I have long played this game, admiring how you have managed to make a lean and fun game whilst juggling so many eras, units and factions. Nonetheless, whilst the largest battles have been excellent, I have noticed how much this game allows micromanagement. Borrowing strategies from the old C&C Red Alert game, I occasionally had single squadrons of X-Wings going up against a single vindicator or lancer, timing attack runs between enemy volleys in much the same way I used to have allied medium tanks dto dance around soviet mammoth tanks.
The experience was sufficiently fun I began to give thought to how the managing of small forces might provide a new experience for players. This morphed into a short pre-endor scenario, featuring guerrilla warfare and very small forces on either side. Essentially this suggestion is meant to be a ‘less is more’ approach.
Scenario:
Empire has 10 planets, Rebels 5
Low pop cap- no side at start of game can occupy every planet at once with anything more than a single unit. Empire cannot combine all forces to squash rebels lest rebels seize a planet to make up for other losses.
Both sides are restricted to units up to frigate/light tank size. Empire can call in one capital (VSD I, VSD II, ISD I, ISD II), OR one ATAT, but these are irreplaceable and take up much of the pop cap limit. Can be presented as a ‘boss unit’ whose destruction signifies the capability of the rebel player.
Empire can also build tie squadrons. These are cheap but cannot be moved between systems. If the rebels launch a raid and destroy them, then the rebel player can thus achieve something with low numbers without spending time and effort on an enemy carrier/ station. Advanced craft- tie interceptors, tie defenders, interdictors, strike-cruisers, etc would be unavailable.
Rebels have 2 planets that can access every planet at once, so the rebels can slip past imperial blockades. The imperial player must thus defend against small raids from all sides, tying up units.
Rebels can build X-Wings, and Y-wings, possibly Z-95s. Corvettes and frigates might be limited in number.
Probe droids are expensive- they cannot be used to scout every system.
No heroes.
Objective is the same as ever- occupy all planets/ destroy enemy forces. The theme is essentially guerrilla warfare. One side ties to defend what they have and stamp out resistance, whilst the other hangs on to degrade their more powerful enemy slowly.
I am only suggesting this if you feel it offers something new and is easy to create. Given the amount of work you all have, it seems foolish of me to do so. Furthermore, something like this might not be to anybody else’s taste. Nonetheless, I’m putting it out here for discussion.
Cons:
This scenario could be a problem if it is just an excuse to get all units together into a small fleet, crush resistance and rove around the map en-masse mopping up. If this scenario cannot work, then I have a slightly more complicated version instead.
The improved version would require a troika:
2 Nebulon Bs as hero units that can be deployed as ground units- (3 infantry squads per frigate?). If lost on ground or in space, game over. If all rebel planets are lost they can be used to sustain rebel space presence until new planets are taken. These would be a prime target for the empire.
Neither side would have enough units to defend every planet or system in large numbers. Empire might still get a single capital as reinforcements at the cost of filled population cap.
Small buildable structures for the rebels- primitive camps for light vehicles and infantry. Does not reveal ownership of system- only probe droids and grounds forces do that. Allows reels to recruit ground troops whilst maintaining minimal infrastructure.
IF the rebels can build shield generators, barracks, etc, it would be ONCE for ONE system, signifying their headquarters. Doesn't reveal planet's alleigance unless empire deploys a ground force/probe droid there.
Large number of ‘empty space’ systems placed around planets (and connected to them) for rebels to flee to and fly around. 4-8 per planet? There would be minimal to no terrain on them. A few connect to other systems. The empire has to search all of these and would not be able to use probe droids for all of them in one go- the rebels hop from system to system avoiding the empire whilst trying to hit weakly defended planets.
The rebels could thus travel around the map with these systems, avoiding the complication of the initial suggestion above.
All the other parts of the first suggestion, small number of worlds/units, small unit types, no advanced craft or heroes, etc would still apply.
While I am aware that this might be difficult to code and make, I am just putting all this out there is it makes something easier for anything the team is doing. It might even be quite a different campaign to what the players are used to!
Topic: Guerrilla war suggestion. (Read 1291 times)