by “The Rebel transport must not reach its hyperspace jump point ! Have the TIE squadron engage their fighters at close range, I’ll take care of their leader myself ! No prisoners !” Major Rhymer’s orders left no room for interpretation. The Rebellion would never receive the components for its ion cannon. Besides, the Gozanti cruiser had already deployed its Interceptors to cut off their escape route. That battered old YT-1300 certainly won’t stop us from completing our mission.
Stars at War
Naboo, Coruscant, Scarif, Yavin IV, the asteroid fields between Hoth and Bespin, Endor, not to mention the Battle of Taanab and the Kessel Run. If you think YOU can alter the course of these iconic space battles, then X-Wing Miniatures is THE game for you. Muster your forces—Republic, Confederacy of Independent Systems, Empire, Alliance, Scum, First Order, Resistance—and face your opponents in epic scenarios such as the assault on the Death Star or legendary skirmishes like the Millennium Falcon’s escape through the asteroid fields near Hoth.
“Launch the fighters!” Darth Vader, A New Hope (1977)
Space Battles
If, like me, you are one of the chosen few who played Star Warriors back in 1987, then you’ll be delighted to replace it with X-Wing. The only problem? It’s no longer in print! The original 2012 edition went through several iterations (V1, V2, and even V2.5) before AMG—the publisher that succeeded Fantasy Flight Games—discontinued the line in June 2024. Fortunately, the game’s massive community still makes it possible to discover X-Wing through local clubs or veteran players who own enough ships to introduce newcomers. Later on, I’ll discuss the many ways to build your own fleet (Armada, coincidentally, was discontinued on the same date—but I’m getting sidetracked).
Pilots, to Your Ships!
X-Wing is a space combat game typically played over 75 minutes or 12 rounds. You take command of pilots from opposing factions battling it out in scenarios whose victory conditions vary depending on the mission. The units themselves are represented by beautifully detailed pre-painted miniatures.
First, each player builds a squadron. Every ship has a point value and its own allocation of upgrade points. Torpedoes, modifications, talents, crew members… everything you need to customize your craft. Nearly every character from the vast Star Wars saga is available to fight alongside you. Squads are typically built using 50 points, allowing for anywhere from 3 to 8 starfighters per side. A squad builder application will guide you step by step through the process. An tutorial can be found here (the most recent one available).
Ships are defined by four or five core statistics : attack, agility, hull, shields, and Force for pilots sensitive to that mysterious energy field. You’ll also find initiative, available actions, and pilot and/or ship abilities.
After the Setup Phase, which consists of preparing the battlefield, each round is divided into five phases. The Planning Phase is where players secretly assign maneuvers to their ships using maneuver dials. During the System Phase, certain abilities are triggered. In the Activation Phase, ships move in ascending initiative order and perform an action. The Engagement Phase is where the combat begins! Initiative still matters, but now attacks are resolved in descending order, meaning the most experienced pilots fire first. Finally comes the End Phase, where end-of-round abilities are resolved and unused tokens are removed.
Each ship type comes with its own maneuver dial. A range of templates is used to move ships across the battlefield. Beyond simple turns and straight maneuvers, some ships can barrel roll, perform Koiogran turns, or execute sideslips, greatly expanding positioning options in the depths of space. Depending on the difficulty of a maneuver, a pilot may become stressed, limiting the actions available to them. Asteroids, mynocks, debris fields, and other hazards demand careful navigation, or your ship may end up as little more than a spectacular supernova.
Once movement is complete, each pilot chooses an available action from their ship card, such as Focus, Evade, or an effect granted by an upgrade card (the list goes on, as you might expect). After every ship has completed its movement and action, the dogfight can finally begin.
First, range is measured using the range ruler—naturally—then cannons, torpedoes, and turrets open fire! It’s time to roll the dice to hit or evade! Bombs, mines, and other delightful surprises are resolved during different phases of the round (typically the System or Activation Phase).
I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing
The Force has not been forgotten. Many familiar characters can call upon it during battle. This is represented by dedicated abilities and an additional stat on their pilot cards. As a certain Jedi once said, “the Force influences our actions,” and so attacks and defensive maneuvers can be modified through the use of that “ancient religion,” as the late Moff Motti so dismissively called it.
“Well, I’m not letting some mystical Force control my life. It’s all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense…” Han Solo, A New Hope (1977)
Huge Ships
A Gozanti? A Rebel Transport? Or perhaps a Corellian Corvette? Epic Play allows massive warships to join the battlefield. No Star Destroyers (you’d need an enormous table) and certainly no Death Star, but smaller capital ships such as the Imperial Raider, originally created specifically for X-Wing Miniatures before later appearing in Star Wars Rebels. Managing these vessels is similar to flying starfighters, albeit on a much grander scale.
The Material Strikes Back
Have I convinced you to give the game a try? Excellent. But I’d be a Gamorrean if I didn’t provide everything you need to organize your first game:
- The rules can be found on the Atomic Mass Games website.
- Ship cards, upgrade cards, and maneuver dials (for printing) are available through HOLOCRON.
- Need help navigating the rules or understanding the game’s history? Visit the X-Wing Second Edition Wiki.
- To stay informed about updates, tournaments, and community developments, visit the X-Wing Alliance, the organization keeping the game alive.
- Finally, for squad building, there’s YASB2, one of the best squad builders available.
Atomic Mass Game – Holocron – Wiki X-Wing – X-Wing Alliance – YASB 2
And now for the most important question: how do you get your hands on those beautiful little ships that will immerse you in galaxy-spanning battles? You’ll have to hunt for them! To begin with, a Second Edition Core Set containing templates, dice, tokens, two TIE Fighters, and an X-Wing is highly recommended. New and second-hand copies can still be found through Amazon, Vinted, and other marketplaces. One piece of advice? Let the Wookiee win… actually, try to get two core sets. Then arm yourself with patience and credits as you search for ships like a Jawa scavenging the sands of Tatooine. From online marketplaces to garage sales, you’ll gradually build your collection, but some starfighters may remain elusive for quite some time. Certain ships are now so rare that you may need to use proxies1. Fortunately, many STL files and 3D-printed alternatives circulate within the community and make excellent stand-ins. Etsy, eBay, and Cults3D are good places to start your search (simply look for “X-Wing Miniatures”).
1A substitute miniature—for example, using a standard TIE Fighter to represent a TIE Interceptor.
You Can Still Play It
Our Last Hope ?
Many tournaments are still held around the world. The game’s spirit is far from extinguished ! I spoke with Jérôme Mahier from the Lutins du Cotentin, who also manages the Normandalorians Facebook group. They organize monthly tournaments attracting around a dozen players of all ages—from 9 to 47 years old—along with pilots from neighboring gaming clubs. There are quite a few father-and-son duos involved (Darth Vader, if you’re listening), and his son actually outranks him in the standings. Jérôme also supplied several of the photographs used in this article and explained that they continue to attract new players. Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking one essential question: if he could be any ship, which would it be? Without hesitation, he answered: the Ghost, of course! It’s also worth noting that Corentin Roux and Aurélien Coudray are members of the French team that won the World Championship.
The Alliance
X-Wing Alliance is a community-driven organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the game after AMG announced the end of official support. They organize international events and, more importantly, maintain and expand the ruleset by introducing new scenarios, cards, and community initiatives that keep players connected. The leadership team includes many respected figures within the X-Wing community, including tournament organizers, content creators, and long-time contributors who helped shape the game over the years. Thanks to their dedication, new players can still discover this remarkably addictive game.
Why You Should Play It
If you appreciate the elegance of Star Wars starfighters, enjoy the delicate tactical dance of space combat, and feel the Force flowing through you, then X-Wing is a game made for you. The rules are easy to learn, the pace is brisk, and the variety of available ships is astonishing. On the other hand, you’ll need the determination of a Gundark to assemble your collection. Acquiring the necessary components can sometimes feel like a “find it yourself” adventure, but if you enjoy hunting bargains and exploring online marketplaces, you may find great satisfaction in slowly filling your personal hangar. Access to a printer—or an external printing service—will likely become essential, as obtaining original cards in the correct version can be surprisingly difficult. First Edition and Second Edition components often coexist (much like Star Wars Legion), so you may acquire a First Edition Y-Wing that remains perfectly usable but requires downloading its Second Edition card and pilot information. Some players have gone almost entirely digital, although printed maneuver dials remain indispensable.
Conclusion
The financial aspect should not be overlooked. While common ships that were reprinted multiple times can often be found for 5€ to 15€, rarer models regularly sell for more than 70€. Huge ships, in particular, are scarcer than a Jedi in love. Committing to X-Wing requires patience and perseverance. One introductory game through a local club is often enough to get players completely hooked. And for those whom this article has convinced, the galaxy is waiting.
This article would not have been possible without Jérôme Mahier—many thanks once again— for patiently answering my countless questions about rules, organized play, and the community. And if you ever find yourself visiting the home of the Lutins du Cotentin, there’s one thing you absolutely must try: the Mustafarian pizza!
Written by :
McKenna, the storyteller of asphalt & dystopian worlds
A role-player, wargamer, and storyteller at heart, I play, therefore I am! Besides Gaslands, which I cover here, I'm also a huge Star Wars fan, so I play Legion and X-Wing. I happily dive into a good board game like Formula Dé or Zombies!!! whenever I get the chance. I'd be delighted to share my passion for science fiction and dystopian universes with you.
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