The intro…
Hello and welcome to this week’s blog!
There’s not all that much to mention in this bit but what there is to mention is pretty cool…
We’re having a tournament in Newport!
Between AMG dropping the game and organising the Welsh Open it’s been a little while since we held one but we are now ready to go in our new venue!
On Saturday the 23rd of November we’re having the very first X-Wing tournament hosted by Sin City Comics & Gaming! As the above graphic somewhat gives away we will be using XWA points and will have plenty of prizes to hand out too! Sin City has food and drink (including a fancy coffee machine!) for sale on site, parking is free all day and there’s places close by to hang around and eat afterwards too.
So if you’d like to head on over to sunny* Newport and play some pew pew with us then get onto the ticket link here and get one bought!
Doors open at 10am with dials down for round 1 at 10:30.
*sun not guaranteed
Right, let’s move on…
Patreon Update…
Yes, it’s ALREADY time for Q4 of 2024!!! QUARTER FOUR!!!
Now yes, technically I missed the first Tuesday in October to start reveals but it’s ok because October is a fie Tuesday month.
First up for Q4 is the alt art and it’s Ezra Bridger in the Gauntlet!
Thanks to the amazing Dan Eicher of Straight Five Designs for this beautiful card! If you’d like to get your hands on this or the rest of the swag that’s coming this quarter or maybe you’d just like to support the blog out of the kindness of your heart then you can sign up to be a Patreon supporter here.
I want to say a HUGE thank you to my supporters, you are super incredible people!
XTC Update…
Ok, these have been a little short of late but since the group stage now now wrapped up I feel that this probably deserves a bit more attention!
First up, the concluding game for our round 4 match against Hellas was an important one with the tie balanced at 3 – 3.
Unfortunately for us we couldn’t quite come through with the win and so Hellas took the round 4 – 3.
This past week we played Poland who were still in with the chance of qualifying for the finals if other results went their way. We fought but Poland pulled out the win 5 -2 which, unfortunately for them, still wasn’t enough to make the finals as Germany made a big statement with a 6 – 1 win against the US Islands to join France in the finals from group D.
Elsewhere, USA and the South East Asia team qualified from group A (with Brazil, New Zealand and Mexica missing out), Australia and Spain go through from group B (with Scotland, Serbia and Czech Republic missing out) and Canada and England making it out of group C (with the Pirates, Nordic Union and South Africa missing out).
The finals this year are going to look slightly different than before with 8 teams instead of 10 and played across 4 weeks instead of 2 days. Less intense and perhaps less exciting for streaming but certainly much easier to schedule and a big improvement for teams at either extreme of the time zone map!
So after going 0 – 5 we finish bottom of our group. I’ve got mixed feelings about this. I’m a little disappointed, of course. Having made the finals last year this feels like a bit of a come down but on the other hand there are less teams participating. This generally means that there are proportionately more serious/hardcore players involved and while the overall number of players might be down a bit (although not by much since teams have 7 plus subs this year instead of 5 plus subs like last year) those that are most passionate and active are the ones still around.
This, coupled with the smaller number of qualifying groups means that qualification was always going to be hard this year, as can be seen by teams like Poland, US Islands and Pirates not qualifying despite having a lot of talented players.
That said, I’m really proud of my team. They’ve represented themselves and our nation well and with integrity and even when facing loss after loss kept their heads up and carried on.
I will give a special mention to Elliott Clayton who, despite our going 0 – 5 in team results, managed to go 5 – 0 in his games. Top showing Elliott!
So for Team Wales that’s it for 2024. XTC 2025 feels a long way off right now but it’ll be here before we know it!
The batrep… (JARGON ALERT!!)
And so we finally get to a game!
The really big news this week was actually that Mark Hall was going to make it to casual night! In person! Being that Mark hasn’t actually played X-Wing since Adeption waaaaaay back in March, this was a big deal!
I would be flying the same list as I flew last week for two main reasons. The first is that I really felt that I’d not done the list justice against Josh in the last game and that I could do better if I managed to leverage some of the things the list was capable of.
The second (and let’s face it, the main one) is that I’d not had the time/opportunity to repack my bag.
Wullffwarro – Auzituck Gunship (4)
Bo-Katan Kryze (Rebel/Scum) (4)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (4/4) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 4
Miranda Doni – BTL-S8 K-wing (5)
Bistan (12)
Concussion Bombs (5)
Advanced SLAM (3)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (20/20) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 4
Jan Ors – HWK-290 Light Freighter (5)
Moldy Crow (0)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (0/0) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
“Leebo” (YLF) – YT-2400 Light Freighter (6)
C-3PO (7)
Ship Cost: 6 Loadout: (7/7) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 5
Total: 20
View in YASB: https://yasb.app/?f=Rebel%20Alliance&d=v9ZbZ20Z58XW426WY17XWW77WWW355W104Y46XWWWWWW156Y651XWW18WWW&sn=Unnamed%20Squadron&obs=
The main premise of this list is, as the title of the blog suggests, you throw big red dice. Miranda can increase her reds by spending a shield (or, if focussed, reduce to gain a shield and then spend it to increase on a meaningful attack). Wulfwarro can get an extra red when damaged which Miranda triggers with the concussion bomb and Leebo gets an extra red at range 3. All of this can be powered up AGAIN by Jan taking a strass to add a red to someone’s attack.
Is it a gimmick? Yeah, kinda. Rolling dice is fun though, right?
Mark had decided to break out out some new XWA tech too, bringing a Firespray, Mining Guild TIE and not one but TWO IG-88’s!
Bounty Hunter – Firespray-class Patrol Craft (6)
Proximity Mines (7)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
Ship Cost: 6 Loadout: (10/16) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 5
Mining Guild Surveyor – Modified TIE/ln Fighter (2)
Ship Cost: 2 Loadout: (0/0) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 1
IG-88A – Aggressor Assault Fighter (6)
Fearless (3)
Thermal Detonators (5)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
Delayed Fuses (1)
IG-2000 (0)
Ship Cost: 6 Loadout: (12/12) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 4
IG-88D – Aggressor Assault Fighter (6)
Fearless (3)
Proton Cannons (5)
Thermal Detonators (5)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
IG-2000 (0)
Ship Cost: 6 Loadout: (16/16) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 4
Total: 20
Interesting. I’m slightly wary of the IG’s, mainly because of the 3 agility and the fact that I’ve no idea what they can do!
Let’s get the Pre-Flight checks:
Scenario – Salvage mission
Target/Objective Priority – Get some boxes, blow something up, TRY NOT TO SELF BUMP
Obstacles – I want a loose cluster ideally. Leebo wants to orbit the outside, the others stay inside
Deployment – Miranda needs to bomb Wulfwarro and Jan needs to keep the others in arc. With a mix of initiatives it’s trickier to pull off than you might think. Or than I thought anyway.
We get set up with objectives, obstacles and ships and we’re ready to go!
Turn 1
I don’t hate my setup here but I’m wary of the IG’s going fast down the right. Ideally I want Leebo picking up the box in front of him but if teh IG’s go fast that could be a problem. I want Jan out of the way of the bomb so she’ll go 2 straight (which I’m pretty sure clears?) while Wulfwarro will 1 straight and eat the bomb. Miranda will 2 bank and then SLAM and reload.
ROAD 1st player – Mark
Mark’s TIE 3 banks onto the rock (because they can do that!) and focuses while the Firespray cruises 4 straight. So he going fast.
Leebo goes 2 straight and calculates before the IG’s do 4 straight too and calculate.
Miranda (having dropped a bomb in the systems phase) 2 banks, SLAMs a 2 bank and uses Advan ced SLAM to reload the bomb. Wulwarro goes 1 straight and focuses before Jan goes 2 straight (safely away from the bomb – phew!) and also focuses.
There are no shots so back to dials we go
Turn 2
I already don’t like Miranda’s position. My concern was that 2 hard then SLAM 2 straight would be in Jan’s way but the 2 bank, 2 bank puts the K-Wing further away than I’d like. Something to look at in future.
My main goal this turn is to pick up boxes. Once the fighting starts I want my mods to put damage in so it’s important I get some here. Leebo will turn and maybe pick up while Jan will go straight and do the same with Miranda angling to go for the top left objective the following turn. Wulfwarro will just go straight for now while I figure out where Mark’s ships are going.
ROAD 1st Player – me
No bombs this time (obviously!) so the Firespray kicks things off by hard turning away. Huh. The TIE goes 3 straight and picks up the central box.
Leebo hard turns and, after some internal debate, does pick up the box. Maybe the IG’s won’t go fast again?
Wulfwarro goes 2 straight and focuses while Miranda 2 banks right then SLAMs 2 bank left for better position.
The IGs do, in fact, go fast, banking in and calculating. Jan goes 2 straight (in retrospect I should have gone 3 there) and picks up the box.
This time we shoot.
Jan’s only shot is at the Mining guild TIE and does nothing. Miranda has weapons disabled fromt eh SLAM so Wulfwarro goes next and fires 5 dice (yes, 5 – 3 naturally, 1 from the pilot ability and 1 extra from Jan) at the TIE. I get 1 hit through. I was hoping for better, honestly.
The IGs then both shoot at Leebo and honestly, Mark’s dice are AWFUL (and my greens are decent) and Leebo loses a single shield. A bit harsh. Sorry Mark.
Leebo goes next and rolls 4 dice (3 naturally plus 1 for the ship chassis ability) and even with no mods it’s 3 hits. Mark rolls 5 greens (as it’s obstructed) and after I use the Outrider title to turn the only evade down to an eyeball, the TIE takes 3 hits and dies.
Oof.
End of turn score: 4 – 0
Turn 3
Ok, well, that kill was slightly unexpected but this now forces Mark’s hand. The Firespray is pointed the wrong way so the IGs will have to come in hard. How can I take advantage?
Leebo will 3 hard turn right and while I’d ideally like to bank in with Jan, she’ll have to go 1 straight to not bump. Wulfwarro will bank right while Miranda will hard turn in and pick up the top left box.
ROAD 1st Player – me
Mark starts off by dropping a Proximity mine with the Firespray before then banking off left and picking up the top right box.
SIDE NOTE – Mark didn’t have Proximity mine markers packed so we used the Firebird Rebel dial as a proxy for it. In case you’re interested, Mark sent me a comparison picture afterwards!
Not ideal of course but the best we had!
Leebo hard turns and calculates, Wulfwarro banks right and focuses and then Miranda hard turns right (starting down the prox mine….) and picks up the box.
The IGs move next with D going first, fast and straight and then boosting to dodge both Leebo and Wulfwarro. A follows by banking over the rock (and taking 2 damage) then rolling left. Neither have tokens. This will be iomportant.
Jan goes 1 straight and focuses.
Ok, here we go.
Jan fires at IG88-A with the 2 dice turret and rolls blank, eye. I don’t spend.
Wulfwarro goes next and it’s time for me to do the thing.
Three dice gun, plus 1 for the pilot ability, plus one for range 1, plus 1 from Jan’s ability.
Six. Red. Dice.
I’ve tot a focus so I’m hopeful I can do something.
What do I roll?
SIX HITS OUT OF HAND.
OUT
OF
HAND!!!!
But wait….
Mark rolls his 3 green dice. 2 blanks, 1 evade.
Neither of us can quite believe it. IG88-A is on 1 hull remaining.
Miranda drops a shield to roll 3 dice at IG88D but does nothing and can’t quite reach IG88-A for the double tap.
IG88-D fires at Jan but obstructed and with a focus, Jan takes nothing. IG-A goes at Leebo but totally blanks out.
Leebo fires at IG88-A to try and finish him off but now Mark’s dice come through and he lives. Just.
I’m still slightly in shock. A lot of rather unlikely things just happened.
Nothing died and I have 3 boxes while Mark has one.
End of turn score: 3 – 1
Total score: 7 – 1
Turn 4
My priority now is to finish the almost dead IG but I have issues. Miranda and Leebo are heading in similar directions and there a prox mine there. Oh, and Wulfwarro is heading away from the fight and really can’t turn very well.
Leebo will bank right while Miranda will go straight. One of them’s going to hit the mine adn there’s not a huge amount I can do about it. Wulfwarro will go straight because that Firespray has to pick a direction to rejoin the fight and I want to threaten it. Jan, being higher initiative than everyone else, will just carefully 1 straight.
ROAD 1st player – Mark
Mark drops thermals with IG-A (I mean, why not, right?) before the Firespray hard turns left and boosts. Yes, we do realise later he can’t do that (because he’s carrying a box) but we don’t really worry about it.
Leebo banks right and it takes him further than I expected and he hits the mine. He takes no damage. It’s all feeling a little one-sided at this point.
IG-A banks right and calculates while IG-D, not wanting to hit the rock, goes straight and boosts right.
Wulfwarro goes straight and focuses while Miranda also goes straight and, with Leebo’s bank being rather poorly misjudged, bumpt the YT-2400. Oops.
Jan pootles forwards 1 straight again and focuses.
Jan kicks things off by shooting IG-A at range 1 from the side arc and takes it out.
Leebo, Wulfwarro and IG-D don’t have anything to shoot at but Miranda takes a cheeky long range plink at the Firespray but does nothing.
A fairly short round that one!
End of turn score: 9 – 1
Total score: 16 – 2
Turn 5
Now, I’ve been caught out before in feeling that a game is done and then gone on to loose and so I try to keep my mind in check but this is feeling pretty tied up right now. I have 3 boxes and my ships have taken a combined 3 damage. I have to stay focused though.
I debate Leebo’s move, wanting to 3 hard but not knowing what to do with Wulfwarro if I do. In the end I set him a 1 bank right and Miranda a 1 bank left. Wulfwarro will also bank left while Jan 1 banks right. Nice and easy, right?
ROAD 1st player – me
No bombs from anyone this time and the Firespray surprises me by doing a 3 talon roll (JARGON ALERT!!) to the left. Interesting. Leebo 1 banks right and calculates and suddenly that area is looking a little over congested…
Miranda should have gone 1 straight as the 1 bank bumps into Leebo (and takes a damage) and Wulfwarro’s bank does the same (also taking a damage).
The IG hard turns right and locks Miranda and then Jan banks right and focuses.
This turn flips the current trend. Well, sort of. Jan, Leebo and Wulfwarro go into the Firespray (Miranda doesn’t have arc) and strip its shields. In response Mark focuses on the K-Wing and with 2 shots takes the last 2 shields and brings her to 1 hull including 2 crits (one being a Direct) to make her drop the box.
Talk about a reality check!
She’s alive though and so nothing dies and I score 2 points and Mark scores 1
End of turn score: 2 – 1
Total score: 18 – 3
Turn 6
Now, I could go conservative here and just tick up the 2 points needed to finish the game off. There’s always the risk of losing one though and with the Firespray facing the same direction as me I’m fairly sure I can get some good shots into it.
Leebo will go fast to get out of the way, Wulfwarro will bank right to keep arc, Miranda will 3 bank left (and maybe SLAM a hard turn?) while Jan will finally go a little faster to keep away from the IG
ROAD 1st player – Mark
A bomb from Miranda is tempting but the risk of losing Jan in one round is too high so I decline. The Firespray drop another Prox mine though, just before 1 banking left and focusing. Leebo screams forwards and calculates before the IG goes 2 straight (with Jan conveniently blocking a faster move).
Wulfwarro banks right and focuses while Miranda banks left and…. just barely lands the 3 bank to stay out of the Firespray’s arc. Noice. The SLAM isn’t on the cards so a focus it is.
Jan goes 3 straight and focuses.
Jan shoots the Firespray and gets 1 hit on. Five to go.
The IG just barely has range on Miranda but gets just one hit and at range 3 with an obstruction and a focus, she lives.
Wulfwarro shoots next and I go for it again. 3 natural reds, plus 1 for range, plus 1 for pilots ability plus 1 from Jan.
And guess what…
SIX FREAKING NATURAL HITS
I have a slight ‘pinch me’ moment.
The Firespray dies. Nothing else shoots, the game is done.
End of turn score: 8 – 0
Final result: 26 – 3
The conclusion…
Ok, that was a bit of a blow out!
I did feel a little bit bad, especially since it was Mark’s first game ain a LONG time but then he had a game the following day and I’m led to believe he did better (and has since followed up with a win over Steve Boulton!) so maybe I’ll just take credit for helping him see the flaws in execution and doing better with it!
The game had a lot of freakish moments in terms of dice. Throwing 6 dice is unusual. Rolling all paint is rare. Rollings all hits? Impossible. Doing it TWICE??!? I should have bought a lottery ticket!
Overall I’m happier with how I played the list compared to the previous game. I had a better understanding of what I want the ships to do and where I want them to be and while there’s still certainly kinks to iron out and work on I’m really enjoying flying it.
While I’m certainly not going to get carried away (there was a very larger element of ‘better lucky than good’ going on here) it’s certainly encouraging to see the damage output potential actually translate into a real result.
Will I fly it at the tournament next month? Maybe, who knows! Unless I find something that takes my fancy in the meantime I probably will.
That’s about it for me for today I think. Remember that the Patreon Q4 ends this month and check out getting a ticket for the New port tournament! Stay safe and I’ll see you back here next week, possibly with some exciting XWA news…
The outro…
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Exile Initiates:
Douglas Thomson
Exile Rookies:
Ben Kennedy, Opi-Wan Kenobi
Exile Veterans:
Mark Beor, Daniel Barringer, Michael Bird, Jason Desmarais, Darin Schwarze, Alex Peters-Bean, Mark Packer-Hughes
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You are all amazing humans!