Play Variations

In X-Wing Second Edition, you assemble a squadron of iconic starfighters from across the Star Wars saga and engage in fast-paced, high-stakes space combat. This combat can take many different forms, ranging from officially supported game modes to legacy formats to player driven formats. Below is a listing of some of those play variations.

Official Supported Game Modes

Extended Game Mode

Explore all the starfighter battles X-Wing has to offer. The Extended game mode encompasses every component for X-Wing Second Edition, including the ships only found in the Conversion Kits. Choose a faction, then select up to 200 points of pilots and upgrades to create your squad.

Hyperspace Game Mode

The Second Edition game mode is an ideal introduction to players new to X-Wing. This game mode includes only those components found in the second edition Core Set and ship expansions. Choose a faction, then select up to 200 points of pilots and upgrades to create your squad.

Variants Game Mode

Enjoy new ways to play in the Star Wars galaxy with a series of tailored and unique experiences. Each one introduces a specific pool of pilots and upgrades to build your squad from.

Battle of Yavin

Relive the Rebellion's attack on the Death Star from Star Wars: A New Hope using only the ships that appeared in the movie. This is also a Deluxe Wave 1 Kit Thematic Event game mode.

Evacuation of D'quar

The First Order has discovered the Resistance base on D’qar. Relive the high-stakes battle as the Resistance makes their escape! This is also a Wave 2 Thematic Tournament game mode.

No Glory

These pilots, who shall remain nameless, fly with a steadfast commitment to their faction. This variant only allows Generic Pilots and non-limited upgrades (with a few exceptions).

Playing Favorites v2

Just one pilot for each ship is available, with a wide array of upgrades to complement them.

Season of Giving

Many pilots and upgrades give benefits to each other. When playing with a squad built using this variant, every player’s ships gain a Red Coordinate action on their action bar. This is also a Seasonal Challenge W2 game mode.

Custom Game Mode

The Custom Game Mode allows the creation of your own variants. You can adjust the pool of factions, ships, pilots, and upgrades. You can also assign special instructions and objectives.

Quick Build

The Quick Build cards included in the X-Wing Core Set and every ship expansion give you a way to quickly assemble a squadron and get flying right away. These cards use a separate, modified set of build rules that allow players to quickly build a squad and start playing, without having to worry about point costs, upgrade slots or deckbuilding restrictions.

For more information, please see the Quick Build page.

Escalation

Instead of a normal match, players can enjoy an Escalation match, in which they control a series of increasingly dangerous ships. To play an Escalation match, players build a squad as described in the Quick Build section with a threat level of 4. During the End Phase, if a ship was destroyed during that round, its player chooses one or two pilots from their collection of Quick Build cards whose total threat is one higher than the destroyed ship’s threat. At the end of a round, if a player has destroyed enemy ships whose total threat is more than twice the match’s threat level, that player wins!

For more information please see the Official Rule Boook, page 16.

Epic

Epic Format involving Huge Ships has been released. The Epic Battles Multiplayer Expansion introduces a totally new way to play X-Wing, inviting two to eight players to engage in epic multiplayer battles as they command massive fleets in large-scale games that evoke iconic Star Wars scenes.

Featuring eleven cinematic Scenarios, Epic Battles gives players the chance to fly coordinated wings of starfighters into a wide variety of situations.

For more information, please see the FFG Epic Play Forum.

Player Driven Formats

X-wing players have come up with plenty of their own house rules, scenarios and custom formats. This section list just a very few of them. Please feel free to add additional play variations and links to rules where possible.

Droid Match

A custom mode by Wazat. The rules can be found here: X-Wing Game Mode: Droid Hunters (Rune Match)