It stated with a thought: "Wouldn't it be cool……" you know the kind of thought.

I am thinking you start with a Rookie pilot

for every sucessful game he earns "commendations" x=commendations earns a new rank (imperial or rebel)

at each new rank you get a new piece of kit ie Astromech, Targeting computer, Proton torps that kind of thing (hopefully mostly represented by the cards but may need to come up with other ones too)

Also Each confirmed "kill" you get expierence X=experience earns new Reputation eg Experienced, vereran, Ace, legend and such.

at each new Reputation you can get increased stats or skills/abilities (once again hopefully there will be cards for these)

So you can make up a pilot name him and trach his career, I like the Idea of a Tie pilot earning acess to a Tie advanced when he gets to a certain rankyou could have imperial Captain Needa the verteran withe a custom pained ship with kill markings painted on if you were thus inclined.

What do you think?

Does anybody have good references for the rank system of the Rebel Alliance and/or the Empire

I remember one of the X-wing novels gave a number of kills that made a pilot an ace any body remember what the number is or which one of the novels? (i'll probably reread them all in the near future but i am ancle deep in George RR Martin at the moment.)

I have been thinking about a campaign system as well.

Traditionally, an Ace has been a pilot with 5 victories. I don't recall reading anything in the Star Wars universe to the contrary.

What I would like to see is a system that tracks the accomplishments of a pilot - stuff like "Shots that hit", "Kills", "Battles Survived" etc. Each accomplishment awards the pilot with X amount of points.

Pilot skills would then spend these points on skills that would allow them to become more lethal in combat. I would like to see the actual game before I start coming up with something more concrete, but that's basically what I was thinking.

A quick google search brings up these two:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rank_insignia_of_the_Galactic_Empire/old_version

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rank_insignia_of_the_Rebel_Alliance

It's a great research tool….

i have to say im not a big fan of experience and campaign systems in wargaming, that sort of thing should be left to roleplaying, otherwise you get power issues.

I tend to agree with ironman. If you want to do a campaign with a bunch of friends in an informal setting, that's one thing, but I would hate to see this come up in organized play.

Check out the Crimson Skies pilot advancement rules for a good starting point.

Crimson skies rulebook:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/48003837/Crimson-Skies-Corebook

I was thinking the very same thing.

my idea was to start my players at skill rank 1

over time they would advance one skill rank. Probably one per week. As their skill increased they could have a single special ability picked from any of the special abilites given to any of the named pilots in the game who had a skill rank equal to their own or lower. For example if you wanted Darth Vader's ability to do two actions you would need to be skill 9. But if you wanted Duttches ability you would need to be skill 5 or higher.

Player's could change their ability every time their skill rank increased.

Weapon and droid load outs would be determined by the story and the GM, but players would also earn elite pilot upgrade cards which they could use in battle (they would have to pick one from the cards earned)

I have a different idea than using any kind of experience system. Play the campaign scenarios however you want depending on your storyline. Rather than giving pilots bonuses, you instead give the player who completes his/her objectives additional Squad Building points for the next game. Over time, successful players will be naturally be bringing in more upgrades and better pilots as they can afford them.

You would probably want to build in a floor so that players who aren't performing don't get steam rolled by high end players, like 100pts. And you'd need to keep the increased point limit for the better players modest as well as giving a ceiling such later campaign games aren't boring one sided affairs.

Going with only giving 1 or 2 point increases per game won and a 1-2 point decrease for a loss with a 110pt ceiling and 100pt floor should work fine for a small campaign. this would let folks be able to tack on more upgrades OR maybe bring in an extra ship if they scrimp on upgrades for the existing ships. Shouldn't be too over powering yet still give successful players a little edge.

-DavicusPrime

Individual pilot bonuses seem clunky, and I don't think the game really works using that kind of continuity. It could, but you'd have to develop ways to protect beloved characters, which isn't possible when you're stringing together missions where victory is achieved by wiping out the other side.

DavicusPrime said: Rather than giving pilots bonuses, you instead give the player who completes his/her objectives additional Squad Building points for the next game.

I'm developing a campaign using that approach, and it also rewards players with access to new ships and upgrades. The players start with a modest squad point total and a limited selection. As they play through a series of missions linked by a story, they'll earn more squad points and unlock new resources to build their squads with. The rewards vary depending on which side wins, and what you're able to use in the final mission depends on the exact path you take through the story.