I grew up with the PC games, X-wing, TIE Fighter, and 'X-wing vs. TIE Fighter' and I loved the mission format that gave you a dogfighting objective to keep in mind, like protect the bombers. We already have the missions in the rule books but it would be neat to see dogfighting "upgrades" that by their benefit, encouraged lesser used ships or gave some context to the dogfighting theme. For example:

"Cover Me" [4pts]

When attacked, this ship may add to its agility roll X dice, where X is the attack stat of a friendly ship at range 1. The covering ship's agility is reduced to 1 for this round.

"Top Cover" [5pts]

Y-wing, B-wing, or TIE/B Only

Gain a a defense die for as long as two friendly fighters are in play.

"Redirect Power to Shields" [4pts]

Action: Recover a shield token in exchange for sacrificing one attack die this round (up to your shield value)

"Redrect Power to Lasers" [3pts]

Action: Gain an attack die in exchange for sacrificing a shield token this round.

"Get Out of There" [2pts] (A'la Wedge pulling out of the trench)

Upon being reduced to 1 hull after an attack, you may immediately perform a white 2 maneuver of your choice, then discard this card.

"Staying in the Fight" [2pts]

Upon receiving a critical hit, gain an attack dice for the following round.

"Sharpshooter" [4pts]

Add a focus to any primary attack performed at range 3.

"Hotshot" [5pts]

Receive one stress to add a focus to range 1 primary attacks.

"Panicked Maneuver" [3pts]

When 1 evade short of surviving an attack, role an additional defense die. If you survive, receive two stress and discard this card immediately.

"Inspirational Survivor" [2pt]

After an attacker rolls all hits but can land none, friendly ships receive one focus each.

"Expert Positioning" [2pts]

If at any time all enemy ships are within your primary firing arc during the combat round, perform one free action.

"Quick Reflexes" [4pts]

PS5+ A-wing or TIE/Interceptor Only

After being declared the target of a primary attack, immediately perform a barrel role out of or into a farther range if able. Gain one stress.

"Mainstay of the Fleet" [0pts]

Generic X-wing or TIE/F Only

Reduce point cost of this ship by 2.

"Intimidation" [5pts]

After this ship eliminates its second enemy ship, the opponent's highest remaining pilot loses -1 PS and any accompanying EPT. Discard this card.

"Underdog" [4pts]

PS4 or Lower Only

After eliminating an enemy ship with a PS 2 higher than your own, gain +2 PS and then discard this card.

Specifically, I like the idea of cards that add to the narrative experience ("Cover Me"), reflect the high emotions of a dogfight ("Panicked Maneuver"), and/or cards make the pilot's more dynamic ("Intimidation"). Thoughts?

FFG please take some of these ideas and give this man a cookie. I played X-wing and TIE Fighter on MS DOS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way back in the day. Really miss those, and these are some great ideas.

I don't have any commentary on balance and cost, but thematically this list is great; very well thought-out. Sticks right to the spirit of the game(s). Great work.

LOVE these ideas, but as far as balance goes, I don't think you can have an upgrade worth 0 points. I think perhaps a 1 point cost to reduce the cost of a single ship by 3 command points might work, but a 0 point upgrade is a bad idea imo - you need a cost, and a single use per squad limit.

I thought about that one too. I'm trying to achieve the effect of acknowledging X-wings and TIE/F are the stock ships of each faction, thereby encouraging their use. I thought perhaps making it a Unique upgrade, only allowing one per squad as you said. This would let you free up points for elsewhere via taking away points in exchange for using a lesser powered ship (the generics). 1 for 3 as you suggest seems like a good idea, saving you 2 overall. I admit I'm most unsure of assigning the point values but am willing to see them changed for the sake of balance, so long as their effect remains in spirit.

I also thought of:

"Formation Flying" [2pts]

Generic Pilots of PS4 or Less Only

When performing the same manuever of an identical friendly ship in range 1, overlaping bases do not cause an action to be lost.

"Heavy Fire" [4pts]

If the selected target has already been fired upon twice this round, it gains one stress regardless of this attack's outcome.

"Coordinated Assault" [5pts]

Unique Pilots Only

Spend a target lock. After performing an attack, a friendly ship of lesser PS may immediately perform a primary weapons attack upon the same target if able. The friendly ship may not attack again this round.

"Stay on the Leader" [3pts]

Spend a target lock. After selecting a target with PS8+, roll an additional attack die. Enemy ships of a lesser PS than the target gain an additional attack die this round.

"Attack Run Complete" [3pts]

Y-wings, B-wings, and TIE/B Only

If this ship has fired two secondary weapons without being hit itself, it gains an additional defense die the remainder of the game.

"Evasive Manuevers" [2pts] (A'la canceling an attack.)

Spend (sacrifice) a target lock. Gain one evade token.

"Rank and File" [3pts]

Generic PS Only

As long as generic pilots outnumber friendly unique pilots and at least one is in play, this ship gains +1PS.

I'm trying to involve more generic ships with many of these, perhaps creating lists with more ships and encouraging use of non-unique pilots.

Like all of the above. Also played all of those games on my PC's

Great work. the ideas are right but some of the points are well off for the abilities.

Great idea!! I especially love the cards that allow you to transfer power to shields or lasers or engines. I always found myself doing that in the game, and I found that it helped me out a lot.

I hope FFG does something like this. I'd certainly love to help the game more resemble my favorite PC game of all time.

"Stay on the Leader" [3pts]

Spend a target lock. After selecting a target with PS8+, roll an additional attack die. Enemy ships of a lesser PS than the target gain an additional attack die this round.

When I read this I smiled and immediately heard Vader's voice in my mind. FFG, give this guy a job! Actually, give me a job too while you're at it

Like others, not going to comment on the points or other balance issues, but the ideas are very good and I'd love to see a lot of your ideas show up as cards for this game.

Already been said, but, great ideas... like it

Like the ideas. Love that the names reflect instances in the movies. The whole idea sounds very much like talents, feats or skills from role-playing games. It would be interesting to see some of these come to life, but you have so many to choose from! Clearly, you are enjoying this task . Keep it up!

I grew up with the PC games, X-wing, TIE Fighter, and 'X-wing vs. TIE Fighter' and I loved the mission format that gave you a dogfighting objective to keep in mind, like protect the bombers. We already have the missions in the rule books but it would be neat to see dogfighting "upgrades" that by their benefit, encouraged lesser used ships or gave some context to the dogfighting theme. For example:

"Cover Me" [4pts]

When attacked, this ship may add to its agility roll X dice, where X is the attack stat of a friendly ship at range 1. The covering ship's agility is reduced to 1 for this round.

Etc

The primary reason I love this minatures game so much is because I miss the old X-Wing games. You have come up with some great ideas, and I hope that they are being noticed. I would love to see some of these implemented. They were what made that old video game so loved even to this day.

I can ditch the points. I admit I'm not as familiar with thinking that part out. My thought was 1-2 for fairly innocuous abilities, 3-4 for meaningful ones that carried a restriction/penalty of some sort, and 5+ for the turly powerful.

"Desperate Measures"

After an enemy ship fires a seconday weapon at you or a friendly ship within your primary firing arc, roll an attack die. On a critical hit result, the incoming ordinance is destroyed before defense dice need to be rolled.

"Blinded Target"

When firing on a ship whose line of sight (primary firing arc) is obscured by a fellow ship within range 1, it may not use evade tokens.

"Warning Shot"

If the targeted ship can add two die to its defense roll and a hit still lands, it recieves one stress."

"Tough Target"

Large Ship Modification Only

Smaller ships that attack within range one receive a stress after resolving their attack.

"Obscured Opponent"

Small Ship Only

As long as this ship is within range 1 of a larger ship, it may not be target locked.

"Priority Target"

PS7+ Only

As long as you maintain the target lock, friendly ships can turn one focus roll into a hit while firing on your target.

"Squad XO"

Unique Pilots Only

This ship may use the highest friendly PS's ability instead of its own. May not be used if the original PS has already used its ability this round.

"Established Wingmen"

Small Ship Only

This ship may freely exchange focus and evade tokens to another ship with this card within range 1. Only two ships in a list may employ this card.

great stuff, really captures the spirit of the game!

I really like some of the card ideas. Especially the ones that are situational and depend on taking a ton of damage at once. We have all been there and some of these cards would be op in the situation they are in but those situations don't always arise and the cards cost points so I think many of these ideas are or could be easily balanced without affecting the meta to much. I love this game for the reason that every card is useful and every situation has a card that makes you think "yeah maybe I could try that card next time with this list.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the affirmation. I saw the thread on Squad Cards that gave lists a theme akin to the movies and such. It had got me thinking that it would be neat to build lists along strictly dogfighting lines. Like using these three cards to make a list of more low-mid level PS with a protect the bombers theme:

"Cover Me" [?pts]

When attacked, this ship may add to its agility roll X dice, where X is the attack stat of a friendly ship at range 1. The covering ship's agility is reduced to 1 for this round.

"Top Cover" [?pts]

Y-wing, B-wing, or TIE/B Only

Gain a a defense die for as long as two friendly fighters are in play.

"Attack Run Complete" [?pts]

Y-wings, B-wings, and TIE/B Only

If this ship has fired two secondary weapons without being hit itself, it gains an additional defense die the remainder of the game.

Along with these, I really like

"Desperate Measures" [?pts]

After an enemy ship fires a seconday weapon at you or a friendly ship within your primary firing arc, roll an attack die. On a critical hit result, the incoming ordinance is destroyed before defense dice need to be rolled.

"Redrect Power to Lasers" [3pts]

Action: Gain an attack die in exchange for sacrificing a shield token this round.

I'm not as sure about them but I like the idea of being able to affect PS to allow generics to impact unique pilots. I think it would be neat to see a list someday with all generics with mechanics that can really challenge top tier lists with unique pilots.

I've only recently got into the game and one of the main reasons was my love of the old PC games. Really great ideas and great direction.