Setup

To set up a standard game of Star Wars: Armada, proceed through the following steps in order.

1. Define Play Area and Setup Area: Clear a 3' x 6' play area. Then, establish a 3' x 4' setup area by using the length of the range ruler to place the setup area markers 1' from the short edges of the play area. The players sit across from each other on the 6' edges of the play area.
2. Gather Components: Each player places their ships, squadrons, and cards next to the play area and near their edge. Set each shield dial and squadron disk to its maximum shield and hull values. Then set the activation slider of each squadron to display the blue end of the slider with the sideways Pi icon. Assign the appropriate defense tokens to each ship and unique squadron. Gather enough command dials and speed dials for the fleet. Assign ID tokens to ships and squadrons as necessary.
3. Determine Initiative: The player whose fleet has the lowest total fleet point cost chooses which player is the first player. The first player places the initiative token next to their edge with the blue side faceup. If the players are tied in fleet points, flip a coin to decide which player makes the choice.
4. Choose Objective: The first player looks at all three of their opponent’s objective cards and chooses one to be the objective for the game.
5. Place Obstacles: Starting with the second player, the players take turns choosing and placing six obstacles into the play area. Obstacles must be placed within the setup area, beyond distance 3 of the edges of the play area and beyond distance 1 of each other.
   • The players place the three asteroid fields, two debris fields, and one station from an Armada Core Set or fleet expansion unless the objective card says otherwise.
6. Deploy Ships: Starting with the first player, the players take turns deploying their forces into the setup area. A single deployment turn consists of placing one ship or two squadrons.
   • Ships must be placed within their player’s deployment zones. When a player places a ship, they must set its speed dial to a speed available on its speed chart.
   • Squadrons must be placed within distance 1–2 of a friendly ship and may be placed outside of deployment zones (but within the setup area).
   • If a player only has one squadron remaining when they must place two, they cannot place it until they have placed all of their ships.
   • Ships and squadrons can be placed on top of the setup area markers as long as they remain entirely within the setup area.
7. Prepare Other Components: Shuffle the damage deck and place it next to the play area along with the command tokens, maneuver tool, range ruler, and the round token marked “1.”
8. Clean Up: Remove the setup area markers from the play area ^[1].

FAQ

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Related Topics: Deployment Zone, Rules/ID Tokens, Initiative, Objective Cards, Obstacles, Play Area, Range and Distance, Setup Area