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I've just started X-wing, having been a massive star wars fan for the majority of my life. I picked up the force awakens starter set, a TIE punisher and an E wing. Having played a few times, I really want to get more into this game. But I don't want to spend a fortune. I want to play both imperials and rebels, so how could I build a list around that for a decent sized game? At my flgs, I was suggested to buy another starter set- this time the original trilogy one. In terms of what I would like in my games... The millennium Falcon and Slave one for special games, and then for ordinary games maybe Vader in his TIE advanced. I don't have much money, so buying loads of stuff isn't possible. I'd rather build my collection over time. For now, what I was personally thinking was to do this:

already owned:
The force awakens starter set
TIE punisher
E-wing

To-buy list:
Original trilogy starter set
two TIE fighter expansion packs
one X-wing expansion pack
one TIE advanced
one Y-wing
one A-wing
one TIE interceptor
Millennium Falcon
Slave One

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Try to see if you can proxy stuff, especially upgrade cards, unless you are in an official tournament.

Back when there were fewer ships available, I think buying a second starter was solid advice, but nowadays I'm not so sure. The t-65 is "meh", and unless you're specifically planning on running a tie swarm, you probably don't need loads of tie fighters. A standard game is 100 points, which is usually just 2-4 ships per side, so the game needn't be expensive.

A lot of advice will depend on what you want to get out of the game. If you insist on collecting legit copies of all the necessary upgrades and pilot cards for ships, then it's going to be expensive. For example, the Tie/x1 title, which is a "must have" upgrade for Vader's Tie Advanced, is only available through the Imperial Raider expansion which is a ~£70 box. The Auto-thrusters upgrade, which is a "must have" upgrade for a lot of Aces, is only available in the Viper expansion (a scum ship, that even scum players don't want to use). If you're happy to proxy the cards (or just print lists off, from one of the many squadron builder sites) then it's going to be much cheaper. On the other hand, some packs are really good for the upgrades they include (such as Imperial Aces), which might make them better value if you do want to collect the cards.

It also might make a difference if you're interested in playing competitive lists, or if you're more about nostalgia with characters from the films. Some of the more competitive pilots are things like Omega Leader (who doesn't even have a name), while Luke Skywalker is relatively mediocre.

Thanks an bunch, I don't mind having to proxy cards if I have to. I tend to play games with my friends that are full of named characters and the like; though I think in the future I'd like to start building up some competitive lists. I guess I'd mostly play a mixture of both, so I'd have maybe one named character per game, and the rest can be TIE recruits and cannon fodder for all I care. I think this game can just be a lot more fun when iconic characters play a part. Then again, I'm looking to win, so...

Thank you

Most of the iconic characters are still pretty good. My favourite ship is probably the Tie Interceptor... If you haven't played a game with Soontir Fel running Push the Limit, then you haven't really played x-wing IMO. Vader's Tie Advanced would be a close second though. The TIE/fo Fighter Expansion is good for cards, you get Omega Leader, Juke and Comm Relay, which combined, make for one of the most efficient little ships in the game. You also get pilots like Epsilon Ace who are quite fun for creative lists, with decoys and stuff.

The Phantom is another fun ship for Empire. It has a cloaking device, and it hits like a ton of bricks (5 dice at R1). Unfortunately, its very fragile while decloaked, so you're extremely limited in the kind of upgrades you can take for competitive games, but for fun games pilots like Echo are a blast.

 Smacks wrote:
for fun games pilots like Echo are a blast.

fully agree. the pure randomness on where your final location could be can overwhelm some players.

Playing rebels? May I recommend a HWK-290? Kyle Katarn+Recon Specialist+Moldy Crow and a good turret is a excellent support ship.

If you do decide to go for the HWK-290, and you're already planning on getting the Firespray (Slave1), then it might be worth considering the Most Wanted box... Most wanted is like the Core Set for the Scum & Villainy faction. While starting a 3rd faction might sound like the complete opposite of what you want to do. All the ships in the Most Wanted box can also be used by the Rebels (Y-wing and z-95s), and it comes with extra dials and cards for using the HWK-290 and Firespray as Scum and Villainy ships. So it's actually kind of good value, since all the ships are doing double duty, and letting you bulk out two factions for the price of one.

Also, the Firespray is way more fun in its Scum incarnation, and if you ever decide that you really want to try out one of the other bounty hunters from Empire Strikes Back (such as Dengar or Bossk), then you've got a readymade force that they can slot into. You also have the option of running three player scenarios, or simply changing things up when you get fed up with Imps/Rebels.

I must admit, I wouldn't mind playing scum at some point. I guess I'll build up the rebels with the most wanted box, and then in the future I can play scum as well. Thanks everyone.