Star Wars TCG - Fans Fuel the Force
By Len "RedneckJedi" Fowler

The fans have spoken. Since our website launch on April 23, 2006, this site has totaled: 2,545 unique website hits; 224,720 server requests (individual links); 19,868 page requests (individual pages); 2,756 unique hosts; and 10.82 gigabytes of transferred data!!!! The Fall of the Republic expansion has been discussed in SW:TCG forums around the globe. Just do a Google search for "Star Wars TCG IDC". You'll see discussions not only on Rebelbaser's and WOTC, but also French, Polish and German forums come up. For a refresher on what everyone's talking about and what you're missing, read on.

On June 2nd, the Star Wars TCG Independent Development Committee(SWTCG:IDC, or, even shorter, IDC) released their follow-up expansion to Revenge of the Sith titled Fall of the Republic via a free download from this website. The download is made for a on-line trading card game utility called "Lackey CCG", and includes images of the cards made for Fall of the Republic, as well as all cards produced by Wizards of the Coast.

Though the IDC and any cards it creates are not officially recognized in any capacity, the primary on-line community for the Star Wars TCG, at Rebelbasers, spearheaded a group effort to make future "dream card sets" that would be widely recognized by the on-line community. After 6 months of setting up the committee and developing the set, the IDC created an impressive set of 120 cards themed around events from Revenge of the Sith.

The IDC is made up of 5 sub-committees. First and foremost is the Card Development sub-committee. This sub-committee actually comes up with the theme and creates the card concepts that make up a set. The Rules sub-committee ensures that the cards work within the rules, or perhaps supply new rules, as well as ensure the wording of the card is correct. The Playtesting sub-committee is responsible for testing the cards in various gaming scenarios, determining if cards are underpowered or overpowered, and that the cards abilities make sense to them and in the game. The Graphical Design sub-committee actually generates the card images for the set. The Public Affairs sub-committee is the IDC's public relations liaison and is responsible for communicating our efforts to the community and public at large.

The set includes many of your favorite characters, species, vehicles, equipment and locations from Revenge of the Sith. Prepare to see clone troopers in action, Wookiees in all-out battle, and the diabolical "Jedi-killer" General Grievous completing and complementing the villains of the saga.

Not only do you get new cards, but also available for download soon will be an updated and expanded Rulebook and an individual card reference document covering nearly all aspects of the game and its cards. The expanded Rulebook will contain corrections for known problems within it, as well as addendums covering rulings made that broadly affect the game and any rules and effects created specifically for IDC-created cards and mechanics. The card reference document also enhances and clarifies the officially identified known issues with individual cards.

What's that? You're not interested in playing the game on-line, but you still want to try them out with "real" cards? Well, with your internet connection, a PC application that can print appropriately size image, preferably (but not necessarily) a color printer, and trading card sleeves, you can print these cards yourself! Simply download the set as mentioned above, open up the zip file and browse the card images you like. Copy those card images into a PC application, such as MS Word (which is what I do). Format the card image so that it's no larger than 3.5 by 2.5 inches. Then copy-n-paste as many as you want to print and print them out on regular paper. Cut the cards out and place them on top of another card into a card sleeve.

On a personal note, I'm proud to be a member of the IDC, as an acting member of its Board as well as the chairperson for the Rules sub-committee. It has been a long and arduous road to get the IDC's first set and rules where they are today, but it's been well worth it. On behalf of the IDC, we hope you enjoy the fruits of our efforts, and look forward to future sets we create!

Thoughts or comments? Visit the message board thread for this article here.

About the Author
Len Fowler (aka RedneckJedi) has been active with the SW:TCG since its release in 2003. He was the moderator for The Force.net TCG/CCG forums, a writer for SW Duelist, is currently the IDC Rules Chairperson and is also on the IDC Board. He has also been the Secretary for JediOKC (an Oklahoma based Star Wars Fan Club) for five years.