New Star Wars board strategy game

[lexgreat]

For the Star Wars / SciFi fans, check out this:

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/11/3/star-wars-rebellion/

Lets see about the game, but the miniatures will be great for the kid ;)

[General Veers]

The name and concept remind of the underrated SW PC game Rebellion from the mid-90s, which was a port of Masters of Orion. I loved the resource management aspect of it as well as the use of politics and popular support. I do like that this board game more accurately simulates the forces of the Empire and the Alliance since the PC game pared down the Empire’s huge numbers for the purposes of parity (even making the Alliance stronger at the start in hard mode). Might be worth getting for just the pieces alone.

[lexgreat]

Played Rebellion without end, but really only good vs a human opponent (no Imperial pun intended).

The balancing was horrid with those Rebell leaning, garrisoned Imp systems. One Han mission or a quick bombardment and the sector was in flames. We houseruled and modded, but then it was great. I really had only one wish: Automated espionage missions.

I miss it, anyone still playing?

[General Veers]

Good point, the Alliance could start spamming Imperial production right from the get-go, and start inciting uprisings left and right.

Also forgot to mention the fun tactical portion of the game, was a lot of fun commanding fleets and fighter wings.

[frimmel]

I have Armada from that company and X-wing and the components are top notch. I’ve played and acquired a lot more of the Armada and really enjoy the gameplay of it. I’ve seen the Imperial Assault sets and again the components are terrific.

I’m optimistic this will be a good game. Curious how it will work with four players though. It looks a very two-player game.

The asymetrical aspect of the sides looks very neat.

[lexgreat]

@frimmel:

I have Armada from that company and X-wing and the components are top notch. I’ve played and acquired a lot more of the Armada and really enjoy the gameplay of it. I’ve seen the Imperial Assault sets and again the components are terrific.

I’m optimistic this will be a good game. Curious how it will work with four players though. It looks a very two-player game.

The asymetrical aspect of the sides looks very neat.

ah yes I spotted your nick on the FFG Forums and thought it is you :)
Too bad we cant have an Armada game….

Yes, I think the 4 player thing is probably like Risk, two can play for each side. Lets hope at least a Scum is in the cards. Although it does not feel thematic that they compete for supremacy.

[lexgreat]

@General:

Good point, the Alliance could start spamming Imperial production right from the get-go, and start inciting uprisings left and right.

Also forgot to mention the fun tactical portion of the game, was a lot of fun commanding fleets and fighter wings.

Commanding the fleet was really great. Ah, memories of jumping two fleets from two sectors to converge over Coruscant on the same day. Tactics, though, were easy, all units concentrate on a single enemy ship at any time.

[frimmel]

@alexgreat:

@frimmel:

I have Armada from that company and X-wing and the components are top notch. I’ve played and acquired a lot more of the Armada and really enjoy the gameplay of it. I’ve seen the Imperial Assault sets and again the components are terrific.

I’m optimistic this will be a good game. Curious how it will work with four players though. It looks a very two-player game.

The asymetrical aspect of the sides looks very neat.

ah yes I spotted your nick on the FFG Forums and thought it is you :)

Yes, I’m over on the FFG forums.

Too bad we cant have an Armada game….

We sort of do with the A&A Naval minis. It has the unfortunate quality of being a “chase rares” game where Armada is core set and expansions.

Yes, I think the 4 player thing is probably like Risk, two can play for each side.

Seems much more A&A like than Risk like. You’re going to have to bring planets to heel/join the rebellion in order to get resources. Some of the posters at FFG were saying the outline resembles a game called Freedom in The Galaxy. But it seems likely from the pics that it will be a team-up situation and not “you run the Corellians.”

Lets hope at least a Scum is in the cards. Although it does not feel thematic that they compete for supremacy.

“Scum” as a faction in this seems really out of place. That “faction” works at X-wing Minis level but it would be like Al Capone being a faction in A&A.

[Imperious Leader]

Holy crap!! Finally somebody did this.

[toblerone77]

I’ll be buying this!

[frimmel]

The first preview explaining the victory conditions is up at FFG.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/1/15/where-is-the-rebel-base/

[lexgreat]

As an afterthought to what I said above, one can actually play online, via Vasall. Ever tried for x-wing or Armada?

[frimmel]

@alexgreat:

As an afterthought to what I said above, one can actually play online, via Vasall. Ever tried for x-wing or Armada?

I have not tried Vasal for Armada. I’m considering it though but when I’m at home I don’t really want to “sit at the computer” since that’s what I do all day at work.

[Flashman]

Already thinking of importing bits from Buck Rogers - killer satellites for planet defence; colour coded “home” infantry units for each region of planets.

[frimmel]

Got my set for this but I haven’t played yet. Set meets all the quality expectations I had and the rule books are well written. Looks like a lot of fun.

[ChromiumAgeCollector]

I picked up a copy of this, and it’s absolutely amazing!!!  If you’re even remotely interested, go get it!

[General Veers]

The biggest impression I got from reviews was the length of the game, but even if players get bored the pieces just look so damn cool! I’m definitely getting this.

I also like the appropriate victory conditions for the Rebels and the Empire, and the game apparently does reflect the daunting military superiority of the Empire (one issue with the PC game is that the two factions are relatively equal, and in hard more the Empire can get outgunned quickly).

[ChromiumAgeCollector]

The game does clock in at about 3 hours (even with experienced players).  However for me, the hours just fly by!  For us A&A players, the game length is insignificant for the most part.

[frimmel]

I’ve played a three games of this now and it is long but it doesn’t feel so. Players alternating on doing things during turns. At this point it feels a bit skewed to the Rebels as they’ve won all the games. The Imperials feel like they are chasing their tails. But I think that it is mostly not quite latching on to how to play Imperials yet. The game seems well balanced.

[General Veers]

I have to agree with the refrain I’ve read about a clumsy rule book, but it’s not the only game to ever have that problem. I think the game is balanced, since there are enough restrictions for establishing and relocating the base, and the Imperial player has a lot of fun building big, bad Super Star Destroyers and Death Stars. The real fun is the cat and mouse game of using and saving leaders for attempting and foiling missions.