tokens but they won't be added in till Wave 8 and the TFA core set. However it doesn't stop there. Pilot skill modification has always been a thing but now with upgrades that lets you chose your pilot skill at the start of the game or upgrades that modifies your pilot skill only for turn 0 deployment has taken a new dimension. Furthermore is the ability to deploy out of deployment zone with through extension (Major Striden) or out right free deployment (HotR Han Solo) Turn 0 has gone through some drastic changes.
• Pen and Ink Erratas. At first these were only used to clear up some confusing language at print or fix an exploit to get the card to function as it was intended to. But recently Pen & Ink changes have been made to cards solely to balance the power of the card in the meta. While this might kick down the door to further changes (and making it difficult to keep track of all these changes) there should still be limitations on this. Such as changing attribute values such as firepower or point cost. Even upgrade types should be kept out (even though B-wing E2 would make a nicer title instead of a mod). But this is the biggest mechanical creep in the game changing the words on cards already printed without physically changing the cards.

While I don't agree with all of your propositions, I love the general idea behind all of them. I think the game is at a point where new, more complex features could be introduced. Especially the different dice and maneuver options are things I'd love to see introduced in one way or the other.

Good thread! I like playing X Wing with open minds and trying new variants. I am quite reluctant to try new dices but your ideas are cool. We play a lot with squadron upgrades and it works fine...between 300 and 600 pts.

IMHO this game will not upgrade to a more "realistic" game. We will see more card combos and some day a 2.0 even more simple. But your game and your rules. Carry on!

Some suggestions:

Torpedos and missles. Torpedos are easier to dodge but hit hard. Missles have high accuracy but lower damage.

Unique pilots should have a slightly different dial than standard. Ie: Han should have more green maneuvers or a free evade but lower accuracy than Chewie flying. (Many other examples as well. Wedge vs Rookie, Vader vs everyone else)

Large ships should not be more maneuverable than a small fighter.

Accuracy. TIE fighters should have higher accuracy and lower damage and X wings should have lower accuracy but higher damage. (As example)

Separating accuracy and damage is a good idea for the game (perhaps via different dice) but I admit the game is probably too far along to make this shift.

I do wish secondary weapons had been handled less generically. Bombs (no action, explode after dropping) and Mines (action to drop, explode when hit) hare nicely differentiated. Torpedoes, Missiles, Cannons, and Turrets need greater differentiation.

For example, Cannons and Turrets should have standard range bonus/penalties (or perhaps just the penalties) since they have to be manually aimed where Torps and Missiles have guidance systems. Torps should perhaps go through shields, or otherwise have a mechanic that makes them better against larger ships, where Missiles should reduce an evade die or have a mechanic that makes them better against more maneuverable fighters.

Ah, well, design paths not taken ...

It's bad enough we have flapping ships, the last thing we need are expanding ships too! X-wings with nose cones out to next week, Falcons the size of actual pancakes, no, this is where I draw the line! Small base ships should stay small!

oh, wait. Nvm.

I would like to see missiles that roll 5 dice but cancel results on a hit and deal out 3 damage, or torps that throw 3 dice but ad a crit result to it. Differentiation. Also a scum pilot that can fire while cloaked. And GUNBOAT.

I agree with the sentiment that flying has been reduced in importance due to combinations such as Paratanni, but it's exactly stuff like the Segnor's Loop and the Tallon Roll that to me enhance this aspect, not further decrease it. I love flying T70 exactly for the reason I'm actually flying them, not just evading obstacles while the turrets blast away. So thumbs up for these proposals. While I like the idea of the Rogue Squadron in general, that would create an awful mess of interlocking pilot abilities. Game's incredibly complex already. Same goes for additional dice, which would need to be retconned to make any sense.

20 hours ago, Schu81 said:

This might get really complicated then.... and interactions with other skills, crew members, titles are hardly predictable.

Ever play Jenga? You make an educated guess. Then you just have to pull out the block and see what happens.

The biggest thing I support is playing Xwing with Imperial Assault Dice

I think that would be amazing since we would have a huge amount of potential for different ship attacks and pilot abilities.