The intro…
Well hello! Welcome to this week’s blog!
‘This week?’ I hear you ask, ‘where was last week’s?!’
Well, in all honesty, things have got a bit much.
My life is pretty busy at the best of times but of late there’s been a fair amount of XWA work with sending out System Open kits, sorting out Squad Champ kits going out from Hong Kong, sorting finances, stuff at home, stuff at church, trips away with the charity that my wife and I volunteer with (it’s called Mariposa International and I’ll go more in depth next time because it’s SUPER relevant at this time of year) and of course work on the decking in my garden which, after more weeks than I care to try and recount, IS FINALLY FINISHED!!!
Well, sort of. It still needs 1 more coat of stain and the spare wood at the back needs to be tidied up but functionally, it’s done!
And on top of all of this, XTC has been happening!
I’ve always said (mostly to myself but almost certainly on here. Somewhere?) that when it comes to X-Wing, playing and enjoying the game would be the focus, NOT writing the blog.
With that in mind I had a choice last week. Play or write. I chose to play.
I do feel a little bit bad about it but I want to make sure my hobby stays fun, it’s important to have something that’s fun in your life!
Anyway, that’s what happened there and while things have cleared up a bit (more on that in a moment), I can’t promise it won’t happen again. Although I’d rather it didn’t, of course!
Anyway, on with the intro… I’m going to an event!
Later this month Richard Greenaway is hosting a Squad Championship at the Games Bunker in Weston-Super-Mare on the 25th of October. Tickets are £15 and are on sale here:
https://www.thegamesbunker.co.uk/events/star-wars-x-wing-autumn-championship
What are you waiting for? Get yours and I’ll see you there!
Patreon Update…
WHAT?!?!? IT’S PATREON TIME ALREADY!?!?!?!?
It certainly is! And with how busy it’s been MAN am I glad I got better organised earlier in the year!
First up to show you is the Exile 3 hard template!
Well, I would show you if I’d remembered to taka e a photo of it! I mean, you already know what a 3 hard template looks like, right?! I will get a photo for next time, I promise.
If you would like to get your hands on this or any of the soon to be revealed goodies then you can get yourself signed up here!
Alright then, on to the next!
XTC Update…
Yes, the XTC has been in full flow and there have been some crazy games going on!
There’s been plenty of streaming of games by many different streamers and as of right now we are in games week 4 (with the losers bracket in week 3).
In case you’ve never read the blog before, I am the captain of team Wales and it’s been an interesting ride this year!
In hte first round we managed to get a 4 – 3 win over Ireland which then matched up into the US Islands team.
Sadly we lost 3 – 4 against them which then bumped us over to the loser bracket where we got paired into Mexico (who had just eliminated Scotland).
Things started poorly as we went 0 – 2 down and then 1 – 3 down after pulling one back.
Dan Barringer played a blinder as sub with our FO list as he got us back to 2 – 3 and so it came down to a VERY tense Sunday evening with two games happening at 8pm.
Sadly it wasn’t to be as Mexico won both to go 2 – 5 and get through to the next round.
I want to wish all the best to Maui, Jorge and all their team members as they continue in the tournament.
I also want to thank my team – Elliott Clayton, Rebecca Westwood, Phill Blackmore, Steve Boulton, James Humphery, Chris Burnett, Mark Packer-Hughes and Dan Barringer. Planning and strategising and just generally haning out int eh chat with you guys was a blast. I love the camaraderie that XTC brings!
My blog buddy Levi has been posting updates and predictions which you can check out here and if you’re interested in checking the overall progress of the event then check out the Challonge bracket here!
So, that’s it for XTC this year! What will next year bring?
The batrep(s)… (JARGON ALERT!!)
Ok, on to some games!
Now, I promised myself a few weeks ago that I’d pick a different list to take on Wednesday evening because all of us bringing the same list every time would likely get pretty stale.
THEN I bought a ticket for the Games Bunker event and I decided I should probably not change. After all, I generally need a good few reps with a list to be any good with it.
I’ve been running the following list which I’ve been getting some good results with:
Luke Skywalker – T-65 X-wing (5)
Plasma Torpedoes (7)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (7/7) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
Wullffwarro – Auzituck Gunship (4)
Trick Shot (4)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (4/4) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 4
Saw Gerrera – UT-60D U-wing (5)
Tactical Officer (3)
The Child (7)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
Pivot Wing (0)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (13/13) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 4
Wedge Antilles – RZ-1 A-wing (3)
Hopeful (1)
Predator (3)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (4/4) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 2
Evaan Verlaine – BTL-A4 Y-wing (3)
Dorsal Turret (3)
Concussion Bombs (5)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 4
Total: 20
Then I’d seen that Canada’s Rebel XTC list was basically this but with Wedge Swapped out for Ezra Bridger in the TIE Fighter with Leia crew and Targeting Computer.
Now, I like how this looked because getting Leia into any Rebel list with ships that can stop is a great option. Multiple stops give your opponent more variables to consider when planning and even if you don’t actually stop, the threat of being able to do so definitely complicates things.
This week there was only Josh Hall and myself around to play and Josh had brought the list he’s been running since the last points change:
Mining Guild Surveyor – Modified TIE/ln Fighter (2)
Ship Cost: 2 Loadout: (0/0) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 1
The Mandalorian (AaD) – Naboo Royal N-1 Starfighter (4)
Outmaneuver (0)
The Child (AaD) (0)
Kineso-Switch (AaD) (0)
Calibrated Laser Targeting (0)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (0) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
Talonbane Cobra – Kihraxz Fighter (4)
Fearless (3)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (3/4) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
Fenn Rau – Fang Fighter (5)
Fearless (3)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (3/3) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
Old Teroch – Fang Fighter (5)
Fearless (3)
Daredevil (4)
Mandalorian Optics (3)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (10/11) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
Total: 20
There is some really nasty stuff here, especially if you get your range control wrong. That said, I have played against it a few times and mostly come out on top.
Time to see how my newly tweaked list would do.
We got set up to play Salvage Mission and got into it.
If there’s one word to describe this game it’s bloodbath.
I bet on Fenn jousting Saw and Wulf and zoomed up left left flank with Ezra and claimed. I was wrong.
BOOM. Dead Ezra. BUT Fenn took a Trick Shot from Wulf and BOOM, dead Fenn too!
Unfortunately I’d made a poor judgement with Luke and Josh’s red dice were on fire as he halved Luke with Mando and Evaan with Old T.
Eugh.
Evaan made full use of her Concussion Bombs to tag Old T next turn which led to his demise later in that turn but not before he pumped some damage into Saw.
While all this is going on Josh is outscoring me 2-1 on objectives too while his very much intact TIE fighter ticks up point after point.
A mistake with Luke (I mean, the block was OBVIOUS, come on!) means that I eat my own bomb and Luke dies before anyone even shoots.
Idiot.
This allows Josh to take an extra shot elsewhere which Talonbane takes into Saw and halves him. Of course.
Mando, living on just 1 hull (but with 1 shield left, thanks to Concussions) then nukes Saw before he can shoot. Eugh.
Wulf plinks half damage into Talonbane but the MG TIE dodges all damage from Evaan and just like that, Josh has hit 20 points
Result: 16 – 20 loss
Mini conclusion…
Well, that sucked! Aside from the fact that Josh’s red dice were absolute FIRE for 2-3 turns, my moves with Luke were definitely sub-optimal.
Before I get time to think too much about it, we check the time. That game was 45 minutes. We decide to re-rack and play again since there’s time!
Game 2 – Scramble the Transmission
We get set up with the same lists and get ready to go and at this point I know I’ve made a rather terrible mistake
My list can joust reasonably well but ALL of Josh’s list is opposite my main force with no cover and a rock which means I can’t easily turn and find better position.
Idiot
Turn 1 is Josh range controlling and then turn 2 is me facing a major decision.
Stop with Leia to try and prevent range 1 or go fast and try to block.
I go for the first option.
Spoilers, it didn’t work.
Josh kills Wulf with a shot to spare, meaning he can start on Saw. He even managed it with an action less as Talonbane flipped the switch on his objective, meaning he was 2-1 up there.
In the next turn I go fast with Saw to try and keep him out of too much danger but Josh calls is and Saw gets wiped out.
I do manage to take Talonbane out though.
Another turn, another ship is down as Ezra bites the dust but this time I take Old T off the board with help of a Concussion Bomb.
At this points it’s 18-12 and I can’t easily get to an objective to prevent Josh hitting 20. I’m fully in hail Mary territory.
Evaan has a bomb to drop and Luke needs to turn around. Evaan goes 1 straight and Luke goes for the Talon-Roll (JARGON ALERT!!) but bumps into Evaan.
That’s it. I’m done. Right?
Maybe not?
Josh goes slow enough with Mando and the TIE that Fenn bumps right into them and ALL THREE eat the bomb!
Previous damage to Mando means he’s halved and his shot does nothing into either of my ships.
Up steps Evaan Verlaine, hero of the Rebellion! Can she take out Fenn?
Range 1 with no Concordia (since Fenn’s in my mobile arc, not front).
HIT, HIT, CRIT OUT OF HAND!
I’ve done my part, what does Josh roll on his 3 health Fenn?
THREEE EYEBALLS AND A BLANK! FENN DIES!
Despite Josh holding 2 objectives I get enough points to make it 20 – 20!
We go 1 more turn to see if we can determine a winner.
I hard turn Evaan to the left but then have to make a choice – rotate or claim? I hold the closest objective at the moment but it’s likely the TIE will claim, and it does.
Luke and Mando both get out, leaving the Y-Wing and TIE To decide the game.
Evaan’s last bomb nails the TIE, getting half points and leaving it on 1 hull but now Josh has all three objectives and I have none.
Evaan looked to be just barely out of range for me to claim so I rotated arcto get the shot but with no mod.
Do you think Evaan managed to kill the TIE and save the game?
You’re right, she didn’t.
I get 1 point for half the TIE and Josh gets 2 for holding more objectives than me.
Result: 21 – 22 loss
The conclusion…
These two games made me realise something about this list.
I’ve flown it probably 8 or 10 times over the past couple of months and while I’ve generally done very well with it, I’ve not pad all that much attention to why that is.
Granted, a lot of these games has been against Josh and that’s a tricky matchup for me but when discussing it afterwards Josh helped me realise that I’ve not been paying enough attention to turn 0 deployment (rock in particular) or how to best use Luke.
I’d got caught up in wondering if Ezra was going to better than Wedge and lost sight of how best to use Saw and Wulf, or rather, how to preserve them to make the most of their abilities.
In all honesty I’m still a bit on the fence about Ezra and having now seen that Pops Krail is a viable option for the Concussion Bomb carrier as he gives out a free focus token.
Much to think about in the weeks ahead with the Games Bunker tournament coming up!
I’m out of (well, already over…) time so I’ll leave it at that for this week. Thanks to Josh for the games and thanks to YOU for reading! I’ll catch you next time!
The outro…
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