Rapid Reinforcements I!
There's already mixed reactions to this. Atomic Mass Games posted up some Star Wars Armada expansion stuff that's print and play, allowing players to use existing ship and squadron models. If you haven't seen it yet, I've got the link below:
I love the idea. At some point, I want them to print this stuff out on actual cards for me to use, but I'm not in a rush. But I really appreciate their using models we already have; I really enjoyed the new squadron cards that came with the Rebellion in the Rim campaign box. Anyway, as I was saying, I was really happy to see this. And I responded to AMG's Facebook post touting this new release. I thanked them, said I liked what they did with X-Wing, and I'm glad to see Armada getting attention. My post immediately started garnering laughing emojis and a couple of comments about me doing drugs or living in an alternate universe or whatever. I don't have time for trolls: I'm 37, have a family, and got plenty else going on. So I don't bother engaging; I just block them. If I'd asserted they'd made the best game ever or made some other "absolute" statement and they disagreed, then we're having a conversation and that's cool. You wanna hate on Armada, X-Wing, and AMG, that's fine. I can't stop you. But I certainly won't engage with you either. Our feelings about things (old X-Wing was better, I don't feel like Armada is supported anymore) may be valid, but that doesn't justify any response we feel like voicing. So trolls gonna troll and I'm happy to block them out and be along my merry way.
For those of you who genuinely feel as though you've lost the game you love, man, I'm sorry to hear it. I've been there. I've had games I enjoyed and then they developed (usually through expansions) into something I just didn't care for. And it sucks. But if you want to play the old game, you do you. No criticism from me. Unless y'all start trolling. Then all the criticism from me because you annoy me.
We knew there wouldn't be new content for the Rebels and Imperials for a minute while Clone Wars factions were trying to catch up. So what a pleasant surprise to get some new ships and squadrons! Having an Imperial Venator is pretty cool: it gives us another ship that can use 7th Fleet Star Destroyer, its cost falls between a Vic and an ISD, it's got a native Salvo token (only the second Imperial ship to do that), and it has a different suite of upgrade slot suites. The new Vader looks like so much fun. One doesn't often see squadron Vader because of his Escort keyword. He's brutal in a fight, but since nothing can draw fire off of him (and, in fact, he forces opponents to shoot him because of Escort) and he's only got 5 hull with two Brace tokens, he's gonna die. And if it happens fast, I paid 21 points for fodder. As someone who has flown Vader a bunch, it doesn't feel great. But I really love that this Vader is an ace hunter. Oh, he's going to be gross. His anti-squadron dice pool is similar to Lando's and his crits do damage against ace squadrons. He probably won't have a lot of luck against scatter aces with only 1 blue, but if he's activated by a ship using Flight Controllers, that can be extremely nasty. His Adept 2 really gives him a lot of utility, including against ships. And that's really great! But at first glance, he looks more like a niche ace, looking to murderize enemy aces (again, with the allowance that he may spend time missing scatter aces, which won't feel great). He can definitely spike damage against ships with his two red dice and his rerolls! He can also blank out. I've done both while flying TIE Phantoms, so it's a crapshoot, but a terrifying one if you're the target!
The Providence for the Rebels is weird. I'm so excited to see it fly! It's not the ship itself, but the fact that it features 8 upgrade slots, but only 4 types of upgrades, as it has doubled up on Officers, Weapons Teams, Offensive Retrofits, and Support Teams. Like I said:
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I can't wait to see what goofy stuff this spawns! 2 Boarding Team cards! Auxiliary Shields Team AND Projection Experts! So much fun stuff!!! And then there's Hera in an X-Wing. She's got a super cool ability in granting Adept to her fellow X-Wings (and YT-1200s, but let's be honest - it's X-Wings), she's got Dodge (only non-Jedi to have it!), and she's another black die bomber X-Wing. Something new and something fun. I dig it.
Republic Vics that can take SPHA-T. A medium-base Republic ship besides the Acclamator. 2 Ordnance slots. I'm not saying I've figure out how to use it right off the bat, but I am saying that I appreciate how hard AMG is working to get more Vics on the table! Salvo instead of a second Redirect, too. Again, I don't know how effective all of this stuff will be, but I'm grateful that they've spent the time and energy on something like this. It won't be for everyone, and that's fine. Again, I've already seen people complaining. I think we can all have doubts, but I think it's worth playing with these things before jumping to conclusions. And also, maybe this is just me, but AMG is entitled to their screw-ups if any of this stuff doesn't work. The game is living, after all. They can just change stuff if it doesn't work. FFG did that with Demolisher, they did it with flotillas, they did it with Yavaris multiple times. I think we can all afford to take a breath and just give the toxic stuff a break. If I don't like a game, I usually just stop playing it. I don't really review games that I don't like on here because I don't just want to hate on stuff. There are some games I'll never play a second time. There are some games that I just don't think work. I'll be honest about my opinions if someone asks, and sometimes I'll volunteer some critical thoughts. But overall, I think I need to ask myself what I'm contributing to the conversation. ANYWAY. Anakin was already gross in a Y-Wing. Now he's in a Delta and hating on squadrons just for being too close. Good times! I think Anakin in a Delta is going to see some play. What a great way to hate on scatter aces alongside something like Ruthless Strategists. Wanna go all in and heal up your own squadrons with Yularen afterward? I'm game!
Finally, the Separatists. I wish they'd gotten another Belbullab pilot, but they got a flotilla, and that's cool! It's a super weird flotilla, as it doesn't have a Fleet Support slot. But it does have a Weapons Team slot as well as an Ion Cannon upgrade slot! *Clone jealousy intensifies* Some weird stuff happening over there, but someone(s) is going to figure out something cool and wonky to do with it! If nothing else, it can push two squadrons for only 27 points. That's 20 points less than the previously cheapest Separatist ship, the Transport Hardcell. Given the swarms that I know Seppies would like to field, I think it's a great move.
I know it's not a bunch of new ships. I know most people aren't seeing *the thing* they want, like a Lucrehulk or some ETAs. But I think it's a great indicator of AMG feeling comfortable making moves with the game, and I'm all for it. Looking forward to trying these new things out and seeing them in the wild!
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