The Trident-Class Assault Ship: X-Wing 2E’s Game-Changing Capital Ship

2 min read

How Fantasy Flight Games Redefines Tabletop Warfare with Multi-Environment Combat

Trident-Class Assault Ship Expansion Pack

The Capital Ship Dilemma in Miniature Wargaming

For years, X-Wing 2E players faced a frustrating limitation – their epic starfighter battles lacked the visceral impact of capital ship warfare. Many attempted makeshift solutions: 3D-printed models with homebrew rules, awkwardly scaled Rebel transports, or simply imagining what might be. These compromises invariably disrupted game balance, created measurement disputes, and broke immersion in Star Wars dogfights.

“We’d use CR90 models as placeholders, but the movement never felt right,” admits tournament player Mark Vasquez. “The game needed official huge ship rules that maintained X-Wing’s elegant mechanics while delivering capital ship presence.”

Deconstructing the Trident: A Three-Level Analysis

Physical Architecture

18.5″ articulated plastic tentacles with posable joints
Dual-layer base system for stability during complex maneuvers
Integrated peg design compatible with all X-Wing 2E components
Precision-molded hull detailing showing Separatist/Pirate variants

Gameplay Systems

New command dials coordinating 4+ actions per turn
Hardpoint slots enabling devastating range 5 attacks
Electronic warfare teams that disrupt enemy squadrons
Atmospheric/oceanic rules for unprecedented battlefields

Strategic Impact

Forces opponents to reconsider range band strategies
Enables new squadron compositions with capital ship support
Adds multi-environment narrative campaign possibilities
Balanced point costs prevent “capital ship spam” meta

Capital Ship Showdown: How the Trident Changes the Meta

Feature	Trident-Class	CR90 (Legacy)	Raider-Class
Multi-Environment Combat	✓ Full Rules	Space Only	Space Only
Max Attack Range	5	3	4
Unique Movement System	Huge Ship Tool	Standard Ruler	Standard Ruler
Faction Versatility	Separatist/Pirate	Rebel	Imperial

“The Trident’s tentacle mechanics create cinematic moments you can’t get with other capital ships,” explains tournament organizer Lisa Nguyen. “Watching players physically manipulate the arms to grab starfighters or smash through terrain adds a tactile dimension to X-Wing that changes how tournaments feel.”

From Storage to Centerpiece: The Trident’s Campaign Journey

Initial State

A X-Wing 2E campaign feels incomplete without capital ship presence. Players resort to narrative handwaving when battles should escalate to warship engagements, breaking immersion during critical story moments.

Trigger Event

The Rebel cell discovers a Separatist remnant operating a Trident-class ship from aquatic hideouts. Conventional starfighter tactics fail against this mobile fortress that disappears beneath waves after attacks.

Product Intervention

Introducing the Trident expansion enables three-dimensional battles across space, atmosphere, and ocean environments using official rules that maintain game balance while adding strategic depth.

Cognitive Upgrade

Players now design squads considering capital ship support roles. The Trident becomes both objective and force multiplier, enabling scenarios where capturing/destroying the ship matters more than fighter elimination counts. Campaigns gain narrative weight as the physical model’s presence alters tabletop psychology.

Why the Trident Redefines X-Wing’s Possibilities

At $55.99, Fantasy Flight Games delivers more than just a tabletop miniature – they’ve created a system that solves the capital ship problem while introducing innovative mechanics. The Trident-class assault ship expansion bridges the gap between starfighter skirmishes and fleet engagements without compromising X-Wing’s signature gameplay.

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