2 hours ago, Grumbleduke said:

Which explains a lot about FFG's attitude towards packaging... The Starhawk wasn't too bad (it's a chunky thing), but the Onager had an awful lot of empty space in the box. And some of the recent Legion stuff has been a bit ridiculous when it comes to empty space.

Yes, indeed. FFG knows that the plastic windows in the Armada boxes significantly boosts their purchase appeal.

FFG could certainly make Armada's packaging more compact by removing the see-thru window design and making them like X-wing packaging, wherein large and huge ships only have a front window, and the cardboard, cards, and plastic components are placed behind the ship in the box, instead of dedicated the whole right side of box. However, that would eliminate the box art on the front, which features amazing artwork of the ship -- and the name, of course. The packaging wouldn't be as appealing if it were compacted -- even though it would save space and waste.

TBH I'd prefer a more environmentally-friend package design, if it was available. I don't need a fancy box to convince me that I want a new ship or squadron pack; FFG basically has my money from the moment they announce new Armada products.

But's that's just me. 😁

On 3/13/2020 at 7:02 PM, Reavern said:

I agree.

Unless FFG literally has thousands of Clone Wars Armada core sets sitting in their warehouse in Minnesota right now, it would be foolish to assume that China's manufacturing industry will be back on track and can fulfill the Q4 2020 release.

I seriously doubt that board games factories will be a priority. It's going to be electronics and heavy industry that are prioritized.

So Q4- yes; not 2020 but (hopefuly) 2021; impact of current crisis on board/miniatures industry may be devastating

2 minutes ago, Wawa666 said:

So Q4- yes; not 2020 but (hopefuly) 2021; impact of current crisis on board/miniatures industry may be devastating

The strange thing is that FFG just announced at GAMA that Clone Wars Armada Wave 2 should be released Q1 2021; and they said that CWA is "still on-track" for its scheduled Q4 2020 release window.

I can't imagine that FFG is that out-of-touch with reality or they're just optimistically assuming that China's factories will resume production in time to produce the CWA core sets. Given the COVID-19 crisis, no one would or could blame FFG for announcing delays -- but they're not . That seems very strange.

This is like in Texas Hold'Em when a player has a royal flush off of the flop, and all they have to do is sit tight and maintain their poker face to not give away their winning hand.

It makes me wonder if FFG has something hidden up their sleeve, which is why they're so confident about the 2020 release.

6 minutes ago, Reavern said:

The strange thing is that FFG just announced at GAMA that Clone Wars Armada Wave 2 should be released Q1 2021; and they said that CWA is "still on-track" for its scheduled Q4 2020 release window.

I can't imagine that FFG is that out-of-touch with reality or they're just optimistically assuming that China's factories will resume production in time to produce the CWA core sets. Given the COVID-19 crisis, no one would or could blame FFG for announcing delays -- but they're not . That seems very strange.

This is like in Texas Hold'Em when a player has a royal flush off of the flop, and all they have to do is sit tight and maintain their poker face to not give away their winning hand.

It makes me wonder if FFG has something hidden up their sleeve, which is why they're so confident about the 2020 release.

they could build an automated factory in US, that's only thing how that could be done given the situation IMO
in times of the crysis some folks can't stop normal rutine and act like nothing is happening (or they have some bombshell but You can't relay on that assumption)

2 hours ago, Reavern said:

The strange thing is that FFG just announced at GAMA that Clone Wars Armada Wave 2 should be released Q1 2021; and they said that CWA is "still on-track" for its scheduled Q4 2020 release window.

Perhaps the people talking about it aren't necessarily the ones involved in the production time lines. Maybe a question to ask if they do their not-Adepticon panel.

Also, what struck me as interesting about that was they talked about Wave 2 coming out in Q1 2021, and we're getting Wave 1 "in Q4 2020" - so a whole wave, not a Core Set. We probably shouldn't read too much into that, but that might mean we're either getting a Core Set and a wave of individual expansions (as with X-Wing 2.0), or just a wave of expansions. Or perhaps they'll do a Core Set, and have individual expansions with most (or all?) of the content from the Core Set, so you can get everything without needing to buy it.

22 minutes ago, Grumbleduke said:

Also, what struck me as interesting about that was they talked about Wave 2 coming out in Q1 2021, and we're getting Wave 1 "in Q4 2020" - so a whole wave, not a Core Set. We probably shouldn't read too much into that, but that might mean we're either getting a Core Set and a wave of individual expansions (as with X-Wing 2.0), or just a wave of expansions. Or perhaps they'll do a Core Set, and have individual expansions with most (or all?) of the content from the Core Set, so you can get everything without needing to buy it.

FFG has been somewhat inconsistent with Wave 1 expansion packs being released at the exact same time as a game's core set. For Armada, Wave 1 was released 2 months after the core set was released. For Legion, the core set and Wave 1 expansions were released at the same time; but Clone Wars Legion Wave 1 was released a month or so after the CWL core set. I remember that X-Wing Second Edition had at least some Wave 1 expansions, like the TIE Advanced and Y-wing, when it was released.

Just because FFG has said CWA Wave 2 is scheduled for Q1 2021 doesn't necessarily mean that all of Wave 1 will be released on the same day as Clone Wars Armada. A quarter is 3 months long, so Wave 1 could be released 2 months later and still quality as Q4.

I sincerely hope that CWA Wave 1 is released all at once because I want to have a 400-point build on Day 1 and see how the Republic and fares against the Empire and Rebels.

On 3/12/2020 at 8:03 PM, Reavern said:

The only other two I can think of are the Arquitens and Pelta, both of which already exist in Armada

Ha I'll bet. you right now both of those will be re-released for CWArmada, reason = profit

1 hour ago, EbonHawk said:

Ha I'll bet. you right now both of those will be re-released for CWArmada, reason = profit

I never said that FFG wouldn't re-release Arquitens or Pelta for the Galactic Republic faction; they just won't release them in Wave 1 because they'd have lower appeal than new ships, like the Venator, Acclamator, and Charger C70.

I suppose it's possible they'll be released in Wave 2, since they'll be easy. However, my prediction is that Wave 2 will feature large ships for each faction, similar to Wave 2 for Armada featured the ISD and Home One. Perhaps the Republic Arquitens might be included in Wave 2 because the Raider and MC30 were released alongside the large ships, but FFG won't re-release both small ships in the same wave. Considering that the Pelta was a medical transport in the Clone Wars, not a warship, I doubt it's a high priority.

18 hours ago, Rmcarrier1 said:

Suffice to say, FFG is investing in Clone Wars to expand the player base, not to please its existing customers (though of course that’s a nice bonus).

Sufficed to say, You've said it.

Is their definitive proof of it?

They are only making the Q4 release if the stock is already in a warehouse, probably the same for Q1/2 certainly for second wave. If the stuff isn't actuality produced yet they have no chance, but this is Asmodee and FFG they would still be saying that they will make a self imposed unrealistic release date right up until they miss it.

I can see a couple of options for a clone wars release.

Core box plus individual ships exactly like what we have for current era. Some people think we need this to get new players in, FFG may agree, the core set might be attractive enough to existing players that they buy it too provided they are planning to buy both factions or they split it, it has to come in under the combined cost of the ships in it, otherwise they are only selling to new players. Pretty much what they have done with legion.

Don't do a core sell faction pack, two ships bundled together with a damage deck? You can already buy dice and tools. Or just new ships and maybe separate damage deck faction specific. (they would need to make sure they restock tools and dice, and add a range ruler pack) Pretty much what they have done adding the same factions to Xwing. The art would make sense for a Republic faction pack.

The forma would be more typical but not by much, the latter would make more sense when you factor in they have a solid fan base that buys out a new wave almost as soon as it is released and the retailers will not want a second core set on the shelf taking up a lot of space and competing with the original. Could go either way.

3 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Sufficed to say, You've said it.

Is their definitive proof of it?

The only thing I want proof of is Dreadnought Heavy Cruisers in Armada. Everything else is classic Ben.

49 minutes ago, jbc98k said:

The only thing I want proof of is Dreadnought Heavy Cruisers in Armada. Everything else is classic Ben.

Well, I mean.

I sell the Models.

That counts ,right?

I would actually be surprised if TCW Wave 2 isn’t 3 months-ish behind core/wave 1. A big core, wave 1, and wave 2 in short would mean something like 5 ship classes available for CW factions. That seems enough for some level of list building diversity.

8 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Well, I mean.

I sell the Models.

That counts ,right?

Yes but do they have the see -thru win d o w in the box?

3 minutes ago, jbc98k said:

Yes but do they have the see -thru win d o w in the box?

I have access to a Vacuform machine...

Like Mega Maid in Spaceballs?

We could be onto something here...

On 3/13/2020 at 9:32 AM, cynanbloodbane said:

While I would be thrilled if the core set was 2 Munificents and a Venator, I don't think they will go that route. Honestly I would buy up at least 3 core sets if that was the case, and I believe many others would as well.

The point of a core set is to introduce new players to the game, not to allow your fan base an easy way to stock up on the most iconic ships in the game, or undercut sales for what should be the highest selling expansions.

A Venator and two Munificents (or muni and recusant light) would grab the attention of clone war fans. A wave one with Venators plus another ship (like they did with VSD and Glad) and the Venator would have more titles and another commander. So players would have to buy the core (some who love Venators will buy two or three.. I know I will) and then the Venator expansion for the other titles.

By the way I started this game cause I saw the core set and was like ohh that Victory is BA looking and bought it not even knowing what Armada was... then found out more and now I am addicted. So there is incentive to a very attractive core set. I can see an acclamator vs 2 small seps (maybe hardcell and something else) but thatd be less appealing.

On 3/10/2020 at 10:55 PM, Jedirev said:

When FFG meet a shipping date, I'll eat my hat. 🤠

So will you be seasoning that hat of yours?

1 hour ago, TallGiraffe said:

So will you be seasoning that hat of yours?

And what date did FFG make? Not wave 9, I assure you.

4 hours ago, Green Knight said:

And what date did FFG make? Not wave 9, I assure you.

Well, you did shift goal posts a little.

They met it.

Just not to *YOU*. 🙂

as a previous eater of a TIE fighter over their stance, one could say it was either a shifted goal post, or bargained in bad faith 😉

2 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Well, you did shift goal posts a little.

They met it.

Just not to *YOU*. 🙂

as a previous eater of a TIE fighter over their stance, one could say it was either a shifted goal post, or bargained in bad faith 😉

You're too good for this forum Dras, truly you are 😇

On 3/10/2020 at 8:55 PM, Jedirev said:

When FFG meet a shipping date, I'll eat my hat. 🤠

Time to eat your hat please post video

1 hour ago, TheHoosh said:

Time to eat your hat please post video

They said Q3, it was Q3....

While the local store had some Clone Wars stuff and they look awesome, it'd be cool to have the next Wave of Armada minis just be an adequately large printing of all the ones that are out already but nasty to get a hold of.

3 hours ago, TheHoosh said:

Time to eat your hat please post video

Hats off to them. I like to think its incentives like this that spur them on.

Birthday's on Sunday, so I'll see if the Mrs can whip up some boiled hat for me.