So XWM has 3 factions released for 2.0 with conversion sets to bring 2 more in, and now 2 brand new factions.

That is quite a bit. I hope they have sufficient staffing in place to sustain that much going on at once.

No problem, they just stretch the release schedule for armada even further ?

I can see them making the new faction releases a priority by continuing to re-release 1.0 ships without new model sculpts (example- new Z-95 is just a repaint rather than any sort of new sculpt). That would simplify their production because they wouldn't have to set up new model lines, just change their paint schemes and package the ships with their 2.0 components.

So in the future we will see Waves of 1-2 ships for each FO/Resistance/Separatist/Republic while getting another couple of re-releases for the original three factions. It will be more work overall, but less than if they were re-designing all the 1.0 ships. They should be able to hold up that schedule- 2.0/new factions have been in the development line for well over a year and FFG is pretty good about ramping up their production.

For smaller scale stuff like this, changing molds out of the injection molding machines is rather simple. This is especially true as they are not having to purge material to put in a different kind or going through any color changes. The machine is only down for 2 hours give or take with an hour to re-heat back up. Then consider an hour tops to get the settings correct to avoid flash or being short. So overall, multiple models across the board is not an issue. From a purely production standpoint, they can have 12 new ships per wave with 3 month wait times per wave and meet the needs for quality and quantity easy peasy. BTW, plastics plants run 24 hours a day with 12 hour shifts shutting the machines down only long enough to change molds or deal with mechanical issues.

Even packaging is simple as the machines are automatically fed the material and run on their own dropping the parts off onto the belts for the operators to trim, hot stamp (paint) and put the parts into the packaging with components. This is actually the part that takes the longest time and considering the size of the parts and number a mold could put out, they compensate by having multiple operators per machine. I know where I work, they add or subtract them according to the part being produced.

Working in a plastics production factory comes in handy here. lol

So my guess is shelf space for retailers (something someone pointed out to me when I should have realized it on my own duh). Another reason would be play testing, design, sculpting and mold creation, and such things as legal issues with the star wars franchise for permissions and such. The haggling alone couldtake time. lol

The choice of the Scum Z-95 and the TIE Striker seemed interesting, but it could definitely be related to them not getting new molds, and not having new pilot content planned for either of them. They might very well have just been the simplest ships to get on the shelf, and I wouldn't be surprised if future waves include similar content, crammed in where it will fit, trying to do their best to get caught up.

3 minutes ago, SpiderMana said:

Scum Z-95

Or in this case actually releasing a single model expansion for it instead of it being a multipack only purchase...

I feel like the Z95 and the Striker are getting us closer to a "rerelease only for the original 3 factions" format.

pretty much expecting no new content for the original factions (not counting new upgrades/pilots released across expansions) until the other four have caught up to some reasonable extent

Count through Wave 3 for 2.0 ships (counting just ships, and counting Saw's Renegades and TIE Reaper) is...

• Rebels: 3 (X,Y,U)
• Empire: 4 (TIE, Adv, Reaper, Striker)
• Scum: 5 (Firespray, Fang, Falcon, Mining TIE, Z-95)
• Resistance: 2 (X+, A+)
• First Order: 1 (FO)
• Republic: 3 (Jedi, ARC-170, Torrent)
• Seperatist: 3 (Beezlebub, Vulture, Infiltrator)

Note that Rebels and Empire are from Rogue One and A New Hope only... that's interesting.

With this count, and with the TIE/sf already teased, I'm guessing Wave 4 will be:

• TIE/SF, and Silencer
• Resistance Falcon, or perhaps Bomber if they don't want to have 2 Falcons fighting on the shelf. Maybe something new like the Resistance Transport. Not a lot to work with there, though without mining comics

Then everyone's at 3 or 4 ships.

10 minutes ago, skotothalamos said:

I feel like the Z95 and the Striker are getting us closer to a "rerelease only for the original 3 factions" format.

I’m wondering if that’s the case myself. Although that would mean they no longer have access to all the new shiny generic upgrade cards that will be developed (unless they seed the rereleases with them, posing the “argh I don’t want to buy a model again for the card” that made ffg say you wouldn’t have to in 2.0).

Until I see evidence otherwise, I’m going to believe that old factions will primarily face rereleases with minimal changes. Although in fairness, I’m not sure what all those factions could add that’s canon, or at least semi-common (tie from Solo excepted). I’m not counting the R47. Or Lady Luck.

8 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

pretty much expecting no new content for the original factions (not counting new upgrades/pilots released across expansions) until the other four have caught up to some reasonable extent

If that is the case, depending on cost for card packs or whatever mechanism for accessing new upgrades, I might actually be able to afford a prequel faction.

I am on the fence about this.... on one hand, I really want to see stuff for the factions I have. I don’t want them to be stagnant and just statically “as is” while the new factions get all the new hotness.

On the other hand, having less old faction releases means I can afford the new prequel era, which I do like that era.

56 minutes ago, XPav said:

Count through Wave 3 for 2.0 ships (counting just ships, and counting Saw's Renegades and TIE Reaper) is...

• Resistance: 2 (X+, A+)
• First Order: 1 (FO)

I would assume these two factions get their entire Conversion Kits, for 4 ships each.

2 hours ago, XPav said:

N  ote  t  hat Rebels and Empire are from Rogue One and A New Hope only... that's interes  ting.  

I don’t really find that at all surprising. They will naturally push to get the most iconic and beloved ships re-released first. I don’t see it as indicative of any future pattern.

He's not counting conversion kits.

2 hours ago, skotothalamos said:

I would assume these two factions get their entire Conversion Kits, for 4 ships each.

I am not. Just new model releases.

Well there is going to be four factions with only 3-4 ships for a bit until future waves. As I said it will likely be until Wave 6 that we start seeing a good number of ships in the newer faction pools.

In the mean time may I propose an alternative format to fill up lists in 2nd edition while we wait for more ship.

In wave 3, the first wave with no conversion kit, we see 8 different ship models, it is possible they will keep up with this for a while until the rerelease ships are caught up. If so I can see things going a couple ways. First I think there will be new content in the way of pilots for OT ships, however there will also be releases like the striker and z95 with no new content.

wave 1 OT, wave 2 sequel, wave 3 prequel. Might indicate a rotation,

wave 4 OT, 5 sequel, 6 prequel etc.

if so I would expect in wave 4, 2 or 3 rebel, imperial and scum ships, at least 1 of each faction would have a ship with new content with at least 1 just being a conversion kit content release. There would also be a new card pack for the wave including some pilot bases. If the do new content for 2 ships of each faction we might see a card pack for each faction. Also we might see a squadron pack in each faction made from the released ships.

I can see interceptors, bombers and the lambda, a wing, b wing and falcon, for scum not so sure. Maybe also the tie from the solo film.

Wave 5 could the be the rest of the ships from the FO and resistance conversion kits as well as a couple OT kit only content releases. Maybe a new ship from the tv show as well.

I think the first 3 waves confirms that:

a) not every faction gets a ship each wave

b) factions within a wave will not always get an even number of ships

c) re-releases may not add anything new over what was in conversion kits

d) They can divert away from the previous release order for ships

I think Rebels will get a big base soon as they don't have one yet, and it will be the Falcon. I also suspect they might divert away from the previous releases by giving a less iconic ships with it e.g. K-Wing.

Imperials have a good mix of ships already, especially with the striker on the way. I imagine they will add in a couple more small bases, probably a high end fighter being one of the ships.

Scum already have two big, a high end small, a low end small, and no medium, so I expect a medium on the way.

Resistance will probably get a big, and FO will most likely get 2 ships.

Who knows for Republic and CIS. I imagine a big ship will appear in at least one of the factions.

It will probably be a sort of cluster fudge for a while. Also my local store barely have room as is.

This stacked on top first blunder and phony rebels and the re-release of 2.0. it's gonna be a mess I think sadly.

7 hours ago, Porkchop Express said:

I think the first 3 waves confirms that:

a) not every faction gets a ship each wave

b) factions within a wave will not always get an even number of ships

c) re-releases may not add anything new over what was in conversion kits

d) They can divert away from the previous release order for ships

I think Rebels will get a big base soon as they don't have one yet, and it will be the Falcon. I also suspect they might divert away from the previous releases by giving a less iconic ships with it e.g. K-Wing.

Imperials have a good mix of ships already, especially with the striker on the way. I imagine they will add in a couple more small bases, probably a high end fighter being one of the ships.

Scum already have two big, a high end small, a low end small, and no medium, so I expect a medium on the way.

Resistance will probably get a big, and FO will most likely get 2 ships.

Who knows for Republic and CIS. I imagine a big ship will appear in at least one of the factions.

The Sith Infiltrator looks like a large based ship and it's coming in the opening wave of the new factions.

7 hours ago, Porkchop Express said:

Scum already have two big, a high end small, a low end small, and no medium, so I expect     a medium on the way. 

The Firespray is medium.

52 minutes ago, SpiderMana said:

The Firespray is medium.

Still thinking in old money.