So far on this blog, the hobby side anyway, I have almost entirely focussed on X Wing (both editions) and lately a little Attack Wing. I have many interests in gaming, but before I start looking at these, lets finish off some basic thoughts on the above.
All three of theses games have levels of complication, a required simulation stretch and even some recognised problems that may or have put you off playing them.
I have offered a couple of fixes, especially to the story line fidelity side that I find so necessary, but also a couple of fixes for mechanical issues in X Wing 1e.
There are more out there, so lets look at some common ways of reducing the broken or overly deep elements of these games.
X Wing. “C’mon guys, lets get ‘em”.
Bomber. “What version are we in?”
Transport. “Yeah, should I even be here?”
A Wing. “Aw man, I swatted up on my EPT’s, is that even kosher?”
X Wing. “Ok fine, I’ll go it alone”.
X Wing 1st ed
Bare Bones
Play as normal but remove Titles, Mods and Elite Pilot Talents (EPT’s). This reduces the action economy layers that plague the full game and seems to bring all ships back to a more basic manoeuvre and shoot dynamic. The only real losers are the basic swarm ships that lack any other upgrade slots and Titled ships that are bought back to the pack, which is generally good. We play this with only Rebel, Imperial era ships, with Scum included and only ships with the basic 4 upgrades.
This format is ideal for pick up games with new players as the base pilot reigns supreme and action economy layering is kept to a minimum or experienced players tired of the action economy is all play of later 1e. It also tends to give all ships a fair go.
Classic
As above but add in named Title ships and all the ships with more advanced upgrade bars. This adds a level of rules complication, but returns the extra capabilities of the Legendary ships and helps round out the fleets. It also opens the door to Huge ships.
Optionally add back in EPT’s, but be aware of their potential to break the game or give an experienced player too much of a systemic edge over a newbie or casual player (as opposed to just flying better). Granted they also have the potential to increase fun. We also play this with only Rebel and Imperial era ships, Scum included.
Full Bore
Full options, but a 60 point squad maximum. Reducing squad points seems to make maxed out ships more workable and really makes for a fast game. Luck plays a bigger role, blunting the super squad dynamic. You can still squeeze in a 4 Tie swarm, an Ace and wingman or Brute like a Fat Han, but nothing else.
Generic Full Bore
Play generic ships only and (optionally) keep them to PS4 or less, but allow any upgrades. There are no Pilot based abilities, only reasonably rare EPT’s. The EPT’s tend to land on ships that have no Systems or Droid slots, so they help even these out. The A Wing, Tie, Interceptor, M3 and Fang get them, making those ships the intuitively flown, bare knuckle ships as opposed to the advanced Systems, Illicit or Droid assisted ones. We still play this with only Rebel and Imperial era ships, Scum included but this format tends to naturally exclude some ships with no generic option.
A small problem with this format is if you leave out TFA era ships (as we do), is that the Rebels are a bit screwed with only the A Wing getting EPT’s, but many of their enemies do not have the Droid or Systems options. This effectively makes the X Wing a “heavy” ship, like the Y and Punisher, missing out an EPT option, which I am ok with (on closer analysis this actually works well. Most of the ships with other upgrades do not have an EPT slot unless the specific ship is also the type that would one such as the JM 5000 Contracted Scout). *The YT1300 is poor with only the Outer Rim Smuggler option so we allow the Resistance Sympathiser from the TFA era in.
Restricting the PS to 4 is a fix for the top heavy Scum (Black Sun Assassin and Ace) and Imperial (Royal Guard/Glaive Squadron) choices, but this can be evened out with the inclusion of TFA ships and no PS limit. The PS 6-8 pilots are then better spread through these factions.
Play to a Theme
Original movies only, or early or later period or Scum vs Scum. Better still play to a scenario, like a Death Star attack or escape from “X” game. These are not only satisfying, but any other limits imposed tend to sit better with players. To fix unbalanced games switch sides and go again.
*
X Wing 2nd ed
Second edition has fixed a lot of the balance issues from 1st ed, but has added in more moving parts, so to make the game more approachable, here some options.
Quick Builds (official).
The official Quick Builds, available as a print out from FFG.
Simplified points.
This is a version of our own creation using 1/5th points, making upgrades 0-2 points (most are 1). This simplification actually ends up like the Quick Builds, but with variety. There are of course maximum builds for those that can be bothered, but if you can control that, it works well.
Generics only.
The same as the first edition version, but a better spread of EPT’s. This is especially good with Epic Play
Reduced Squads.
As above, maybe 120 or 100 points.
*
Attack Wing
Although it is a less aggressive game overall, Attack Wing has even more balance and scale/timeline credibility issues than X Wing 1e.
Timeline Specific
Each timeline (TOS/TAS, TOM, TNG at 2 scales*, Ent) is self contained. Each tends to have the advantage of balance built in either by design or as a sign of the gradual evolution of the game, but either way, each Enterprise fits it’s time!
*There is a scale forced sub grouping of TNG Skirmish and TNG Battle, just because we (I) cannot deal with the massive discrepancies in size, but this again seems to help with relevance and balance.We play timeline and faction limited almost always.
Timeline specific may also allow cross factional builds, which fit in ok and are often based on precedent. Basically if there is a reasonable “Trek Solid” scenario suggestion, it is taken on board.
Generic
The Named ships in Attack Wing are all consistently 2 points dearer. This tends to make them sooo much better for the points, you would only take a generic if there were literally no other options available. This is especially exacerbated by the non graded curve. The 40 pt Scimitar is 2 points dearer than it’s generic, so is the 14 pt Apnex, but they are very different ships. This format allows the player, their upgrades and Captain to determine the ship’s fate, not the built in and sometimes odd inherent ship’s ability (like one version of the Enterprise that is inherently harder to hit….because???).
Some ships are weakened considerably, but this just makes the limit of choices more flavoursome and a lot less predictable. Will Kirk use Scotty, Bones, Spock or Sulu for his cunning plan?
An allowance that is often played, but is optional is to start the game with all upgrades (and optionally the Captain) facing down. The upgrade is revealed when used and the Captain is used at a nominated CS of their actual CS or lower until revealed (the player forfeiting the game if they embellished).
A further option is to allow the player to chose their upgrades during the game, until all of their slots are used (this only works with faction and period restrictions). Kirk can activate any of his crew, even different versions of them, but only until his upgrade slots are used. This really simulates the quick thinking of the Captain in the actual show, choosing who and what on the fly.
Another option is to allow a ship to field any faction legal upgrade, but at double cost once it is outside of the base allowed.
Because the ships are lower in upgrades power and complication*, this format suits larger actions well. The player may have their favourite upgrades, but these can be spread over more ships or they simply get by with fewer choices, so they have to strategise better.
We play this with bigger games as well as above.
*+1 shields, +1 or more upgrade and an inherent ability for 2 points.
Named Only
This option is almost irrelevant, because it tends to mirror reality. Named only takes out the dead wood of generics, if needed. It’s only real effect is to reduce the maximum fleet options of each faction.
Fleet Limited
If using faction and or timeline limits, then there is little reason to look too hard at fleet limits as each period tends to even itself out.
A points per ship limit can help reduce over complication (say half ship cost maximum).
*
At the end of the day, it’s just a game, so playing with house rules (assumed in some gaming forms like miniature war games and role playing) is all in the spirit of fun.