Not that FFG really is in here too much (maybe if we get 60+ pages we can get it - worked for the gunboat), but....

If we were to explore cinematic Xwing in 2.0, how would it look? What cards would we see for mission objectives or deployment types?

Personally...

1. 500 points (2.0 scale) assuming huge ships have been properly point costed in 2.0.

2. All obstacles are legal game, of course.

3. 6x3 format.

For missions?

1. “recover the cargo” type mission where players alternate seeding cardboard tokens on the board (after placing obstacles before placing ships). Any ship that fully executes a meaneuver that overlaps this template may skip its action. If it does, the ship “claims” the objective (remove from board, set it on the ship card). If the ship flees from any board edge, the cargo is scored as being collected. Game goes until time, or until all cargo is off the board. Winner is the one with most cargo secure. Ships that are destroyed while holding cargo must drop cargo out the rear guides using the 1 template

2. “Destroy the flagship” - each player names one ship their “flagship”. The winner is the one who destroys it (seeding this in the mission deck may incentivize a huge ship use, even if it’s not actually required)

3. “Blockade Run” - one player must get their ships to flee off an edge adjacent to the opposing players deployment zone (assuming we have multiple deployment options). The game ends when greater than half of the fleet’s points have been destroyed, or greater than half have fled the board from the correct edge.

Most of my Picutorion Campaign main-line scenarios can work as stand-alones.

As you have pointed out above, the main goal should be to change the victory condition from "ships killed" to something else--points scored, ships saved, specific target destroyed, etc.

Also, having something happen in the middle of the game (reinforcements, now you can flee, whatever) helps to make it feel more narrative.

1 hour ago, ScummyRebel said:

1. “recover the cargo” type mission where players alternate seeding cardboard tokens on the board (after placing obstacles before placing ships). Any ship that fully executes a meaneuver that overlaps this template may skip its action. If it does, the ship “claims” the objective (remove from board, set it on the ship card). If the ship flees from any board edge, the cargo is scored as being collected. Game goes until time, or until all cargo is off the board. Winner is the one with most cargo secure. Ships that are destroyed while holding cargo must drop cargo out the rear guides using the 1 template

2. “Destroy the flagship” - each player names one ship their “flagship”. The winner is the one who destroys it (seeding this in the mission deck may incentivize a huge ship use, even if it’s not actually required)

3. “Blockade Run” - one player must get their ships to flee off an edge adjacent to the opposing players deployment zone (assuming we have multiple deployment options). The game ends when greater than half of the fleet’s points have been destroyed, or greater than half have fled the board from the correct edge.

So modified Capture the Flag(1), Regicide(2), and Breach(3). I like it. I think Moralo Eval might end up being an interesting component in a Scum list for "Recover the Cargo". Being able to come back on after dropping off the flag could be potent. The C-ROC is going to need a fair bit of reworking though if it is going to be more than a piñata in Regicide, sorry "Destroy the Flagship". The GR-75 a nerf on its regen (one config is neigh impossible to kill in the current iteration of Epic iirc). Blockade Run a straight 500 v. 500 or does the defender (blockading force) have a slight reduction to what is available (since they only need to eliminate 251pts worth of blockade runners to win)?

i'd actually put it as 400+ points, and 6x3 or larger. have the format start at basically a double size standard and have it be open ended, so you can play as large of games as the players want. after all, "cinematic" can be a pretty wide concept.

as far as mission go.. i rather like the approach from Armada, where you have Objectives Cards , with several different types, which the players choose from at the start. though personally i would have it where each side chooses an objective card, and both are in play. or perhaps you have Mission cards (equivalent to the "assault" objectives in armada) and hazards cards (equivalent to defense/navigation cards) and you have to have one of each in play.

also i would open up the force building some. have an ally matrix letting you pair up two factions on a side (Empire+republic, Rebels+resistance, Scum+anybody, etc.), so the same squadron can mix factions to an extent. obviously each ship would still have to stick to its own faction's upgrades, but that could allow fluffy unit builds (like a CR90 alongside resistance T-70's, as seen in SW:Resistance, or Boba Fett flying alongside Imperials, etc) and interesting story style fights.

1 minute ago, Hiemfire said:

Blockade Run a straight 500 v. 500 or does the defender (blockading force) have a slight reduction to what is available (since they only need to eliminate 251pts worth of blockade runners to win)?

Honestly hadn’t gotten that far into the evaluation. This was all my first brainstorm of how to build a mission deck and have something to show for it.

The other side is the blockade runners only need to secure 251 points of stuff. I concede the defender (blockader) has some advantage in a straight point match - maybe alter the win condition to balance it out?

300-400 pts worth of blockaders would have a bit of work cut out for them trying to stop over half a 500 pt list from getting off the escape edge. 500pts worth of blockaders would chew up that 251pts needed rapidly. It would need some fine tuning but 350 for the defender, 500 for the attacker might be a good starting point.