This post is mostly me lobbying FFG but I think they should release squadron cards. I think Sqn cards would be an easy way of changing the points of ships without reprinting cards and then also encourage the use of generics.

By squadron card I mean choosing a theme for your squad (I haven't checked if people are already talking about this). So something like "Saber Sqn" it must include one of the following named pilots ...... and at least X Saber Sqn pilots, and then on the cards you would have the new (discounted) points cost for including them all together. It would be like CostCo meets Xwing (in epic you would want to cap the max number and make all Sqn cards unique).

Post your thoughts and let's influence FFG, the mob rules!!

I think it's a good idea, but I don't think with all of the content already released, FFG would change their format. Maybe in a future edition of the game though. Good thinking, I'm all for it.

Been there, done that:

Still waiting.

Darth Meanie, yes that is what I was thinking..

Maybe we need to make more noise about it. I think it could be both, just a way to play the less used ships - Grey Sqn, Horton and a Grey Sqn pilot for 40 points

or a very prescriptive theme

Yavin Heroes,

Luke Skywalker , R2-D2 , Proton Torpedoes, Deadeye,

Han Solo , Outmaneuver , Chewbacca crew, engine upgrade, tittle and

Wedge Antilles , Targeting Astromech , Stay on Target

for 100 points (28 points less than the list costs and I am not sure it is even competitive)

I think that squadrons are a potentially very cool addition the game, but I don't think FFG needs to get too cute with it, adding new types of cards or anything. You can integrate it with existing mechanisms.

In the linked Darth Meanie thread, I talked about an idea where you could have a "Gold leader" Y-Wing only unique EPT (assuming some EPT Y Wings came out) which assigned "Gold Squadron" conditions to a certain number of Y Wings in your squad. You could restrict that to non-unique Y Wings, or even Y Wings of PS3 or below and keep the flavour aspect up. The same mechanism could buff, for example, generic TIE Interceptors or TIE Strikers or other ships that need their title slot.

Where that isn't necessary, you could use generic titles that encourage you to use the same types of ships together. For example, a B Wing only Blue Squadron title might say something like:

"For each ship with the "Blue Squadron" title equipped in your squad, reduce the cost of equipped <torpedo> or <cannon> upgrade by 1 to a minimum of 1."

That wouldn't change the fundamentals of the B Wings stats or points, but you could suddenly make a list with three or four B wings that actually get to use that sweet load out bar. The language might need tweaking (I think that specific language would allow 4 HLC Blue Squadron Pilots, which might be a bit much, and the potential for epic shenanigans might be high), but the basic idea is sound - get rewarded for building a "squadron" type list thematically.

The other way to do that is to split the title into leader and pilot variants. The beat example of this I've ever heard (not mt own idea, obviously) was an X Wing fix idea that restricted the Rogue Leader title to ships PS6 or higher, restricted the Rogue Squadron Pilot title to PS4 or lower and gave the pilot ability of Rogue Leader to all of the Rogue Squadron Pilots. Again, the underlying aim was the same: incentivise the use of multiples of the same ship, and specifically generics.

Squadrons are a cool concept and however they choose to implement them, I hope they show up sooner rather than later.

13 hours ago, BenDay said:

...

Post your thoughts and let's influence FFG, the mob rules!!

If they were any smart they wouldn't be listening to us.

As for squadron cards how would it work any other way other than another upgrade? Upgrades are meant to add more power to ships, if they don't they are simply not taken.

As for point increase there are those that say a Pen & Ink Errata is the way to do it but I am completely against that. For one some ships that have been on top have been taken down without them (i.e. Soontir Fel). If you really want a point increase then make a "most wanted" lists and pilot and upgrade cards on that list are considered to cost more than their printed value (+2 for pilot cards, +1 for upgrade cards).

So take all 4 Jumpmaster pilots put them on the list and they are now +2 points. Take Atanni Mindlink it now costs 2 instead of 1. That would be an easy +3 points per ship for many of your jumpmaster games. There you go, and when a ship/pilot/upgrade is no longer dominating the meta, you can simply take it off the list and put the newest terror in its place. Easy point adjustment for tournament play and it doesn't require you printing out new cards.

Squadron cards would be upgrade cards, kinda... I was thinking they would be the same size as pilot cards, and you could just arrange your pilot cards that were associated to the squadron like we currently do with upgrades associated to a pilots. I don't know if you ever played Games Workshops Epic (1st ed) but lists we built from battle group cards that you could then add detachment cards too. I thought it was a slick way of building lists without letting people spam just the good cards.

Also, I dare say that 4 Blue Bs with HLC would loose to any currently competitive 3 ship list, they would rarely get shots and have no AT (or defense) to protect against turrets.

Marinealver, to answer your question more directly, adding points to strong ships is very similar to taking them from weak ships. Since lists are only 100 points you might leave more room for creativity (extra points) by reducing points instead.

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 1:10 AM, Marinealver said:

As for squadron cards how would it work any other way other than another upgrade? Upgrades are meant to add more power to ships, if they don't they are simply not taken.

The idea would be that they increase ship synergy. Like Atanni Mindlink, but, ya know, not OP.

*Red-squadron (Leader)

title, non t-70 X-Wing Only (0 points)

At the start of combat, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, you may spend a focus token to perform a free action.

*Red-Squadron (two)

Title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

When you make an attack that hits, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, reduce the defender's agility by 1 until the end of the phase.

*Red-Squadron (three)

title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

Once per round, when you lose a shield token while defending, all other friendly ships with a Red-Squadron title at range 1-2 may acquire a target lock on the attacker.

*Red-Squadron (four)

Title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

When you remove a stress token, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, you may you may place that token on any enemy ship at Range 1-2 .

*Red-Squadron (five)

title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

When defending, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, you may spend a target lock to add a (eye) result.

You cannot equip this card if your pilot skill value is "7" or lower.

*Red-Squadron (six)

Title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

When you roll 1 or more attack dice, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, you may re-roll 1 die.

*Red-Squadron (seven)

Title, non t-70 X-wing Only (?? points)

When attacking, if you are at range 1-2 of another friendly ship with a Red-Squadron title, choose either focus or evade token. The defending ship can not spend tokens of that type this attack.

4 hours ago, Darth Meanie said:

The idea would be that they increase ship synergy. Like Atanni Mindlink, but, ya know, not OP.

But why not just use a suite of unique titles and have one of those uniques be _____ Squadron Leader that gives synergy. Essentially you are making another title slot. At least with tech being not just another system slot it is era based and with illicits are consumable so they too also avoid the whole another non-weapon slot.

It would be different to a tittle because it requires you to take several ships of a common theme. So the consideration is, can the squadron card synergies give you the play style and advantage you are looking for with one hull type, over just choosing three ships from different eras that synergies together but have no business flying together. If it a buff for us fluff guys.

17 minutes ago, BenDay said:

It would be different to a tittle because it requires you to take several ships of a common theme. So the consideration is, can the squadron card synergies give you the play style and advantage you are looking for with one hull type, over just choosing three ships from different eras that synergies together but have no business flying together. If it a buff for us fluff guys.

ig-2000 does exactly that and it is a title. No need to make another type of upgrade when there is a type that works.

Ideas for saber squadron, unsure of cost but thinking of 0 since it mostly removed royal guard title as an option. one is for soontir, two is for turr, three is for fel's wrath, and four is for all the named pilots who don't have an EPT but most likely should,and five is for generics, but of course they are also to mix and matched to whom ever.

*Saber Squadron (one)

Title, TIE Interceptor only

When declared as the target of an attack,if there is another friendly ship with Saber Squadron title equipped, treat the range of the attack as Range 3.

*Saber Squadron (two)

Title, TIE Interceptor only

When performing a boost or barrel roll action, if there is another friendly ship with Saber Squadron title equipped, you may use the ( 2) template instead of the ( 1) template.

*Saber Squadron (three)

Title, TIE Interceptor only

At the end of the Combat phase if you have three or more damage cards assigned assigned to you, you may make an extra attack for each damage card assigned to you.

*Saber Squadron (four)

Title, TIE Interceptor only

You may equip another title that is not "Saber Squadron". If you have the "Royal Guard TIE" title equipped add (ept) to your upgrade bar if you do not have one.

*Saber Squadron (five)

Title, TIE Interceptor only

At the start of combat, if there is another friendly ship with Saber Squadron title equipped, you may perform a free focus action. You cannot equip this card if your pilot skill value is "5" or higher.

Oberron, it would not be the same as a tittle because a tittle does not require you to take other ships, the sqn card would require you to take 2 or more ships with some common theme. The IG tittle is more useful with two ships but not required. It is a bit like saying mind link is a sqn card... it is just a special talent that any group of ships can share. Also, I don't think there would be enough space on an upgrade card to do it properly.

I think the heart of my argument is that it is a way of making story lines from the Star Wars universe competitive, I think the best comeback is probably that I should just not play competitively...

7 hours ago, BenDay said:

Oberron, it would not be the same as a tittle because a tittle does not require you to take other ships, the sqn card would require you to take 2 or more ships with some common theme. The IG tittle is more useful with two ships but not required. It is a bit like saying mind link is a sqn card... it is just a special talent that any group of ships can share. Also, I don't think there would be enough space on an upgrade card to do it properly.

I think the heart of my argument is that it is a way of making story lines from the Star Wars universe competitive, I think the best comeback is probably that I should just not play competitively...

The ig 2000 title still does exactly what you are wanting minus the discount points. For it to do anything you have to take multiple ships with a theme (aggressor or a ship with the ig88d crew). That is what makes it different than mindlink.

Look at my examples for the xwing. They are all title cards that require another ship to have a squadron title to do anything and has a common theme. each of the titles while not explicit for going on specific pilots work much better or easier on specific pilots (namely the named pilots to each of their call signs) but can still be used for other pilots for personal fluff reasons. And it doesn't take up a lot of wording or make anything needlessly complicated to do so.

Your tittles do perform a similar function to what i am thinking about, personally I liked the reduced cost as it has more predictable second order interactions. What about a Sqn board on which you lay out your pilot cards, it would keep it neat and tidy and you could have different effects for the number of ships and negative effects if the "leader" is destroyed.

Defenders defend title. 3 point squad card. All defenders get a free focus token each round.

seems unnecessary....

I like this alot.

Make it a new card type called "Squadron", to keep the title slot open for other things.

Then make it ship specific.

For example:

Rogue Squadron - T-65 Only, all ships in squad with 3 or more T-65s gain barrel roll and boost.

Bombing Run - X-Wing, A-Wing, Y-Wing, Hwk only. When 3 of these 4 ships are in the squad: Y-Wing gains an EPT slot. A-Wing gains +1 attack dice, X-Wing (excluding Biggs) gain an extra modification slot, HWK gains +1 attack and can use the Jumpmaster dial.

Take that you imperial scum.

If they ever release Vulture Droids and Hyena Bombers, they would almost certainly use squadron cards, but have each one able to move independently.

READ THIS ENTIRE THING BEFORE MAKING COMMENTS

I would like to make a proposal in favor of X-wing squadrons. X-wings will probably never get a T-65 Fix title. They don't need a configuration style title like TIE x1. T-70 X-wings are better and they always will be. So, I think that they should get squadron benefits. I like how Black One encourages flying together as a squadron and I was thinking it would be nice if we had more titles like that, but available to both kinds of X-wings.

•Red Leader

X-wing only. Title.

When a friendly small ship at Range 1 aquires a target lock, they may perform a free focus action.

You cannot equip this card if your pilot skill is "5" or lower.

This encourages torpedoes and may work well with Garven Dreis. It works with both kinds of X-wings because both X-wings have a Red Squadron.

What should the cost be for this? Should it be once per round? What kind of ability would you make for a Blue Leader title?