Advancing X-Wing players to a Fleet game...

[Kealios]

First and foremost, I am a miniatures player.

I have a number of friends who are board game players, but have enjoyed basic miniatures games like X-Wing and D&D Attack Wing.

Today, I informed my friends that they are ready to advance to a Fleet-level game. I own Colonial Battlefleet and Full Thrust...but I only have one fleet worth's of miniatures. I'm not sure which I should teach them - CB uses hexes, and is a fantastic game with a really great fleet building mechanic. FT is also good, but uses the more classic open space map...but I could use the nice variety of prebuilt ships to get a game going.

What are your thoughts?

[Thargor]

You could try advancing to Star Wars Attack Wing - that's fleet size.

[Elbows]

^I think he means Star Trek: Attack Wing --- unfortunately this is the game which everyone says is "large ships acting like fighters", so my obvious suggestion is to go up to Star Wars Armada.

Alternately, if they like that kind of stuff, you have HALO Fleet Battles and the Dropfleet Commander thing on the horizon.  Can you find some suitable scaled Star Wars stuff to maybe do one of your rules sets using ships they'd recognize?  Sometimes it's best (if they're not huge gamers) to keep stuff iconic. 

[Kealios]

They are certainly Star Wars fans - keeping things iconic is a good suggestion.

The problem with Star Wars Armada is that, though I have contemplated it, it is a stand-alone game. The miniatures, though nice, will never be usable for another game. I wouldnt have this problem with GZG-style ships (which I have one fleet of)...

[Elbows]

I'm not familiar with the scales, but I'm imagining you can't use those Armada ships for either of the rules sets you've mentioned?  That's a shame - would have been a good compromise.

I'd imagine somewhere there are tiny Star Wars warships though...maybe as keychains, or miniature games, or something?

[n815e]

I don't see why you can't use the Armada ships for any other game.  Just swap out bases and you are good to go.

[The_Beast]

You could try advancing to Star Wars Attack Wing - that's fleet size.

Actually, I thought he meant Star Wars Armada.

However, I think Kealios is speaking of just CB and FT, and ships on hand, not moving to another system and new figs.

I'm an FT Fanboy, so I'll have to temper my answer.

Your friends are using open play space and simple commands; don't have CB, but I think the movements have multi-turns.

On the third hand (this IS sci-fi), maybe they'd like the change. YOU have to be the judge. *shrug*

Doug