Big changes are coming to Star Wars Legion, and I might finally try it

Big changes are on the way for Star Wars Legion, a tabletop wargame that lets you field armies from across the saga. And honestly? This refresh might finally get me involved.

In a series of updates for all its games, developer Atomic Mass revealed tweaks that add up to a complete facelift. Even though Legion’s core mechanics (such as movement and shooting) remain the same, these alterations change how Star Wars Legion feels to play overall – everything from the number of models on your board to how missions are decided have been revamped. On paper, the result is a faster and more dynamic system.

A good example is cover. As described in an official post, units behind terrain used to be difficult – or outright impossible – to hurt if your attacking squad had lost miniatures. Fewer models mean fewer attack dice along with a smaller chance of rolling successes, and these would often be canceled out by cover’s automatic two-hit reduction. By contrast, these new rules let defending units roll dice that offer a chance of avoiding incoming damage. This keeps damaged units relevant and avoids stalemates where one player hunkers down in a hiding spot for the rest of the match. Particularly because new, progressive scoring in missions encourages players to “move their armies across the battlefield earlier in the game to fight for objectives.”

Essentially, it’s a similar approach taken to Atomic Mass’ stripped-down skirmish game, Shatterpoint (which we said “delivers fast-paced action with depth” in our Star Wars: Shatterpoint review).

(Image credit: Fantasy Flight)

When combined with a streamlined deck of mission cards that are “aimed at making the game feel more engaging and satisfying from start to finish,” speed appears to be of the essence. This is a similar approach to the one taken by Warhammer’s fantasy game with its new edition, and I’m all for it ( Warhammer Age of Sigmar used to scare me, but Skaventide changed all that). It feels as though there are more time-consuming hobbies vying for our attention than ever these days, and I’m already struggling to get through my backlog of the best board games as it is. With that in mind, lowering the barrier to entry is always going to win me over. 

Plus, it sounds as though these changes will boost the game’s health long-term by removing frustrations that I suspect have caused newcomers to bounce off Legion in the past. I’ve not played it before, but even I can see how previous matches might have devolved into “it’s over Anakin, I have the high ground.” If it’s pointless trying to dig an enemy unit out of cover with wounded squads, and there’s no need to move until the end of a match to secure objectives, there’s very little incentive not to rush for cover and camp there until the last minute. This would sap matches of any tactical nuance, because there’s no in-game benefit.

Well, until now.

What I’m really excited for is a new starter set. Even though a revised beginner box hasn’t been announced yet, I think it’s guaranteed that a fresh one is inbound. The current versions (fronted by either Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker or Obi-Wan and General Grievous) still use the outdated ruleset, after all. What’s more, the game is crying out for a reimagined starter set using that fancy new logo.

Anyway, the point is, I’m excited for this revamp. If you’ve also been hankering for ‘Warhammer, but Star Wars,’ I recommend watching Legion closely from here on in.

For recommendations on what you should try next, take a look at these board games for adults. As for ways of building up your collection cheaply, don’t miss the latest board game deals.