SW board games

[tyrannusBE]

I'm a great fan of the Fantasy Flight Games brand of board games, and when they aqcuired the license for star wars some time ago, I cheered.

The living card game is wonderful, and I also dabble in Armada and Imperial Assault, as well as so many other games. My absolute favorite though, which I play at least once a week, is the X-wing miniatures game.

Now I was wondering if anyone else around here plays any of these games or has at some point tried anything. We could discuss strategies or relate experiences.

I introduced myself here yesterday, and that very same evening I had a small x-wing tournament. And man, those TIE interceptors with stealth device and autothrusters... untouchable. They whiped the floor with me. If anyone has any ideas on how a Decimator with some TIE fighter backup might deal with those, I'd love to hear it because I'm coming up blank.

 

[Uriel]

I prefer Armada to X-wing immensely. It's just better in every way.

I'd like to pick up the LCG. Obviously I need a core set but I can't karkin' find one.

Also, if you want to take on T/I+Autothrusters you need ion cannons. Seriously. Get anything with ions and it stops any cloaking ships (that means Echo/Whisper, too!) from playing their shenanigans. Load that Decimator with ions if you can - or are you running the ramship? that works just as well.

On a related note: it is because of FFG that I am poor. Edge of the Empire/Age of Rebellion/Force and Destiny soon, X-wing, Armada, 40k Conquest, Dark heresy, Deathwatch and Only War, hopefully soon the Star Wars LCG, probably 40k's Relic... Seriously, they own my money.

 

[tyrannusBE]

Same here, mate. There's not a 40K system that I don't have the CRB from, with the notable exceptions of Dark Heresy second edition (working on that) and Black Crusade (so unbalanced, but did playtest an expansion for it).

The main reason I prefer X-wing is because it's far easier to get into for new players, and of course the price tags for expansions. If you want one or two of everything, that tallies up quickly.

There is unfortunately no way to load up the Decimator with cannons or turrets. It does take torpedoes and bombs, but those unfortunately don't cut it. I'll look into replacing the fighter squad with a TIE defender so I can bring an ion cannon, but even then you need to get a hit in first for the ion effect to kick in. With stealth devices, those things roll five dice on defense every time easily.

As for the decimator, I like the tank build over the ram build because it keeps me around for longer, and a primary weapon attack of 3 on a turret usually doesn't need much addition for dealing damage.

I'm a bit behind on the LCG (I have up to and including the echoes of the Force cycle except the last pack from that), and my decks are getting routinely creamed by the powercreep of the new Scum and Jedi decks that have gotten a huge boost. I think it's unfortunate that the current meta encourages mono-faction build, so I keep stubbornly making multi-faction ones and getting punished for it. q:

 

[Uriel]

True. My standard build involves an Echo and a buncha Interceptors, normally - I'm the one being the troll. I hate the current meta that's all large ships; I prefer actual squadrons. Then again, I'm going to proverbially jizz my pants when the Raider comes out.

Which reminds me. Note to self: sub the Raider.

Anyway-- I hear a Lambda/bomber swarm is a hellacious terror for most of the current meta, but it's also very easy to take out. The double Aggressor build craps all over it, but then again, it's almost impossible to beat anyway. You may find some success vs large craft and troll fighters in equal measure with Rexler Brath and the Decimator, though-- him w/Predator and ions is a wonderful day for anything.

I personally want to get my hands on the first-edition Dark Heresy; I think it might be better anyway. I prefer the Deathwatch system (without all the skills) to the Only War system. I do want to run a group with Only War, though - it's so hard to do that.

 

[tyrannusBE]

I prefer the Only War way of doing skills (and with that, DH 2nd as well) because it gives you a lot more options in character building and is less railroading. DH 1st edition was the first 40K roleplay that FFG did, and it really shows that they were still testing the water with that one.

And I certainly prefer OW to Deathwatch, mostly because of the characters it involves. Don't get me wrong, I am all behind the awesomeness of space marines for the Emperor Who is on Holy Terra, but they don't have much roleplaying about them. Soldiers are people with flaws, who have conversations and react to things in different ways. Deathwatch eventually gets awfully samey, and is just going from combat to combat unless you get a fantastic GM (and I'm just not that good). It's the main reason Rogue Trader is my favorite system. It has a LOT of personality.

I'm mostly excited for the TIE Advanced pilots that will come with the raider, and the Kirhaz fighter for S&V that should drop about the same time. The Rebels have a lot of options for their mainline fighter (two or four extra pilots with the X-wing box, another four with the transport). It's one of the things the Imperials were missing until now, and Scum is getting their own mainline fighter as well. Good times for all. Except Rebels, but they've had their boost.