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Whatever kind of Star Wars fan you are, there’s something for you. Toys, LEGO sets, comic books, Space Slug oven mitts… you name it, and it probably exists. And this is especially true in the world of board games. There’s now a wide range of Star Wars board games for every age and experience level.
Tabletop miniature dogfights? There’s a Star Wars board game for that. Deck-building card game? Classic pen & paper RPG? There are tabletop Star Wars games for those, too. And plenty more.
Here's the best seven ways you can bring lightsabre duels, space dogfights and a host of your favourite characters off the screen and onto the table.
The success of this tactical space fighting game has spawned imitations across the hobby. But X-Wing has two things its mimics do not. First, it's Star Wars. Second, the figures are pre-painted to a high standard, making your favourite ships pop to life before your eyes, and making it easier for fans of minis that don’t want to break out the paint sets to jump in. And if you collected Star Wars toys as a kid, the nostalgia appeal is impossible to ignore.
The game has actually been a victim of its own popularity. Two players prepare for play by picking a roster of pilots from unnamed rookies to famous film characters, and fitting them with upgrades. But as the sets have sold, the range has expanded until there's now a bewildering array of ships, each with a bewildering array of cards.
Don't let that put you off. The core game remains fantastic fun, a fast-paced snapshot of movie action. It's split into two compatible lines, one for the original films and another for The Force Awakens. So pick which you prefer, pick up your favourite ships and get stuck in.
Along with the change in scale, the tone and feel of the game has also changed. Two players still pick a roster of ships and upgrades. But Armada is a more stately, strategic affair compared to the frantic dice-offs and cartoon action of its predecessor. What it loses in intimacy, it gains in depth.
Armada has another advantage: although individual ships are expensive, you need fewer of them. And there are fewer to choose from than X-Wing. So although the rules are more complex, the game as a whole is easier to get your head around.
Borrowing heavily from the mechanics of dungeon-crawling game Descent, this is a grid combat game. You set up a map of interlocking tiles and play out a battle between Imperial and Rebel forces using plastic models of film characters. Turn by turn you need to position your models and use their abilities to best effect in order to win an edge over the opposition.
That's only half the story. This is two games using similar mechanics. One is a battle game where you pick your models and fight it out. The other is an ongoing adventure where one player controls the Imperial forces and the others Rebel heroes. Over the course of many sessions you'll see your own Star Wars saga unfold. Whichever way you prefer to play there are a vast number of expansions to extend your game.
Of course, as befits the movies, the Rebel player can't hope to hold a holo-candle to the might of the Imperial navy. But they don't have to: they have to fight a clandestine war of insurgency and politics, swaying planets to join them while poking thorns in the Imperial side. The Emperor and his minions, meanwhile, merely need to destroy the Rebel base to win. Except they have to find out where it's hidden first.
Rebellion takes a long time to play, but it's engrossing, strategic and surprisingly characterful. Players do get to control a lot of popular film heroes and villains, albeit relegated to a single card.
The unique hook is that Destiny isn't only about playing cards - you’ll be tossing dice around, too. Each character in your deck brings custom dice to the fight, and rolling them partly dictates what you can do with your turn. While this might sound a strategic no-no, it keeps the game varied, fast and exciting, much like the battles it seeks to re-create.
Plus, the variety of the dice themselves help build tactical options. Dice that are more reliable are also less flexible, so it's up to you how you build your force.
There are various sets for this game, each focusing on a different type of character. Oldest and most popular is Edge of the Empire with its assorted roster of scum and villainy. If you want to take the fight to the Empire, than Age of Rebellion is for you. For those wanting to relive their space wizard fantasies, you're covered with Jedi Knights.
Should the idea appeal but you're not familiar with role-playing games there are some great starter sets. There's an Edge of the Empire Beginner Game. Now a fourth line is starting with The Force Awakens Beginner Game. Whoever and wherever you want to be in the Star Wars universe, this is the game to help it happen.
We're going to cheat like the Hutts and bring up a game that isn’t released yet, as we publish this. But if you love Star Wars, you'll want to know about Legion, slated for release in early 2018.
It's another ground combat game, like Imperial Assault. Previews show that it borrows mechanics from IA as well as from X-Wing. Like comparing X-Wing and Armada, though, the difference here is scale. Legion has smaller figures, which means it can promise bigger vehicles and more epic, large-scale action.
Legion is also a more traditional miniatures game which measures distances rather than playing on a grid. Details are still coming, but if it sounds like your bag of Banthas, watch the release schedules.
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