Just wanted to let everyone know what I found while reading some news articles on the FFG newspage. In one of their recent articles found here , which is about the new hyperspace gamemode for X-Wing, they link another article , from when they first announced the new gamemode. This was in January. I read throigh it and found this section really interesting.

Quote

Every competitive game is accompanied by its own "metagame," the unofficial set of rules governing the builds, lists, and strategies that players believe to be competitive at the highest levels. Changes in the metagame are critical to a game's health. Without shifts in the metagame, players will see the same strategies and tactics employed over and over again and become fatigued by them.

Because changes in the metagame are driven by changes to the available products, there are three primary ways to drive change—add to the existing product, redefine the number of available products, and edit the available products.

I just though this was interesting and that FFG knows we don't like stale metas. Remeber, rebellions are built on hope.

I guess they figured out we don't like stale metas the very first time numbers on sales went down

14 minutes ago, Trevize84 said:

I guess they figured out we don't like stale metas the very first time numbers on sales went down

I’m guessing about a week or two after worlds we’ll see a new box

A tester told me that the Spectre Cell card was not supposed to be what it is today. After testing it was something a lot less powerful. He claimed that FFG just made the decision to make it what it was, without what he felt was real testing. Why they would do this is beyond me. My guess would be to help promote Disney's new cash cow. The fact that they have not changed anything about it yet worries me a little, but perhaps they want to see it at a big tournament first. They'll get that chance this week, as I know a lot of people who are bringing it out of frustration about playing against it. If you can't beat em, join em. Further to that, a lot of my hard core friends who play decided not to even go to Worlds due to the Spectre Cell meta.

That being said, I think we're getting and Endor small box expansion and some blisters. My hope is that it has more fixes for lesser played figures, but the feeling I got was that they were fixing one or two more and that's it. Also, I think the ewok on the map is no mistake. Ewoks are coming. It makes zero sense for FFG to release Terro's map which is Endor, without there being new Endor content and then slap an ewok on it. They still want to promote the app and campaign, so that's not stopping any time soon. As for skirmish, we'll get our toys I'm sure. Considering that the game's errata is super small, they likely don't feel like there is much to change for skirmish.

They want to keep the campaign going because it sells, and dropping in some skirmish goodies only makes sense. Especially since it could not possibly cost that much more for production.

I suppose the upside of maybe getting Ewoks, is that I can finally homebrew an Ewok
horde mode for my group 😂

All they need to do is release a card pack for 10 bucks that re costs 5 figures and nerfs SC and this game gets flipped on its head again for another season. That is literally all it takes to keep a meta fresh.

I understand it requires testing and design for the cards, but it has to be a lot less intensive than new content and a viable option.

26 minutes ago, FrogTrigger said:

All they need to do is release a card pack for 10 bucks that re costs 5 figures and nerfs SC and this game gets flipped on its head again for another season. That is literally all it takes to keep a meta fresh.

I understand it requires testing and design for the cards, but it has to be a lot less intensive than new content and a viable option.

Doesn't sound expensive enough

I'll never forget when I opened the corellian conflict box for armada. It was literally some cardboard and paper in a tiny box and was about $30 USD! In saying that, I'd gladly pay for some new paper for IA.

I actually wrote a complaint to FFG over the price tag on what was included in the armada campaign box.

I think FFG just wanted a rebel list to finally win Worlds, like they said in the Daniel Taylor interview (I think). That could be why they’ve waited (if they are waiting) so long to nerf Spectre Cell. The fact that the best list in the game right now is a pre-made list with almost zero customizability, save for one of six 1-cost upgrades and the command deck, is entirely against what Imperial Assault stands for: the joy of building an army, putting through the crucible and redefining it until it is worthy of champions.

I think FFG realizes the meta’s broken. But like we saw with Reb Sabs and 4x4 before the first Worlds, which were broken too, FFG waited until after Worlds to errata them, which, if you think about it, is actually really smart. We’ll always rememer the 2019 Imperial Assault World Championship as “the one where everyone brought Spectre Cell,” just like we remember 2015 worlds as “the one where everyone brought Saboteurs and 4x4.”

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, guys. I just hope it’s not an oncoming train.

12 hours ago, GuillotineTE said:

I think FFG just wanted a rebel list to finally win Worlds, like they said in the Daniel Taylor interview (I think). That could be why they’ve waited (if they are waiting) so long to nerf Spectre Cell. The fact that the best list in the game right now is a pre-made list with almost zero customizability, save for one of six 1-cost upgrades and the command deck, is entirely against what Imperial Assault stands for: the joy of building an army, putting through the crucible and redefining it until it is worthy of champions.

I think FFG realizes the meta’s broken. But like we saw with Reb Sabs and 4x4 before the first Worlds, which were broken too, FFG waited until after Worlds to errata them, which, if you think about it, is actually really smart. We’ll always rememer the 2019 Imperial Assault World Championship as “the one where everyone brought Spectre Cell,” just like we remember 2015 worlds as “the one where everyone brought Saboteurs and 4x4.”

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, guys. I just hope it’s not an oncoming train.

Totally agree. And yes, it's time to nerf this card. It makes no sense to keep this going. The skirmish game is already struggling to stay alive. They were clearly pushing Disney's agenda to sell Rebels, which I totally get. This company has taken a terrible turn away from themed gaming with their change to a more international reach. I miss Christian Petersen.

Legion getting the prequels. That's pretty neat, even if Phase 1 troopers seem like an odd choice.

(That Grievous model, though... makes it very tempting).

Looks like Armada's up next.

Any chance at all we might get some love?

edit: oof, it's another box campaign for Armada. I feel like they're not gonna like that.

So they also announced an Upgrade Card Pack for 10 bucks that will include every non faction specific upgrade to date up until the newly announced Clone Wars core set. This will make it so people aren't required to buy expansions they don't want just for cards, and also help new players enter the game.

Why could we not have got this for IA years ago?

Davey mentioned that X-Wing and Armada are getting similar card sets. But not IA..

I think we can call TOD on IA.. it didn't even get a mention.

7 minutes ago, FrogTrigger said:

So they also announced an Upgrade Card Pack for 10 bucks that will include every non faction specific upgrade to date up until the newly announced Clone Wars core set. This will make it so people aren't required to buy expansions they don't want just for cards, and also help new players enter the game.

Why could we not have got this for IA years ago?

Davey mentioned that X-Wing and Armada are getting similar card sets. But not IA..

I think we can call TOD on IA.. it didn't even get a mention.

Eh, we've barely gotten a mention at the past two Gencons, either.

But it is frustrating.

Like, they've got to read these forums and know how forgotten we feel.

3 hours ago, FrogTrigger said:

it didn't even get a mention    

The only mention was during the Q&A part when I asked them if they could share any update on IA. The developers just replied they don't work on that game. Plain and simple :(

6 hours ago, subtrendy2 said:

Legion getting the prequels. That's pretty neat, even if Phase 1 troopers seem like an odd choice.

(That Grievous model, though... makes it very tempting).

Looks like Armada's up next.

Any chance at all we might get some love?

edit: oof, it's another box campaign for Armada. I feel like they're not gonna like that.

My guess is that they’ll have alternate models for clones. Phase I and II, but same abilities.

2 hours ago, bokepasa said:

The only mention was during the Q&A part when I asked them if they could share any update on IA. The developers just replied they don't work on that game. Plain and simple

The pain we feel is almost unbearable. If it carries on like this much longer, I don’t know what I’d do.

My hope and heart’s desire is that they’ve been so silent for so long because they’re working on IA 2.0 or something like that with prequels content. But I’d honestly just prefer a Rogue One box and an Endor box first. Dagobah and Endor in one box would be cool and sandy beaches and more desert terrain for Jedha city in another. I know there’s room for My boy Orson Krennic (and Jyn, Cassian, Chirrut, Baze, Saw, Saw’s partisans, etc.)

I would just like a big new Campaign booklet for people who own all the Expansions. with new stories and adventures.

im fine with the collection ending. its gotten way out of hand anyways.

On 3/27/2019 at 7:22 PM, GuillotineTE said:

FFG waited until after Worlds to errata them, which, if you think about it, is actually really smart. We’ll always rememer the 2019 Imperial Assault World Championship as “the one where everyone brought Spectre Cell,” just like we remember 2015 worlds as “the one where everyone brought Saboteurs and 4x4.”

Perhaps I'm not understanding something, but I don't see how this is a "smart" thing? yes people will definitely remember it, but not in a positive way

It's one of the reason driving me away from actually playing in official tournaments, I'll happily bust out a game at home or at local stores and play with a separate meta, ex. "all figures and cards >= wave 8 are banned", or "no SC", or "Troopers only", or "No skirmish upgrades cards" or "Wave 1 skirmish maps only", but I couldn't ever see myself practicing SC over and over again on those 3 tournament maps

Sometimes when I introduce new players they ask about IA's skirmish meta history, and pretty much everyone went "wow that's totally stupid!" when I start out with "back in the day there was 4x4 where people were buying 4 Core boxes..."

5 minutes ago, ricope said:

Perhaps I'm not understanding something, but I don't see how this is a "smart" thing? yes people will definitely remember it, but not in a positive way

It's one of the reason driving me away from actually playing in official tournaments, I'll happily bust out a game at home or at local stores and play with a separate meta, ex. "all figures and cards >= wave 8 are banned", or "no SC", or "Troopers only", or "No skirmish upgrades cards" or "Wave 1 skirmish maps only", but I couldn't ever see myself practicing SC over and over again on those 3 tournament maps

Sometimes when I introduce new players they ask about IA's skirmish meta history, and pretty much everyone went "wow that's totally stupid!" when I start out with "back in the day there was 4x4..."

Now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't too smart since they lost a lot of attendees, but in terms of timing and planning, they needed to wait.

I personally love designated lists. @Ram 's re-costed tournament is a great example of a really successful one that's fun to play.

Although I am sure we are getting new content announced in the next month at least, I feel as though Imperial Assault has been put on the back burner. Sad as it is, by this time next year I believe IA will be giving up its spot on the stove for something new, be it a new game or just an old game's expansion. I pray that this doesn't happen.

1 hour ago, GuillotineTE said:

Now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't too smart since they lost a lot of attendees, but in terms of timing and planning, they needed to wait.

I personally love designated lists. @Ram 's re-costed tournament is a great example of a really successful one that's fun to play.

Although I am sure we are getting new content announced in the next month at least, I feel as though Imperial Assault has been put on the back burner. Sad as it is, by this time next year I believe IA will be giving up its spot on the stove for something new, be it a new game or just an old game's expansion. I pray that this doesn't happen.

The problem with a flat-cost reduction is that it doesn't really solve the core problem, you could have wave 1 eStorms costing 9->4 and it's still possible nobody takes them because they're fairly likely to be one-shotted by wave 8 eRangers or wave 8 Jedi Luke or wave 11 Ezra, figures >= wave 8 are in an entirely different league of its own vs. figures from wave 1 - 7. Wave 10 ATDP is flat out cheaper and better than wave 1 AT-ST and wave 5 tank in every way

For single-figure activation groups there's even more problems

For the record, I'm more leaning towards nerfing than buffing, for example I'd be much more in favor of nerfing wave 11 SC and bring them down to wave 7 figure's power level than boosting wave 2 figures into wave 11 SC's power level. This way if FFG releases a new power curve at casual games we only have to say "nope that 1 figure is too powerful, nerf it" than "crap let's re-do all of our 50+ unofficial fixes"

34 minutes ago, ricope said:

The problem with a flat-cost reduction is that it doesn't really solve the core problem, you could have wave 1 eStorms costing 9->4 and it's still possible nobody takes them because they're fairly likely to be one-shotted by wave 8 eRangers or wave 8 Jedi Luke or wave 11 Ezra, figures >= wave 8 are in an entirely different league of its own vs. figures from wave 1 - 7. Wave 10 ATDP is flat out cheaper and better than wave 1 AT-ST and wave 5 tank in every way

For single-figure activation groups there's even more problems

For the record, I'm more leaning towards nerfing than buffing, for example I'd be much more in favor of nerfing wave 11 SC and bring them down to wave 7 figure's power level than boosting wave 2 figures into wave 11 SC's power level. This way if FFG releases a new power curve at casual games we only have to say "nope that 1 figure is too powerful, nerf it" than "crap let's re-do all of our 50+ unofficial fixes"

I am for nerfing as well. I don't like that a skirmish game, which used to take around 5 rounds to play, now can be finished at the end of 2 or the beginning of 3. With nerfed figures, games would last longer, and I know that's not necessarily desirable to tournament-goers as there's a time limit, but longer games are generally more fun IMO.

15 hours ago, bokepasa said:

The only mention was during the Q&A part when I asked them if they could share any update on IA. The developers just replied they don't work on that game. Plain and simple

As in, they specifically?

Or FFG as a whole, now?

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/3/29/join-the-party/

So, does this mean a last ditch push to get us to buy a couple of more IA things? Or is this a sign that FFG is finally paying attention to our plight here at the IA forum, and are accommodating us with a "gah! these people are suffering" handout that means more for the future?

Now, I framed this as a negative, but I really am not. I think IA is alive and well with FFG, and will continue for quite some time indeed, but it would sure be nice if all this signaled a return for IA into the FFG attention and plotting

Finally, some good news. I really like the inclusion of campaign in their organized play now. I don’t usually play campaign, but for those who do, this is great. I don’t know that I like the use of extended art cards instead of alternate art cards, but I guess it’s easier to use preexisting art and just change the position of the stats. I’m super excited 😆 .