On 8/4/2017 at 1:38 PM, Darth Sanguis said:

Maybe it's important to them to keep the most iconic ship on the table to attract new players?

This is why I like it.

Customers in the game store know exactly what the game is if they see an ISD on the table.

44 minutes ago, Democratus said:

This is why I like it.

Customers in the game store know exactly what the game is if they see an ISD on the table.

We definitely have more people stop to watch or ask to learn after a match with ISDs on the table at my LGS. Speaking from experience, Armada is a first TTG for many people. People who were brought in not by the TTG aspect, but because it's star wars. Having the iconic big ships be a functioning part of the meta can do nothing but help FFG with advertising and, I'm quite sure at $40 a pop, cash flow.

On 8/4/2017 at 1:23 PM, Church14 said:

So my question is: In a game who's selling point is starship combat, is releasing a card combination that allows you a single-stand, single-activation way to one-shot ANY single target you choose a good idea?

nah fam. core set dominator + h9s.... one shot all the rebel ships.

one shotting ships has been in the game literally from te beginning.

Also, its the imperial way. at the very least its the Star Destroyer way. Many times your ISD only gets one shot on the same ship. If you are savvy/lucky and can ram in the front and prevent your opponent from escaping (this may be were tractor beams and konny become useful) then the ISD will bully a fleet.

Is it a bit dumb, sure, OP nah. You still have to get to close range and its really not all that hard to avoid an isd.

Powerful when it goes off, but most one-trick-ponies are and their-in lies the problem. You have to give up two upgrade slots to take BTs, making you forgo taking upgrades that may have proved useful multiple times over during the game instead opting for a powerful one shot attack combo. The Avenger player is also counting on getting that off on their opponent's biggest asset, which also depends on the opponent bringing one big ship worth hitting with the BT/Avenger combo! Kinda sucks if your only chance to use BTs ends up against a CR-90 in your side arc.

To answer the OP's question of game design: Yes. Not directly itself though, but rather as a symptom of the continual addition of new rules and effects into the constraints of the system making it increasingly difficult to factor how things may interact. Basically, as they pile on more upgrade cards the system approaches a rules effect overload.