So I've played it through once and loved it, as I knew I would. Took 2 heroes, last mission - final turn - both heroes flipped, max strain - one had 1 wound left and the other 3 wounds left, no medpacs. Pulled out a win! YAY!

Now I am wondering about replayability of the mini campaign. Other than the randomness of the minis being encountered and what appears to be random "side missions" (aka "choose your own adventure"), is there anything else random? Like map layouts? No spoilers of course, please. Otherwise it seems VERY limited in what gets actual gameplay...

thanks!

If you played with the tutorial, then you have a new first mission to play when playing without.

Play with 4 heroes and with a Hard difficulty, and you'll certainly get a lot of difference in how the missions play, and I would expect you to get a few different encounters and at least encounter end results as well.

Yes, the correct choice is not always "door B".

Some things have randomization (which character you need to interact with to proceed of four, which crate has the mission item, etc). I haven't seen any map changes though. Of course heroes, rewards, ally missions, and shop items are different. in between episodes are identical though unfortunately as they are integral to the plot.

BTW, all heroes flipped is a loss condition

We are having fun on our second go around despite the differences, we are just trying to save every rebel and maximize fame this time around.

Im just waiting for more updates, to included other expansion packs, the randomised Nexus threw the thematic nature for some missions. i would also like a re-randomise button to allow to make more thematic picks. unless the App can try to do that instinctively next time.

On 12/19/2017 at 4:13 PM, Spidey NZ said:

Im just waiting for more updates, to included other expansion packs, the randomised Nexus threw the thematic nature for some missions. i would also like a re-randomise button to allow to make more thematic picks. unless the App can try to do that instinctively next time.

I'm not bothered at this time because this app is free AND only uses the core box units. I do hope that after additional content is added they do have the app select imperials "instinctively".

Now that I have everything except HotE playing just the core box shows how much variety the expansions do add.

On 12/19/2017 at 3:13 PM, Spidey NZ said:

Im just waiting for more updates, to included other expansion packs, the randomised Nexus threw the thematic nature for some missions. i would also like a re-randomise button to allow to make more thematic picks. unless the App can try to do that instinctively next time.

My group has found the Nexu to be one of the best enemy units in the game, especially early. We see it all the time in non-app play.

2 hours ago, rowdyoctopus said:

My group has found the Nexu to be one of the best enemy units in the game, especially early. We see it all the time in non-app play.

best/efficient doesnt always gel with thematic. i will always take the story units over units that will ensure a win everytime

1 hour ago, Spidey NZ said:

best/efficient doesnt always gel with thematic. i will always take the story units over units that will ensure a win everytime

While you are (of course!) welcome to play that way, that mindset isn't the primary focus of this game. It's a tactical skirmish game first and foremost, even in campaign mode, and is balanced thusly. That being said, Descent 2nd edition had environmental tags on each monster group which dictated what specific quest environments each monster could be deployed in. Even so you still end up with thematically wonky deployments. If they have something similar behind the scenes here it could help, but it won't completely eliminate the problem issue. I know they have Era limitations in IA, but that's a different thing.

I don't see a problem with Nexu anyway, canonically they can be trained from birth to be somewhat domesticated.

On 12/19/2017 at 4:13 PM, Spidey NZ said:

Im just waiting for more updates, to included other expansion packs, the randomised Nexus threw the thematic nature for some missions. i would also like a re-randomise button to allow to make more thematic picks. unless the App can try to do that instinctively next time.

Yes, once the RtH expansion is fully supported by the app, I would be disappointed if the app throws some snowtroopers on a map with desert tiles (unless there are interior tiles on the map too and the mission briefing explains you are trying to sabotage the "imperial freezer" building to cut off the imperial food supplies ... ) More seriously when we get many expansion supported I'd hope the "normal" mode would be a more "thematic" version where the units that make more sense are picked up (it's an imperial base? Good no scums, just imperial units) while the "hard" mode would be a more competitive version (Imperial base with 2x2 corridors? Ok let's throw in a Nexu to block the heroes progression for a while)

8 hours ago, cdj0902 said:

While you are (of course!) welcome to play that way, that mindset isn't the primary focus of this game. It's a tactical skirmish game first and foremost, even in campaign mode, and is balanced thusly. That being said, Descent 2nd edition had environmental tags on each monster group which dictated what specific quest environments each monster could be deployed in. Even so you still end up with thematically wonky deployments. If they have something similar behind the scenes here it could help, but it won't completely eliminate the problem issue. I know they have Era limitations in IA, but that's a different thing.

I don't see a problem with Nexu anyway, canonically they can be trained from birth to be somewhat domesticated.

I think I read an interview with one of the game designer that it IA was a campaign driven dongeon-crawling type of game first with the skirmish option added later during developement stages. But nonetheless even the campaign mode was designed as a competitive game (1 vs all) so I totally agree with you. If you play the game as it was designed originally, you should get that nexu on the table if it's the best unit available. But there are people (like me!) who approaches the game from a thematic point of view.

Descent's environmental tags are reassuring! Maybe I won't see too much snowtroopers on desert maps afterall! ANd I wonder if we are not actually witnessing that so far (even with the "limitless" deployment options of the core).

Nexu being domesticated ... tell that to that poor geonosian tamer who's about to meet its doom!!

14 hours ago, cdj0902 said:

While you are (of course!) welcome to play that way, that mindset isn't the primary focus of this game. It's a tactical skirmish game first and foremost, even in campaign mode, and is balanced thusly. That being said, Descent 2nd edition had environmental tags on each monster group which dictated what specific quest environments each monster could be deployed in. Even so you still end up with thematically wonky deployments. If they have something similar behind the scenes here it could help, but it won't completely eliminate the problem issue. I know they have Era limitations in IA, but that's a different thing.

I don't see a problem with Nexu anyway, canonically they can be trained from birth to be somewhat domesticated.

thanks for the discussion. if i do bring a Nexu out and its not in the jungle areas, i bring some hired guns or Trandoshans in and describe the Nexu having a rudimentary collar and some shackles, noting it has been domesticated

Just played Tutorial campaign and it was blast. Really looking forward to see more Campaigns, ready to buy more boxes depends on new campaign requirements / support.

I finished the campaign with a friend (playing on steam) and the choice of imperial units was done very thematically by the app.

23 hours ago, IanSolo_FFG said:

I finished the campaign with a friend (playing on steam) and the choice of imperial units was done very thematically by the app.

I saw scum figures during the second mission on Ord Mantell when you visit a cantina and try to find out what happened to captain Darpik and the crew. A few nexus and Trandoshan hunters as well as IG-88 were deployed during that mission. Otherwise, I don't recall seeing scums in other missions at all. We met 3 times in 3 weeks to complete the campaign so I might have forgotten some details and if I did, it's probably the sign that the app did not abuse deploying units in a "wrong" setting (like nexu inside an imperial base). So very satisfied with the way the app deploys its figures!

The replayability will improve a lot once we get additional enemy figures implemented. I hope they implement Hired Guns into the game along with Return to Hoth, snowtropers and Wampas won't really add much to base campaign.

On ‎2017‎-‎12‎-‎30 at 11:17 AM, Tvboy said:

I had Nexu deployed against me multiple times in the 4th and 5th mission, which take place in Imperial bases. They're always annoying because on top of the Bleed condition and the Dodge roll, they always end up blocking my heroes line of sight to the other Imp figures that haven't activated yet.

The replayability will improve a lot once we get additional enemy figures implemented. I hope they implement Hired Guns into the game along with Return to Hoth, snowtropers and Wampas won't really add much to base campaign.

I agree that the inclusion of more units will make the game play differently each time, but let's hope that they can build in their code some restriction based on the mission briefing (If the mission is taking place on star destroyer, there should be no reason for the app to select scum figures unless the mission briefing hints at it. And even then, the app shouldn't abuse it since you would expect countless imperial units on star destroyers, not endless waves of hired guns.)

They are going to include or add more than one campaign though right?

I've played through once and am grateful I have more than the core set as most of the cool rewards and items, weapons etc are from Jabba or Bespin's sets and even the HoTE.

The second time on difficult really is about the same. There is a few different options, and the characters all are different, but there needs to be some more side missions added into the next campaign. I hope they have a super campaign that will add elements from all the sets or multiple sets. we've got enough jungle and desert that if they would mix sets (core + Jabba + Twin Shadows for example) you could have a super or at least more unique map than has hitherto been seen.

On 12/21/2017 at 1:58 AM, cdj0902 said:

While you are (of course!) welcome to play that way, that mindset isn't the primary focus of this game.

That mindset was, indeed, the focus of RPG's and miniature games before Magic: The Gathering was released. It's been shifting year by year and decade by decade since. Many of us still play all gamer-games that way, and find the other option to be unsportsmanlike at best. This isn't Monopoly.

On 12/30/2017 at 11:17 AM, Tvboy said:

I had Nexu deployed against me multiple times in the 4th and 5th mission, which take place in Imperial bases. They're always annoying because on top of the Bleed condition and the Dodge roll, they always end up blocking my heroes line of sight to the other Imp figures that haven't activated yet.

The replayability will improve a lot once we get additional enemy figures implemented. I hope they implement Hired Guns into the game along with Return to Hoth, snowtropers and Wampas won't really add much to base campaign.

Mea-culpa. I am playing mission #4 and ...

Hopefully we will get an app update soon that will support more imperial troops!