The intro…
Well hello! Welcome to the blog!
You’ll maybe have noticed there that I didn’t say ‘this week’s’. I wanted to out of habit but let’s be honest, I’ve not been posting weekly for a little while now so it feels dishonest to say!
That’s not exactly out of choice, I’d have loved to be posting more regularly but life has been busy with work, kids (even though they’re big now) and house stuff I just seem to feel more tired these days.
Anyway, that’s enough of that, let’s get to some X-Wing content*!
*if you can really call it content!
Before I get into the amin topic there’s a few things I want to cover.
First up – The Welsh Open 2026!
Tickets are still available but are getting more limited. We have a bit less space in this year’s venue so as of right now (as in, while I’m writing this) we have just TEN tickets left! TEN! So if you’re looking for some premier level X-Wing (and maaaaybe it’ll be an official XWA System Open, we’re waiting to hear!) on the 4th and 5th of July this year in NEWPORT (not Cardiff) then get yourself over to the Facebook event page and get your name down! If you don’t do Facebook then message me directly or tag me on whichever platform you see the blog and I’ll sort it out for you.
But hurry up!
As a precursor to the Welsh Open we’re also having a Squad Championship level event on the 6th of June. Space is limited to 16 players and tickets are £15 so, like above, check out the Facebook event page for more info!
Lastly, it’s very much worth mentioning that it is (provided I get this post out quickly!) the week of the XWA X-Wing World Championship! (OMG it’s already started!! Check out the 312 stream – https://www.twitch.tv/312_squadron)
I sadly am not going to be there myself but I want to wish all the best to everyone who is heading there and also give a special shout out to Dwight Lindsay who is TO-ing the event and Levi Schadt who is judging! There are MANY MANY others involved not just at the event but in the planning and build up too, far too many to mention but I want tot hank in advance those who are involved.
Alrighty, let’s get into some X-Wing, shall we?
The main bit…
As I covered in the last post, I attended the Sith takers Open last month. I did pretty decently at the main event, going 3-2 and finishing just fractionally above half way in the final standings.
So since I didn’t make cut, what did I do on the Sunday? Well, I played the side event!
The side event was going to be a doubles event, a lot like Worlds 2024 (and maybe 2025? Not sure, I wasn’t there!).
Every player could bring 23 points of ships (apparently 24 would allow Boba plus something and the prospect of double Boba’s wasn’t appealing!) with a mostly ‘do what you want’ rule set.
I took the following:
Old Teroch – Fang Fighter (12)
Fearless (3)
Electronic Baffle (2)
Mandalorian Optics (3)
Ship Cost: 12 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 6 Damage Threshold: 2
The Mandalorian (AaD) – Naboo Royal N-1 Starfighter (11)
Outmaneuver (0)
The Child (AaD) (0)
Kineso-Switch (AaD) (0)
Calibrated Laser Targeting (0)
Ship Cost: 11 Loadout: (0) Half Points: 5 Damage Threshold: 2
Total: 23
View in YASB: https://yasb.app/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v10ZsZ50Z98X121WW106W446Y713X126W594W595W200&sn=Unnamed%20Squadron&obs=
My reasons? I have a metal Naboo N-1 and matching acrylic base plate (because being XWA Prize lead should have its perks! Also I did legitimately win the base plate…) and a beautifully painted Fang thanks to Ryan Coyle of Iksentrik and Fenn was too expensive.
Both are i5 and reasonable and, let’s be honest, I’m in this for the fun!
After our round 5 game the day before Phill Blackmore and I had agreed to partner for the event and so we signed up! Since we are both members of (and met through) the Welsh XTC team we entered with the team name Cymru Am Byth!
Phill was flying Y-Wings!
Aftab Ackbar – BTA-NR2 Y-wing (7)
Dorsal Turret (3)
R4 Astromech (2)
Electronic Baffle (2)
Angled Deflectors (1)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 3
C’ai Threnalli – BTA-NR2 Y-wing (7)
Dorsal Turret (3)
R4 Astromech (2)
Angled Deflectors (1)
Electronic Baffle (2)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 3
Shasa Zaro – BTA-NR2 Y-wing (9)
Enduring (3)
Ion Cannon Turret (6)
R4 Astromech (2)
Angled Deflectors (1)
Electronic Baffle (2)
Ship Cost: 9 Loadout: (14/14) Half Points: 4 Damage Threshold: 3
Total: 23
View in YASB: https://yasb.app/?f=Resistance&d=v10ZsZ50Z482XW137W5WW106W247Y484XWW137W5WW247W106Y480X456WW138W5WW247W106&sn=Unnamed%20Squadron&obs=
Our general strategy was that Phill’s Y-Wings would cruise in a block while Old T and Mando would attempt to flank. Seems sold, right? We’ll see!
Round 1 – Bristol ZummerZet
Instant familiar faces! We got paired into Mark Packer-Hughes and Richard Greenaway who had gone full ‘dad squad’ with a pair of T-70 Resistance X-Wings each.
Both of them know what they’re doing with Resistance ships so this certainly wasn’t going to be easy.
I manage to leverage Mando’s speed early on by drawing two T-70’s out wide and dodging shots from both while Old T comes in to the middle to support the Y-Wings against the other X-Wings.
Things start off pretty level as we trade damage but gradually Phill and I start removing guns from the other side.
Our ship advantage means we outscore on objectives on a couple of turns and as time is called we are ahead!
Result: 25 – 24 win
Round 2 – Underdog and the Champ
Now, I have to admit that while I always try to be as positive as I can when playing a game, when you’re up against a World Champion it’s a little tricky to not have already lost in your head before dice are rolled.
Yes, we got Illy and Marcin and they had Rebels (Wedge and Pops) and Republic (Delta 7 Obi-Wan and ETA Aayla).
Things started off pretty well as we got lucky with shots into Aayla and took her our with Y-Wings in exchange for half of Cai.
It was all downhill from there though as we lost Mando on a tight action choice (not helped by ROAD!) and then half of Old T and Cai on the last turn while only picking up half of Wedge in reply.
IT was a great game though!
Result: 28 – 38 loss
Round 3 – Fatties for Natties
Why yes, that IS an interesting team name!
Since the event was 3 rounds with no cut we already knew this game was just for funsies. It was also going to be a ‘Dylan-off’ with Ale Furgo being joined by Dylan Jenkins from Steel City X-Wing.
This game was very interesting and very tight!
Phill and I started off well, managing to Dodge Oicunn and get enough damage in to halve him quite early.
Unfortunately we failed to keep that pressure on and despite being 4 points ahead going in tot he last turn Dylan and Ale managed to take Shasa off the board in the last turn of the game to take the victory!
Result: 21 – 26 loss
The conclusion
Now while it’s not fair to say that the side event doesn’t matter (because there were lightsabers for the winners!), the side event, for me, is always a more fun and casual day than the main tournament.
And that is indeed how it played out. We had three good, fun games and I played against 4 people I’d never played against before which is always a great thing at events this size.
The doubles format is one that I really REALLY enjoy. I find it so interesting getting someone else’s perspective on all aspects of the game. Moves, actions, targets, all of it. It always fascinates me the decisions that are made and how you get to that conclusion.
We managed to finish 27th out of the 44 teams that played which isn’t too bad! If you fancy checking out final standings you can do that here – https://www.longshanks.org/event/31650/
That’s it from me for this week. I will be back at some point soon (maybe next week?!). Enjoy watching Worlds!
The outro…
Thank you so much for visiting my blog, I hope you’ve enjoyed it! If you’d like to support me in continuing my X-Wing blogging adventure there are a few ways you can do that.
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