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You could consider "testing" your non gamer friends by picking up a copy of X wing and a few expansions (probably easy to find cheaply either used or somewhere online). That's a fairly easy game to get into and play quickly.

If they like that one, you could then raise the bar, and try IA with 'em.

Or if they're feeling up for it, just jump right into IA. As noted above, the rules will take some getting used to. There's a lot going on in this game

I appreciate all the information guys! It does look like a lot of fun and I think I would enjoy it. The main problem here is that I really need another game like I need a hole in the head. It would have to be something that fills a niche in our group.

I have X-Wing and it is a fun game, however there are two disadvantages to X-Wing that don't apply to my goals. It has no narrative focus at all. Even a small story goal can help a new player concentrate on what is being attempting to be accomplished. The other is that it is specifically 2 player. With IA you can have multiple players vs essentially myself as the Empire side. Also with there not really being a lose condition it makes it more forgiving.

We usually go over to a buddies and play big games like 40k or Twilight Imperium or something and some people are just excluded because the games are overly complex or unwieldy. I know they have a couple other games like Eldrich Horror or Glory to Rome however none of them at all bridge the gap between board game and mini war game. The way I envision it I would control the Empire. Several buddies who are serious mini war gamers could jump in as the core group. Other friends or SOs could join as well to reach 4 people and we could coach them along with decisions with their partner players. In this vein I am not sure I am too worried about the rules. The basics seem easy to grasp and that I feel is the key.

Yeah, that's quite a good way to do it. If you have a couple of main wargamers, they can have their own personal 'main' characters. Then the other 2 heroes can be controlled by any mates that want to join in. - You just get the wargamer focused dudes to do any after game levelling.

X-Wing does have the "cinematic play" missions - three or four in the core set, plus one ot two with each expansion box set (large ships, Aces, etc). Alternatively, it's easy enough to come up with your own, perhaps from the old computer games, scenes from the films or the like.

It also lends itself to team play easily. I've run a game with six players, in two teams of three, each controlling 50 points of ships (so 150 points per side). I kept things simple - each player had two of the same ship, and I kept upgrades to a minimum; X-Wings and Y-Wings had astromechs, TIE Bombers and Y-Wings had torpedoes, that was pretty much it. .

It isn't what I am describing. I am looking for a game in the box akin to the old hero quest style games. Something people can see get together over. The only book keeping would be your own character. You just get together throw some dice and make a few easy decisions playing Co-Op with your friends. Star Wars setting is the unifier.

With X-Wing and other mini games you can of course create a narrative or alter the rules to make it multiplayer. However, non gamers are never going to do that. Lots of regular players are not going to do that either. There is nothing wrong with X-Wing, it just not really that type of game right out of the box.

Imperial Assault you don't even need much bookkeeping with your own character.

I know in my campaign, I, as the Imperial player, was the only person who picked up a pencil during the whole campaign.
It helps keeping components in various baggies too. - I have a big active 'rebel' baggy for a campaign, an active Imperial baggy, then another bag that has things that are used in the campaign but aren't 'active' yet.

I hope with the next release they don't go right for Endor to continue mirroring the films. I want to see some EU stuff, since they're doing it with X Wing and Armada, and started a bit with IA already with the Royal Guard Champion. I'd love to get Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors allies. I mean, the game itself is considered Legends anyway.

How do new characters interact with the campaign? From what I was reading you can't start off with Luke or Han as your main guy.

What about characters from the expansions. Do they have missions that integrate?

The characters from the films, eg Luke / Han etc are not the main characters, they are allies (or villains in the case of Vader, Boba Fett etc).

The Rebels pick 4 characters to play as out of these options:
6 characters from 'Imperial Assault Core Set'
2 characters from 'Twin Shadows' expansion.
3 characters from 'Return to Hoth' expansion.

So, basically, they need to pick 4 out of the 9. These are the main guys of the story and they go through the game, gain experience, new equipment etc.

During missions, they may encounter one of the films characters, or a squad of rebel troopers etc. These additional 'allies' are then controlled collectively by the group (they recommend giving control to another teammate every round).

You can permanently unlock an ally by playing (and winning) certain missions. If you do this, you can deploy one ally (which might be '3 rebel troopers' or "Luke Skywalker, hero of the rebellion") along with your 4 heroes at the start of every mission.

BUT, if you do so, the Imperial player gains the corresponding amount of guys that matches their cost. I think I talk more about that in an earlier post?

Ok I understand. Thanks!

Finally went and grabbed the Rebel Troopers and Rebel Saboteurs packs. The only mini I'm missing from the base game now is Weiss.

I've been considering the Stormtroopers. They're in a weird spot in that you can't combine them with the base game Stormtroopers to get more into a campaign, but do they have useful agenda and equipment cards?

Mostly I'm curious because they're new sculpts.

I've gotta say, I still can't figure out whether you can combine the alternative stormtroopers or not.

For example, for one, they don't have the same symbol on the cards as the core game.

I found it on the FFG boards (in a thread about multiple AT ST's of all things). Apparently there's some special limitation with the Stormtrooper pack which ties in with page 8 of the rules, which limit you from duplicating content. Which was put in to stop some donkey-cave buying multiple boxes and spamming Stormtroopers.

I don't own the pack, so I don't know about the rule. Just wanted to know if, outside of that, the pack is worth it.

I ended up picking this one up. Should get here next week and I am excited to give it a shot. If all goes well maybe I will probably eventually pick up RTH and go from there.

Thanks again for your help everyone!