The intro…
Hello and welcome to this week’s blog!
It’s dawned on me the last few days that I’ve not really mentioned the Battle Over Endor pack that’s being released soon (though how soon? Still unclear!).
AMG has now published three articles about the pack, one covering the scenario as well as one detailing the Imperial pilots. Then yesterday (AFTER I’d written most of this post!) the Rebel article was released too.
The pilots look interesting. Several podcasts have looked at the abilities and, of course, the points were released over a week ago so we have an idea of how they will fit into lists and people are already proxying the cards to test them out. Will it shift the meta (JARGON ALERT!!) significantly for Worlds? I honestly don’t know.
Analysing the meta game isn’t a strength of mine, neither is assessing the strength of a pilot without seeing it on the table. Thankfully we do have the upcoming Sith Taker Open
There’s not a whole lot else to cover in this bit today, only to again mention (like I will most weeks now!) that tickets for the Welsh Open 2024 are on sale and we’d love to see you there!
It’s the 6th & 7th of July (which doesn’t clash with any of the recently announced GT events – thank God!) and it’s going to be A BLAST! So go on, pick up your ticket!
The batrep(s)… (JARGON ALERT!!)
So this past week at casual night was a little, unusual.
Two people had said they were heading down early, I (at quite short notice) could also go early but obviously, in X-Wings terms, 3 is a bit of a crowd.
Then one said they wouldn’t be going. Ok, I thought, I’ll still go early and get a game.
Only the person who was still going then didn’t bring their X-Wing stuff and planned to play 40k instead.
Oops.
THEN we found that actually he’d brought the wrong army because a different sort of event had been arranged and he’d brought the wrong army for it.
Thankfully, I was still packing two lists so he offered to play using one of my lists and we’d share components to get a game in before others turned up.
Crikey, that felt confusing to explain!
Following last week’s blog with the practice session, I found that I’m still not as sure as I could be with Resistance so I think from here until Worlds it’ll be reps with this list:
L’ulo L’ampar (4)
Heroic (2)
Predator (3)
Advanced Optics (5)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (10/10) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
Jessika Pava (4)
R2-D2 (Resistance) (6)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (6/6) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
Temmin Wexley (4)
Heroic (2)
Ferrosphere Paint (3)
R6-D8 (4)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (9/9) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
Ello Asty (4)
Heroic (2)
Swarm Tactics (5)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Jamming Beam (1)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
Zorii Bliss (4)
R4 Astromech (2)
Wartime Loadout (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (5)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (9/9) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 4
Total: 20
I’d previously considered changing Predator to Lone Wolf on Lulo for the versatility but I’d forgotten to re-print my list (because of course I had!) so stuck with it.
Game 1 – Josh Hall
So Josh, also heading to Worlds, had stepped up to play because it was infinitely more fun than both of us sitting around doing nothing.
He was going to fly my Imperial ‘back up’ list.
Rear Admiral Chiraneau (7)
Disciplined (2)
Minister Tua (4)
Death Troopers (4)
Agile Gunner (1)
Thermal Detonators (5)
Ablative Plating (4)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (20/20) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 8
Morna Kee (7)
Disciplined (2)
Darth Vader (12)
Agile Gunner (1)
Concussion Bombs (4)
Tactical Scrambler (2)
Delayed Fuses (1)
Dauntless (0)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (22/22) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 8
“Deathfire” (TBE) (3)
Swift Approach (TBE) (0)
Conner Nets (0)
Proton Bombs (0)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (0) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 3
Tomax Bren (TBE) (3)
True Grit (TBE) (0)
Plasma Torpedoes (0)
Ion Bombs (0)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (0) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 3
Total: 20
Now with his being a new list to him and us sharing stuff this was never going to be a super serious matchup. One thing I was very interested in though was seeing how my list runs into Decimators.
In my head, I can joust one reasonably well. I think. Ello’s jamming beam can strip the inevitable reinforce and the other 4 heavily modded ships can then rip into it, starting with Zorii’s Plasma Torps stripping shields.
But I’d never actually tried it.
Plus, adding extra incoming firepower complicates matters. I’ve got a very good chance of a full 5 shots in the first engagement since the initiatives are reasonably matched. Once one Deci is down I’ve probably lost a ship myself but I’ve traded up and then take on the rest of the list from there.
Now was my chance to test this theory.
Except, well, let me show you…
Oh, as per normal, because there’s multiple games these won’t be full batreps.
Armed with this theory we place obstacles and objectives and, to my mind at least, I get a reasonably favourable setup. Then we place ships and while I’m first player (meaning I’m putting both Jess AND Temmin down before Josh places Morna) I end up like this
Chances are I can hit Morna (on the right) but I’m likely taking flanking fir from RAC in fairly short order. I also fully flanked with Lulo, meaning I’m only going to get 4 shots into Morna which is kind of the opposite of what I had initially planned.
Josh then starts pulling some moves that, despite this being my list, I’d never thought about, dropping Conner Nets in order to systems phase boost and then reloading (which, I found afterwards, you can’t do with the Conner Nets as they can’t be reloaded. Proton Bombs only in future!). Huh.
Also, I didn’t have Conner nets packed in my case so we improvised…
Anyway, we get tot he first engagement and I’ve got a reasonable position. I’m being shot by Morna but RAC doesn’t have everyone in arc and both bombers are unable to shoot.
I lay into Morna with everything I’ve got but with Ello too far for the Jamming Beam to take off the reinforce, it’s a little underwhelming but she’s got 8 hull left. In return Temmin loses a couple of shields. A decent trade I think.
Now things get trick as Josh fully embraces the bomb drops.
Morna turns in and I bank out to face her, turning my back on RAC. Zorii clips the rock though which is rather annoying.
Lulo banks away behind RAC but the bombs mean I have to double reposition and with two Conner Nets on the board he’s now going to be out of the fight for several turns. Booooo.
Josh bumped Tomax into RAC and with me being first player, Morna got blocked by Temmin and takes a reinforce with the Dauntless title. Zorii gets hit by Vader before we start shooting.
At this point, I fully murder Morna before she can shoot despite Zorii not firing this turn.
Crucially, RAC whiffs (JARGON ALERT!!) his shot and Zorii lives.
I’ve mostly still got space to turn in on RAC and so that’s what I do with the exception of Temmin who goes straight and claims.
RAC bumps and stays put, forcing Tomax into another bump. Deathfire is still dropping and reloading, looking to get around to the objective on my left while Lulo tries to escape the minefield.
Three shots into RAC bring him down to 4 hull while Josh fires 2 shots into Zorii and she survives on just 1 hull.
At this point I’m 11-0 up and RAC is about to die.
We play out one more turn, with Temmin and Lulo turning in on RAC, Jess does a 4-K (JARGON ALERT!!) and Ello talon rolls (JARGON ALERT!!). RAC winds up on the rock while Zorii, fully expecting death, picks up the central objective.
Deathfire has finally snuck around and stolen the left objective from me and as a bonus will get a shot into Zorii.
Long story short, RAC dies and, quite unbelievably, Zorri doesn’t. Wow
Final result: 20 – 1 win
Mini conclusion…
I’m not taking much stock in this win. To do so would be a bit unfair to Josh and not a realistic reflection of what happened. Zorii didn’t die and she certainly should have. Other than placing her on a rock I’m happy with how most of the rest of the game went but I’m definitely annoyed that I didn’t get into a Decimator in the first engagement with all 5 ships to see what happens.
We had fun though and that’s hat matters most. And yes, I’ve now gone and found Conner Nets for when this list get used again.
Game 2 – Rebecca Westwood
Just as Josh and I were wrapping up Rebecca arrived. Perfect timing!
She had brought a very interesting Rebel list, one that I wouldn’t be surprised to see at Worlds.
Now, technically it isn’t a legal list since it contains Han with Perceptive Copilot and Bistan but I didn’t mind that. Better to face a stronger list than a weaker one.
Sabine Wren (TIE Fighter) (2)
Beskar Reinforced Plating (3)
Ship Cost: 2 Loadout: (3/3) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 1
Fenn Rau (Rebel Fang) (5)
Swarm Tactics (5)
Clan Training (1)
Beskar Reinforced Plating (3)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (9/10) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
“Chopper” (6)
Dorsal Turret (2)
Saw Gerrera (9)
Veteran Turret Gunner (3)
Ship Cost: 6 Loadout: (14/14) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 7
Han Solo (7)
Trick Shot (4)
Perceptive Copilot (8)
Bistan (8)
Millennium Falcon (0)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (20/20) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 6
Total: 20
So, where to start here? I think it has to be Chopper. Getting jammed and double tapped with crit mods is not something I want. It happening at i6 with Swarm Tactics even less so.
We set up and I think I have a reasonably decent board.
Obviously I’m going to need to joust three of Rebecca’s ships. Cai I do it? My rock placement will prevent Han rerolls so that will help a little. Will it be enough?
In short, the answer is no, but not because it can’t be.
At this point here, I’m about to make a HUGE mistake.
I misjudge the distance. In my mind I’m unable to decide whether Chooper is oging to come forwards fast or wait one more turn. I want to engage all 5 ships together so I can’t risk the back two being too far away. I look and I look and I look and I think that a 1 straight from Chopper means I’d need to 2 straight.
I set everyone a 1 straight. Look again and then I change it to 2.
And from here on in, the rest is a disaster.
It’s a 4 straight from Chopper (because with hindsight, it’s obvious) and my front ships bump. Thankfully the back two don’t (so it was close!) but the damage is done.
Now, instead of 5 heavily modded shots, starting with a jamming beam to take off the reinforce and followed by Plasmas to strip shields and then three range 1 4 dice shots, I’m now taking a primary with Zorii and range 0 shots with Temmin and Jess. I still bring the VCX down to 4 hull however I am now taking another turn of devastating dice at i6.
The only saving grace in the turn is that Zorii survives when it’s entirely possible she could have died.
From here the situation snowballs, Chopper K-turns but I can’t do the same because Han is in the way. Zorii and Jess turn out and Ello tried for a talon roll but it doesn’t fit, bumping Zorii and leaving him facing the wrong way.
Rebecca picks off Zorii before going into Lulo who rolls 3 blanks.
Ah-ha! Heroic!
Two ships dead and Chopper is still on the board. And Han is about to get in range of a rock for rerolls.
Needless to say, things did not improve from here.
I did get Chopper next turn but it costs me taking very heavy damage into Ello who dies the next turn.
With Sabine doing donuts in the corner just racking up point after point the end is nigh.
I’ve chunked some damage into Han but, with Rebecca deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Han runs away. In a very lose-lose situation Jess and Temmin (both heavily damaged now too) go after him but it exposes Jess to Fenn who initiative kills her and ends the game
Final score: 6 – 21 loss
The conclusion…
Well, what a mixed bag!
That second game was a very VERY interesting one.
On reflection, the choice to go 2 straight in turn 2 instead of 1 straight pretty much set the result. With a 1 straight I keep Zorii at range 2 of Chopper and 3 of Han (less incoming dice and Plasma torps fired)) and don’t bump Jess and Temmin. It’s not an understatement to say that without that, Chopper almost certainly dies (an extra shield off by Zorii’s plasma, an extra die on each shot from Jess and Temmin and both shots double modded). I’m then taking two fewer shots at i6 meaning I can focus on Han a turn earlier (maybe two?) and possibly take him down too.
I guess what I’m saying here is that range control is important. I knew that the 4 straight was coming, I just misjudged how far it would come.
From there it was very difficult (but not impossible) to drag myself back into it but losing Lulo and stupidly crashing Ello into Zorii sealed my fate really.
Still, the game was good fun and a very valuable learning experience. Thanks Rebecca for the game
I think that’s it for this week. Don’t forget to pick up a Welsh Open ticket