Imperial Assault Custom Cards

By C3POFETT, in Imperial Assault Painting and Modification

Imperial Pilot:

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First of all, let me compliment you on these cards. I think that your art selection was really excellent. I have some thoughts on individual units and their balance, but I was wondering if you could answer some questions about the method you used to make them. I know there are a couple Photoshop templates floating around and I was wondering if you used one to make some of these. Some of them seem to have text spliced in over top so maybe you did it a different way. In terms of actually making the physical cards, you mentioned a method you used. Could you elaborate a bit on that and talk about what materials you used and how you put them together?

Edited by DJH932
On 5/13/2017 at 11:23 AM, DJH932 said:

In terms of actually making the physical cards, you mentioned a method you used. Could you elaborate a bit on that and talk about what materials you used and how you put them together?

First off these are strictly for personal use during skirmish games and to supplement characters from the Original Trilogy that my fiance, myself and people we play with would have liked in the game. (I don't have a fancy computer and we really do this for our own personal enjoyment.) I actually use pre-existing cards opened up in Microsoft Paint and Crop/Cut and Paste to create them. These cards are designed to either counter another card or to give already established attributes and skills to a character we would much rather use. This is done very " Old School " so if you were hoping for a quick and easy method, I don't have one. Sorry.

First off we decide which characters we wanted in and if there was a good enough WotC miniature figure to use. We didn't want anything that looked like it wasn't close to the same detail and standards as the figures already in this game. CoolStuffInc. has a complete listing so if you've got the time you can go through the listings. If they are out of stock there is always eBay. (Yoda of Dagobah #45 was our choice for this game because every other Yoda just didn't look right.)

Finding the artwork for the cards is generally the hardest part. As opposed to just finding any photo or picture, I choose one that has to fit in with the amazing artwork chosen for this game. (There are several characters we haven't added that we wanted to simply because we cant find a good enough picture or figure to tie in) It also has to be large enough to scale down to the exact size of the card I am using for my "Template". If it is not the correct size then using Microsoft Paint I will actually add/draw in more background or detail to actually make the card fit. (as an example the Shadowtrooper, Lobot, 4-LOM, BibFortuna, Wedge and Imperial Pilot cards needed to be made wider so that the scale of the character would fit on the card)

I copy and paste the parts of the card off to the side as I work on the card so that the size of the card isn't lost. I always copy and paste attribute/skill part of the card (everything below the picture) as this part can be made taller or shorter on the card as needed. The bottom portion of the deployment number that overlaps the character picture and number of units tied to card is copy and pasted out to be added back in later. (one unit for main heroes/characters two or three for squads/troopers) The top right corner that will have either the Rebel, Imperial, or Mercenary insignia and what type of unit they are (Trooper or Spy or Hunter or Leader or Force User) is copied and pasted off to the side.

Once everything on the card is copied and pasted I work on the character picture on its own page opened up in Microsoft Paint. Once the dimensions are correct it is copied and the card page is opened back up and I overlay the picture on the card. I then begin to copy and paste all the parts of the card, lining them up perfectly back onto the card over the new picture. Remnants of the old picture will be on the card so matching the colors on the new character picture I must draw them back in so that it gives the appearance of being a complete card. (the globe on Admiral Ackbar's card was a tough one!)

The card is created at larger size (AT ABOUT 300 x 465 PIXELS) and then scaled down at printing to fit in with the actual game cards. (SCALING IS USUALLY 70%)

Adding any skills, abilities or attributes can be copied or pasted if you like. I mostly use this method as FFG has determined acceptable abilities for characters and these cards are sometimes substitutions for characters we would like to use instead of others. (Grand Moff Tarkin as opposed to Jabba on a Space Station)(4-Lom as opposed to an HK Assassin Droid)(RA-7 Droid as an Imperial version of C-3PO).

If we choose to Add in our own skills, abilities and attributes then I must use the font "Agency FB" in bold for the Character Name and Skill or Ability Name. I also need to use the font "Bookman Antiqua" for the text explaining the skill, ability or attribute.

I use a scanned copy of the back of each type of card and scale it to the exact size of the card created. I copy and paste it to go right beside the finished Character Card. Once this is done we are ready to begin printing.

I use card stock for printing our cards. This can be found at Micheal's Arts and Crafts for about $2.00 to $3.00 for a pack of 50 sheets. It is roughly the thickness or density of an index card. (I can fit 4 cards on one sheet.) After printing the cards all I have to do is cut them out, keeping the front and back of the card together as one piece. Fold the card over like a greeting card lining up the outside corners and creasing the other side. Using a glue stick completely cover the un-printed side of the back of the card and press the two sides together. I then put it between two heavy hard cover books, rubber band the books together and let the card dry. After a couple of hours I have my new character card, ready for play. It looks and feels like it belongs in the game.

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Thanks so much for the detailed response. It seems like everyone making custom content goes about it in a different way. I am really impressed by how well your cards fit in with the art style of the official game. I've done most of my own custom content using Photoshop but a ton of this information will come in really handy (and I might try out the Microsoft Paint method as well). Using the miniatures form the WotC game is definitely a good call. Is there anywhere in particular that you've had good luck finding character art or is it from all over?

17 hours ago, DJH932 said:

Is there anywhere in particular that you've had good luck finding character art or is it from all over?

Honestly it is from all over. Using a few different search engines and then saving all the pictures that look like they might tie in to FFG chosen artwork and then to see if it can be cropped to fit. As an example I really am not happy with the Nien Nunb card but that was the best picture I could find that wasn't either a still from Return of the Jedi or a picture of his Sideshow Collectible. Lobot was tough also. Alot of his background was added in to make that picture work.

If there is a character from any of the films you are interested in seeing in card form let me know I wouldn't mind helping. I always have several in the works.

As always if there is a card I have made that you would like to use, just click on it, save the image. You can use the method listed above to change the skills abilities and attributes to your liking. Open it up with Microsoft Paint and using "Print Preview" before printing scale it down to 70%.

I have also created a series of droid companion cards (R5-D4, Gonk Droid, R2-H3 and TC-14) as well as a "Han Solo in Carbonite" card which is truly used to adjust the speed of the figure who is moving Han in Carbonite from point A to point B. It also lists a health attribute so it must be protected as well.

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On the TC-14 card some of the background on the right side and the top of his head had to drawn in to give it a finished look. All text on both cards is custom typed text. The gray line separating skills for the droid was added as well to fit with other droid companion cards.

On 2017. 04. 20. at 4:13 PM, C3POFETT said:

Republic Commando Squad: The "[?] [?]" for the attack is to allow you to customize each of the 4 figures attacks. This might seem overpowering but at a cost of 20 deployment points it balances out.

Awsome idea! But if you let me suggest one thing:

If you use 1 deployment card (even it contain 4 units) it count as 1 activation.

with half of your army size it is a disadvantege you should consider.

Maybe create diferent cards for Boss Fixer Sev and Scorch for 5-5 points can solve this?

Edited by Ace_of_Spades
6 hours ago, Ace_of_Spades said:

If you use 1 deployment card (even it contain 4 units) it count as 1 activation.

with half of your army size it is a disadvantege you should consider.

Maybe create diferent cards for Boss Fixer Sev and Scorch for 5-5 points can solve this?

Yes I was actually working on a separate card for each member of the squad. Doing extensive research to make their skills personal to each character. (Books and replaying the game.)

I am considering a higher deployment cost as individual cards, as well as lowering their health as individual cards, and assigning attack dice. The thought would be that they are stronger and more efficient as a team, than on their own as individuals. (I felt in some cases they would be too powerful at 5 deployment points each.)

But as far as a disadvantage, I honestly thought I was making this squad too powerful. You can choose your dice for each attack. You can re-roll both dice. You can have multiple attacks each activation. And you get 4 of them at 20 deployment points with 8 health and 5 speed each.

If you look at some of the cards in the game you are getting Dengar, Leia, or Lando stats at a cost of 5 deployment points each as opposed to 7 or 8 deployment points as those cards cost.

Adding Wing Guards, Tusken Raiders, Weequay Pirates, Snowtroopers , Stormtroopers, Jet Troopers, (Temporary Alliance) etc... there are many possibilities that can put 13 characters on the board. Even using the game created heroes along with this card you can still create a decent sized assault.

(Honestly I created a second version of this card to 25/6 deployment points.)

2 hours ago, C3POFETT said:

Yes I was actually working on a separate card for each member of the squad. Doing extensive research to make their skills personal to each character. (Books and replaying the game.)

I am considering a higher deployment cost as individual cards, as well as lowering their health as individual cards, and assigning attack dice. The thought would be that they are stronger and more efficient as a team, than on their own as individuals. (I felt in some cases they would be too powerful at 5 deployment points each.)

I will test it i promise :)

just found an overpowered idea for this:

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Edited by Ace_of_Spades
21 hours ago, Ace_of_Spades said:

I will test it i promise :)

just found an overpowered idea for this:

New-orders-1-.png

Oh No!!! This will surely over power this card! Could you imagine 4 more attacks in a round with that card? OUCH :o .

Have you printed the card to try it out? If so have you tried any others?

I am in the process of painting all of my miniatures. I have two of each box set (Core and Expansions so far) I have painted over 175 miniatures so far. I have put playing on hiatus while I am painting.

I am also building 3 Dimensional maps to use for Multiplayer Skirmish games. (Actual walls, Sliding doors, 3D crates and Terminals) These are built using foam core with custom made decals printed on label sheets and doors printed on card stock.

I have already made a small Bespin Map shown below.

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I know it looks like playing with toys but it is much easier to introduce and teach the game this way.

A Death Star map is in the works that will be multi-leveled with elevators. (Mostly catwalks so you can maneuver lower levels) (Adding 2 to Range to shoot to lower levels and Adding 3 to Range to shoot to higher levels) I am working on an Endor type Bunker map and a Tattooine Docking Bay. A lot of inspiration comes from EA's Star Wars Battlefront.

I'll print it and will try it. :)

On 4/20/2017 at 6:30 AM, C3POFETT said:

Boushh:

Umm...how can Boushh use Coordinated Raid when his group only contains one figure?

2 hours ago, arnoldrew said:

Umm...how can Boushh use Coordinated Raid when his group only contains one figure?

Could be Companions, but technically they would need to be specified to activate as-if part of the group (like Junk Droid) and not just generically "before or after".

Edited by a1bert

All pictures replaced. Didn't realize they had been removed. Thanks for viewing.

9 minutes ago, C3POFETT said:

All pictures replaced. Didn't realize they had been removed. Thanks for viewing.

Photobucket? I had the same issue!

On 2017年7月19日 at 8:51 AM, 54NCH32 said:

Photobucket? I had the same issue!

Yes I decided to move to another site. More cards in the works. Mostly companion droid cards to supplement the Jawa and to let each player in a skirmish match have a companion droid.

Using Wizards of the Coast miniatures to supplement new cards. Actually painted an R2-D2 and C-3PO as companion droids. Using an R4, an R5, a Gonk droid, a Treadwell droid and a custom painted MHD-19 as a Medical droid all with canon droid names and custom cards. All cards have the exact same statistics it just gives a variety of choices and puts a physical miniature on the board.

Mon Calamari Troopers:

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Rebel Pilots:

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Commandos! How cool is that?

Are Death Troopers in the game yet? If not, have you got an idea how to? (Sorry, I'm not completely up to date on that front)

On 9/27/2017 at 7:22 AM, DampfGecko said:

Commandos! How cool is that?

Are Death Troopers in the game yet? If not, have you got an idea how to? (Sorry, I'm not completely up to date on that front)

I would love to add Scarif to this game. I am going back and giving 3 Stormtroopers a Scarif Trooper repaint but the helmets wont match. Unfortunately I cant find miniatures for those troops that fit in the scale of the game.

On 4/12/2017 at 6:58 AM, C3POFETT said:

Tessek - Quarren Mercenary

ayyy

15 hours ago, QuarrenKing said:

ayyy

Just recently picked up a WotC miniature. Not the easiest character to find compatible artwork. But the card is in the works.

What method/program/website do you use to post more cards than allowed by the limit?

1 hour ago, NagyLaci said:

What method/program/website do you use to post more cards than allowed by the limit?

Any image hosting site will do, I've been using imgbb.com since photobucket held everyone to ransom. Not a huge amount of space, but its free and more than enough if you compress your images

Deployment_Card_Mercenaries_Savage_Opres Deployment_Card_Mercenaries_IG_88_Assasi
K_pkiv_g_s_2.png Deployment_Card_Mercenaries_Reek_Elite_c

Edited by NagyLaci
On 2018年4月6日 at 11:25 AM, NagyLaci said:

Deployment_Card_Mercenaries_Savage_Opres Deployment_Card_Mercenaries_IG_88_Assasi
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Awesome work. I can see a Darth Maul repainted as Savage and WotC miniatures standing in for the others.