I have written before about my feeling on the Attack Wing Game.
I love the back story, like the mechanics (maybe more then X Wing) and on the whole dislike the presentation (randomly the components, ship paint jobs).
I also really do not like the wholesale mix and match vibe it can have.
To play it, I need structure that goes beyond simple Factional segregation. I need the timelines, story arcs and scale issues rationalised.
Scale has two factors. The size of ships is the obvious one (the Elephant vs the Mouse in the room), but also the range of stats limits proper scaling. Tiny little ships with 2 attack, 3 Hull vs monsters 10 times larger with only 4 Attack and 6 Hull, seems wrong.
This is how it is played in my part of the world;
Enterprise era ships are kept together, which includes the Tholians (who made an appearance), Xindi, Vulcans, Andorians, early Klingons and Romulans. These are nice ships and with the really obvious exception of the Calindra, are also reasonably acceptable scale wise.
TOS original TV series, including the really old Enterprise, original Romulan Warbird , Klingon/Romulan D series as well as the Tholians and Gorn. Quaint ships with TOS crew. Where it all started.
TOS Movies, featuring the later Enterprise A refit & B, Hathaway as well as the later Klingon Warbirds. Some crossover with above and even below, except characters (they look very different) and some ships are exclusive. My least favourite period, but has some fun elements, such as Chang and the beautiful Excelsior class.
The Next Generation capitol ships. This is the big stuff. The Enterprise D and E, Excelsior class, Akira, Nebulon class, bigger Klingon, Dominion/Breen, Cardassian, Romulan and Reman ships, Species 8472 and of course most of the Borg. All capitol ships, designed for big battles. This is great for 200+ point battles.
DS9 and Voyager. This is exclusively the smaller ships from Voyager, DS9 and some from TNG. These ships, such as the Delta flyer, Equinox, Voyager, Defiant, Dominion Patrol ship (Robinson), Borg Scout, Hirogen, Romulan science and scout ships, Klingon Warbird, Marquis, Special 8472 (fudge there), Krenim, Bajoran, Kazon etc. Basically anything that is out of scale physically and mechanically with the big guns. These are also pretty nice looking, making this one of the better groups. These are great for interesting scenario games or skirmishes such as a hypothetical Marquis/Voyager/Equinox/Delta Flyer mini Delta Quadrant fleet.
Kelvin Time Line. This is the single boxed set of new movie ships, which really are different.
The crew and upgrades are kept segregated also, leaving the player with only canon acceptable options.
Sorry, can’t do it any other way.
Putting the tiny Delta Flyer next to the Enterprise E or the Scimitar is just too much of a stretch. Honestly, if the ships were all identical in size, used as simple markers on a map, I would be better able to deal, but the lack of consistency really annoys me.
If you are not too put off,I would like to look at the different periods and scale groups individually in the following posts.
If not, no harm no foul.