I have not played it, not even really had it out for a proper look, but a game that is sitting in an important place for me is “Into The Unknown” (ITU), by Wizkids.
Part board game, part war game, part RPG, it is a crowning achievement, the wish of many fulfilled. It is however, far from finished and the releases are tardy to say the least, but hope abides.
The second box is going to add Klingons and according to the illustration Romulans in some form, but no ships for them. There are some odd choices. Why a second Defiant class? I guess it will fit in with the game’s needs, but why not a Romulan Scout or Federation Sabre, Excelsior or Intrepid class?
What is next?
Lots of speculation, some wishful, some based on actual hints, but what would I like?
A real Romulan presence (my end point if they do it), which may be problematic as the “true to scale” adherence of the game would make a D’Deridex at least twice the size of the Jem’Hadar Battle Cruiser already done (below) or basically fill a box.
The Valdore is a different beast, but tied to the later Movies (with the truly enormous Scimitar). Boy, wouldn’t a special edition Scimitar be a good way to finish the TNG series!
A strong start, but more is expected. At odds with Attack Wing, the Enterprise is bigger, the Defiant smaller.
A Valdore, Enterprise-E and Scimitar would be interesting if a little one dimensional, but again, the Scimitar is likely out of the scope of the game. Ships the size of the D’Deridex, Scimitar and Jem’Hadar Battleship would be the size of the original box, so maybe saved for later special releases if the game takes long term.
On a different tangent, why not do;
A Voyager starter with Voyager, Delta Flyer, several Hirogen ships, or a Kazon carrier and Raiders or a Borg sphere, (maybe an AI Sphere?).
The Original Series “five year mission” campaign (Fed, Gorn, Romulan and Klingon one ship factions) with a Tholian web casting set as an add-on.
The Original Movies (there is already a Reliant class and BOP), with the Excelsior, Enterprise refit, Bird of Prey, K’Tinga and Khan crew (that could take over any ship).
An Enterprise vs Xindi campaign set (Enterprise, Reptillian, Insectoid, Mammalian shuttle and Andorian).
Something about the ITU style really speaks to me for earlier periods.
With a comprehensive set of crew and characters these could have as much depth as the first core and expansion.
The big advantage of all the earlier periods is, at the scales set, the ships are generally smaller so you could have more or a smaller box set. An original Enterprise would be half the size of the Ent-D and the NX is half of that, most ships in their own space are similar in size and the stories and factions are more character driven than ship dependent.
So, would I like them to continue on their TNG/Dominion War vein or maybe offer different sets?
Bespoke sets for me, but then I would probably wish I had waited and just done an earlier period.