A Long Time Coming...

Did you know there is an expansion for Star Wars: Armada on the way called the Corellian Conflict?

You do?  Oh good.

Had I mentioned that I'm really excited about it?

I did?  More than once you say.  Well, good.  Because I am REALLY excited about this expansion.  I love campaign systems.  I think it's the board gamer in me, but I really enjoy it when my tabletop games feed into a bigger picture.  That I can earn bonuses in future games (or limitations if I screw up), just raises the stakes and lets me enjoy the game on a whole other level.

But aside from the campaign, FFG is using the Corellian Conflict to do something really awesome for Armada.  Something that both Armada and X-Wing players have been asking for since the launch of the respective games...




I've been playing Armada since it launched.  Before that I played a ton of X-Wing and had since that game launched.  While I still play the occasional game of X-Wing, Armada is what gets the majority of my play time now.

Part of having played both games since their launch has been waiting on the production cycle.  Both games have had some large delays between releases and being the geek that I am, I get impatient for shiny new toys to play with.  Oh well, next week I head to GenCon and can grab some early copies of the Wave 4 models to feed my addiction.  I have a press for GenCon thanks to this blog, so I'm hoping I can use it to glean some more information about the Corellian Conflict campaign.  Like everyone else, I want to know what those stickers are for?

Something I realized this morning has gotten me even more excited about this expansion.  It seems to be FFG's way of giving us something both X-WIng players and Armada players have been asking for from the beginning.  A card expansion!

In the early days of X-Wing, players were really eager for any new content for the game (kinda like Armada players are right now).  We all knew that pre-painted models can't be made quickly unless you want the low-quality stuff WizKids put out for the Star Trek game.  So, we waited.  It seemed like clockwork that every couple of weeks someone would ask on the forums about card-only expansions for X-Wing.  It seemed like a great way to get more content out to players quickly and cheaply.  It would be a way to get multiples of upgrades and possibly even fix old ships.

Then of course someone would throw water on the idea by pointing out that cards alone weren't really enough for X-Wing.  You needed cardboard too.  Cardboard bases for the stands and cardboard maneuver dials would both also have to be in the pack.  Well, now the weight, size, and cost of the pack was going up.  Many folks still thought it was a good idea and I think more than a few asked FFG about it.  I believe they got a mostly non-committal response.

Eventually, X-Wing players got their answer in two parts.  FFG's OP started putting popular upgrade cards into the game night kits, making it easier to get multiple copies of popular expansions.  They also started releasing Aces packs.  The first was Imperial Aces.  It gave 2 alternate paint job miniatures and a host of new pilots and upgrade cards.  It gave the TIE Interceptor a boost as it was a bit under represented in the game.  It had multiple copies of the upgrades inside and included a really popular choice like Push the Limit.  Through the Aces packs FFG had found its way of expanding the X-Wing card and ship base.  The Aces packs come out between waves and help boost the game where it needs it.

So, not as cheap as a card only expansion, but it got the job done.

If you've read this long, you're probably saying "shut up about X-Wing, I thought this was an Armada blog".  Fair point.  But, this is relevant to Armada.  FFG OP is releasing popular upgrades through its tournament kits, which is really great.  And it looks like campaign expansions may be how it gets new cards out to players.

So, my theory is:

Corellian Conflict = X-Wing Aces expansion

The first Armada campaign expansion nearly doubles the options for the first wave of squadrons for Armada.  It's a chance to get some new squadron abilities in the game for existing squadrons, without players having to repurchase a bunch of models that they already have!  Seems great.  It also has allowed the developers to double the objective pool in the game, which as I said in my last post is sorely needed and really exciting.

I was really surprised at the $29.95 MSRP for the Corellian Conflict.  That seems like a great deal for what is in the box.  The hope will be that it sells well and the campaign system is popular.  I think this will be the avenue for getting more options out to Armada players for our existing content.

I could see a future campaign box giving new cards and bases for Wave 1 ships.  Or more simply it could just give new titles or modifications like the X-Wing Aces packs have done.  Hopefully we will get a campaign each year as a between waves upgrade to the game system.  It would be a great way to keep the game fresh and provide upgrades to older content.

Anyways, that's enough words about that.  I'm planning to write another post about what we can glean from the campaign system itself and how it might work in the next couple of days.  Otherwise I am busily preparing myself for GenCon.

So, what do you think?  Are you excited for the campaign?  Is my theory worth anything?