Armada I feel moves a bit faster because the way motion of pieces is captured in the turn based execution it is much more basic. Youre ships are in constant motion to speak, that you set your speed, and changing your speed is an action, which can cost you the opportunity to execute other actions. When you go to move, you're moving the distance that your speed is set at, but you use that funky ruler gauge to choose how many 15degree tics left or right you are moving as well. And this is how you turn/wiggle/change course etc. There's not a whole lot of changing speed amongst the capital ships really. At least so far that I've played. The CRV is only ship that has speeds 1-4 right now, so it can actually really make some moves out there, but the VSD for instance is only 1-2. And it's turning abiltiy is atrocious (necessitating the 6x3 area)
Fighter group movement is more free, and is in any direction just at a regualted distance, and they can generally only attack OR move in their turn, unless youre using special Commands to do both.
You're also only choosing one ships move at a time as you go through thep hases, while in XW you have to choose all your maneuvers at once really in a pre-phase which can make for a bit longer ho-humming period, for me anyways!
Falcon and Slave I are such great ships in that game even still after 7 Waves of new pieces. People still fly TIE F swarms sometimes. Ive actually see people send 7 TF Academy Pilots out there in a 100pt squad once in awhile. It's annoying as hell though! The third faction Scum & Villainy has really opened the game up as well. YWs have some great potential for them.
I play Armada on a 6x3 with a 300pt fleet. It can tend to be pretty big, but the Rebel ships are way out classed and need to try to keep a distance. Dance around and use finess and all that. So if you are Rebs and want to win, you need that 6ft to run and use your maneuverability. 5x3 would work good still, 4x3 is cutting yourself too short though.
If you are gravitating toward Armada, I'd say go for it man. Neither will disappoint and if it's the grand scale you want, XW will never have that feel for you.
For playing space consider hitting up Home Depot, Lowes or whatever and getting some pre cut sheets, particle board, hard board, plywood etc etc there. Can prob find something with a finished laminate side. I just lay 1-2 big sheets on a smaller table to make it work at home.
If youre in a house and have a basement, you can go the step further, buy two sawhorses and then put even larger rigid sheets on that. I used to have a lego city set up on some until my step-son somehow overran my basement nook ;p
Or you could just go the sawhorse large sheet route in the living room as well for the comforts of civilized living? Just take it down and throw in closet/under bed when not using?
I do most my online buying from miniaturemarket.com, they have pretty good prices on XW and Armada gear. Usually 66% of MSRP
