So, as many of you know, this last Friday September 4th, was what marketers and geeks alike referred to as Force Friday. This day was the day Disney (our “beloved” Star Wars overlords), decided to launch a ton of new The Force Awakens merchandise in preparation for Episode VII. With this huge release of collectibles, they also released a new X-Wing Miniatures Core Set featuring new models of ships from the film.

This new set includes two updated TIE Fighters from the First Order, and a T-70 X-Wing for the Resistance. The new ships are of the same (if not better) quality than with the original release in 2012, and look amazing. The new pilot cards and upgrades are also solid additions to the game – and also give some nice teasers for the film for those of us that enjoy all the fluff. One of the most noticeable differences in the TIEs is the addition of a shield! Making this generation of TIE even more deadly than its predecessor, and the new Tech upgrade slot makes them a bit more customizable – even though we only have one upgrade card so far. The T-70 is also a very nice addition for you goody-good Rebel players out there as it is more maneuverable (now has a Boost action) and also sports a Tech upgrade slot.

The new core set comes with everything that was found in the original – rulers, markers, dials, dice and the like – and also includes a new rule book with some clarifications on existing rules (such as better detailing the order of the activation phase). The set also comes with a new damage deck with some rewording on some critical hit cards that clean up some confusion that players had had. Also included are a new set of asteroids! Now you can bring a wider variety of obstacles to jam up your opponents. There are also three new missions to cut your teeth on with the new sub-factions and their ships.

This new core set it an excellent starter for new players looking at getting into the game, and a great addition to anyone’s collection. The new ships are bound to add a bit more variety to the table and again, the models are beautiful. I am really looking forward to the future of this game, and everything that FFG has been releasing is of a great quality. In short, this new set does not disappoint! I have not gotten to play with the new ships yet, but have toyed around with building some lists that I look forward to using to decimate some Rebels Resistance ships using the new TIEs.