Hey,
I started playing during A&E. I really enjoyed the game in those days. I remember when the next set came out (TFU), i was originally put off by the expansion. I didn't care for the push/mechanics released in that set, as no movement breaker existed quite like those at the time, and I remember feeling like VAR's LOS-Auto-Damage push ability was over powered (for the time). The game has certainly gotten more complex with time. I still enjoy it, but I think that at first, it was the simplicity of the game that i really like. Plus, A&E was heavily targeted at the OT, and I being a fan of ewoks, it was pretty much the best set we ever got for them (until the v-sets).

I was wondering how man of you older players felt about the history of the game. When was it at its best? What do you miss? What are you glad is no longer meta/gate keeper? Any interesting stories in general?

Actual gameplay wise? Right now probably. Lots of stuff is playable, including cool new things, more than one kind of swarm is competitive for the first time ever, and lots of (every?) factions are playable. The meta is a little more defined this year than last, so strong meta-gamers should have a better time, but it's still undefined enough that it feels like anything can win.

Best time to experience playing the game? Probably 2011. Lots of people were still playing, DotF had just come out so there was a fair amount of variety. Maybe 2012. There aren't nearly as many players now as there was then, which weakens the game overall.

For me, there were 2 golden eras of SWM.

The first was in the pre-CotF days, before Black & Blue dominated the meta. This was before Dodonna and Mas and GOWK...before the dark times. Darth Bane was the king of 100pts (him and his 6 Uggies)...but I never played much of the 100pt format anyway. Lockouts were a problem if someone wanted to be a jerk, but in the 200pt Vassal League I remember playing a LOT of different squads and all of them were exciting. I remember using Wat Tambor with X-1 Viper Droids, and squads full of as many unique Jedi as I could fit, along with the Rebel squads with Han RH and Chewie RH and Aurra Sing. Oh, and the original Destroyer Droids were pretty crazy fun too. Good times, good times.

The second golden era (IMHO) of SWM was in 2012 and 2013, when the meta was as wide open as it's ever been. No single squad type was dominant, and melee squads could actually compete. I think it's just awesome that so many diverse squads were in the Top 8 last year, from such a broad range of factions. Good times, good times.

And I've been sitting here with myself and my neighbor being the only ones in town who have played in years to our knowledge lol; the only LGS cut SWM long ago.

the game had several peaks for me.

During clone strike era was the first. The game was accessible enough for VERY casual people to get involved, people who have no interest in collectable games. We had a house league (league 1670! RULZ biotch) where you couldn't use the same unique in any other game and there were about 10 of us all playing off. The league went for a few months and culminated with me verses timmerb in the finale. He won. Yoda and Aurra v Sideous and Dooko. lots of fun, might just have had some of the most fun i've had in SWM during that tourney because of the relaxed nature of it and we'd house rules override so there was no way of avoiding conflict. I thought i had the tourney wrapped up needing one victory out of two to claim the win with 2 of my best squads left (yoda and aurra/sid and dooko). That is until Darth Maul (when he was still a bad ass) crit his way through yoda and aurra in my penultimate match v sarah; setting up a nail biter between Tim and I.

Then from about 2006-2010 we had a very strong Chicago SWM community. Both pastimes and Dice Dojo had release events and tournaments regularly. The game moved away from casual players and only the hardcore remained.
Lots of tourneys, lots of competition, lots of good prizes, lots of new releases. It kept the game fresh even if the meta was always between rebel, republic, Seps and imperial. This period kicked off my gencon experience with my virgin year being 2006.
I'd say the real peak in terms of numbers of players and general public enthusiasm is somewhere around 2008-2010 based on Gen Con tourney attendance. 2009 was obviously a special peak for me.

Then WotC dropped the game and it entered its final era which we are still in. Vsets. Being heavily involved in them the game started to take on a different meaning, especially with a wife and young kids. It became about trying to "fix" the balance without introducing errors. 2011 was the first year for that, and with Ian Gordon taking OR to the top it was another peak for me, although I wasn't quite prepared for some of the backlash surrounding some of the figures and so the game evolved further in my mind.

As a peak in terms of overall balance i think last year is that. You can't really ask for much more than Rebels, OR, Republic, NR, separatists, imperial and Sith all making top 8 with a multitude of squad types. The last puzzles are just to bring Mando's and Vong to the level (both are very close IMO) and the game will be set. From that perspective the game is currently peaking, but as far as attendance and public interest, the game is in its twilight days.

With Xwing and StarWars LCG being well supported products with decent mechanics and the polarizing nature of the vset creations with no new sculpts to look forward to its becoming a tougher and tougher sell.

SWM will hit its decade of existence in september, 3 years being post manufacture. Its been a great experience to be involved in. From playing, meeting great players, making friends to designing and trying to squeeze every last ounce of the game, hell of a ride. Its all been a peak life experience for me.

Right this is the worst the game has ever been. The Meta sucks and new players(old) that want to get back into the don't want to. The Designers have killed the Republic and the balance of how maps were.

I say anything before this mess we have know. Every Faction might be able to play but the focus of Star wars has been lost. Its all about swarms and not Jedi/Mains. You guys took away Gallop and Strafe even though it did balance the game vs swarm. Before them it was just swarm and it really was not fun to play. That really how it is now.

This is coming from a person that tried to come back and loves to play swarms. I use to be one of the most creative squad builds and if you don't think so then ok. But I would come up with something no one saw coming and that I liked to play. I didnt like the meta pick what I wanted to play. I picked what I wanted to play and made it work with the meta.

Taking away the WOTC to the point that has happens just has made it a lot less fun since that was a big part of keeping swarms balanced and letting the big mains play.

That being all said. The Believe it was in the UH/Rev days when it was about what you liked to play and not all the super powers.

Well, as long as you liked to play Boba Fett and Aurra Sing

I don't like swarms and they take out some of my favorite squads from being Competetive. I don't like that somebody descided to give naboo death shots a resuscitator or that it is incredibly easy to get tea bagged by a snow trooper if you aren't paying attention. ;) However coming from someone that started play only a few months before wizards dropped the game I would have to say that they game has gotten better, not worse. Yes I still pray that the powers to be would steer clear of helping swarms/ monster activation squads thrive.

The basic way I see to is that wizards would have eventually got to where we are now... It would have just taken 4 times as long because they had to make tons of useless pieces so they could make money. The game has changed a lot in the past 3 years, possibly as much if not more than the whole time wizards had it. The main problem is a lot of us don't like the direction we assume the game is going.

Unfortunately everyone has a different vision for what they want they game to be or not to be. I do think your right about swarms being a pain in the butt. Unfortunately that's probably what the guys working on bettering the game like to play. High act squads with low risk and high reward. Personally I can't do super act squads, but if that's what you like go for it. If the game continues to go in the direction of super act squads then I I'll probably bid this game and the great community good bye. If I ever get to that point I will do it as gracefully as possible... Not trying to s*** on as many guys parades as I can before I go, lol

I just love it when previews happen. It's the PEEK of the game to come.

As far as the PEAK of the game . . .

No but seriously

It's not surprising that Deri and I have similar feelings on this topic - we've been on this ride together.



That says it better than anything.


As far as the specifics:



This really was one of my favorite times, and not only because I pulled off the unlikely win. It was a league that lasted all summer, and everyone played everyone. You could never play the same unique twice in the entire league, and so you got to "save" your best stuff for who you thought your toughest opponents were. I loved playing new stuff every time. Not to mention hanging out with good friends, having a beer while we played, etc. And we made really amazing trophies for it. See below!



After that I started to get more into the competitive scene, and made my way to my first GenCon in 2007, just in time for the largest Star Wars Miniatures tournament in history! Over 100 competitors competing for $5000 in CASH PRIZES! I ended up 10th that year, but I only lost to the eventual 3rd place and champion - and I beat 2 of the guys who made the top 8. It showed what a flawed tie-breaker system we had and was instrumental in changing the system. That aside - in terms of sheer numbers - THIS was the PEAK of the game.

The next year I played in the first ever (super-stacked with HoF and GenCon top 8ers) Chicago Regional. Seriously - this was a virtual who's who in SWM. A valid argument for the toughest regional ever. Fingersandteeth, Billiv, Matt Peterson, Jake K, Lobosteel, sithborg, Lou, engineer, Jonny B, etc. So winning it still holds a special place in my heart.

Then I began to travel and meet more players. Making friends through the game that have continued to be friends outside the game is a huge peak for me. Competing is always fun, but often the journey there and back, and the night before or after is always a blast too!

Then after the vsets started, and I got the chance to become a larger part of the team that was continuing minis, and eventually became a designer. Vset 7 was a peak experience for me, as I learned so much in the process.

For me - I love the challenge of trying to predict what to do next to try and help shape the future of the game. Sure there have been some mis-steps along the way and pieces I don't like (both by vsets and WotC), but to me part of the fun is trying to create something after what I didn't like to try to push it back towards balanced.