Whether you think bids are a problem or not. I've been thinking, what if FFG actually makes it a part of the actual game, instead of just listbuilding? Like they did with the setup phase with things like Resistance Han, Tobias crew, Dormitz, etc. What if everyone starts on equal terms, and upgrades, not bids, give you an advantage to move second?
We need to take the guarantee out of the bidding process. Its like abilities that turn an eyeball into a hit guaranteed vs one that says roll a dice 'for such-and-such' to happen. Majority of players go for the guarantee. The less variance you take out from a dice game, the more consistent your results.
Aces want to move second, we need cards to make it happen instead of just insane bids. Make first player token a mini game, as even 200pt low init swarm lists can benefit from winning the bid and choosing rocks first.
Solution:
First player token is a roll off. Each player rolls three red dice. 2pts for crits, 1pt for hits. Highest point total gets to choose who takes first player token.
Having this standard, sets up upgrades and maybe even future pilot abilities to help win the roll off. One-off pilot abilities already exist like resistance Han and Iden, so this would not be anything new. Something like roll an extra red die, or reroll a blank on first player rolls, etc.
Now, we also need to have a list minimum of something like 195pts, meaning, your list must be 195pts or more. What this does is actually make more cards viable. If you build your list and its at 194pts. Usually, if you have high init ships, your good right there with a 6pt bid. But having that 195 minimum, will actually bring cards into play that dont see much play. If you have to spend 1pt, and have no ept slots available, maybe you take cards like munition failsafe to go along with it if your sporting ordnance, etc.
Why 195pt minimum? The leftover 5pts is list building strat to give yourself a small advantage to win the bid game. If you outbid your opponent, you can reroll one die. So we still have a small bid game for those acey lists.
Now, for the upgrades. We can have aces fill out epts for better odds at moving second.
EPT: Veteran Instincts
During first player roll, you may reroll 1 blank result.
Force Power: Guidance
During first player roll, you may turn 1 eyeball result to a hit result.
Force Power: Disturbance
During first player roll, you may turn an opponents hit result to an eyeball result.
Modification: Navigation Network
During first player roll, if you have 3 copies of Navigation Network in your squad, you may roll 1 extra die.
These are just some examples I came up with. Veteran Instincts gives a squad with ships like Soontir a reroll to increase chances of moving second. Disturbance is like a Juke, and Guidance is like using 1 force power during the reroll to get better results. Nav Network gives swarms or even trip aces a big advantage at moving second for the cost of three upgrades and the mod slot. I made it three copies, so that two ship lists like Fenn/Guri etc cant take advantage of them.
Instead of a 15pt bid like todays game, instead you take a 5pt bid, three nav networks and veteran instincts for your trip aces. And during first player roll, you are rolling 4 dice (three nav networks) with 2 rerolls (vet instincts and 5pt bid win). All of these upgrades dont guarantee moving second, just like Soontir defending range 3 obstructed doesnt mean your safe, but does increase your chances.
I feel this creates an equal opportunity for any list. Are you willing to give up crackshot for veteran instincts and a better chance at moving second?
In todays game if you bring a 20pt bid and run into a mirror match with a 21pt bid (like a Fenn/Guri mirror), it is most likely an auto lose. Everyone should have a chance. And making the first player token decision an actual part of the game I feel would open up list building a lot more knowing you must build to 195pts.
Thoughts?
Edited by wurms