Front Page

Content

Authors

Game Index

Forums

Site Tools

Submissions

About

KK
Kevin Klemme
March 09, 2020
35147 2
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
January 27, 2020
20825 0
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
August 12, 2019
7405 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 19, 2023
3967 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 14, 2023
3498 0
Hot

Mycelia Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 12, 2023
2075 0
O
oliverkinne
December 07, 2023
2583 0

River Wild Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 05, 2023
2255 0
O
oliverkinne
November 30, 2023
2496 0
J
Jackwraith
November 29, 2023
3016 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
November 28, 2023
1973 0
S
Spitfireixa
October 24, 2023
3692 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
October 17, 2023
2625 0
O
oliverkinne
October 10, 2023
2461 0
O
oliverkinne
October 09, 2023
2289 0
O
oliverkinne
October 06, 2023
2506 0

Outback Crossing Review

Board Game Reviews
×
Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)

Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.

× Talk about the latest and greatest AT, and the Classics.

Star. Wars. Rebellion. F. F. G. O. M. G.

More
06 May 2016 15:28 #227143 by southernman
I finally had the spare cash so mine arrived yesterday, better late than never to the club. I had the chance to play a team game earlier this week but after reading the rules I didn't think there would be enough game in it for experienced gamers (just done War of the Ring for the last four weekends so half a game of Rebellion seemed a bit light) so first game on Sunday.
Who's been winning around here - Rebels or Imperial ?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
06 May 2016 15:38 #227146 by Ska_baron
Hey! I've got a new commute now so I've been devouring Ding and Dent as soon as it comes out. I was listening to your and Raf's review on my drive home last night before opening it. SO STOKED. I was glad to hear you comment on the combat and had been leaning in the same direction in my assessment without having yet played.

But you guys didnt really get into the 4 player set up so was curious if you had any deeper thoughts.
The following user(s) said Thank You: charlest

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
06 May 2016 16:41 #227152 by charlest

Ska_baron wrote: Hey! I've got a new commute now so I've been devouring Ding and Dent as soon as it comes out. I was listening to your and Raf's review on my drive home last night before opening it. SO STOKED. I was glad to hear you comment on the combat and had been leaning in the same direction in my assessment without having yet played.

But you guys didnt really get into the 4 player set up so was curious if you had any deeper thoughts.


Awesome, glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah, neither one of us have played 4 player enough to seriously discuss it. I just know the structure of the game is changed due to the two turns in a row thing. This means you can conceivably move the Death Star and Fire it back to back before the Rebels can respond.

I don't know if that's bad or not, but it's a possibly radical departure from the base game.

I think for me this will mostly be a two player game as people in my group don't like to do the share sides thing. We don't mind team games but not when you're virtually sharing the same actions you'd be doing alone.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
08 May 2016 00:26 #227193 by KingPut

Southernman wrote: Who's been winning around here - Rebels or Imperial ?


Rebels are up 2-1. I'm 1-0 as the Rebels and 1-1 as the Imperials. Twice we played with the basic set up once with the random set up. It seems pretty balanced. The Imperials could get lucky and find the base early but if they don't it should be pretty even.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
08 May 2016 05:07 #227198 by southernman

KingPut wrote:

Southernman wrote: Who's been winning around here - Rebels or Imperial ?


Rebels are up 2-1. I'm 1-0 as the Rebels and 1-1 as the Imperials. Twice we played with the basic set up once with the random set up. It seems pretty balanced. The Imperials could get lucky and find the base early but if they don't it should be pretty even.


Starting our first game in an hour, I've set the board up with the basic setup but reading the Advanced setup it only seems to be assigning your units to random systems and having two starting action cards, so since I've already set up the board I'll just do the two starting action cards bit.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
08 May 2016 13:00 #227203 by Josh Look
Don't know if it's too late, but you should be good with the basic setup, I would just nix that "no putting the Rebel base next to an Imperial system" nonsense. It cuts down the potential locations by ALOT. There's also no reason to not use the full text on Action cards, they really do add a ton of fun and SW flavor to the game.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
08 May 2016 15:30 #227204 by KingPut

Josh Look wrote: Don't know if it's too late, but you should be good with the basic setup, I would just nix that "no putting the Rebel base next to an Imperial system" nonsense. It cuts down the potential locations by ALOT. There's also no reason to not use the full text on Action cards, they really do add a ton of fun and SW flavor to the game.


Ditto what Josh said. Every game I've played we used the full text on the action cards. Basic set up for first game, random after that.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
08 May 2016 16:10 #227205 by southernman
We used the full text as well, due to the fact that I forgot all about that '1st game' rule plus it was just normal practice from all other FFG games we play - so the only thing we didn't do was a custome system setup.
In the end I managed to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat on turn 8 (the Rebel player has his Reputation marker on turn 10 and was most likely going to get ipt over turn 8, he confired thsi) due to a very lucky Probe draw and lucky mission draw at the end of turn 7. From the 'Homing Beacon' mission earlier I knew which region his base was in (after he had just moved) but had only checked one of the four systems by the start of turn 8, two of the systems I was ready to move into but the last system wasin the top corner and two moves away. I checked my two (very lucky) drawn Probe cards and they were Tatooine and Geonosis, the two systems i was about to move in thus the base had to be in Ryloth two moves away - so I knew I had probably lost before turn 8 started. Then i checked my two new Mission cards - I had drawn 'Planetary Conquest', basically i could teleport 4 ground units in if the spec ops mission succeeded. Short story I assigned bot Vader and Boba Fet to the mission (6 dice) and then cleaned up the few Rebel ground units.

Great game, both of us enjoyed it, but it takes a bit for a new player to get used to the Imperial side - you need to expand into systems but with higher build numbers (OK, this was the planets from the 1st game setup) and the Rebels continually sabotaging, causing you to commit leaders to prevent it so your builds didn't dry up, I was not really doing that well.

Opinion on the Rebel 'Rapid mobilization' starting mission - does having the ability to move the base at will when the Imperials are getting a bit close been too powerful or game-changing for anyone in their games ? I mate who was playing the Rebels thought it was a bit cheesey - in defence it takes affect at the end of the Command phase so gives you time to invade if they leave it to the last minute to play and they only get four or eight cards to choose from so it is limited, but it just seems too powerful against the Imperials for the time-based win conditions.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
09 May 2016 04:12 #227213 by Msample
Sure they can move the base, but only the base moves. Not the units. And the probe cards they draw might be occupied by Imperial units. Once the probe deck gets low, the new destination my be pretty easy to deduce. So it's not a game breaker, and feels thematic, think of the Hoth evacuation.
The following user(s) said Thank You: southernman

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
15 May 2016 11:58 - 15 May 2016 11:59 #227507 by southernman
OK, I've played three games now (2 as Empire and 1 as Rebels) and we think there may be a problem if the Empire just plays a rush strategy - ignores most of what the Rebels do and just send fleets out to every planet they can, taking out Rebel planets early if you can as a bonus. I did this in my 2nd game and had a useful win, the Rebels got points but some of taht was due to may poor play and forgetting some rules, and today I was annihilated by the Empire. It didn't help that when drawing systems at setup two of my three were right beside his so both were invaded by a Star Destroyer force first turn while the third was Ryloth that had a Death Star fleet and a SD fleet heading for it so I had to abandon it to have at least some units - so by turn two I had no loyal systems with units and had already moved my escaped units to the Base with Rapid Mobilization after deciding my only chance of winning was building up a forec at teh base and hope tehy could hold out when found.
He managed to subjugate the few systems I managed to get loyalty on quite quickly so I wasn't building from more than a system or two so taht ruled out many/most of the Objective cards that either required destroying Empire units (need your own units to do that) or from having loyal systems.I survived to turn 12 only because he didn't have the units close by when he found my base
We both agreed that one player just running and hiding for most of the game, while thematic, is not much of a gaming experience. The only answer we could find was for the Empire player not to play the rush and just play the game for fun doing different things with the knowledge that the Rebels would probably win when you did. It's not the game we thought it would be and are quite disappointed with it now.
Last edit: 15 May 2016 11:59 by southernman.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gary Sax, Columbob, wadenels, charlieturtle, stoic

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
16 May 2016 23:32 #227586 by KingPut
Overall, the basic set up is probably more balanced for the Rebels. I saw one pole that show the both sides winning equally and the average game length was 8-9 turns. The first 3 turns it's difficult for the Rebels to meet any objectives but after turn 3 you should try to complete at least 1 a turn to shorten the game to 8-9 turns.

But here are a couple of Rebel Strategies: Rebels need to run Sabotage ever turn. Hitting the big production planets and subjugated system. Mon need to get the Loyalty of the big production planets early before the Empire takes them over. If the Empire player is subjugating every system that you make loyal, use that to your advantage and lure the Empire ships away from you base. Rebels should also build ground forces and structures on the base then use every opportunity to weaken the Empires ground force. By the time the Empire finds your base might, you might be too strong for them to take the base. Don't build the base near the Death Star. Run your first missions of the turn directly at the Death Star system. If the Empire opposes you, the Death Star will be locked down the turn.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Columbob

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
17 May 2016 11:35 - 17 May 2016 11:38 #227598 by southernman

KingPut wrote: Overall, the basic set up is probably more balanced for the Rebels. I saw one pole that show the both sides winning equally and the average game length was 8-9 turns. The first 3 turns it's difficult for the Rebels to meet any objectives but after turn 3 you should try to complete at least 1 a turn to shorten the game to 8-9 turns.

But here are a couple of Rebel Strategies: Rebels need to run Sabotage ever turn. Hitting the big production planets and subjugated system. Mon need to get the Loyalty of the big production planets early before the Empire takes them over. If the Empire player is subjugating every system that you make loyal, use that to your advantage and lure the Empire ships away from you base. Rebels should also build ground forces and structures on the base then use every opportunity to weaken the Empires ground force. By the time the Empire finds your base might, you might be too strong for them to take the base. Don't build the base near the Death Star. Run your first missions of the turn directly at the Death Star system. If the Empire opposes you, the Death Star will be locked down the turn.


My problem in that game, and I've seen it mentioned at BGG as an unlucky draw, is that I lost two of my three planets on the first turn and my third one not long after which meant I had few units and was not building many so had no chance of getting the points for destroying Empire units - and as soon as I realised my mate was just going to rush the map to find me I moved five of my remaining units to the Base to give it protection for the final battle (it did hold out for the first attack but because I had been unable to score points he had enough time for his second force to hit).
I was a bit unlucky on dice rolls with quite a few Sabotage and Loyalty missions blocked. I did make a mistake (forgot to) not putting units on a neutral planet at setup but not sure that would have changed much. You need units to get many of the first Objectives and later ones are virtually impossible if you have been all but wiped out.
We had been playing War of the Ring for the previous month and neither of us had experienced such a one-way game in that as this game produced.
I would be interested to hear of any games where the Imperial player did a similar rush and what happened.
Last edit: 17 May 2016 11:38 by southernman.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
17 May 2016 11:43 #227600 by charlest
The last couple of games I played as Imperials I mad rushed, spreading out and only doing missions I felt were absolutely necessary (repairing sabotage on a key planet, running missions that helped me find the base or captured opponents).

It worked in one but not in the other.

The counter to this strategy is to hit the Imps hard militarily. If they are spreading out they're not likely building up large forces and can't protect everywhere. If you can get a Mon Cal Cruisers or two (my opponent had 3 in one game!) you can launch strikes into enemy territory.

If you carve out some space, you can relocate the base and hope to get near your fleet.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
18 May 2016 13:45 #227693 by southernman

charlest wrote: The last couple of games I played as Imperials I mad rushed, spreading out and only doing missions I felt were absolutely necessary (repairing sabotage on a key planet, running missions that helped me find the base or captured opponents).

It worked in one but not in the other.

The counter to this strategy is to hit the Imps hard militarily. If they are spreading out they're not likely building up large forces and can't protect everywhere. If you can get a Mon Cal Cruisers or two (my opponent had 3 in one game!) you can launch strikes into enemy territory.

If you carve out some space, you can relocate the base and hope to get near your fleet.


The main problem with my situation was that apatr from the couple of ground units that could be carried on the Rebel capital ship that I sent to the Rebel base I had no units and no planets to build on. I think I was just done by an unlucky planet draw and an aggressive opponent (and a few unlucky dice rolls trying to get Loyalty on planets), I'll see how this weekend's game goes.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
18 May 2016 15:09 #227708 by Msample

Southernman wrote: (and a few unlucky dice rolls trying to get Loyalty on planets), I'll see how this weekend's game goes.


If you're having to roll for Loyalty, that is because the Imperial player is opposing those missions, probably with Palpatine, who is the only Imp leader with an equal number of icons in diplomacy vs Mon Motha ( who is does the Loyalty recurring mission most turns unless a juicy one like Mon Calamari / trade comes up ) . Try assigning a second leader. If you're being opposed, it slows down their rush strategy.

And at the risk of stating the obvious, you do know that unopposed missions always succeed, right ? A lot of players get that wrong early on.
The following user(s) said Thank You: southernman

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: Gary Sax
Time to create page: 0.493 seconds