3 minutes ago, a1bert said:

I can't say for certain, but I think there has never been any "In Development" entries for IA in Upcoming. We tend to receive product announcements, then when the Upcoming page finally gets updated (seem to be much less often after the Asmodee merger) we get "At the Printer", and "On the Boat" soon after.

Also see the release history. (Doesn't show any In Development dates.)

As long as I've been following the game that closely (Wave 7 and on) we've never been "In Development", can confirm.

2 hours ago, urloony said:

I'm beginning to think IA is done. There isn't a single IA item in reprint or development. You can see here. There are plenty of other SW items like the X-Wing, Armada, the card game. Very fishy. They want their store fronts to still be able to sell the items they currently have in stock without the disclaimer of "This game is dead" looming over their sales. We won't get an announcement from FFG that's for sure. The sure sign obviously will be when the LGC doesn't restock.

About 2-3 months ago, I was beginning to fear this myself. Everything was BO from our distributor and there was nothing showing on the upcoming page, except for Heart of the Empire. Then about a month ago, everything was back in stock and in good quantities. So, don't ask me why, but maybe that FFG doesn't list their Imperial Assault reprints on their upcoming page.

16 minutes ago, Red Castle said:

About 2-3 months ago, I was beginning to fear this myself. Everything was BO from our distributor and there was nothing showing on the upcoming page, except for Heart of the Empire. Then about a month ago, everything was back in stock and in good quantities. So, don't ask me why, but maybe that FFG doesn't list their Imperial Assault reprints on their upcoming page.

I hope that's true and we continue to get support for IA. If Legion plays anything like Warhammer 40k, and it seems at least similar in scope, then I hope that IA can keep it's niche as it is quite different from Legion. It's possible FFG doesn't know what their going to do and may end up waiting for sales figures to come in. If it were a card game I don't think I'd be as concerned because I would think you can support a "failing" card game cheaper due to the cost/production value easier than you can a failing minis game.

I wrote an article about IA's trending status in search engines this week, but honestly it wasn't very good (I am well aware that I jumped to a lot of conclusions based on pretty specific sets of data).

However, I think this graph is pretty interesting. This specifically is the Google trending results for the phrase "Star Wars Imperial Assault" during its lifetime.

I've marked the big box releases (red), small box releases (yellow) and blister waves (purple).

Obviously Google trending status doesn't directly correlate to sales. Also, it's likely that fans abbreviate the name of the game during its lifetime- in my article, I discussed how the phrase "Magic the Gathering" has gone significantly down since 2004, while "MTG" has spiked up. So, maybe this is just because fans are now more comfortable with the game, and are using different terminology now (IA is a common one).

Also, one other caveat- the second two big boxed releases (RtH and JR) also released right around a big Star Wars film in theaters. This may have had an effect on their trending status, too.

Now, all that being said, I still do find this to be a bit worrisome- mostly because while every big box release seemed to see a spike in online interest in the game, Heart of the Empire doesn't seem to have had much of an effect at all. I hope that this is just due to some technicality (such as, again, different phrasing) or something.

Alternatively, maybe the original spike was due to the Core box's release, and the subsequent two spikes really were to misdirected traffic online during the Star Wars films' releases.

Just for fun, I also did this for the term "Star Wars".

Weird how Rogue One barely registered at all, even. Apparently not everyone thinks about Star Wars every day, how strange!

It's already dead, there is not a single item available from the FFG web-store, they are just letting LFGS stock dissolve away.

24 minutes ago, Cusm said:

It's already dead, there is not a single item available from the FFG web-store, they are just letting LFGS stock dissolve away.

Are you pulling someone's leg or did you not even read the thread?

(Due to their agreement with Hasbro, FFG cannot sell Imperial Assault online. They do sell Imperial Assault in their physical store.)

I figured this was make a ludicrous comment thread so I wanted to join in.

Right now everything that is not Legion, Destiny or X-Wing is getting no attention, the LCG is the bottom rung and even that tiny community is not as dark about the future as IA seems to be at the moment.

I can sum my thoughts on this thread up in one simple image;

When the app hits, expect that google chat to hit its highest peak (well, close to it). That's what people want, and all IA news is drowned out by an echoing clamor for that one release. Hopefully, the next wave will coincide with it and generate more interest.

-ryanjamal

On 11/8/2017 at 2:37 PM, angelman2 said:

Oh, if one pooled every IA release to date you'd certainly end up with a lot of Rebel "baddies" for the supposed Imperial Heroes to fight. However, FFG can't release a campaign that requires possession of every product released for the game. An Imp. campaign would have to be usable with only the Core box + campaign resources and, unlike Hero-focused campaign, an Imp.-focused one would have very few "badies" as the baseline resource before adding the expansion box' Rebel enemies.

From an Imperial Campaign big box expansion we might expect about 12 small Rebel soldiers (or whatever) + a Snowspeeder or similar, and 4 Imperial Heroes (‘cause the standard 3-heroes-in-a-big-box-expansion just wouldn’t do).

(Unless I’m miscounting/forgetting something) the Core box has 24 small baddies +4 large ones and +1 massive one. Added to that (give or take) 12 small +1 massive baddies in the expansion, and the Hero players of a big box campaign have over 40 enemies of various size to play around with.

With a big box Imperial-focused campaign however, you would have the ca. 12 small & 1 massive expansion box baddies + the Core box content baddies (6 unique “Rebel Villains”, +3 Rebel Trooper tokens, +2 Rebel Saboteurs, +2 “Rebel Villains” tokens) which amounts to 13 small figure baddies = 26 enemies for our Imperial Heroes to stomp out. I guess that could work but it would be a tight fit to make the campaign varied and interesting. That said, you do have a very good point about the Imperial Campaign could compensate by adding a lot of extra token figures; that could solve this entire issue!

Another issue, however, is how well the Imp.-focused campaign would integrate with overall IA product range. How much use would the regular Rebel Heroes setup have for a dozen additional soldier allies on top of the possible troopers, rangers, saboteurs, and Echo troopers? Still, if they found some way to make this work, I’d sure as Whills would buy the box!

Rebel Sabs and Rebel Troopers come in the core box, and they could certainly give you tokens for generic troops as placeholders, just like they do in every expansion .

I also think that if they do ever decide to a second Core set like they did in X-Wing, that is complimentary to the game as a whole and not a reset, I think this is what they would need to do if they want to sell copies to more than just the hardcore completionists.

On November 9, 2017 at 4:48 PM, Majushi said:

I can sum my thoughts on this thread up in one simple image;

This is exactly it. The day will come when this game is not supported with new product. Could be now, could be 10 years from now. The important thing is that it's only really "dead" if you stop playing it. Sure, if the game was dropped by FFG today, you're unlikely to be playing in Skirmish tournaments a year from now, but there's nothing stopping you from throwing down with your friends, or playing that good ol' campaign game that will provide you with countless hours of fun when you factor in all the replayability you'd have with it with the different combinations of heroes/Imperial classes/campaigns.

Right now FFG has Battlelore 2E on sale for a ridiculously low price, along with its expansions. 100% this is a "dead game" in the sense that it's not likely to be supported again in the future (no official word on this, but it's been probably a couple of years now since the last product release, and Runewars is a thing now). However, you'd be a fool to dismiss the game out of hand because it's "dead", as you'd be missing out on a fantastic experience.

My copy of Battlestar Galactica that I've had since pretty much the game came out (later supplemented with Pegasus) is still a game I love to play to this day, and a couple times a year I manage to get it out with a group. Good times are always had.

How well Legion takes off for players that aren't hobbyists will have a lot to say about that in the long run. I doubt FFG will release sales figures (as they often don't) and come out and say what an embarassing misfire Game X was. But stripped down to its mechanics, IA is a great tactical skirmish objective-based game. Sort of like playing out an XCOM mission with grid movement, chances to hit, and things to secure.

Legion will of course also have objectives for points and all that fun stuff but it'll be a lot more involved to get a game going than simply rolling out a mat and getting to it in five minutes or less.

In any case, for all of the "sky is falling" types, I hope they aren't getting this anxious over another inevitable bit of entropy in the world; their own mortality!

Hope everyone sleeps well tonight.

1 hour ago, cleardave said:

My copy of Battlestar Galactica that I've had since pretty much the game came out (later supplemented with Pegasus) is still a game I love to play to this day, and a couple times a year I manage to get it out with a group. Good times are always had.

We play BSG twice a week. After 250+ plays it's still different each time. (226th logged play since I started logging in 2013.)

38 minutes ago, a1bert said:

We play BSG twice a week. After 250+ plays it's still different each time. (226th logged play since I started logging in 2013.)

I got into BSG very, very late. Expansions are like gold dust now in the UK. Was after Exodus but cheapest I've seen was going for circa £100!

Back on topic....can't resist....

Yousa say weesa gonna die?

13 hours ago, a1bert said:

We play BSG twice a week. After 250+ plays it's still different each time. (226th logged play since I started logging in 2013.)

A good game will live on as long as you're still playing it.

What won't live on is a suspected Cylon agent if I'm playing as Helena Cain, which is who I often reach for when we play.

I think we will have to wait until Legion comes to see if it takes IA off the "throne" .
I'm thinking on getting IA, so i hope it doesn't die.. But i have to agree that Legion seems a pretty strong contestant.

As a fan of that show something always bothered me about the game thematically.

Adama always said “sometimes you gotta roll a hard six.” So here’s an eight-sided die for the game.

7 hours ago, Uninvited Guest said:

As a fan of that show something always bothered me about the game thematically.

Adama always said “sometimes you gotta roll a hard six.” So here’s an eight-sided die for the game.

He clearly meant a hard six and up...

10 hours ago, Majushi said:

He clearly meant a hard six and up...

They had to cut out those last two words from the show because it just didn't roll off the tongue the same way. You can find it in the expanded scenes on the DVD sets.

Same thing with Lee Adama's ability to once-per-game, teleport all the Vipers from your reserves to the space around Galactica. The show producers thought it was too silly for the show, but luckily it was kept for the game where the effects are more abstracted.

Have we derailed this topic sufficiently?

1 hour ago, cleardave said:

Have we derailed this topic sufficiently?

I think so. Well done!

On 11/11/2017 at 5:18 PM, Gallanteer said:

Back on topic....can't resist....

Yousa say weesa gonna die?

Well played sir. (slow clap). LOL.

Personally, I think Legion will land much like Runewars Miniatures. Lots of hype, but no real continued buzz. Some hard core hobbyists and those who crave slow playing, large scale Star Wars ground battles will buy in (zzzzzzzzzzzz). However, I don't see many local gaming shops being able to easily accommodate the space it requires for a competitive game, especially when it competes with all of the other games being played that already have a strong following.

Imperial Assault is in a great place for skirmish if you ask me. I can't decide on what faction to even play at the moment! So many great choices. My only hope is two fold:

1.) Someone Vassal nerd doesn't find another break in the game (like Ugnaughts) and;

2.) People don't break the internets promoting that break in the game by playing it (like Ugnaughts).

To me, this is what scares people away from competitive gaming. That being said, that can happen (and happens) in other games. I stopped playing X-wing (I played at the Worlds level for the last few years even) because of this kind of thing.

I like IA because there are not as many ways to cheat like other games and I get to use iconic figures that are actually in the movies.

#GIA

My guess is they might do a major reprint of all IA products once the app announcement is made (if rumours are true) since popularity of the game will explode. A lot of people who want the game just for solo play will rush to the stores on a crazed shopping spree, arm sweeping all those ally/villain packs from the shelves down the shopping cart. I wouldn't worry too much (though i do a little bit myself to be honest =P )

Also, they have so many SW products right now, Legions coming around the corner which is a HUGE investment on FFGs part, SW Destiny, Armada, X-Wing, etc... maybe they just focus on those for now and will run reprints for IA later on, regardless of whether the app ever sees the day. From what i've heard, IA sold really well so far.

I just recently caved in to IA products and after a few missions, i'm really enjoying it. I am a huge fan of Descent 2nd but i like the Descent 1st ed~ish feeling they've put in IA.

Could be just wishful thinking but i'm certain the game is not dead, nor will die anytime soon. Likely it's just been put on hold for a while.

Ha ha, yeah. The first 3,000 comments on any post by FFG about IA are variations on the same theme: "Where's that &*%$ app?!?!" I suspect that once it hits we'll see an uptick in focus on IA, both from consumers and (consequently) from FFG.

-ryanjamal

I'm selling my stuff if anybody is interested:

Core Box
Hoth Box
Jabba Box
and tons of packs, duplicate figures, and alt-art cards.

There's nobody to play with in my area. Can't justify continuing to purchase the new, sweet stuff. Very sad, considering this is my favorite game of all time.

Where should I post that, by the way?

5 minutes ago, caseycheesecake said:

I'm selling my stuff if anybody is interested:

Core Box
Hoth Box
Jabba Box
and tons of packs, duplicate figures, and alt-art cards.

There's nobody to play with in my area. Can't justify continuing to purchase the new, sweet stuff. Very sad, considering this is my favorite game of all time.

Where should I post that, by the way?

Just saying- you may want to wait for the app, especially if you really enjoy the game.

On 11/9/2017 at 8:29 AM, a1bert said:

I can't say for certain, but I think there has never been any "In Development" entries for IA in Upcoming. We tend to receive product announcements, then when the Upcoming page finally gets updated (seem to be much less often after the Asmodee merger) we get "At the Printer", and "On the Boat" soon after.

Also see the release history. (Doesn't show any In Development dates.)

I could have sworn I'd seen IA stuff "In Development" for a couple days before it'd get updated to "At the Printer" at least once. But I've just never put that tagline in my list because it didn't seem like it really told us much. If it was there at all (and my mind isn't just playing tricks on me) then it was only ever "Announced" and then "In Development" for like a week before it went "At the Printer". Which tells us nothing at all. There's no way an expansion was only in development for a week before it went to the printer

By the way, I really need to update that list, I'll go do that right now!