Firestorm Armada 2.0, initial impressions

My rulebook (and free battlestation) arrived recently for Firestorm Armada 2.0. I have not had the opportunity to play a game of it yet, but I've spent some quality time with the rulebook. A few things have been taken out, or at least removed as a default rule for all ships, but the majority of the changes have been for greater depth and complexity. Here are some of the more noteworthy changes.


  • More weapon types. This is the big one, as a lot has changed. Previously, all weapons had 8 inch range bands, and they were either torpedoes or not. Now, you have Primary (no bonuses), Beam (reroll ones at close range), Scatter (no penalty for firing at small targets), Kinetic (two choices on the critical hit table), and Nuclear (damages nearby ships if a critical it is scored on the target). Range band increments are 8, 10, or 12 inches, depending on the weapon type.
  • And that's just the direct weapons! Indirect weapons include Torpedoes (basically unchanged), Mines (can now link fire for bigger explosions), Cyberwarfare (no damage, but targeted strikes), and Gravitational (can move ships instead of doing damage).
  • Split fire is an optional rule now, and destroyers no longer get Hidden Killer automatically.
  • Completely revamped list construction. Instead of a point value and percentages, you pick from three tiers based on arny size, a lot like a Warhammer 40k force org chart.  Carriers can be escorted by cruisers, and some frigates can accompany some battleships.
  • Ship upgrades and hard points! You can now add extra goodies like stealth fields, more shields, tighter turning radius, and special weapon effects.
  • Linked fire is slightly more effective. You now add up the linked fire dice before halving the total. 
  • Short Range Spacecraft (previously called Flights and Wings) now activate with their parent carrier, and must stay within command range of it except when making an attack run. 
  • You can opt to make a Targeted Strike, hitting on 5's instead of 4's, but potentially knocking out specific systems. 
  • A few rules clean-ups, like clarifying what happens if successful or failed dice can be rerolled. 


This looks like a major improvement, to a game I already liked! The different classes and ranges of weapon will make things a lot more interesting, and the ability to customize your fleet for different strategies is welcome. For example, my primary faction, the Relthoza, can add the Corrosive rule to all but their smallest ships to chip away at enemy hulls, or they can take Antipersonnel and combine it with extra boarding capabilities and SRS boarders.

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