Second edition X-Wing has a special place in my heart.
Have a lot of it.
Never played it.
Confused?
Second edition did a few things, some good, some so-so, most down to me.
It enabled me to get into first edition very cheaply, in fact it was responsible for me jumping in the first place, but I jumped backwards into 1e. I picked up 5 (!) first edition TFA starter sets for about $100au, then against my better judgement (if there is such a thing), I grabbed lots of other bits from the original game/movie period just as cheap, or even cheaper.
It started innocently enough like many of my projects with a sensible “taster”, that turned into an all you can eat banquet, meat sweats and sometimes indigestion (SW Destiny). Then, usually after a period of WTF just happened recovery, I settle into the smug reality of it all being done and dusted.
I digress.
By going first edition TFA only, because I am a stickler for adhering to cannon, I felt I could keep it real.
The starters offered two Tie/FO’s, which were more robust and interesting than the regular Tie with a Tech slot, S-Loop, Target Lock and a single shield and a T70 X-Wing which was also tougher than the old one, moved better with a Talon Roll and also has a Tech slot, so the ships as were had more options than the older variety, more table presence, looked great and had most of the things you want in a game.
You needed more than one set, so five was plenty with spares (three was perfect if same-ish).
Then there was a Falcon, the Bomber, Upsilon Shuttle, Tie/SF, Tie/Silencer, so more options and I could even justify some Scum if I blurred timelines a little, or just as easily avoid the faction completely. I liked the new movie, it all felt limited but comprehensive by design. I had a little of everything from the X-Wing game (just) at a decent level of crazy.
Have I mentioned I am more of a Trekkie and already had Attack Wing and several other Trek games??!!
The blurred timelines turned into a fusion of original and new era with some stretches, then some bargains (always a problem, always) pushing things a little more, even allowing for a couple of huge ships (that FFG actually did make official later in 2e). These were by now rare so a must grab at cheap or even normal price, then some original movie ships, a cheap original starter and well……….. .
The low/high point was grabbing some Spanish language ships reasonably (Sabines Tie, a CR-90 and Gozanti), then sourcing the cardboard from Big Orbit cards. I searched, chased, sometimes missed, but found almost everything X-Wing 1e from all the sellers clearing out and some not. My timing was not perfect, that would have been a couple of months earlier, but it was close.
I drew the line at paying “collectors” prices, so I missed the Alpha Starwing, but did grab some of the upgrade cards from that set anyway. The set is almost comprehensive, very deep and satisfying.
I remember (fondly in hindsight, but not so much at the time) luckily getting the last two Tie/Aggressors, two ARC-170’s and a Rebel Transport in captivity in Australia, even stumbling across a new Ghost with Attack Shuttle very late in the piece.
I would like to say this taught me a lesson, coming after a Wings of Glory, Sails of Glory, Attack Wing and Heroes of Normandie binge, but Armada and Destiny proved that wrong.
Star Wars Destiny did however break me.
Annoyingly, probably predictably, second edition even supplied me with vindication for my original pathway.
The now properly segregated TFA factions in the second edition had their own upgrade packs that were the cheapest by far and well balanced for my collection (almost perfectly as it went). One Resistance and two First Order sets and I would have been sorted. One set of ships, effectively two games.
Two more movies came out, so in second edition it followed that more ships would also, like the Whisper, Fireball, Xi, Resistance Transport etc. These fleshed out the TFA period and more support generally and in the cleaner, more organised space that is 2e, it was comprehensive.
It could have been ideal and controlled and limited……maybe even considered sane.
Second edition bought the new A-Wing, Y-Wing, more X-Wings, the Transport, Tie Bombers, Interceptors, even a few janky Scum crossovers etc. All the options available in the game would have been catered for, which is my main aim-full game system representation for maximum game options as cleanly and simply as possible. There was even a blue/red colour scheme theme coming through.
What harm in getting the other upgrade packs, just in case?
These things have a habit of getting scarce you know. I will buy them and put them on the shelf in case 2e becomes a thing with me.
Hmmmm.
I have put the breaks on now. I will continue to get anything TFA period, some Scum (Razor Crest yes, Mining Tie no), but nothing new for the earlier period and I am not touching the prequels, although I do wish I had done that rather than the same period in Armada* as that was never finished.
*
Second edition is all is was meant to be.
More balanced and consistant, flexible, evolving, comprehensive and unlike first edition, little or limited power creep. AMG are doing a good job screwing the pooch, but it matters not, the game is good, the ever changing point costs, build “shape” and rules ambiguity are somewhat irrelevant to a casual gamer.
It came at the wrong time, was handled badly and the price of the new ships is frightening ($35au for a Mining Guild Tie is a lot of money for a filler ship at best). “Oh you can field a half dozen”-for $200au, so what.
Even with the odds stacked against a good roll-out, it still grew the community for a while and some even liked the new direction, but the mob of bloggers and podcasters turned into a trickle, then the game changed hands and the writing was on the wall.
AMG were probably handed a tainted chalice, with a jaded community, COVID and some questionable changes already made, then they made it worse. It all too hard for many.
Thing is, there is nothing wrong with the game, original or the newer version(s). Like Armada it has its dedicated followers, still manages tournaments, still sells product, but like a lot of things, newer, better, shinier are only relevant if people are listening.
For me, second edition means a great and balanced collection of TFA period ships with all the cast and characters of the movies (new movies, new game). A great game with tons of options and even being limited to just three factions (option of Scum), it is all represented. Almost everything 2e has to offer is handled by these two and a bit factions.
First edition has a similar dynamic with the original game and original movies pairing up, but I do keep it streamlined to retain the game’s early balance and feel.
I just need to play them!
TFA even in the first edition, a tack-on at best, also has a small role to play.
I use it as a training suite with no upgrades, because the Tie/FO and T-70’s from the original set, even with just their pilot abilities are a great way of learning the actions and manoeuvres of the game as well as learning how exceptions effect the game. The bulk are “generic” pilots, so squad building could not be easier.
No regrets here, or more accurately, I would have done some things differently in retrospect, but it was exciting**, still feels good and I am glad I jumped. Only Heroes of Normandie gives me the same feeling of accomplishment in this gaming space.
*Armada went much the same path. I thought it would be a good way of doing a limited Armada set using the prequels in limited fashion with a similar dynamic of getting the latest rules, latest layout then stop there. Unfortunately they left us all stranded with incomplete fleets, so I ended up going original movies anyway (see a pattern?).
**Looking more realistically at all of these, I would have done;
Armada original is a Yes
Armada Prequel is a no (sunk a bit into this and they failed to do the full range of small ships)
X Wing original 1e
X Wing TFA 2e (with 1e clearances as the launching pad).
X Wing prequel 2e (I avoided this and went Armada, but should have followed through).