Long-time X-Wing player here (started around wave 2) and today I have finally made the jump to Armada.

Reading through the rule book I feel like a complete noob again but God it looks fun.

My son is really the one who wanted this so he finally convinced me. Both of us are heavy into X-Wing, me being more into the competitive scene. Any tips for a new guy? Thanks in advance.

Have fun!

Take the rules a bit at a time, they're very dense.

And especially don't make any assumptions about how this game works vs X-Wing. MANY things are different. Multiple rerolls, almost never dealing more than one crit at a time, what/when premeasuring is allowed, etc. It's a big list of differences - make no assumptions!

Until you are completely familiar (read more games than fingers) I would recommend playing slowly with the rulebook open. It drags the two hour game into the three, pushing four range, but it will help greatly when you do accelerate later.

Ramp up slowly. Play the learning scenario, then play a couple at a lower points total like 300 before hitting 400.

When in doubt, navigate commands.

Most severe fighting generally occurs rounds 3-5, which is helpful to know as a beginner trying to set commands several turns in advance.

Have fun! Welcome to Armada!

Learn To play scenario first. Really would help in understanding the basic flow of the game.

There is also a very nice attack-step write up in the Rules Questions sub-forum that can help you out once you play heavier games and get lost in the timing order. And other stuff for when the rules reference fails you.

Play more games! Like X-wing, experience is the fastest teacher. Unlike X-wing, the playstyle of the game is different(i.e. shoot before move), so approach it as a new game!

Watch batreps on youtube too!

Welcome to star wars at the commander's level!

Welcome to Armada! Hope you enjoy the game a lot

When in doubt, as a beginner:

Navigate/Navigate/Navigate/Repair/Repair/Repair

If you want to have a more reactive fleet and don't mind paying, take Grand Moff Tarkin as an admiral, do the above, and then put a weapons liaison on every ship. You have to pay through the nose for that level of command adaptability, but it will really help you learn the process of how to use commands as an imperial player that relies on larger ships.

If you enjoy being a troll, buy an interdictor.

8 minutes ago, D503 said:

When in doubt, as a beginner:

Navigate/Navigate/Navigate/Repair/Repair/Repair

If you want to have a more reactive fleet and don't mind paying, take Grand Moff Tarkin as an admiral, do the above, and then put a weapons liaison on every ship. You have to pay through the nose for that level of command adaptability, but it will really help you learn the process of how to use commands as an imperial player that relies on larger ships.

If you enjoy being a troll, buy two Interdictors and find your own mimic of Drasnighta's Nose-Punch list.

Fixed that for you.

But as far as expansions go, see what you like about the Core Set and whatever you've grabbed to start, and expand in interesting directions from there. There are certain currently popular archetypes (which Wave 6 looks set to overturn wholesale), but there is rarely a moderately balanced fleet that a practiced admiral cannot do well with.

Don't underestimate the danger posed by squadrons. Back when we only had one core set, I almost lost to a CR90 with my Victory II because he had three or four X-Wings constantly bombing me. Learning when to use squadron commands to close in and start the fighter engagement on your terms is very helpful, and for a new player I suggest using Major Rhymer if you want to use TIE Bombers. That range increase is amazing.

There are a lot of potentially complex card synergies, plus a huge number of unique squadron powers that can bolster and counter each other.

I'd echo the suggestion to start small, playing the learning scenario several times and then up to a 300 point game.

Most importantly keep upgrades and unique to a minimum and then feed more in as you get comfortable with them. There are plenty of devastating combos but no upgrade suite is auto game winning. Whatever you take, you need to be able to fly it and not get bogged down with analysis paralysis trying to make your tricks work.

Being able to fly your fleet well is the biggest part of the game and it's best to focus on that first, then see what you like the look of from the expansions.

All solid advice, thanks. We got the core, ISD, Home one, rebel/imperial squadrons 1, and rogues and villains.

I have played a ton of X-Wing games so I know I'm gonna have tendencies that drift towards that so I'll read over that timing chart.

Welcome! My son and I are in a similar boat. We are both now into Armada, and are thinking of dabbling with XWing for times when we need a shorter game.

i recommend playing several games with no upgrades. Just use the ships and a commander. Learn the nav tool and the commands.

Update!

Played quite a few games so far, including a few intro. We finally finished a real 400 point game today.

The slugfest between the ISD and Victory VS the Home One(Actually Defiance title) was very cool. Ackbar launching barrages at both Imperial ships was insane. But alas, after taking out the Victory the cruiser was too damaged and got killed.

The squadron stuff is pretty straight forward with the exception of a few named pilots.

Overall, very cool, very thematic but games did last. Coming from X-Wing where a match can be over in less then an hour this goes for a bit. But I have to say, it's incredibly fun. Glad I finally made the jump, now to get more ships!

Don't hesitate to buy whatever you want, Armada is a game where no matter what fleet can shine if you know how you wanr to fly it, there is no ship that is a must, and no ship that is not worth taking

I too came to Armada from X-Wing (TIE swarm player since wave one! ), though to be honest if they'd released them both at the same time I would have chosen Armada as I've always liked fleet engagements rather than small skirmishes. As the others have said, take it slow and be prepared to 'unlearn all you have learned'!

Oh, and welcome!

Also, in my opinion....start with more ships with few upgrades instead of a couple of heavily upgraded ones. The most complicated parts of this game are just like the complications in X-Wing. I.E. how the upgrades change the game and interact with each other.

It seems weak to only put one or two upgrades on a given ship, but it is still great fun.

1 minute ago, AegisGrimm said:

It seems weak to only put one or two upgrades on a given ship, but it is still great fun.

My current list consists entirely of ships with no more than three upgrades!

Quite a bit of time I go with one or two plus a title.

Read the rules, i been playing since launch. And somehow my group got the obstacles rule on asteriods wrong, we where doing one face down dmg card for about 6 months, when someone thought they double check it, it should be a face up dmg card when you land on a asteriod.

2 hours ago, HoundsTooth said:

I too came to Armada from X-Wing (TIE swarm player since wave one! ), though to be honest if they'd released them both at the same time I would have chosen Armada as I've always liked fleet engagements rather than small skirmishes. As the others have said, take it slow and be prepared to 'unlearn all you have learned'!

Oh, and welcome!

I agree completely. The big ships are just so **** cool. But as a competitive X-Wing player I gotta keep my skills up.

36 minutes ago, mobow213 said:

Read the rules, i been playing since launch. And somehow my group got the obstacles rule on asteriods wrong, we where doing one face down dmg card for about 6 months, when someone thought they double check it, it should be a face up dmg card when you land on a asteriod.

Yeah, I have both books beside me as we play and I've read both a few times now. I have learned after playing a few FFG games, lol.

And of course, went to the store picked up more dice, the pelta and raider. **** you plastic crack!!!

40 minutes ago, migs6000 said:

I agree completely. The big ships are just so **** cool. But as a competitive X-Wing player I gotta keep my skills up.

Yeah, I have both books beside me as we play and I've read both a few times now. I have learned after playing a few FFG games, lol.

And of course, went to the store picked up more dice, the pelta and raider. **** you plastic crack!!!

Should get the imperial light cruiser.

Do yourself a big favor and get the rules summaries off this site:

http://www.orderofgamers.com/games/star-wars-armada/

Universal Head makes really cool and useful rules summaries. I still use the book, but these are what I am teaching myself and my regular game partner to play with.

1 hour ago, migs6000 said:

I agree completely. The big ships are just so **** cool. But as a competitive X-Wing player I gotta keep my skills up.

Yeah, I have both books beside me as we play and I've read both a few times now. I have learned after playing a few FFG games, lol.

And of course, went to the store picked up more dice, the pelta and raider. **** you plastic crack!!!

I can feel the hatred rising in you now-give in to your prack addiction!