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Armada or X-wing? Fight!

4K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  ntaw 
#1 ·
I've been thinking about getting into either Armada or X-wing. Sadly, I only have the time/money for one of them. So, which game do you think I should invest in? What are the pros & cons of each? Which is your favorite and why? Let the debate begin.

And in the words of Mortal Kombat...

FIGHT!
 
#4 · (Edited)
@ ntaw:

X-Wing because I like squadrons and aces more than I like flagships and planning 3 turns of movement ahead.
The movement planning for big ships does seem like it wold take time to get good at. Are there more special characters or "aces" in x-wing? It seemed like there are "aces" (of sorts) in Armada too (i.e. special characters with special powers and boosts, etc).


..or because it's less expensive.
That's for sure. The start up cost with Armada is significantly more. Still it's way less than 40k which is the game system I used to play when I had more time/money.


..or because you get a bigger Millennium Falcon.
Ha ha, also true! :) However, Armada has Star Destroyers. :wink:



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@ Fallen:

Ok, first up...


Game type:

Armada =
plays a lot similar to 40k (grand battle RTS)
--- versus ---

X-wing =
plays more akin to a necromunda or other RPGs I would say.
So large table top (i.e. 40K) -vs- skirmish (i.e. Necromunda). I've never been too much into skirmish games, as I usually live by the maxim if a little is good, more is better. However, with my current time and budget limitations, a skirmish game might be more realistic for me. But... then there's my love of huge fleets and the fact that you get to play with Star Destroyers!

Advantage: Armada



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Playing time:

Armada =
usually takes about 2 hours to play a game
--- versus ---

X-wing =
game play is usually lasts an hour or so I'd say
1 hour would be better for my current time constraints, but 2 hours isn't too unreasonable. Coming out of 40k, anything under 3-4 hours seems fantastic! In the end however, sometimes I only have an hour...

Advantage: X-wing



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Scale:

Armada =
generally utilizes capital ships
--- versus ---

X-wing =
squadrons
As already mentioned, I'm a sucker for playing a whole fleet -vs- a single squadron (even if you imagined it was part of a fleet). The scale for x-wing would make large capital ships impractical. Even if fantasy flight built a star destroyer it would be the size of a dining room table. Who could afford it/store it/transport it? This leaves only one game system capable of slaking my capital ship thirst. No surprise here...

Advantage: Armada



.

Start up cost:

Armada =
General Start up funds - ballpark $200-250 (not counting additional items such as storage)
--- versus ---

X-wing =
Start up funds - Ballpark around $75-100 to get a good start
Ouch, Armada is pretty steep when compared to x-wing. Still, way better than what I was used to with 40K. I wonder if in the end, after you've purchased all the available ships for both game systems, if the cost is similar? Still though, with 4 little mouths to feed, $75-100 sounds way more my speed...

Advantage: X-wing



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End result? Tied after 4 categories!

Hmmm... well that was inconclusive. :laugh: It sounds like Armada is the game I want to play, while X-wing is the game I can afford/have time to play.



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Hope that helps you a bit @Uber Ork, I like both systems - probably like X-wing more since it is more "pick up and go" friendly to go to the FLGS for me.
You totally were helpful! I can see how it would be easier to grab a few small fighters and whip out a quick game. Something that's super helpful in my situation.

Armada is nice to play with friends prearranged for me since I'm not very competitive for that game system (which currently I feel has a lot more of a competitive list show up in a pickup game)
That's interesting. I think this has been my experience without question when playing skirmish -vs- large scale battles. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because skirmish is smaller and more intimate. It just creates that "let's hang out and have fun together" vibe. I think everyone knows large scale battles can be this way too, but so often they tend to be more on the competitive side. I wonder why?

Most likely I would be playing Armada with my close friends. Usually, as I'm sure it's the case in most places, when one of us gets in, the rest are soon to follow. We all used to play 40K extensively, and had a huge gaming group. However, over time that has dwindled. It's just getting too darn expensive. And the time... don't even get me started on the time. :)













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#3 ·
Armada plays a lot similar to 40k (grand battle RTS) - usually takes about 2 hours to play a game (maybe 1.5 if you have your shit together before starting)

generally utilizes capital ships vs squadrons.

General Start up funds - ballpark $200-250 (not counting additional items such as storage)

----

X-Wing

plays more akin to a necromunda or other RPGs I would say.

game play is usually lasts an hour or so I'd say - @ntaw am I right, it's been a few months since I've played, the group has been playing a lot of Armada lately

Start up funds - Ballpark around $75-100 to get a good start

----

Hope that helps you a bit @Uber Ork, I like both systems - probably like X-wing more since it is more "pick up and go" friendly to go to the FLGS for me. Armada is nice to play with friends prearranged for me since I'm not very competitive for that game system (which currently I feel has a lot more of a competitive list show up in a pickup game)
 
#5 ·
game play is usually lasts an hour or so I'd say
Gameplay lasts as long as it takes to finish the game unless you're playing at a tournament. If all players are seasoned vets that know their lists and the rules that all the cards on the table are employing well it can take an hour, otherwise who knows? I've had 100 point games take well into the 2-3 hour mark at times based on game knowledge or just whether or not new and adventurous things are being tested.

The movement planning for big ships does seem like it wold take time to get good at.
Movement of ships in X-Wing takes time to get good at too, and depending on your squad build can be anywhere from painstakingly difficult to driving a bus down an empty 5 lane highway. I'm just not interested in the movement mechanic of large ships in Armada.

Are there more special characters or "aces" in x-wing? It seemed like there are "aces" (of sorts) in Armada too (i.e. special characters with special powers and boosts, etc).
If you've seen the new movie, think about Poe. He's an ace. A lone ship, whipping around the enemy's fighters wreaking havoc and doing all the sweetest maneuvers doing it. Both systems have special characters and fluffy ways of building your squadrons, but there's something specifically satisfying about having lone ships just rip through the enemy lines without being touched (Soontir Fel, Whisper, Darth Vader, Tycho Celchu, Jake Farrell, that sort of thing). I don't think I would ever describe the pilot team of a large ship as aces despite them even potentially being the best at their jobs.

However, Armada has Star Destroyers.
Have you taken in the Imperial Raider for X-Wing? We still get massive ships that move uniquely and use totally different rules and even the same play area. Not to mention it comes with a TIE Advanced and some awesome pilots for it plus an absolute ton of rockin' upgrade cards. There's even still a large planning ahead factor to the X-Wing huge ships in that you have to plan your energy use; something I find way more thematic for big ships.

I've never been too much into skirmish games, as I usually live by the maxim if a little is good, more is better. However, with my current time and budget limitations, a skirmish game might be more realistic for me. But... then there's my love of huge fleets and the fact that you get to play with Star Destroyers!
This sounds like you want people to convince you to play Armada because that's the game you actually like.

I'm a sucker for playing a whole fleet -vs- a single squadron (even if you imagined it was part of a fleet). The scale for x-wing would make large capital ships impractical.
This is what my girlfriend and I do all the time. She has the Raider and a contingent of TIEs and a Decimator ('cuz we don't have a Gozanti yet) and I play all small base Rebel ships. Sometimes I'll bring the YT1300/2400 to the party but I really like certain builds and they tend to fit together certain ways. X-Wing will never have capital ships but there's still tons of fleet play, albeit at a higher financial and storage requirement.

This leaves only one game system capable of slaking my capital ship thirst. No surprise here...
Again, it sounds like you just want to play Armada. What's really the point of this thread? :laugh:

I wonder if in the end, after you've purchased all the available ships for both game systems, if the cost is similar?
Given that both systems are ever expanding and that Disney now has a hand in how it's released: there will always be more to buy.

Start proxying cards you want to try out for either system. Print them off (all available card's graphics are easily findable online, FFG doesn't hide their rules) or just write the effects down on a piece of paper, but don't fall into the trap of buying ships because they have absolutely key cards for certain ships (Starviper for Autothrusters and the K-Wing for Twin Laser Turret spring to mind, though they are both fun ships to play in my opinion).
 
#6 ·
TBH it does sound like you want to play Armada, but the initial cost and time investment is putting you off.
I think the simplest question, and the most important one, is what is played locally?

I play x-wing, because all the local gamers play it. They also play Armada, but when I go down the club, I am much more likely to get an x-wing game.

Whats the most popular system locally, or are you lucky enough to be able to influence and drive forward a game system?
 
#7 ·
Armada is Strategic, X-wing Tactical. X-wing is much more dependent on card synergy tricks, and can be less fun sometimes because of that. Armada can be less fun depending on the size and composition of ships. The bigger ships sometimes get overwhelming.
 
#8 ·
X-wing is much more dependent on card synergy tricks, and can be less fun sometimes because of that.
:laugh: that's just about my favourite part of it!

Then again I love list making in 40k, so I likely get it from there.
 
#10 ·
Haven't played Armada, so I can't make comparison.

I just felt like I needed to emphasise how cheap it can be to get into X-Wing, when I started I picked up a couple of boxed aggressors off of ebay for £35 ($50) and that was me done. Fleet - finished, and they're by no means the cheapest ships.

40k Is still the epic throw down gaming bread and butter of my group, but we wanted a Skirmish game and X-Wing has filled that niche nicely. It's even brought half a dozen new faces into the group. I've played a few larger team games of X-wing and had a blast too, though with only two ships that like facehugging asteroids I'm normally one of the first ones out xD

Overall, if you do decide you're looking for a reasonably priced skirmish game. then I thoroughly recommend X-wing, any maybe get a nice big canvas print of a star destroyer for the wall of your man cave?
 
#12 · (Edited)
I just felt like I needed to emphasise how cheap it can be to get into X-Wing, when I started I picked up a couple of boxed aggressors off of ebay for £35 ($50) and that was me done. Fleet - finished, and they're by no means the cheapest ships.
Yes, this for sure is one of the biggest draws for me. The ships are very well painted, and the game looks fun to play.


40k Is still the epic throw down gaming bread and butter of my group, but we wanted a Skirmish game and X-Wing has filled that niche nicely. It's even brought half a dozen new faces into the group.
With 40k nearly dead here (at least with my friends) I think either X-wing or Armada could take root. However, I think the lower buy in cost for x-wing would make it even easier to get it going. The X-wing starter box seems to give you everything you need to play the game. As I've been researching, I've heard that (supposedly) Armada's wave 1 box doesn't give you everything you need to play the game like X-wing's starter box does. Is that true? If so what is it missing, and where do you get the rest of what you need to play? Boy if true, that would be an additional drawback to a game that already costs more to get started.


I've played a few larger team games of X-wing and had a blast too, though with only two ships that like facehugging asteroids I'm normally one of the first ones out xD
As long as you're having fun right. :) My time is too limited to waste in anything that I'm not having fun with.


Overall, if you do decide you're looking for a reasonably priced skirmish game. then I thoroughly recommend X-wing, any maybe get a nice big canvas print of a star destroyer for the wall of your man cave?
Ha ha, marriage and 4 kids later, and my man cave has been reduced to a small hovel in one corner of the garage. I'd probably have room for a nice collector card of a Star Destroyer though... :)






@ ntaw

No problem pal! I think it was the MK reference that got me. I got that KMFDM theme song from the movies stuck in my head and it was go time
FINISH HIM!


In every game really. I used to play a lot of timed chess matches so I got used to decision making on a clock, not everyone has had that experience or wants to play so fast paced.
It's funny you should say that. I've thought many times I should invest in a chess timer to help games move along quicker. Nothing too obnoxious, but just something to keep things moving and prevent that one player from taking all night to think about/make their moves.


Different ships fly very differently from one another; there's three basic tiers to ships in X-Wing.
Thanks that helps a lot. I’d seen these different types being used in battle reports, but I didn’t have a recognizable category for them.


Essentially,

Jousters beat out Turrets (massed firepower)
Turrets beat out Arc Dodgers (how can you dodge a 360 arc)
Arc Dodgers beat out Jousters (formation flying can be very easy to predict and sidestep)
Makes sense. A lot of battle reports I saw seem to have players fielding either a turret with several jousters or an arc dodger with several jousters.


Though there's always exceptionally good or bad flying that balances everything out. Regardless and back to my point, these three types of ships want to do very different types of movements and you don't typically get good at them all at once.
Again, makes sense. I’m guessing the jousters are cheaper, nimbler, but not too hardy, while the turreted ships tend to be larger, slower, beefier, and less maneuverable? I'm also guessing that arc dodgers special pilots, upgrades, and maneuvers mean they coast a lot more and thus limit the number of ships you can field?


Plus the best lists have a balance of these three things in them as far as I'm concerned. Lists that go too hard in one category tend to get swept by the category that beats them.
Like so many tabletop games, you’ll need to have the ability to deal with whatever your opponent might field. Balance in this regard, will get you farther.


I get where you're coming from with Ace pilots still existing in Armada but you totally get where I'm coming from with wanting to manually control said aces.

If we were apologizing profusely to each other this would be what's called a Canadian Standoff :laugh:
Better than a Mexican Standoff where guns are involved. :laugh:


My girlfriend (spouse would be more appropriate at this point I think) really wanted to get into Armada because she wanted a friggin' Star Destroyer. When I got her the Raider for her Birthday last year every mention of Armada stopped :grin:
Ha ha, that’s great. I’m telling you, there’s just something nostalgic/exciting about being able to field a large, gray, pie shaped, harbinger of death and destruction. That and whenever you see one, the Imperial March starts automatically playing in your head.


Oh man, nowhere near as bad as you think. Not only could you just leave them in their plastic packaging with an elastic band around to keep it shut and toss 'em in a bag (cheapzilla) but tackle boxes are clutch for this. I went the Battlefoam route and am happy with that but you don't need to spend much money on it.
Transport was always my least favorite aspect to 40k. You buy the army, then buy materials to assemble, convert, and paint your army, and then buy foam, etc. to transport your army. With both X-wing and Armada being set up on a much smaller smaller scale, transporting ones forces didn’t seem so bad (not to mention expensive) to me. That is, until I saw the larger ships for X-wing. You invest so much money into a large model, you don’t want to see it get ruined. However, paying even more money for foam would make my already strained budget be stretched even thinner. I didn't think about continuing to use the original packaging though. Great idea. :good:


Ah, to be sure I have spent at least as much on my X-Wing collection as I have on any 40k army and I don't have many multiples. We are the variable in this query.
That’s what I was thinking. We gamers are notorious for wanting to collect, buy, and play with more and more models. As new models come out (if they’re cool) you know we're going to go buy them. When factoring this in, and if in the end the costs for both X-wing and Armada were approximately the same, then start up cost wouldn't be as big an issue for me.


Not nerdy enough. Let's get a scale model to hang above the table, and we can play at night and pretend the moon is the Death Star! :laugh:

.....I'm only kind of joking.
Indeed, you know this will happen. It's just a matter of time. You'll start off with a smaller scale death star to represent the space station being off in the distance, or maybe one of these...




But it won't be long before you're sucked in father…




and father...





:grin:









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