FFG has indicated with X-Wing, that they're looking to get right to covering the movies. They have already exhausted every ship shown in the OT that fits their scale; to the point where they even expanded their scale-range before releasing any EU ship (with the single exception of the Moldy Crow.)

They have shown that they fully intend to get as much mileage out of each piece of art that they generate. There are still over 50 fighter-based images in X-Wing that do not yet appear in the LCG.

Cloud City is already represented by 7 OSs.

Given these points, I'd say that it is a fair bet that Endor will be the next cycle as it has the following going for it in regards to the above-mentioned indications:

- Accompanied by a space battle in which many of the ship-classes represented by the unused fighter images partook (B, X, Y, A, TIE, TIE/In, Lambda, Falcon).
- High level of mainstream recognizability which I assume is one of the driving factors of their choices.
- With only 2 existing Endor OSs, the forest moon still has ample room for exploration; much moreso than any other single location foound in the movies.

Endor would be fine, as long as I get an Ewok event card named, "Doonk da-da loonk dun-doo-dah, da-look dun dook dun dook."

I think that it would be in Fantasy Flight's best interest (business-wise, since the game is still in it's infancy) would be to take a force cycle from a movie, of episode 4,5 or 6. The locations in the films that seem to leave alot to draw upon would be Tatooine and Endor and maybe Cloud City but, unfortunately I doubt it will be Cloud City.

Although we have much taken from the beginning of Episode 4 already and there is hardly any left of Cloud City since Edge of Darkness had shown us all the major players (Lando, Lobot, Bossk, Slave 1 etc..), I would hazard a guess that we will see Endor, which could provide a cool theme with what we have seen with Ewoks already, setting traps and throwing much chaos into the fray. A little like Scum is about capture, Ewoks could be about screwing with opponents draw deck with booby traps and the like.

Another reason we could possibly see Endor would be that if we look at the construction of the release of the Hoth cycle, it chronologically follows the beginning of Empire:

The Desolation Of Hoth

The Search For Skywalker

A Dark Time

Assault On Echo Base

The Battle of Hoth

Escape From Hoth

I could see that being mirrored with Endor with timeline like:

Arrival of Rebels on Endor

Rebels meet with ewoks and prepare to attack the bunker

Luke goes to to hang with the emperor and Vader and generally shoot the s^&t.

Ewok attack on the Imperials

Temptation of Luke by Palpatine and Vader

Attack on the Death Star II by lando and subsequent destruction

Things we could end up seeing.

Lambda class shuttle(s)

The Executor Star Destroyer

-we have two locations for it to protect in the core already: Counsel of the Sith and Fall of the Jedi

Interdictor class (with gravity wells on them to maybe add focus on fighters) Star Destroyers.

B wing group- Blue Squadron

A wing group- green Squadron

New navy fighters as in Tie Interceptors

-new squadron, similar to Black squadron in the Core Set

Endor troopers, scout bikers and speeder bikes.

There is so much that can be done, it makes me want to design my own dream cards.

Not long to go before a new cycle is released, so time will tell.

I think this is why I don't see the Endor cycle coming so soon - because it would be almost exactly the same as Hoth, but starting with the Imperials establishing their base.

I kinda like the idea of a Rogue Squadron cycle, but that would of course be Rebel-heavy, so unless we got Isard (father and daughter) and the like, Booster Terrik and so on, I don't know if it would be feasible. Hopefully it won't be too long before we get to find out, anyway!

I like where your head's at- but I can't resist pointing out that the "storyline" of the Hoth cycle was likely a holdover from the Nate French-designed version of the game, where Force packs would have had missions and stories a la The LotR Card Game. I would be pleasantly surprised if they continued to have a heavy focus on storyline, but I wouldn't be shocked if they moved to a slightly more abstract structure like Game of Thrones, where the theming of each cycle tends toward a heavier focus on what new gameplay mechanics are being introduced (e.g. Seasons in the Seasons cycle, Shadows in the King's landing cycle, etc) - this would be in line with the fairly abstract nature of the Star Wars game we all know and love.

Either way, +1 for blind speculation at an Endor cycle. I want my Grizz Frix card and my "She gonna blow!" event card!!

I like where your head's at- but I can't resist pointing out that the "storyline" of the Hoth cycle was likely a holdover from the Nate French-designed version of the game, where Force packs would have had missions and stories a la The LotR Card Game. I would be pleasantly surprised if they continued to have a heavy focus on storyline, but I wouldn't be shocked if they moved to a slightly more abstract structure like Game of Thrones, where the theming of each cycle tends toward a heavier focus on what new gameplay mechanics are being introduced (e.g. Seasons in the Seasons cycle, Shadows in the King's landing cycle, etc) - this would be in line with the fairly abstract nature of the Star Wars game we all know and love.

I hadn't thought of that, actually, but it does make perfect sense! I suspect you'll be right and we'll get a more random distribution. But hey, if that means developing Rogue Squadron as a trait, or Kuati or whatever (I do love Kuat for some unfathomable reason), I'd be more than fine with that.

On reflection, perhaps themed cycles would be too difficult to pull off all the time because of the factions they have - rarely could you get all six moving in the same direction. Although, I suppose that would make it more difficult to guess the next cycle, because it will be focusing on something new!

Surely we're due for news any day now???

Surely we're due for news any day now???

Yes we are if anything is to come out before the new year.

I like where your head's at- but I can't resist pointing out that the "storyline" of the Hoth cycle was likely a holdover from the Nate French-designed version of the game, where Force packs would have had missions and stories a la The LotR Card Game. I would be pleasantly surprised if they continued to have a heavy focus on storyline, but I wouldn't be shocked if they moved to a slightly more abstract structure like Game of Thrones, where the theming of each cycle tends toward a heavier focus on what new gameplay mechanics are being introduced (e.g. Seasons in the Seasons cycle, Shadows in the King's landing cycle, etc) - this would be in line with the fairly abstract nature of the Star Wars game we all know and love.

I hadn't thought of that, actually, but it does make perfect sense! I suspect you'll be right and we'll get a more random distribution. But hey, if that means developing Rogue Squadron as a trait, or Kuati or whatever (I do love Kuat for some unfathomable reason), I'd be more than fine with that.

On reflection, perhaps themed cycles would be too difficult to pull off all the time because of the factions they have - rarely could you get all six moving in the same direction. Although, I suppose that would make it more difficult to guess the next cycle, because it will be focusing on something new!

Surely we're due for news any day now???

I think they could pull it off, so called "theme" cycles wouldn't necessarily focus on a trait keyword (like Vehicle.) But could instead focus on a mechanic, a protect cycle, or a shielding cycle. I'm sure there will be new keywords in the future that cycles could easily be based around.

They could also be overall themes, I'm thinking of a black-mail / espionage cycle that might focus on the capture/rescue mechanic or help put together a cycle deck.

Lots of speculation fun.

Part of me thinks that since we had such a lack lustre capture mechanic with scum out of Edge, maybe FFG are either scrambling to bring it together in the next Cycle, or have a big plan that has had them going to bring it together all along.

Either way, if we dont get an announcement this week, I know a lot of people who may jump ship, since they feel they have been screwed with the prospect of a cool mechanic in Scum and are being left in the dark.

C'mon FFG give us a tid bid, just a taste.

Part of me thinks that since we had such a lack lustre capture mechanic with scum out of Edge, maybe FFG are either scrambling to bring it together in the next Cycle, or have a big plan that has had them going to bring it together all along.

Either way, if we dont get an announcement this week, I know a lot of people who may jump ship, since they feel they have been screwed with the prospect of a cool mechanic in Scum and are being left in the dark.

C'mon FFG give us a tid bid, just a taste.

Capture is "lackluster?" LOL

Part of me thinks that since we had such a lack lustre capture mechanic with scum out of Edge, maybe FFG are either scrambling to bring it together in the next Cycle, or have a big plan that has had them going to bring it together all along.

Either way, if we dont get an announcement this week, I know a lot of people who may jump ship, since they feel they have been screwed with the prospect of a cool mechanic in Scum and are being left in the dark.

C'mon FFG give us a tid bid, just a taste.

Capture is "lackluster?" LOL

Well the Scum cards weren't "as great" (for lack of a better term) as the smugglers ones.

Smuggler Objective Sets seem to have an advantage of having cheap costing cards to play at just about any time to mess with an opponent (thinking of you, Swindled). For Scum it seems to be reduced mostly to the 3 cost Event card Captured and Boba Fett from the Core set. I know there are a couple others but it's a pretty high cost on most cards that incorporate the capture mechanic.

Because the capture mechanic is phenomenal. It cannot be protected and there is all but no redirect and very little cancellation on the LS that will stop the "built in" capture effects (the events are certainly easily countered by certain cards though). Enhancements go in the trash; the capture mechanic has all but destroyed the "typical" enhancement-heavy Jedi deck(s). While the S&S is better than the S&V sets in EoD, overall the LS needed the boost more than the DS anyway.

Whatever you're smoking, I want some. There are very good reasons why Scum capture is by far the least-represented deck archetype in tournaments. Marquee units are too fragile, capture synergy effects too hard to pull off, not great at objective destruction like Navy OR holding the balance like Sith, with no third way to speed up the dial unique to them... this horse has been beaten to death for weeks now, it's pretty shocking that you'd come in here and just flatly assert something the commniuty has already well established is false.

The Gas, there is no need to be rude. Some people are having success with Scum decks. And capture is a super strong mechanic one that could easily get out of hand if allowed to. I think it will be by far the hardest one to keep balanced.

Rude doesn't bother me in the slightest.

A) Your arguments are for why Scum and Villains-only decks, as a whole, are not the best DS options. It does not speak to topic, which is the strength of the capture mechanic itself. Whether or not the capture has the support it needs to be top-tier alone, is not the point.

B) I do not allow any message board to move my opinions too far as vocal minorities and cults of personality too drastically sway any discussion. Any opinion I have is based on reason and experience. My experience is showing that capture, when part of a proper control deck, is stalking the edges of the top tier. It does not surprise me that FFG is being cautious with how it is being applied.

Well we can all agree that capture is a mechanics a future set could be based on, maybe we should start a new thread or avoid an argument in this one?

Well we can all agree that capture is a mechanics a future set could be based on, maybe we should start a new thread or avoid an argument in this one?

I agree that "Bounty Hunters" certainly has some legs as a theme.

My vote goes to an Endor themed cycle but I would love to see a Shadows of the Empire cycle, a Thrawn Trilogy theme and eventually a New Jedi Order themed cycle (I don't care what anybody else says that series is my favorite star wars series of all time).

I could care less about the Prequel trilogy or the Clone Wars, but if they went that route than I would buy it.

On reflection, perhaps themed cycles would be too difficult to pull off all the time because of the factions they have - rarely could you get all six moving in the same direction. Although, I suppose that would make it more difficult to guess the next cycle, because it will be focusing on something new!

How does this grab you?

Dagobah Cycle -

Jedi: Focus on Jedi Training, beyond just what's in the core. Stuff like Confrontation at the Cave, You Seek Yoda, Christmas Treeing the hell out of Luke or Leia for bonuses. Possibly a Jedi version of Leia.

Rebel: Rogue Squadron, recovering from the battle of Hoth and regrouping.

Scoundrel: Keeping key cards out of your opponent's reach, possibly a reverse of the Blockade Runner and Scout system, where attacking DS cards above a certain cost are excluded.

Neutral: We Don't Need Their Scum, tagging decks for playing cards that are off faction. Placing Tokens on an out of faction character, objective. Making out of faction objectives take unopposed damage in any successful attack. Disabling Edge Enabled Combat Icons on out of Faction units.

Sith: Hunt Down and Destroy the Jedi. Possibly a strong Sith capture objective, All too Easy or The Emperor's Prize. Possibly a Sith version of Trench Run, built around subverting one of your opponent's Jedi to the dark side (and your control).

Imperial Navy: Pursuing and hunting your opponent. Hand or Deck denial themes. I Want That Ship: Attack a target Vehicle as if it were an Objective. Focus out your objectives to reduce your opponent's reserve.

Scum and Villainy: I Want Them Alive: An alternate victory condition built around capturing opponent's cards. Possibly one that advances the Death Star Dial one tick for every capture, if you focus out the objective. A focus on actually bounty hunting, tracking specific characters down, either to kill them, or capture them.

Neutral: Emperor's New Order: focus on boosting the effectiveness of your in-faction units, and cards focused on subverting your opponent's out of faction cards.