I would recommend
Star Wars: Saga Edition. There are a number of conventions within it that your players will be familiar with from 4E -- but just enough of the game is new, that I expect it will be just what the doctor ordered.
The theme of
Star Wars: SE is very different from 4E and the looting aspect of the game essentially vanishes.
Star Wars FEELS very different when you play it.
In terms of differences in combat mechanics, the nature of the cover/aiming rules and the interplay between area attacks and the Jedi in melee, make combat feel distinctly different. Ranges for non-Jedi combatants expand the battlefield size and nature FAR beyond what your players have experienced in 4E. It's all about movement and cover in a way that D&D in either 3.xx or 4E versions never is.
The game is excellent, imo, and a helluva lot of fun. Miniatures for the game can be purchased in the seconary market at VASTLY lower rates than are charged for DDM minis if you stay away from rares and Very Rares. Given the very large number of available miniatures (over 1,000 figures available) you will find that you can easily amass satisfactory opponents for not too much at all -- relatively speaking-- of course. Check out Enworld's own O'Ryan's
RPGLocker and
Miniature Market for the lowest online source for
Star Wars minis.
You can run your game in whatever era you choose. I would recommend the
Knights of the Old Republic era or the somewhat more advanced era in the forthcoming era depicted in
The Old Republic MMO by BioWare if your players are looking to fight a number of Sith / Dark Jedi without having to reach for increasingly implausible plot reasons as to why these foes are present. Besides - we already know who the heroes of the Rebellion Era are.
KotoR and
TOR are, however, wide open.
If a combat heavy game is what your players desire, a game set during the
Great Sith War, t
he Great Galactic War, or perhaps even the
Clone Wars will allow you to give your sessions an episodic feel in terms of plot and yet give your players what they crave in terms of combat. The ideas presented in the 3.xx accessory
Heroes of Battle work PERFECTLY for a game set during any of those eras of play. You'll want to pick up
Galaxy at War and the
Clone Wars accessory books for
Star Wars:SE in that event which are already clearly inspired by some of the ideas presented by David Noonan in
Heroes of Battle.
If adding in roleplaying, a plot and narrative drama to the tactical battles your players prefer is something that appeals to you -- that's how I would do it. And from a GM's perspective? It's fun, too.
Starships of the Galaxy adds a whole new level of tatical choices on by addding ship-to-ship combat as well, but the mechanics are the same as are used in ground combat. It all works together, incluing most of the characters feats and skills, too.
If meaningful tactical combat with a distinctly
Star Wars feel -- all while still having a plot that makes it fun for you appeals? That would work perfectly, imo. There is inspiration material for your plaots in abundance: from comics, novels or the
Star Wars: The Clone Wars anmated series. You will NOT lack for inspiration if your game is set in any of the
Star Wars conflict eras.
The games are the same but different; familiar but distinct.
Star Wars' emphasis on ranged weapons presents entirely new tactical challenges. Larger battlefileds, FAR more tatical movement -- but the presence of lightsabers and some other close weapons together with energy shields still presents tactical choices which encourage some of the party to get up close and get down and dirty, too.
Show me a gamer who never imagined turning on a lightsabre and feeling the thrum and hum of the weapon as he readied for the enemy's attack? Show me that guy and I'll show you a liar.
Star Wars: Saga Edition is a
complete game system. There is nothing missing in the rules at all. WotC has released 14 hardcovers, with the last in the series released just last month. Investment to get in and playing the game system is pretty low. The Ennie Award winning Order 66 Podcast is an amazing resource and has become the Hub for the
Star Wars: SE community. The fan community for the game is quite vibrant.
