As a new comer to X Wing, I feel like I have missed out on something great, something seminal. A gaming high-tide mark that others had the privilege to enjoy before it became too serious and obsessed with it’s own flaws (which lead to 2e).
Thinking along those lines and with a need to simplify X Wing for my very occasional players, but without sacrificing the enjoyment of squad building, I have decided to wind the clock back to the beginning and re visit my collection from it’s beginnings, then re-build to a point I feel represents the game before it was thematically “broken” to balance tournament play. Looking at a lot of blogs and forums while researching the game, it became clear pretty quickly that the tournament circuit drifted from one good thing to the next, with FFG devoting as much time to balance issues with older ships as they did to making new content.
Some of the big names of the game, under or over played due to their balance issues.
The intent;
To create a play space similar to what FFG have done with 2e, using core or “quick” builds for each ship type (not pilot). I will be using this as an opportunity to assign the right (thematic and mechanically balanced) upgrades to the intended ships, but with plenty of scope for variation with mods, pilot talents, weapons etc. There will be some strong cards in the game, but I will place no emphasis on them, letting the players decide (the lists then make me play nice). Basically to revisit the Rock-Paper-Scissors feel of the games roots.
To allow for the original game dynamic to return, with it’s subtle variations bought to the fore. Revisit a time before the “balancing” elements that forced power creep and inconsistencies. Simpler times.
To have some fun.
Pew Pew. The good ol’ days.
What is In
1) All Rebel, Imperial and Scum ships. “Classic” X Wing is Luke and Darth, Biggs and Boba slugging it out with a handful of dynamic upgrades.
2) I have also decided to take the ship and upgrade cards at face value. Errata and other complications are not in the spirit of what I am working towards. The Jumpmaster 5000 as printed is a really powerful (and expensive) ship, but with a soft limit placed on it’s weapon choices and only a single ship to pick from, it will likely become a game favourite, but not a game breaker, so no 3x U-boat squads. Imbalance is natural, creating legends and heroes. The game is robust enough to offer checks and balances, certainly for novice players.
What is out
1) All of the competition balancing, ship specific, upgrade or title cards like Vaksai, Star Viper mk2, A wing test pilot , B Wing E2 etc. This has been expanded to include specific ship title cards, leaving the pilots to make them special. These were used to make old ships better or balance short-comings revealed in later squad building. They tend to create super squads and make ships balanced to death. They strip away the simple little advantages ships have, which is where the power creep starts. It actually took until waves 14 at the end of 1e before the game’s name sake became competitive again. These advantages have been fully integrated into 2e where they will be used there**, but were tacked-on to 1e.
The Star Viper for example has an S3 turn, which is one of only a few in the 1e game (and all “S” turn and Talon roll ships are Scum faction in my collection, which suits their slippery faction better). This is it’s point of difference. Upgrade selection becomes critical here. You can add a barrel roll, boost or shield upgrade to an X Wing, but not all of these. Some ships will have native advantages such as Flight Assist Astro-mech (limited free boost and barrel roll) or Illicit upgrades.
I see the upgrades as a selection of tactical choices, taken after the ship is chosen, not balance patches or rights of birth. Balance is pretty good in the early game.
2) Odd or unrealistic upgrade combinations. This is not a free for all, so certain ships and upgrades will be locked in, keeping to theme and common sense. This will also reduce, with the general reduction of available upgrades, the multi layered synergy available to deep players of the game*.
3) Tech upgrades are automatically out without the later factions. The only ship left that could have them is the Quad Jumper, which can have a house rule of another Systems or Illicit slot (or maybe just an open slot).
4) Resistance and First order. Leaving out the First Order and Resistance, making them the back bone of 2e (with Scum as a variant faction) just makes sense. They are improved and expanded in 2e and seem to fit that game’s feel better for me. They are also redundant squad competition for the Rebels and Empire, offering similar, but more powerful ships. I would also prefer a game that does not cross timeline boundaries. The thought of Darth Vader and Kylo Ren flying together (or against each other), just jars, but I will “fudge” some of the Scum factions as needed.
The Resistance fleet for 2e. The big transport gets a dedicated card and smoother play experience, the little transport/pod and A Wings are new to 2e and the bombers have crew! Add to this, the quantity of ships is catered for with the Epic expansion (yes, you can play them all at once!). I may even add the Fireball later.
Cross-over
The Scum and Villainy faction add variety to both games and are very different creatures in each game space. They have the dynamic in 2e of the ships that are new and improved, as thirty years of so of development would do.
*I am not so worried about my player’s power squad building, but as I am starting to learn the strengths and advantages of the upgrades and where to find them, this brings me back to just playing also.
**In 2e, set a little later with TFA themes, the better/later versions of the ships make more sense.