Star Wars Gaming Megathread

FFG sent the Dice Tower a copy of Rebellion, and they have their thoughts up after what looks like one full play-through:




Nothing in there diminishes my excitement for the game, that's for sure. A couple of things that stood out as being particularly interesting to me were the production queue (a simple mechanic but one that makes a lot of sense in a game like this), the way the Rebel scoring track works, and the fact that the game box apparently lists it as a 3 to 4 hour game. With the board gaming trend toward shorter games that last one takes some huevos.

3-4 hour two player game means that I will be spending more time wishing I was playing it than actually playing it. Apart from solo.

I'm getting a review copy as soon as Miniature Market gets it in. Looks awesome.

Since when does ffg send out advance copies?

Hex Sinister wrote: Since when does ffg send out advance copies?

Does Asmodee?

Since they need to get enough hype up to sell a fifth game on the exact same IP.

What the hell has happened here?

3-4 hours is too long? How long do y'all game with your buddies...an hour and a half?

If I'm killing an evening away from the wife and kids, it's at least gonna be 4 hours.

I thought it was odd how Tom was going on and on at the end about the length as well. Who gives a flip? We see it says 3-4 hours on the box, don't treat it like some con, the buyer can make their own determination when they see it labelled. If 3-4 hours must be brought up then at least compare it to other 3-4 hour games instead of acting as if anything longer than a tv episode (that folks binge on more than 4hours anyway...) is some sort of monumental marathon that the human body simply can't endure.

Good grief...

Sagrilarus wrote: Since they need to get enough hype up to sell a fifth game on the exact same IP.

I know, it's like all these publishers that keep making games about the world wars. Enough is enough!

Michael Barnes wrote:

Sagrilarus wrote: Since they need to get enough hype up to sell a fifth game on the exact same IP.

I know, it's like all these publishers that keep making games about the world wars. Enough is enough!

Yep, they all blend together as well. And they're spread out over fifty years of publishing.

As someone on the outside, the differences in the branding are muddy. Do any of these games work with each other, or are they completely independent? I know Armada and X-Wing are on a different scale.

Sagrilarus wrote:

Michael Barnes wrote:

Sagrilarus wrote: Since they need to get enough hype up to sell a fifth game on the exact same IP.

I know, it's like all these publishers that keep making games about the world wars. Enough is enough!

Yep, they all blend together as well. And they're spread out over fifty years of publishing.

As someone on the outside, the differences in the branding are muddy. Do any of these games work with each other, or are they completely independent? I know Armada and X-Wing are on a different scale.

They're independent and it feels like a missed opportunity for a company like FFG with a license like Star Wars. Big board game with fleet battles --> Purchase Armada and X-Wing to play out the battles --> Back to the big board game --> Purchase Imperial assault to work out the ground assaults. Each game also works standalone. Plug and play the parts that interest you. Buy the board game to play an Armada campaign. Buy the booster packs that give you a new X-Wing pilot and Imperial Assault lieutenant. Back to the big board game --> Now works as a world and setting for your FFG Star Wars RPG campaign.

Battletech (under Catalyst Labs) has been trying to make a macro-micro level system for some time. I have little interest in playing a galactic level BT game so I'm not sure if they ever succeeded/put out all the rules but it was certainly something they have been aiming for.

This is something I could see my 14 year old self doing (with armada, x-wing, and imperial assault), but then, what 14 year old can afford all this stuff? And FFG will probably never do it since it would be a project with massive time requirements that would appeal to a tiny fraction of players. But since they (fans, not FFG I don't think) are making co-op x-wing stuff, I imagine it is only a matter of time before co-op Armada, IA, and some sort of unifying metasystem is created. Ugh, imagine needing three tables set up in order to smoothly transition between all the various levels. Or you could just play Star Wars Risk

Actually ignoring the SW setting I just don't have anything quite like this. Two players, at that length and scale, it's very appealing simply as a game. My curiosity is piqued again. For better or worse.

I ordered Rebellions today. It'll probably eat into the number of times I play War of the Ring. My guess is that same type of person who likes War of the Ring will like Rebellions. Both games are epic 2 player card driven, Ameritrash war/adventure games. At 3-4 hours + set up it's going to tough to play on a weekday unless it's a 7:00 PM start time.

I know, it's like all these publishers that keep making games about the world wars. Enough is enough!

Man, I wish I was the person who owned the rights to the WWII IP. I bet he or she is rich as hell!

KingPut wrote: I ordered Rebellions today. It'll probably eat into the number of times I play War of the Ring. My guess is that same type of person who likes War of the Ring will like Rebellions. Both games are epic 2 player card driven, Ameritrash war/adventure games. At 3-4 hours + set up it's going to tough to play on a weekday unless it's a 7:00 PM start time.

It's funny, this game style (3-4 hours, 2 players) is one of the game formats I DO regularly get to play. As long as it isn't too complicated. The Twilight Struggle slot.

I hear tons of people say they never get this style of game in!

I am one that never gets that style in. Therefore never have played War of Ring and the ones I do own (TS, Napleon's Triumph, Guns of Gettysburg, Space Hulk, etc.) go criminally underplayed. No reason for me to get Rebellion no matter how good it is really, maybe force my brother to buy it is my best bet.

The family commitments make it that if I am gonna give more than 2 hours to playing a game without kids, I'm gonna invite a bunch of friends over to catch up with at the same time. I don't see that changing much till they get older.