OK. I feel that this will come up sooner or later. So I figured I'd start the discussion. 1) I know many people don't care about timeline continuity in IA and I'm totally cool with that perspective; 2) I think FFG has moved away from timeline restrictions so I don't think that any of this will be limited by rules. But here are a few notes based on new Canon (not Legends):

MANY SPOILERS FOR REBLES TV SHOW, MOVIES, COMICS/NOVELS MAY FOLLOW!

1) Maul shows up at the end of Rebels season 2 (though of course he around before this) and dies in season 3. So presumably, HotE takes place somewhere around this time. It could be earlier but since Ashoka is going to interact with him in HotE, and she doesn't seem to know he's alive before Rebels season 2, I'm guessing we're pretty solid in the Rebels Season 2.5 - 3 window.

2) At this time, many of the OT rebel characters are not really in play. So Lando, Han and Chewie are living the smuggler/gambler lives, and Luke and Leia are teens.

3) OB1 is around at this point and living the hermit life beyond the dune sea, but based on the comics and Rebels he's not completely out of action. Plus, the OB1 ally pack is a good representation of his age at this time.

3) Technically, BT1 and 0-0-0 have origin stories in the Darth Vader comic that takes place between A New Hope and Empire. So they aren't technically around at this time (presumably their chips are in some ancient ruin).

4) I don't think we've seen AT-STs in the Rebels era but we have seen AT-ACTs and AT-ATs in Rogue One which takes place very soon after this, so presumably they could be around and in early development.

5) Rogue One will probably take place at the end of, or shortly after, the unreleased Rebels season 4. But I think it's fair to say that most of the Rogue One characters would fit into this timeline. Of course, Jyn Erso might be in prison or living under a pseudonym.

5) Most of the Imps are unaffected since we have Vader, the Emperor and normal-looking stromtroopers in this era. The one issue is the Grand Inquisitor who presumably dies at the end of Rebels season 1.

6) I don't know where all the Mercs are during this period. I think we get introduced to many of them in the later seasons of Clone Wars, so I think it's fair to say that most of them are around and kicking. Of course Greedo is ALIVE!!!

Thoughts on this?

As someone who loved the idea of time periods, this is an important discussion for me. Based on my knowledge, I agree with all of what you have written. However, if you wanted to be really faithful to the source material, Maul and Obi Wan shouldn't feature in the same mission.

That isn't an AT-ST in the box, it's an AT-DP which is in Rebels.

I agree but that logic could probably be applied to a number of campaign situations that might not quite make sense. Really there's no right or wrong answer on how to run the game in this manner. As IP, I'll probably bring in villains that are at least alive and somewhat consistent with the time period and restrict my Rebels to a similar rule. However, I could see bringing in the Inquisitor in HotE because it's pretty close, and when else would you use him in campaign?

3 minutes ago, Union said:

That isn't an AT-ST in the box, it's an AT-DP which is in Rebels.

I wasn't suggesting it was. But there is an AT-ST in the core box. I was just pointing out it might or might not make sense to deploy it in this campaign if you were being quite strict.

I too am a sticker for continuity. But as this is a game, having "what if" scenarios should not be out of the question. I mean, Maul vs Luke or Ashoka vs the Grand Inquisitor...why not?

11 hours ago, Otakuon said:

I too am a sticker for continuity. But as this is a game, having "what if" scenarios should not be out of the question. I mean, Maul vs Luke or Ashoka vs the Grand Inquisitor...why not?

For sure, and that's how a lot of folks will run their games. And certainly skirmish plays with what ifs all the time. But...it's interesting to think about when this expansion takes place and who'd have been around at the time.

That's true too. Especially on Coruscant at this period in time. I could see this as being a great opportunity for FFG to tie in Rogue One related packs, such as Ando Cassian and K-SO or Director Krennic and his Death Troopers.

Personally, when I run this campaign, I will make sure that only character that are time period appropriate will be available. Again, because I AM a stickler for continuity.

I said before, I'm really disappointed that FFG didn't continue with the time periods. I'm all for relaxing the rules and bringing in Obi-Wan to Hoth and such if you want to... But I would still have liked the time periods marked on the cards, if only for consistency with the older cards...

A couple of disagreements, Leia is a teen but she's shown to be active (I think it's Rebels season 2 episode 1). Similarly it's not difficult to construct a situation where Lando (or Han and Chewie for that matter) would end up helping the rebellion for his own interest.

13 hours ago, Norgrath said:

A couple of disagreements, Leia is a teen but she's shown to be active (I think it's Rebels season 2 episode 1). Similarly it's not difficult to construct a situation where Lando (or Han and Chewie for that matter) would end up helping the rebellion for his own interest.

FFG had planned this for the latter two. Both have time period two, while ANH takes place between 2 and 3.

4 hours ago, Felswrath said:

FFG had planned this for the latter two. Both have time period two, while ANH takes place between 2 and 3.

Sorry, what's ANH?

Edit: ah yes, A New Hope

but I don't think FFG has put time periods on side missions for a few waves. I'm not sure when this stopped.

51 minutes ago, VadersMarchKazoo said:

Sorry, what's ANH?

Edit: ah yes, A New Hope

but I don't think FFG has put time periods on side missions for a few waves. I'm not sure when this stopped.

It stopped with the reinforcement wave of Greedo, Obi-Wan and Inquisitor, none had time periods. And then Jabba's Realm was the first main campaign to not feature a time period.

32 minutes ago, neosmagus said:

It stopped with the reinforcement wave of Greedo, Obi-Wan and Inquisitor, none had time periods. And then Jabba's Realm was the first main campaign to not feature a time period.

But even Leia's side mission, which was before that, doesn't have a time period. Although I haven't double checked my hard copy.

Leia's Side mission does not have a time period because she was with the Rebellion for the entire time that the game was intended to take place, just like C-3po and R2. The point at which FFG officially got rid of time periods was with the Bespin Gambit expansion. As a small box, the mini campaign does not have a time period. However, it was the first boxed expansion to feature no time periods on any of the side missions. This is rather disappointing as some of the missions are clearly post-ESB and pre-RotJ (Time periods 5-6). I'm so informed because the time periods were one of my favorite aspects of the game (In fact, my first post here was a thread about them.). Admittedly, when FFG dropped them, I was a little overzealous about the fact. (If any one's interested in the time periods, they are as follows. 1-2; ANH; 3 (core campaign) 4; ESB; 5 (Return to Hoth) -6; RotJ; 7.)

I liked the time periods at the beginning, and do try to make some believable continuity in my campaigns. but these what if scenarios and the heroes shaping their own star wars stories is too much fun.

have you played the board game Star wars: Rebellion? if so do you play that in continuity?

Spoilers for IA, Rebels, and general Star Wars Stuff

I'm looking forward to what could be a conceivably canon duel between Maul and Obi Wan in this game.

That being said, this wave got me thinking about timeline, too. While Ahsoka's fate is only presumed dead in Rebels at this time, Maul is pretty much confirmed dead by the end of Rebels season 3. I mean, I suppose it's possible for nightsister magic to bring him back yet again... but I seriously doubt they'd do that. Kinda cheapens the Plagueis thing, if other magic can bring the dead back consistently.

So, HotE's campaign, if they're sticking with that, has to be before the end of Rebels season 3 (2 BBY). Now there's an argument to be made that Ahsoka hadn't run into Maul between their semi-canon meeting on Mandaolre (roughly 19 BBY) and Maul's appearance in Rebels S2 (3BBY). However, since Maul appears during the same encounter that Ahsoka allegedly dies, we can assume one of two things: Either Maul and Ahsoka encountered each other on Coruscant before Twilight of the Apprentice, or Ahosoka survived her fight with Vader and secretly fought Maul afterward, before his death in Twin Suns. Of course, Imperial Assault is hardly the source for canon Star Wars reveals, so this argument is entirely hinging on the assumption that the game was made to fit canon, which may not necessarily be true, but this would be an interesting way to tease Ahsoka's survival and reappearance in Season 4.

That being said, a few notes on other campaign continuity:

1) Core begins right after the Battle of Yavin (0BBY), but has no set end date- other than the fact that Vader is a possible final boss, so it must end by 4ABY.

2) Return to Hoth begins at the Battle of Hoth (3ABY)- and again, doesn't seem to have a real set end date, though there seems to be a significant time lapse between the Battle of Hoth and the next story mission.

3) Jabba's Realm is a little harder to place. However, we know two things that can help us with that- first, Jabba is still alive during it. Second, Luke is a more competent Jedi (With green saber), at least during part of the campaign. So, we can assume that it takes place anywhere between Luke's encounter on Bespin (3ABY) and Jabba's death (4ABY).

edit: Interesting note- Return to Hoth could potentially go the latest into the time period, as there's nothing that I can see preventing the finale from taking place after the Battle of Endor. And, as seen in the Aftermath trilogy, Dengar lived that long.

Any notes on the smallboxes we should know about? Obviously certain Twin Shadows missions would have to take place between ANH and ESB, as they feature both Han and Boba on Tatooine. TBG is a little harder to read. I haven't played many of the missions yet, especially with the flavor text of the mini-campaign, but from what I remember, there's text that specifically references that Lando is now working with the Rebels (as opposed to him simply working in his position on Cloud City, defending it from early Imperial incursions). So, that would be any time after ESB, really- though I'd even venture that it could be after ROTJ, too.

I guess the biggest issue with post ROTJ stuff is that at some point, our Rebels will want to start being called the Republic, instead.

2 hours ago, subtrendy said:

Spoilers for IA, Rebels, and general Star Wars Stuff

So, HotE's campaign, if they're sticking with that, has to be before the end of Rebels season 3 (2 BBY). Now there's an argument to be made that Ahsoka hadn't run into Maul between their semi-canon meeting on Mandaolre (roughly 19 BBY) and Maul's appearance in Rebels S2 (3BBY). However, since Maul appears during the same encounter that Ahsoka allegedly dies, we can assume one of two things: Either Maul and Ahsoka encountered each other on Coruscant before Twilight of the Apprentice, or Ahosoka survived her fight with Vader and secretly fought Maul afterward, before his death in Twin Suns. Of course, Imperial Assault is hardly the source for canon Star Wars reveals, so this argument is entirely hinging on the assumption that the game was made to fit canon, which may not necessarily be true, but this would be an interesting way to tease Ahsoka's survival and reappearance in Season 4.

I agree with all of this. I don't think it's out of the question that HotE takes place before twilight of the apprentice, since there's no line where Ahsoka says anything concrete about his their last meeting. So it's within the realm of imagination (i.e. IA) to think this could be before that meeting. BUT, I think you are right that Ahsoka will reappear in either Season 4, or in the OB-Wan movie in 2020!!! ( which is pure fan speculation). I know Dave Filoni was wearing a T-shirt during the Rebels panel at Celebration that says "Ashoka lives?" and then changed during the trailer to one that read "Ashoka lives!" Of course, how she appears will be important to this discussion. Because if she's been in a bacta-tank for the entire time that Maul was roaming about in season 3, then it's not likely HotE takes place after twilight of the apprentice.

My guess is that FFG doesn't even know what Dave's got in store for Ashoka and certainly didn't when the expansion was in development. At the time, they probably saw that there was a little overlap and decided to run with it. I imagine the round-table conversation at FFG (which probably looks like the Jedi councils chambers) where they said, "Geeze, this is going to get some nerds fired up".

I was strongly opposed to abandoning time periods at the start, but now I see how much fun it is to throw some of these guys into the game (Like Obi-Wan!!) and how much content it would have limited us from.. that I am glad they are gone. I DO still wish they had continued labeling things for those who do want to play a strict campaign, but if you know a bit about Star Wars you can figure most of it out.

It's also neat to recreate canon events or duels inside of IA for your players, I will definitely be orchestrating a Vader vs Ahsoka show down at some point in my campaign

2 hours ago, subtrendy said:

Any notes on the smallboxes we should know about? Obviously certain Twin Shadows missions would have to take place between ANH and ESB, as they feature both Han and Boba on Tatooine. TBG is a little harder to read. I haven't played many of the missions yet, especially with the flavor text of the mini-campaign, but from what I remember, there's text that specifically references that Lando is now working with the Rebels (as opposed to him simply working in his position on Cloud City, defending it from early Imperial incursions). So, that would be any time after ESB, really- though I'd even venture that it could be after ROTJ, too.

I think the small boxes were one of the main reasons they abandoned the time periods. Since they are designed to integrate into any campaign, they needed to be a bit more flexible with respect to timeline. I suppose you can look at them as flash forwards or flashbacks. The timeline feature in IA just added complexity and I think the game designers were looking to try to simplify things. I agree with Frog that we can work this out for ourselves, if desired, and that probably what FFG had in mind.

*Minor Empires End Spoiler*: I won't say much but will add that Lando's return to Cloud City is addressed in an interlude in Empires End if that gives you some idea about when this might take place in cannon.