Shamelessly nicking some image links from Steel Strategy - but definitely go check those pages out, for more, if you haven't already!

http://www.steelstrategy.com/

This definitely looks like a sort of 'soft' update to Armada. Definitely not a 2nd edition, but...a 1.5 edition?

1. New 'upgrade' card size to 'standard' card size? And what in the Holy Moses is all that new iconography on the cards???
   
2. All those 'pass' tokens...why? Apparently, per the live-stream, the rules are getting some updates to incorporate these into base play to change how activations work in the game.
   
3. FFG is taking the opportunity to incorporate errata to date, AND RE-POINT THE CARDS on the card itself (no app updates).
   
4. Activations are seeing changes. Loosely-defined information is that, apparently, fleets with different activation counts will get a number of 'pass' tokens somehow that in some way accounts for that. These pass tokens are NOT re-usable, however, and are instead consumed as they are used. Further details unknown!
   (Confirmed in the Steel Strategy podcast: https://steelstrategy.podbean.com/e/episode-23-gencon-reactions-and-michael-gernes-interview/ )
5. Aces are getting capped. 1 'ace with defense tokens' per 100 pts of list-building target. IE., 200-pt games have a max of 2 aces, 400-pt games have a max of 4.
   (Confirmed in the Steel Strategy podcast: https://steelstrategy.podbean.com/e/episode-23-gencon-reactions-and-michael-gernes-interview/ )

What all does this mean? What else is changing?

1 minute ago, xanderf said:

New 'upgrade' card size to 'standard' card size? And what in the Holy Moses is all that new iconography on the cards???

Anything in the blue side is something that is added to the card at the start of the game, anything on the red side is the cost to ready the card.

1 minute ago, Animewarsdude said:

Anything in the blue side is something that is added to the card at the start of the game, anything on the red side is the cost to ready the card.

So you put 5 con-fire tokens on that card at the start of the game? Okay, that makes sense.

I don't follow the iconography on the red side, though - how that maps to the card text is rather confusing.

1 minute ago, xanderf said:

So you put 5 con-fire tokens on that card at the start of the game? Okay, that makes sense.

I don't follow the iconography on the red side, though - how that maps to the card text is rather confusing.

That isn't in the card text at all. That card does not automatically refresh at the start of the turn. It needs to be fed one of the below tokens to refresh. Compare to the new TRCs, that have a different symbol there. Those automatically refresh.

This will be outlined in the new rules document.

14 minutes ago, shmitty said:

That isn't in the card text at all. That card does not automatically refresh at the start of the turn. It needs to be fed one of the below tokens to refresh. Compare to the new TRCs, that have a different symbol there. Those automatically refresh.

This will be outlined in the new rules document.

Ahhh...so it's a list of 'or' tokens to refresh it. Interesting!

Any details on what the changes are to how activations work? That feels like it will be the biggest change to how the game actually plays...

Just now, xanderf said:

Ahhh...so it's a list of 'or' tokens to refresh it. Interesting!

Any details on what the changes are to how activations work? That feels like it will be the biggest change to how the game actually plays...

They kinda danced around it in the stream this morning. Only really saying it would be better explained before December.

I agree that it will be a significant change.

2 minutes ago, shmitty said:

They kinda danced around it in the stream this morning. Only really saying it would be better explained before December.

I agree that it will be a significant change.

I certainly look forward to not needing to bring a pair of flotillas with every build for nothing but activation padding...

Soooo... I guess I'm gonna need the card pack after all. Well played FFG! But I still like the changes, so REALLY well played FFG! You both made me satisfied and made me spend even more money on this beautiful game!

I am very excited about ALL of this.

The activation/ pass token rules will hopefully help. My first reaction is don't need it BUT let's see how it is implemented!

I get the part where the larger upgrade cards are more difficult at the table. However with the change from X-wing I've found that the other conveniences of having just one size card have outweighed the drawback at the table. The standard size cards are just way easier to store and handle and transport to me. And SEE. Needs reading glasses eyes like the bigger cards.

1 hour ago, xanderf said:

This definitely looks like a sort of 'soft' update to Armada. Definitely not a 2nd edition, but...a 1.5 edition?

They definitely alluded to as much. The pass token discussion was cryptic. I can't wait until they detail more of that.

4 minutes ago, Frimmel said:

I get the part where the larger upgrade cards are more difficult at the table. However with the change from X-wing I've found that the other conveniences of having just one size card have outweighed the drawback at the table. The standard size cards are just way easier to store and handle and transport to me. And SEE. Needs reading glasses eyes like the bigger cards.

I do hope they cranked up the text size.

In the stream they implied that the pass tokens were for lower activation lists s it might work like IA where if you have less activations than your opponent you can pass.

6 minutes ago, Orcdruid said:

In the stream they implied that the pass tokens were for lower activation lists s it might work like IA where if you have less activations than your opponent you can pass.

Are these pass token going to only be provided in the dial pack or are they part of the Upgrade cards pack and/or included in the new starters?

1 hour ago, shmitty said:

That card does not automatically refresh at the start of the turn.

To be really pedantic, cards refresh during the Status Phase, which is at the end of the turn. And they confirmed on stream that that's when the red-box-thingamy timing happens.

It doesn't make much difference, but it means you have to have the necessary tokens or dials at the end of one turn, not at the beginning of the next one.

5 minutes ago, Frimmel said:

Are these pass token going to only be provided in the dial pack or are they part of the Upgrade cards pack and/or included in the new starters?

It sounded like they would only be in the Dial Pack. However even in competitive play, you are allowed to proxy things like pass tokens provided everything is clear (and the TO is Ok with it).

6 minutes ago, Frimmel said:

Are these pass token going to only be provided in the dial pack or are they part of the Upgrade cards pack and/or included in the new starters?

Adniral Tater sells some too

Maybe they'll update Tagge as well, so that he's no longer co-ruler of the Kingdom Of Suck with Princess Leia.

21 minutes ago, Grumbleduke said:

It sounded like they would only be in the Dial Pack. However even in competitive play, you are allowed to proxy things like pass tokens provided everything is clear (and the TO is Ok with it).

Thanks. I figured it was easily worked around but it seemed worth asking.

Very curious about the new activation mechanics, but also a bit concerned to be honest. MSU and to degree all small and medium combat ships were already struggling since quality of activation, maintaining full firepower and conserving points make large ships mostly superior. Activation officers are undermining one of the few advantages MSUs have and some kind of activation-equalizer would only make that problem worse or universal for all MSU matchups.

However, I'm confident that is something they have consindered and interested in what they came up with.

36 minutes ago, Grumbleduke said:

To be really pedantic, cards refresh during the Status Phase, which is at the end of the turn. And they confirmed on stream that that's when the red-box-thingamy timing happens.

It doesn't make much difference, but it means you have to have the necessary tokens or dials at the end of one turn, not at the beginning of the next one.

It's a curious distinction, as more cards arriving with this 'needs to have a token to refresh' mechanic - if done at the START of the ship phase - would have provided a needed boost to some officers or commanders (Tarkin springs to mind).

But perhaps they didn't want to try to sort out those interactions, and Tarkin will join Leia in a simple points reduction...

32 minutes ago, flatpackhamster said:

Maybe they'll update Tagge as well, so that he's no longer co-ruler of the Kingdom Of Suck with Princess Leia.

Changing which rounds Tagge works on would help him more than a points change.

Leia was already decent - if you have 800pts and eg 12 ships, her effect multiplies to make her awesome. Now, she should be competitive.

And I need a shirt which says I was using her before the points change!

4 minutes ago, Gilarius said:

Changing which rounds Tagge works on would help him more than a points change.

Leia was already decent - if you have 800pts and eg 12 ships, her effect multiplies to make her awesome. Now, she should be competitive.

And I need a shirt which says I was using her before the points change!

Agree about Tagge. What might be fun is if you can specify which rounds he goes off on with two round tokens, a bit like Pryce.

Several commanders scale spectacularly and are far better at 600/800 than 400. Thrawn and Sato come to mind. I can see how Leia would be good at 800 too.

6 minutes ago, Gilarius said:

Changing which rounds Tagge works on would help him more than a points change.

Leia was already decent - if you have 800pts and eg 12 ships, her effect multiplies to make her awesome. Now, she should be competitive.

And I need a shirt which says I was using her before the points change!

Remind me when these go live and I'll make buttons. "I was janking before it was cool" or some such

I'm happy with everything spart from the card size, cramped board edges are gonna get worse. U'll get it regardless for all tge errataed cards and points changes.

In XW 2.0 they rebalanced a couple of areas, the core rukes remained the same. This hopefully is just a similar tidying up exercise.

A question - is Strat Advisor now dead or could you actually pass twice - it's got to be one or the other.