Which two factions for newb...

[SpaceFreak]

Long time Battlefleet Gothic player who is looking for something new and fresh.
I waited patiently for the 2nd edition of this game, and now I'd like to dive in. LIke in BG where I had Imperial and Chaos, I'd like to get two races, so that I can invite friends to play and try it out.
I am planning on getting the 2nd ed. rulebook, fleetlist book, and two starting fleet boxes, and go from there.
I am a fan of the series, and would love to get two races that were featured prominently there, perhaps the Centauri and Narn, but I'd like as balanced forces and as relatively easy to play factions as possible.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Lord David the Denied]

Centauri and Narn would suit you. Both are pretty forgiving fleets in different ways, both pretty well balanced now and both with plenty of unit options now. Go for these. 8)

 

[Court Jester]

Centauri / Narn are probably the best way to go.

 

[Itkovian]

I'll add my votes for Centauri/Narn

Especially if you watch the series, they are just perfect adversaries

Earth Third Age is not too bad but lacks a logical opponent that is simple

Apart from Other Earthers of course

 

[SpaceFreak]

Thanks for the replies!!

 

[verdantgreen]

I love the 3rd Age Earth Alliance, but I would have to agree with the Narn / Centauri split.

The Centauri box comes with 2 Primuses and 4 Vorchans, both iconic ships.

The Narn box is a bit lighter on iconic ships, though there is still the G'Quan and a T'Loth.

I have to admit, I am a sucker for things that were actually on the show. I'll play with anything that is fun, but my heart is always with ships like the Omega destroyer.

 

[MustEatBrains]

I have to admit, I am a sucker for things that were actually on the show. I'll play with anything that is fun, but my heart is always with ships like the Omega destroyer.

and you´re not alone in that!

 

[Locutus9956]

Narn are in my oppinion a little trickier to play than Centauri but if you use the two fleets out of the starter boxes theyre pretty well balanced until the Centauri player starts picking extra bits to build the horrific 'beam team' again, I've yet to play 2nd Ed though so this might all be a thing of the past

 

[Da Boss]

Beam team not so much now - twin linked double damage guns are all the rage in the Centauri Republic - still have some beams - Liati is very nasty.............

 

[Silvereye]

Yeah, I'd definitely go for Narn/Centauri too. They just feature (usually in conflict) too much in the B5 story to ignore. And explaining energy mines to people is always fun

The other match ups from the show could be:
Early EA/Minbari - but since you don't get a Sharlin in the Minbari fleet box, and you tend to need to know what you are doing when you face the Minbari, I would not consider this as your demo fleets.
Vorlon or ISA/Shadows - but again the Shadows (and the ISA) have always been a bit of a finesse fleet to play.

 

[Dizzy Vree]

I'd go for Narn/Centauri also, as their made to fight each other and neither have exeidingly complex rules for beginers.


One question for those who have seen/played 2e, do the centauri suffer a bit against narn now, as their main weapons lack AP or SAP,or does the sheer amount of dice counter this.....(im used to seeing our only current narn player getting repeatedly hammerd by centauri fleets)
I Ask as i am thinking of running a narn v centauri possible future campaign in a month or 2

 

[Da Boss]

AP and twin linked are about the same and they don't seem to suffer -especially the Dargan / Vorchan squadrons

 

[Dizzy Vree]

hurray