FFG posted details as to what the Escalation and Furballs side event tournaments are going to be at worlds. There had been some speculation but the details are now revealed.

I think they sound like a great deal of fun. Escalation is certainly moving us toward a more "Epic" style of play. I'd love to try some of these out locally.

Those are both awesome!

Very interesting formats. Particularly excited to try some escalation tournaments locally!

I really like the furball type. Seems like a great way to get a bunch of people in on one game.

I'm very curious as to how deployment rules work for the furball . I've played in several 4 player free for all games, and trying to figure out the best way to deploy is always a big question. Usually we deploy within a '4' movment tepmlate square of a corner.

escalation seems awesome!

7 lambda shuttles ftw!!!

I

7 lambda shuttles ftw!!!

I'm sure FFG will endorse anyone willing to buy 7 shuttles!

I

7 lambda shuttles ftw!!!

I'm sure FFG will endorse anyone willing to buy 7 shuttles!

Can you just imagine setting up and trying to fly a wall of shuttles?

I

7 lambda shuttles ftw!!!

I'm sure FFG will endorse anyone willing to buy 7 shuttles!

Can you just imagine setting up and trying to fly a wall of shuttles?

Indeed, I can

I'd love me six A-wings with Assault Missiles for those 7 shuttles.

Something I might have to look into. The "Furball" match looks interesting, indeed.
As for the "Escalation" match, I could see three Outer Rim Smuggler YT-1300s -- (with Anti-Pursuit Lasers, just in case), with snub fighter support, flying a circle around the perimeter; a la the real-world AC-130 Spectre. :/

I've actually been trying to think up an escalation of furballs for a while now (After each game you can upgrade your one ship bigger and bigger). So this sounds really cool to me.

I think I need to know how they're going to adjudicate "the same". For example, if I have Wedge +VI (30 pts) in the first list, does Wedge +VI +R2D2 (34 pts) satisfy "the same" requirements? Would Wedge +R2D2 without the veteran instincts count as 29 of the necessary 30 "the same" points?

Furball sounds awesome! Now, as I understand it; team players are not allowed to discuss the maneuver dial settings on their ships, right?

I thought that anything could be discussed, it just had to be in public. As in no secret collaboration between team members. So discussing maneuvers is fine as long as you are ok with the opponents hearing it too. That said, I have no idea how they'll run it at Worlds. Sounds really fun.

Furball to me suggests everyman for themselves.

Squad building in Escalation is harder than it looks.

I think I need to know how they're going to adjudicate "the same". For example, if I have Wedge +VI (30 pts) in the first list, does Wedge +VI +R2D2 (34 pts) satisfy "the same" requirements? Would Wedge +R2D2 without the veteran instincts count as 29 of the necessary 30 "the same" points?

When i read the format i immediately asked myself if you buy a ship plus upgrades as 30 points, if you thereafter need to take that same ship with the same upgrades for the 30 points in the 90 points list, or if i can pass over upgrades at will as long as 30 points of the list are still there. Regarding your example with wedge. I would say he can take R2D2 as long as the list still includes one other point. For example if i took Lando for the 90 point list i would give him the VI to satisfy the 30 points even if VI is not anymore on Wedge... I think thats how it should work but i am not so sure.

That being said i really like both formats regardless. But furball sounds even more fun if you ask me. You are the pilot and if you lose your ship you're out. Great stuff!

Furball to me suggests everyman for themselves.

It says to divide the players into two teams of four, so I'm not sure a free-for-all is what FFG had in mind.

I initially read it the same way you did though, and I think that an every-man-for-himself game variant would be awesome. Taking a page from the old Doom deathmatch, you could even respawn a turn after you get shot down, and you'd play for number of kills after a certain number of turns.

No, it is 4 vs. 4 clearly but teams can perhaps not tell each other their manoeuvers thus making manoeuvering rather interesting...

Squad building in Escalation is harder than it looks.

It's downright difficult. You have to hitch your wagon to a horse and try to hope it can take you all the way. I will be very interested to see what people bring to this event.

Hey Don, its Chris Cook, how you been? Are you planning on running a SWM and/or Xwing tourney in Hamilton this Nov?

Furball to me suggests everyman for themselves.

It says to divide the players into two teams of four, so I'm not sure a free-for-all is what FFG had in mind.

I initially read it the same way you did though, and I think that an every-man-for-himself game variant would be awesome. Taking a page from the old Doom deathmatch, you could even respawn a turn after you get shot down, and you'd play for number of kills after a certain number of turns.

4-man team to me suggest they will work together. winning or losing as a team. objective = eliminate all enemy ships.

X-Wing™ Furballs ships...

Vader + determination

Soontir Fell + Stealth Device

X-Wing Rookie Pilot + R2D2 + Shield Upgrade

Gamma Squadron Pilot + Advanced Torpedoes + Seismic Charge

Wedge + Determination

Furball to me suggests everyman for themselves.

It says to divide the players into two teams of four, so I'm not sure a free-for-all is what FFG had in mind.

I initially read it the same way you did though, and I think that an every-man-for-himself game variant would be awesome. Taking a page from the old Doom deathmatch, you could even respawn a turn after you get shot down, and you'd play for number of kills after a certain number of turns.

4-man team to me suggest they will work together. winning or losing as a team. objective = eliminate all enemy ships.

Both would make sense. If not it would be like in real time combat every man for himself. Of course the pilots could radio each other in reality but sometimes even that's not fast enough... In that case support ships would be really bad because if someone choses lets say Garven Dreis and nobody is ever in range to give a focus token that would be really stupid.

If you were allowed to communicate this would be less of a problem, but then it would be more like a normal 120 point game. So i might even prefer the possibility that they can't communicate in a team except if the other team can also hear it just because it would be lie a real squadron. You have to understand each other blindly!