Quick Hitter 2: Fixing Hyperspace (January 2020)

Note: I've published this post on the FFG Forums as well using my KEEDS4 username.

I was perusing the available ships and upgrades after the most recent points changes and Hyperspace realignment. Even though I assume that many of the changes were made to counteract the overuse of certain pilots and upgrades in tournament play, it is the opinion of this semi-casual (and occasional tournament) player that the changes went too far. Not only are certain factions not so balanced compared to others, but now many upgrades are now unusable and have to sit in my binder, never to see the light of day outside of casual play.

Now, I know that FFG is made up of people who are just trying to stay gainfully employed and are doing the best they can to balance a game that is played by a relatively tiny percentage of the world population (and even a tiny percentage of board gamers). I salute the work they've done. With that said, without succumbing to rampant verbosity, let me quickly list my (somewhat minor) grievances:

• First Order has only four ships from which to choose... and NO big base ship. That's right: Upsilon has been completely excised from Hyperspace. I wouldn't have minded, say, Tavson being removed; I mean, FFG did remove Quickdraw from Hyperspace, which is fine... However, having just four small-base ships from which to choose (before the release of a somewhat-mediocre-looking Xi shuttle) and NO big-base (or medium-base, for that matter) ship is incongruous to other factions.
• Many low-point-costed upgrades are gone... Composure, Crack Shot, Marksmanship, and other low-point upgrades should just be staples of Hyperspace, as should most munitions (torpedoes, missiles, and so on), sensors, and tech. The preponderance of certain upgrades has (thus far) been effectively managed by modulating squad points... Why deviate from that approach? Besides, I know that there are many folks out there who are salty at seeing certain upgrades being used all the time, but removing them altogether from the creative palette of the squad builder tends to sap the game of its variability. I would see this as the classic "cutting off your nose to spite your face."
• Newly-released ships aren't even in Hyperspace... For example, I believe that the VCX-100, which came out in a recent wave, is NOT in Hyperspace. Wasn't Hyperspace supposed to capture the more recently-released content? Interestingly, Decimator is available for the Empire.
• No U-Wing? No TIE Interceptor? No Scavenged Millennium Falcon...? Certain ships should just be staples.

Here's my pitch for Hyperspace:

• Every faction should have at least one big-base ship, one medium-base ship (if available), and three or four staple small-base ships from which to choose. THEN, cycle in or out any number of ships. Cycling out pilots of ships is also fine, though it would be nice to see Wedge Antilles return someday.
• Don't overreact to the meta; keep ALL of the possible upgrades available in Hyperspace. You all did a GREAT thing by making the point totals virtual, so adjust points in response to overuse. Please don't remove upgrades outright.
• As with Magic: The Gathering, the most recent two waves of ships and upgrades should be readily available in Hyperspace to reflect market availability by new players...
• Yet, unlike Magic, I think that there should be 3-5 staple ships for each faction that are ALWAYS available, regardless of waves. As I said previously, I am all for cycling in and out pilots (and certain ships), but the truly indicative ships of each faction should also be there. For instance, the Rebel faction should always have T-65s, A-Wings, and B-Wings (and U-Wings, please!); the Empire should always have TIE/ln Fighters, TIE Interceptors, and TIE Advanceds; and, First Order should have Upsilons!

Please keep in mind that I'm really picking nits here. I do like being forced to create squads from a limited pool, but I am also sad that many fine upgrades and ships will not see the light of day until the next Hyperspace change (I hope).

Buy at Barnes & Noble or From Your Local Store? Why Not Both?!

A few days ago, I happened upon a post on a local X-Wing group's Facebook page about an upcoming wave of component releases. According to the responses, though the wave of items was scheduled to be released to local board game retailers in late January, several people commented that Barnes and Noble was already selling those items in their stores. This sparked an oddly contentious debate about buying it “early” at Barnes & Noble (a major retailer) versus waiting the few extra weeks to buy the items at one’s Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS, as some have coined it). Some people mentioned that, combined with a Member discount and a coupon, buying the items at Barnes & Noble was more economically sensible, which triggered consternation from others who decried them for not being loyal to the FLGS. Knowing how such posts can result in interminable bickering, I decided to refrain from replying. Instead, I decided to write a post.

Here’s my stance: I really like Barnes & Noble because it’s the ONLY major book retailer in the United States that provides a space to sit and read books and periodicals before deciding to purchase them. I also like my FLGSes and understand the need to support these mom-and-pop businesses. Whenever I get a chance, I patronize both stores in my area to do my part to ensure that they stay open for business. Without Barnes & Noble, my local shopping center would become tragically dull; likewise, without my FLGS (at least the one close to my workplace), I wouldn’t be able to browse current game releases, buy card sleeves, and even make that occasional impulse purchase. Both carry board games and X-Wing, and I would like for both to continue to do so.

I don’t see Barnes & Noble and the FLGS as competitors as much as I see a kind of synergy between the two. Barnes & Noble has brought some needed mainstream exposure to connoisseur games by placing them prominently in the middle of their stores; this helps FLGSes because these games whet the appetites of casuals until they become interested in the more involved games that FLGSes have. Likewise, FLGSes exposure new enthusiasts to those exotic games, which in turn leads them back to Barnes & Noble to look for the latest (or even “early”) releases. This is a mutual victory -- a “win-win,” as people often posit annoyingly.

In these ways, I encourage people to support BOTH! I say that it’s excellent that people save money by buying X-Wing products early at Barnes & Noble because the more people that buy from a major retailer, the more that those items get exposure across the United States, especially among casual gamers. I also say that it’s excellent that people want to support their FLGS; we need those businesses to stay open because it would be un-American for free-enterprise shops to close under the might of larger stores. If we support both, everyone in our communities wins.

Here is how I support both stores, specifically related to X-Wing: I’ll pre-order a ship through my FLGS, which applies a 20% discount to pre-orders. Then, I’ll go to Barnes & Noble and buy the same ship early with my B&N Member discount, which is 10%. Since I usually buy two of any ship, I end up supporting both stores, being able to try out one ship early, and then going to my FLGS to get the second ship AND some card sleeves. Besides, I sometimes play at the local X-Wing tournaments, so the FLGS gets my money there, as well. It’s not difficult to support both stores; in fact, it is crucial that we do.

Lastly, I want to comment on the people who lambasted X-Wing fans who go to Barnes & Noble to make their early purchases of X-Wing stuff: they need to calm down on this issue. Yes, I’m passionate about the local game store and supporting small business, but I am also passionate about supporting the one remaining major bookseller where my wife and I generally agree to spend our free time. To the commenters, I recommend putting that fury and consternation into issues that matter, like eliminating racism and sexism in the United States, or concentrating on using board games to bring people together, not attack others for their shopping choices.