A few points I think add a bit to the X-wing vs Armada talk... 1. Luck/Chance: For those that dislike random-chance, There's less variance in Armada because of the lack of defense dice. While action use in X-wing can mitigate the luck of the dice to a strong degree - luck is less a factor in Armada. 2. Activation Order: X-wings simultaneous planning of maneuvers leads to a poker-esque situation of reading the opponent - where feints and bluffs become a larger part of the game, while Armada's Activation Alternation makes the game more reactive. This means that while you could faint by moving in a direction and turning on a later turn - your opponent can quickly react and it takes longer to perform, which is quite difficult with a 6 turn limit - again making Armada feel a bit more deterministic. (It's actually quite nice for the themes of both games - reading your pilot, vs countering the strategy of your opponent.) 3. End of the Game: X-wing's standard game mode usually ends with quite a bit of resolution (rarely ends in a draw, games can be close, but Armada can often feel unresolved. For example when the time limit hits, it can be surprising as to who is actually ahead - and there can be enough pieces left on the board that it feels like a further turn would completely swing the tide of battle. 4. Play space: X-wing works on most surfaces, but is designed to be played in a 3'x3' space - while Armada really requires a larger space, and is designed to be played at 6'x3' - (Not counting cards/tokens for either game) The space difference may make a pretty big difference to some people. 5. Resource Management: Armada has an entire aspect of the game that is much like a resource management game - command tokens / planning, shield management, hull repair, squadron activation - This is pretty much absent in X-wing. To me: X-wing is a deep, tactical action game that's easy to learn and quick to play. Armada is an intelligent, strategic fleet battle game that's a bit more complex and slower to play. Both fit the star wars theme well, and both employ mechanics that lend to their respective genres.
joseph woodworth I've never been much into tabletop games but my friends are and I'm looking to pick up a star wars set for them to get involved in as well, I'm also big into collecting, from the perspective of a newcomer/collecter, what would you recommend?
Olly Copp Truth of the matter is, You can not go wrong with either! Joseph is correct with his remarks, but both games are very enjoyable and have very nice minis!
+joseph woodworth Point 3. - You should consider the objectives in Armada, that are lacking in X-Wing. This little factor is decisive to the game resolution. And you missed one point that the Closet guys also missed: Organized Play All in all they are great games and can turn into one or another whatever flavour feels you... but, and a big but, these kind of games live through Organized Play and local communities. So, with this in mind, you need to look out for hobby stores and which game is been played in the local community. In general, X-Wing has a larger audience with several events and it's easy to set a tournament, and Armada is still breathing after birth so it's too soon to look into that (FFG Worlds can be a starting point to crush some numbers and see the appeal of Armada in OP). This point is crucial when investing in a game in the long term. Flavour will always be flavour, and to play at home one box will scratch the itch of either version. But if you want to commit, you'll have to keep this in mind. ;) -PS. I've played X-Wing and started it in my country when no one played it. Right now there's a strong community of X-Wing in my LGS but I don't feel an appeal for the game, I feel it lost it's "magic". Too many Waves and too many non-sense... I've dropped in Wave 3 and felt it was more like a "cashcow" than anything else. I think Armada is "more of a game" than X-Wing is, so it would be my choice right now.
+Carlos Eduardo Saldanha You make some great points! We don't currently have an LGS in our area so we game with just the small groups of people that we know. That is why we didn't mention Organized Play, we haven't experienced it.
+Tim Griffin Yeah, the great thing about this kind of games is bringing a squadron/fleet to an event and see how well it goes against the others; and improve the same squadron/fleet to the next time, and do it again, and again... until you develop a new idea or some crazy concept/combo and do the improvement again and again. That's why I think it's an important factor when commiting into a game like these. If I didn't had an active local community I wouldn't spent money grabbing several TIE Fighters to build a Swarm squadron or a second YT-1300 or... you get the idea! :)
Thank you for creating this video!!! Everybody else's video is like 30 minutes or longer with out a comprehensive discussion on what makes it fun. You guys got down to the meat and really helped me out
I own both and while I haven't played Armada nearly as much as I have X-Wing, I've found that I enjoy both games but for very different reasons. When it came right down to it I decided Why chose?! If you can afford it like I could, play both. Of course after playing each a few times you'll naturally lean towards one over the other and that'll be the game you'll focus most of your attention and income on. For me I think I still prefer X-Wing because I enjoy the fast paced tactical dog fighting but Armada is great for a more slower developing game with heavy strategy elements. Both games feature beautiful miniatures and excellent gameplay so it really is a toss up and basically just comes down to what type of game you enjoy more.
i was considering getting armada because i wanted a version of x-wing where i could buy all stuff in one box to have a great game for 2 players, and i think i would have to invest much more in individual xwing components to have a 2 player experience.
Many thanks guys. It is the best comparison review of these two games that I have been able to find and it has been very helpful. I have the budget for either games so will probably do what a lot of gamers have done and buy two x-wing starter sets, which works out as the same cost as buying one SWA here in the UK.
I know this was made in 2015, but in 2019, you have to take into account that X-wing just launched 2.0 so you're getting revised rules/squad building and all that goes with 2.0's changes. It's the fresher game that will probably have longer range support.
I don't like how easily x-wing pieces break, I've already broken my tie bomber, tie defender, x-wing. If your gonna pick x-wing up, make sure to have a tube of super glue handy...
i would prefer armada would be better in this case, the mechanics is far superior to X-Wing, and with the increasing update to Armada, gives you more value for your ship, more details for capital ships, and adds far more objectives with the wave 5
Armada components and model quality skyrockets after with the 2nd wave of ships, and we're up to wave 6 now. Also, while armada is much more expensive to enter, it is less expensive to keep up with. There is a point where you end up spending more on X-Wing than on Armada
@@Lazycow0 A few years later just getting into it and still debating after two weeks lol, anyway I wanted to say while I agree, I think the most ships you would get is like 2 and they go on the same stand for the most part (in Armada). Still you are only getting one in x-wing. Know you were exaggerating a bit but I don't think it's that much more that you get in Armada.
Ironically... the biggest factor for me choosing between these two games was this: Average Time per game and Average Play-Area. X-Wing averages about 1 hour and is on a 3x3 table. Armada is about 2 hours and is played on a 3x6' table. (BTW, I ended up owning both... boo my wallet.)
My vote is for X-Wing because it requires more precision, in movement, and in my opinion more skill. Also, I prefer X-Wing because of more customization, and less price!
Well I would say that the movement is different, not more precise - X-wing has predetermined movement, with Armada you can choose how you move WHEN you move. I would say the higher level of management in Armada requires more skill - as you not only have to manage the capital ships but all of your squadrons as well (my most recent game I had three capital ships and a dozen squadrons - that's quite a bit to keep up with tactically speaking). I would also say that Armada has more customization, or at least an equal amount - the amount you can change a ship is surprising! And as for the price, as many people have pointed out, Armada is more expensive for the entry only. Armada does not have nearly as many things to collect, and a single large purchase (which can nearly always be found at a discounted price online) of say, an Imperial Star Destroyer, can be 1/3 of your entire force, that doesn't include any other ships or their fighter escorts!
+SuperTJdude The models are great and its not like they make toys of these models. So this is the only place to get them if you want to make a diorama of famous battles. I would find a different stand for them though if they are just for display as the square one works great in the game but doesn't look all that great aesthetically.
2:13 nope, the X-wing core comes with just 3 red and 3 green dice. 4 dice is needed if an X-wing shoots at range 1, or a TIE defends at range 3. But no-one complains about it because at a much lower price point the dice shortage is more acceptable, and those who bought 2 copies (because, again, they're cheap) never experienced the shortage.
Miikka Sohlman Very quickly you find it's nice to have 4-6 dice in X-wing (range 3 through an asteroid with agi 3 and stealth device....) None of FFG's star wars games have had enough dice - Imperial assault is skimpy too. Though I think the issue is more grating with Armada than X-wing, purely because the die issue in X-wing is from a bonus - while Armada has a card with a printed base value that's greater than the number of dice you get! Sure, a small nit pick. I think both games however quickly benefit from a second core set - but given the price point - that's more easily accomplished with X-wing.
What does that dude mean that you get all the dice you need in X-Wing? Wrong! I only got three red and three green dice in that starter. You often need more than that. It's as bad as Armada
@@josephadcock7449 I know you did but that's just how TH-cam videos/comments work, I imagine what you said then still applies now. I did see the comment but the ending showed it was even and you were satisfied with that so I guess my question stands, I don't know just thought it was weird.
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This video didn't help me at all because I still want them both!
A few points I think add a bit to the X-wing vs Armada talk...
1. Luck/Chance: For those that dislike random-chance, There's less variance in Armada because of the lack of defense dice. While action use in X-wing can mitigate the luck of the dice to a strong degree - luck is less a factor in Armada.
2. Activation Order: X-wings simultaneous planning of maneuvers leads to a poker-esque situation of reading the opponent - where feints and bluffs become a larger part of the game, while Armada's Activation Alternation makes the game more reactive. This means that while you could faint by moving in a direction and turning on a later turn - your opponent can quickly react and it takes longer to perform, which is quite difficult with a 6 turn limit - again making Armada feel a bit more deterministic. (It's actually quite nice for the themes of both games - reading your pilot, vs countering the strategy of your opponent.)
3. End of the Game: X-wing's standard game mode usually ends with quite a bit of resolution (rarely ends in a draw, games can be close, but Armada can often feel unresolved. For example when the time limit hits, it can be surprising as to who is actually ahead - and there can be enough pieces left on the board that it feels like a further turn would completely swing the tide of battle.
4. Play space: X-wing works on most surfaces, but is designed to be played in a 3'x3' space - while Armada really requires a larger space, and is designed to be played at 6'x3' - (Not counting cards/tokens for either game) The space difference may make a pretty big difference to some people.
5. Resource Management: Armada has an entire aspect of the game that is much like a resource management game - command tokens / planning, shield management, hull repair, squadron activation - This is pretty much absent in X-wing.
To me:
X-wing is a deep, tactical action game that's easy to learn and quick to play.
Armada is an intelligent, strategic fleet battle game that's a bit more complex and slower to play.
Both fit the star wars theme well, and both employ mechanics that lend to their respective genres.
joseph woodworth I've never been much into tabletop games but my friends are and I'm looking to pick up a star wars set for them to get involved in as well, I'm also big into collecting, from the perspective of a newcomer/collecter, what would you recommend?
Olly Copp Truth of the matter is, You can not go wrong with either! Joseph is correct with his remarks, but both games are very enjoyable and have very nice minis!
+joseph woodworth Point 3. - You should consider the objectives in Armada, that are lacking in X-Wing. This little factor is decisive to the game resolution.
And you missed one point that the Closet guys also missed: Organized Play
All in all they are great games and can turn into one or another whatever flavour feels you... but, and a big but, these kind of games live through Organized Play and local communities.
So, with this in mind, you need to look out for hobby stores and which game is been played in the local community. In general, X-Wing has a larger audience with several events and it's easy to set a tournament, and Armada is still breathing after birth so it's too soon to look into that (FFG Worlds can be a starting point to crush some numbers and see the appeal of Armada in OP).
This point is crucial when investing in a game in the long term. Flavour will always be flavour, and to play at home one box will scratch the itch of either version. But if you want to commit, you'll have to keep this in mind. ;)
-PS. I've played X-Wing and started it in my country when no one played it. Right now there's a strong community of X-Wing in my LGS but I don't feel an appeal for the game, I feel it lost it's "magic". Too many Waves and too many non-sense... I've dropped in Wave 3 and felt it was more like a "cashcow" than anything else.
I think Armada is "more of a game" than X-Wing is, so it would be my choice right now.
+Carlos Eduardo Saldanha You make some great points! We don't currently have an LGS in our area so we game with just the small groups of people that we know. That is why we didn't mention Organized Play, we haven't experienced it.
+Tim Griffin Yeah, the great thing about this kind of games is bringing a squadron/fleet to an event and see how well it goes against the others; and improve the same squadron/fleet to the next time, and do it again, and again... until you develop a new idea or some crazy concept/combo and do the improvement again and again.
That's why I think it's an important factor when commiting into a game like these. If I didn't had an active local community I wouldn't spent money grabbing several TIE Fighters to build a Swarm squadron or a second YT-1300 or... you get the idea! :)
Thank you for creating this video!!! Everybody else's video is like 30 minutes or longer with out a comprehensive discussion on what makes it fun. You guys got down to the meat and really helped me out
Awesome! So glad it helped.
So basically, Armada=Strategy, XWing=Tactics, right?
I own both and while I haven't played Armada nearly as much as I have X-Wing, I've found that I enjoy both games but for very different reasons.
When it came right down to it I decided Why chose?! If you can afford it like I could, play both. Of course after playing each a few times you'll naturally lean towards one over the other and that'll be the game you'll focus most of your attention and income on. For me I think I still prefer X-Wing because I enjoy the fast paced tactical dog fighting but Armada is great for a more slower developing game with heavy strategy elements.
Both games feature beautiful miniatures and excellent gameplay so it really is a toss up and basically just comes down to what type of game you enjoy more.
i was considering getting armada because i wanted a version of x-wing where i could buy all stuff in one box to have a great game for 2 players, and i think i would have to invest much more in individual xwing components to have a 2 player experience.
Great video. Still debating which one to go into.
As a side note, really diggin' the Five Iron Frenzy shirt. Great band!
+thatPUNKdude Yes! Thanks for watching and listening to great music :)
Here’s a mad idea !!!!!paint your squadrons yourselves hahaha
after spilling loads of money into X-Wing wishing I could make a fleet, they come out with Armada.......thanks Fantasty Flight -.-
Many thanks guys. It is the best comparison review of these two games that I have been able to find and it has been very helpful. I have the budget for either games so will probably do what a lot of gamers have done and buy two x-wing starter sets, which works out as the same cost as buying one SWA here in the UK.
+Tony Lavelle Thanks for watching!
I know this was made in 2015, but in 2019, you have to take into account that X-wing just launched 2.0 so you're getting revised rules/squad building and all that goes with 2.0's changes. It's the fresher game that will probably have longer range support.
Very true. It is interesting to see the support given to Xwing versus Armada.
I don't like how easily x-wing pieces break, I've already broken my tie bomber, tie defender, x-wing. If your gonna pick x-wing up, make sure to have a tube of super glue handy...
Guy at the start: What is so humourous? Not wearing pants? High?
X-wing it is. I was sure Rod would say Armada. So that's that. Thanks.
i would prefer armada would be better in this case, the mechanics is far superior to X-Wing, and with the increasing update to Armada, gives you more value for your ship, more details for capital ships, and adds far more objectives with the wave 5
Armada components and model quality skyrockets after with the 2nd wave of ships, and we're up to wave 6 now.
Also, while armada is much more expensive to enter, it is less expensive to keep up with. There is a point where you end up spending more on X-Wing than on Armada
yea for $15 you get like 8 ships, while x wing its fucking 1 ship
@@Lazycow0 A few years later just getting into it and still debating after two weeks lol, anyway I wanted to say while I agree, I think the most ships you would get is like 2 and they go on the same stand for the most part (in Armada). Still you are only getting one in x-wing. Know you were exaggerating a bit but I don't think it's that much more that you get in Armada.
Ironically... the biggest factor for me choosing between these two games was this: Average Time per game and Average Play-Area. X-Wing averages about 1 hour and is on a 3x3 table. Armada is about 2 hours and is played on a 3x6' table. (BTW, I ended up owning both... boo my wallet.)
So which did you end up owning first?
Exactly the video I was looking for! Thanks guys :D
(going with x-wing!)
+twitchster77 Glad it helped!
My vote is for X-Wing because it requires more precision, in movement, and in my opinion more skill. Also, I prefer X-Wing because of more customization, and less price!
Well I would say that the movement is different, not more precise - X-wing has predetermined movement, with Armada you can choose how you move WHEN you move. I would say the higher level of management in Armada requires more skill - as you not only have to manage the capital ships but all of your squadrons as well (my most recent game I had three capital ships and a dozen squadrons - that's quite a bit to keep up with tactically speaking). I would also say that Armada has more customization, or at least an equal amount - the amount you can change a ship is surprising! And as for the price, as many people have pointed out, Armada is more expensive for the entry only. Armada does not have nearly as many things to collect, and a single large purchase (which can nearly always be found at a discounted price online) of say, an Imperial Star Destroyer, can be 1/3 of your entire force, that doesn't include any other ships or their fighter escorts!
Is it bad that I only buy these for the models?
+SuperTJdude The models are great and its not like they make toys of these models. So this is the only place to get them if you want to make a diorama of famous battles. I would find a different stand for them though if they are just for display as the square one works great in the game but doesn't look all that great aesthetically.
+SuperTJdude There are die-cast models that are considerably cheaper. Hasbro and Hotwheels does them
I buy for the models too
Depends on pint of view...
2:13 nope, the X-wing core comes with just 3 red and 3 green dice. 4 dice is needed if an X-wing shoots at range 1, or a TIE defends at range 3. But no-one complains about it because at a much lower price point the dice shortage is more acceptable, and those who bought 2 copies (because, again, they're cheap) never experienced the shortage.
Miikka Sohlman Stand corrected there. You are right.
Miikka Sohlman Very quickly you find it's nice to have 4-6 dice in X-wing (range 3 through an asteroid with agi 3 and stealth device....) None of FFG's star wars games have had enough dice - Imperial assault is skimpy too. Though I think the issue is more grating with Armada than X-wing, purely because the die issue in X-wing is from a bonus - while Armada has a card with a printed base value that's greater than the number of dice you get! Sure, a small nit pick.
I think both games however quickly benefit from a second core set - but given the price point - that's more easily accomplished with X-wing.
Watching and notice: is that a Five Iron Frenzy shirt? :D
Sure is :)
I ended up owning both. X-wing is a lot easier to find people to play with I think also but I like armada better.
the video (intro and outro) is too loud.
Armada is much the better game imo - it's jus so good.
But yeah expense...
Price really does have to be a consideration.
Star wars expansions are in some cases more expensive
What does that dude mean that you get all the dice you need in X-Wing? Wrong! I only got three red and three green dice in that starter. You often need more than that. It's as bad as Armada
What they don't tell you is that armada cost substantial amount of money to buy all the ships I hope you own a gold mine go for xwing cheaper 😉😠
that was so bias lol
nvm lol surprise ending srry good vid lmao
@@josephadcock7449 Weird to say bias on a video that is trying to decide which is better, no?
@@talhaiqbal6798 I said that 5 years ago but look at my reply
@@josephadcock7449 I know you did but that's just how TH-cam videos/comments work, I imagine what you said then still applies now. I did see the comment but the ending showed it was even and you were satisfied with that so I guess my question stands, I don't know just thought it was weird.