Ride forth to the Weekend (Friday Thread)

[BanzaiCat]

We kept having "hey, waitaminute" moments when we were playing SW Imperial Assault. Namely, I had selected the Wookie and the Soldier heroes; the Soldier has a 'blast' ability that comes from surges. My daughter bunched up her Stormtroopers and I ended up killing one and hitting the other two for two hits each (Stormtroopers can only take three hits before they're goners).

Only thing is, Stormtroopers, when adjacent to another Stormtrooper, can reroll an attack die, so there's reasons to bunch them up.

The Wookie is a beast in melee combat. We switched sides and my daughter charged the Wookie and slaughtered my troopers. I think the most damage either of us did to the heroes was six hits, and they both could take 10 each.

I really like what little i know of the Campaign. As you said it's not linear because I think results from a battle influence which one you play next, sort of a CYOA feel to it (no choice, but there's branching paths, and that's awesome). It was also my understanding that DOOM: The Boardgame came first (I own it), then Descent descended from that (I don't own Descent), and then SWIA is even further descended from them.

What's not terribly awesome is the plethora of figure packs you can buy for the game. It's a brilliant business plan and no doubt I will be buying some in the future, but it sucks because there are so many and they're about $10 each.

Regardless I like what I've seen so far; I just need to wrap my mind around the more advanced concepts before moving on to the other missions.

[BanzaiCat]

Going to start a Japanese campaign in Order of Battle - Pacific Assault after playing through fhe tutorials for 5 hours. I'm decent with the ground and air combat bits, less so with the naval combat bit. May also play some Victory at Sea. And maybe some BOMB and IL21946.

I thought about asking you if you want to try a multiplayer game of OoBP, but I'm not sure how to set that up. Let me know, maybe we can try that this weekend sometime if you're interested.

[Nefaro]

We kept having "hey, waitaminute" moments when we were playing SW Imperial Assault. Namely, I had selected the Wookie and the Soldier heroes; the Soldier has a 'blast' ability that comes from surges. My daughter bunched up her Stormtroopers and I ended up killing one and hitting the other two for two hits each (Stormtroopers can only take three hits before they're goners).

Only thing is, Stormtroopers, when adjacent to another Stormtrooper, can reroll an attack die, so there's reasons to bunch them up.

The Wookie is a beast in melee combat. We switched sides and my daughter charged the Wookie and slaughtered my troopers. I think the most damage either of us did to the heroes was six hits, and they both could take 10 each.

I really like what little i know of the Campaign. As you said it's not linear because I think results from a battle influence which one you play next, sort of a CYOA feel to it (no choice, but there's branching paths, and that's awesome). It was also my understanding that DOOM: The Boardgame came first (I own it), then Descent descended from that (I don't own Descent), and then SWIA is even further descended from them.

The campaign is still somewhat similar to Descent 2nd Edition, but the side missions are mixed in differently.  There weren't really any side missions in the base Descent set (those came with the expansions) but the winner of the previous scenario would get to pick from a two different scenarios next, in the progression. 

DOOM Boardgame may have been the first iteration, but it was quite different from these.  I know Descent 1st Edition is pretty different from 2nd Edition, a huge rules rewrite.  Imperial Assault is a small modification of 2nd Edition.

The first scenario is probably easy for the Heroes because they instantly lose if all their characters are incapacitated at the same time.. (or twice during the mission, each).  I think the first scenario was meant to cruise through for rules learning purposes for noobs.  The first (tutorial) scenario in Descent 2nd gave the exact same rewards to both sides, no matter who won or lost, so that's a good indicator and probably the same.  I recall you could even skip that first scenario in D2 if you wanted, due to the "gimme".  It really is a tutorial "can't lose" situation so you may not want to bother with it in the future.

The Imperial/Keeper player has to get used to his cannon fodder dying.  You just have to keep the pressure on with the respawns and do your best to focus a hero down one at a time (and prevent them from accomplishing their objectives).  The various special abilities, bunching vs not bunching & such are a big part of the fun.  Especially since both sides will get more special abilities as the campaign progresses and they spend XP.   Just note that some of the Imperial/Keeper Classes may be stronger than others.

What's not terribly awesome is the plethora of figure packs you can buy for the game. It's a brilliant business plan and no doubt I will be buying some in the future, but it sucks because there are so many and they're about $10 each.

Regardless I like what I've seen so far; I just need to wrap my mind around the more advanced concepts before moving on to the other missions.

Yeah the $10 mini expansions are rather exorbitant.  I may initially limit picking up the Imperial boss packs at first (IG-88, the Elite Imperial Guard), if I do so.  At least those potentially add more Imperial troop options to open slots in scenarios instead of needing to be specifically listed in them like Han & Chewie (I think).

The strategies will come, you only have to keep all the various pieces' abilities in mind.  They'll vary over every campaign due to character selection & advancement options, but that's a big part of the fun.

[BanzaiCat]

I read someone's review on Amazon about one of the expansion packs (I think it was General Veers' AT-ST). They said that the figures were pretty much for the Skirmish game and not the Campaign game. I'd much rather play the Campaign game than the Skirmish one, at least right now.

The IG-88 figure is at the top of my list. Not sure about remaining ones, maybe the Rebel Trooper pack.

I think the SWIA game has round counters representing IG-88, Rebel Troopers, and some other figures, so that was mainly what I was complaining about, that you have to buy that extra content if you want the figures. I'd rather have a 100% complete game and then have the option of getting the extras if I want, and not having to feel like I have to buy the extras to fill out the base game.

[bbmike]

Probably no gaming this weekend, just a long drive back to DC.
Good luck with the move, Martok!

[BanzaiCat]

Yeah, Martok. Don't put your gaming rig in the back of your pickup...lol.  ;)

[MengJiao]

Games in favour just now are The Witcher 3 and pCars. There will likely be some Assetto Corsa and my pbem CM:BS with UCG...contact has (at last) been made!

I shall be avenging the slaughter of my fine chaps - for contact read high explosive tank shell to the face of half a squad!!

There will be some Silent Hunter IV, did the tutorials, got thoroughly smashed to bits by 2 destroyers so spent the night reading up on evasion, diving and keeping the hell away from them and then ill start a career

Some CMANO, and i think the PBEM may come to its sticky end

  All the chatter about Silent Hunter IV is making me consider reinstalling it.  So this weekend:  maybe some Silent Hunter IV, maybe some flight sims and probably some board games and definitely some Invisible.

[Sir Slash]

I've been meaning to go back to SH 4 too for quite awhile but always get side tracked. Started the Russian campaign in CMRT and continuing the German campaign in CMFI and considering strategies for a ERE- Attila campaign sometime ahead. But I can hear the sounds of Japanese merchants breaking-up in my sleep and so.... resistance is futile.

[vyshka]

I imagine the mix will contain some World of Tanks, the Armored Warfare early access, possibly some Battlefield 4, and Galactic Civilizations III. And lots of reading (Honor Harrington, and some tech books for work and fun).

[Steelgrave]

GalCiv III, Order of Battle Pacific and Pillars of Eternity are on my dance list for the weekend, with maybe some 7 Days to Die as filler.

[Gusington]

BC let me know when you want to get started with some Order of Battle PBEM...sounds good.

[BanzaiCat]

BC let me know when you want to get started with some Order of Battle PBEM...sounds good.

I tried to start one, but damned if I can figure it out. Maybe it's not working? I tried registering an account and it said "PLEASE WAIT" for 15 minutes before I force-quit the program.

Not to mention it was a huge pain in the ass to just get to THAT point. Maybe you'll have better luck.

[Huw the Poo]

Couple more to add to the list...been experimenting with Strife again today, and I might play a bit of Conquest of Elysium 3 to get myself in the mood for the upcoming sequel. O0

[mikeck]

Pillars of eternity
Crusader kings II
and some Graviteam Tactics: Sword of the Prophet

[Nefaro]

Pillars of eternity

Same.


Also probably some tabletop Spy gaming too.   :))