The intro…
Hello there and welcome to this week’s blog!
There’s been a VERY interesting turn of events with regards to the new Battle over Endor pack that’s coming out soon.
I have to admit that seeing posts from AMG on Discord insisting that it would be legal for Worlds when it’s only due to be released 1 week before (having already been pushed back from, well, 2023 originally I guess) definitely gave me pause.
I’ve seen discussions about whether it would or wouldn’t be legal, how people could get hold of it, what if some places get it on time and others don’t and so on. It’s been a bit of a mess really.
And the, almost out of nowhere, AMG post this:
Credit where it’s due, while I might be critical of some of the stuff AMG has done, I actually think this is a very good fix for this problem.
It avoids the nightmare of print & play, keeps the door closed on self-brought proxies at official tournaments AND it keeps product going through local game stores (rather than bypassing them and bringing the set directly to Adepticon).
Overall, while the whole thing may feel like a problem of AMG’s own making (and while I think there’s an element of that, they can’t necessarily account for all the potential delays in printing/packing/shipping), they have managed to avert a minor disaster and some embarrassment.
Bravo AMG, bravo.
Before I get started I just want to shout out about tickets for the Welsh Open again.
It’s coming up on the 6th & 7th of July, doesn’t clash with any other major events (well, not so far anyway!) and as well as a heavily stacked table of bounty prizes we will have plenty of stuff for everyone in terms of participation prizes.
We will also have a very tasty prize being prepared by Ryan Coyle (iksentrik) which is now in the works as well!
It’s going to be AWESOME!
So get your ticket from here and then head over to the Facebook event page to follow what’s going on and ask any questions that you have.
BUT WAIT, I’M NOT DONE!
We are finally having another store tournament in Firestorm Games in Newport! Wooooo!
The top prize will be a FREE TICKET TO THE WELSH OPEN (or a refund if you’ve already bought yours) and we’ll have plenty of participation prizes to give away too!
Tickets for this event will work a bit differently this time, please head to this Facebook event page and follow the instructions there to buy your ticket.
Since this is pretty much almost the last meaningful blog I’ll do before Worlds (as my upcoming weekend is CRAZY busy), there’s something I need to say.
If you will be at worlds PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come and say hello! I am quite socially awkward and struggle with meeting people and small talk so if you’re the kind of person who will happily walk up to someone and instigate a conversation then make sure you say hi if you see me! I will have pocketfuls (pockets full?) of stickers and if we’ve played or interacted online before then I’m sure I’ll have something I can dig out for you.
How will you know it’s me? Well I’ll almost certainly be wearing either an Exile Squadron t-shirt or a Wales XTC one but just in case, this is who you’re looking for:
Self posted photo. Cringe.
Right, on to the games!
The batreps… (JARGON ALERT!!)
This past week I made a rather startling discovery.
First of all, there’s now just over a week (ONE WEEK!!!) until I get on a plane, go to Chicago and play plastic spaceships with hundreds of other people.
But secondly, as it’s my youngest son’s parents evening on the 13th of March and on the 20th of March I’m on a plane, this would possibly be the LAST OPPORTUNITY for me to actaully play in person before going to Worlds.
I’d rocked up to Firestorm intending to get one, maybe two games in, chat through some things, probably try out my alternate list one more time and then do some ‘serious’ reps the next week. Except I may not get next week.
So, as I was on ‘training’ (read – watching over 30 hours of videos on a topic I’m already pretty familiar with and answering questions) I managed to get to Firestorm SUPER early, as did Steve Boulton.
I abandoned the plan to try again with the list I’d flown last week and decided to really lock in with my main list, making sure I was confident of deployment, formation, and so on.
In terms of objectives and obstacles I’m reasonably flexible. There’s things I sort of do or don’t want but broadly speaking I’ll manage with whatever.
For my list I’ve still got Heroic, Advanced Optics and Lone Wolf on Lulo.
L’ulo L’ampar (4)
Lone Wolf (3)
Heroic (2)
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)
Swarm Tactics (5)
Heroic (2)
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
Being that Steve and I were SO early it looked like we’d get 2 games in against each other and then I would need to head off roughly when the others were arriving so we knew it would be just the two of us for now.
As always when there’s more than one game to cover, this won’t be turn by turn recounting.
Game 1 – Resistance
Before Steve made the jump to First Order I seem to remember he played a fair amount of Resistance or at least, I remember him playing Lulo and that stupid A-Wing would just never die!
Anyway, following the success of Tom Fieldsend and Matt Coggins at STO with a Resistance list Steve is considering taking the same thing as a second list to Worlds in a few weeks.
Poe Dameron (7)
Heroic (2)
R4 Astromech (2)
Proton Torpedoes (12)
Overdrive Thruster (5)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Black One (0)
Mag-Pulse Warheads (4)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (25/25) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 3
Rey (7)
Heroic (2)
Rose Tico (9)
Novice Technician (2)
Finn (9)
Engine Upgrade (3)
Rey’s Millennium Falcon (0)
Ship Cost: 7 Loadout: (25/25) Half Points: 3 Damage Threshold: 5
Shasa Zaro (3)
Dorsal Turret (2)
Concussion Bombs (4)
Delayed Fuses (1)
Wartime Loadout (2)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (9/9) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 4
Corus Kapellim (3)
Dorsal Turret (2)
Concussion Bombs (4)
Wartime Loadout (2)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (8/8) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 4
Total: 20
Interesting. Having two marquee 7 point pieces with two chunky fillers is an interesting way to build out a list. I guess in principle it’s similar to double Decimators except that one of these pieces can disappear at will.
Let’s hit the Pre-Flight checks:
Scenario – Assault at the Satellite Array
Target/Objective Priority – In order to win I HAVE to take out at least one of the 7 pointers. Rey is probably the easier of the two.
Obstacles – I need/want a lane to bring my ships but using them to make objectives hard to claim is probably more important.
Deployment – I’m going to try Lulo way out on his own while the others stick in a block.
We place objectives, obstacles and ships and we’re ready to go.
Being that I was first player, I had to place all of my ships before Rey and Poe went down and that’s counted against me here. I’m also concerned that Poe can dive in at Lulo really early on and maybe get a turn 1 torp.
I turn Lulo in towards the middle while my block will speed up to the rock to come around it.
Sure enough, Steve tries the torp with Poe but my bank and roll kept Lulo out. Just barely.
At this point I’m all set to joust Rey in the middle but Steve has other ideas…
Interesting.
I get a shield from Rey but lose half of Lulo. I’ve now also got target priority questions. Chase Rey or go for Poe?
I sort of try a little of both.
I hate to split fire but putting all my eggs in the Poe basket is rather risky. It sort of comes off though as I manage to chase Rey off while still getting one decent shot into her and one into Poe. Steve’s choice of locking with Poe and then linking to an Overdrive Thrusters barrel roll lands him rather closer to the obstacle than he wanted and he’s sort of ok with it until he realises something the next turn.
Poe doesn’t kill Lulo so the A-Wing unloads into Shasa
The Y-Wings dutifully finish off what Poe couldn’t and Lulo is gone and I’ve lost a shield on Ello. In return I’ve got shields down on Rey (but she’s disengaging), shields almost down on Shasa and, well, that’s it. Not ideal but, given he’s facing an obstacle, I figure I’ll go in at Poe.
It’s just as Poe is about to move that Steve makes a rather upsetting discovery (upsetting for him, that is). That obstacle is a debris.
He hard turns over it, planning to roll and boost but the automatic stress it gives prevents ANY of it.
And I now have all 4 guns on Poe.
Yes, Poe does die.
In return Steve gets 3 more damage into Ello, leaving him on 3 hull but my position is, I think, pretty decent.
I’m sure the bombers are about to start dropping so I plan accordingly with Ello, planning to bank around the rock and boost while Temmin, Jess and Zorii start turning around to face the incoming Falcon.
It comes off reasonably ok, with Ello dodging the Concussion bomb but Zorii taking one. Oops. I pop a few shots into Rey but don’t get anything through while the return fire from her takes 1 shield from Temmin.
Up to this point the score is VERY even. Steve’s objective play has kept him in the game despite losing Poe and he’s up 14 to 13.
Next turn I go all-in on Rey.
One of the strenghts of my list is to put silly amounts of damage out and large base 1 agility ships can just melt in front of it and that’s what happened here.
Even without the Plasma Torps stripping an extra shield and even with Ello being at range 3, I take Rey out at i5 without Temmin getting to shoot her.
She takes out Ello in return but it isn’t enough
Final score: 22 – 19 win
Mini conclusion…
While it looks like a good result, I think I got lucky here. Steve’s lack of experience with the list coupled with the poor choice with Poe is what swung the game. Just 3 points between us at the end but without getting BOTH of the 7 points ships I’m not close to winning this.
I should have paid more attention to claiming/nullifying objectives I think.
Game 2 – First Order
Now Steve reverts back to this list he’s almost certainly taking to Worlds.
Kylo Ren (TIE Whisper) (5)
Instinctive Aim (2)
Brilliant Evasion (2)
Concussion Missiles (5)
Advanced Optics (5)
Enhanced Jamming Suite (0)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (14/14) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
“Whirlwind” (4)
Marksmanship (1)
Fanatical (2)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Advanced Optics (5)
Enhanced Jamming Suite (0)
Ship Cost: 4 Loadout: (12/12) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 2
“Quickdraw” (5)
Fanatical (2)
Swarm Tactics (5)
Targeting Synchronizer (3)
Special Forces Gunner (0)
Fire-Control System (2)
Ship Cost: 5 Loadout: (12/12) Half Points: 2 Damage Threshold: 3
“Midnight” (3)
Crack Shot (4)
Predator (3)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (7/7) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 2
Commander Malarus (3)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Ship Cost: 3 Loadout: (4/4) Half Points: 1 Damage Threshold: 2
Total: 20
I’ve faced this a few times and it’s always felt like a tough match. High initiatives, poor target options and taking too much damage have been the issues.
Let’s check those Pre-Flight checks:
Scenario – Salvage Mission
Target/Objective Priority – I just don’t even know! I’ll avoid Quickdraw unless I can definitely get her all in one turn.
Obstacles – Same as before, a decent lane but otherwise I don’t mind.
Deployment – Same as before, Lulo and a block.
We place down all the things and get started.
I know what you’re thinking – ‘that’s not a block!’. Yes, you’re right. As I was placing first again, I went where I did with Jess in order to pick up a box. If I’ve learned anything with the many reps I now have with this list, it’s that I do NOT want to pick up with Temmin or Lulo. Therefore it’s got to be Jess, Zorii or Ello. With this in mind I figure Jess can pick up the closest one to me while the block of 3 can pick up the middle right.
Now that everything’s placed I’m a little worried about Lulo so will bank in to keep my options open.
I feel now like I should have gone a little faster with the block but otherwise I’m ok with it. Steve has messed up hi opening by bumping Quickdraw into Whirlwind.
I then make a call with Lulo, deciding to turn at Kylo. In hindsight, this was… unwise.
Jess and Zorii pick up boxes, as does Malarus. Lulo is in a spot of bother though and it’s basically the Lone Wolf that’s influenced that turn. If I’d have banked towards Jess instead to stay safe then Kylo would be out of position.
Ah well….
Lulo lives though!
Next turn, Whirlwind comes in to block while Malarus approaches. QD stays back, Midnight swings in but Kylo (having lost shields to Lulo) decides to turn away and rotate his arc.
A rear arc instinctive aim finished Lulo off but I take out Malarus and strip Midnight’s shield in return. Ello and Zorii have lost some shields but they’re not critical.
By killing Malarus I dropped Steve’s crate but Midnight picked up so Steve still picks up 1 point to my 2.
With QD having to come in this turn I decide to try some ‘big brain’ moves to get a killbox. I’m also wary of Steve bringing the SF over the rock to take damage and take the bonus shot in the activation phase.
Which he promptly does, putting a hit into Jess.
My ‘big brain’ moves haven’t really worked out as I’ve missed QD with Ello but Temmin does just about catch the SF (but at the cost of two damage by talon rolling over the rock!).
I manage to take down Quickdraw with the 1 damage into Jess being the only one I take this turn.
Points are racking up.
I talon roll Jess out of the way so my other 3 ships can try to turn in to converge on the middle but as Temmin is stressed and I’m not sure will fit, he goes 3 straight to come around next time.
Steve hard turns Whirlwind but doesn’t get the block on Zorii so is taking 2 range 1 shots. Midnight finishes bumped into WW but would have hit Zorii so can still red focus.
From here Midnight pumps some damage into Ello but Whirlwind is wiped out and while I can’t recall the exact score, with the two boxes I’m carrying I hit the magic number.
Result: 20-ish – 10-ish win
The conclusion…
Ok, let me cover the positives first.
Two wins = good
Losing 3 ships in total across 2 games = not terrible.
Looking deeper though, I can’t take these wins at face value. Let’s explore…
Lulo died both times, fairly easily. I’m feeling like I’m leaning far too hard into trying for Lone Wolf. A-Wings dying to blank outs is something that happens, sure, but when it’s as regularly as I’m seeing, it becomes a concern.
Do I change Lulo’s loadout to shield & heroic? Or perhaps just swap Advanced Optics for Pattern Analyzer? Maybe Elusive in the mix there somewhere? I feel it’s quite late to be making major changes but I’m 3failing to trigger Lone Wolf when I really need it- and forgetting the Optics is even there. Something to think about for sure.
In general I’m finding a way to get things done which is a positive in itself. Quite how much of it is me playing the player rather than the list is something else to consider. Steve and I have played each other quite a lot recently so I need to be wary of assuming too much.
List assumption is another pitfall to avoid. I’m fairly sure I know what I’m facing when Steve breaks out the FO but I need to make sure I know what opposing ships have and can do BEFORE reaching the first engagement.
Overall I feel pretty decent going in to Worlds. I’m not expecting to make too many waves. A couple of wins would be nice but I’m there for the experience, the buzz, the atmosphere. Honestly, I’m SO excited!
I guess that’s about if for this week. Like I said, if you’re at Worlds come and say hello. I think maybe it goes without saying but with the schedule for Adepticon being pretty busy, getting back home, Easter weekend and then immediately a holiday with the family, it may be a little while before I get another normal blog out but don’t you worry, I will have PLENTY to talk about from Chicago and I’ll get it all out eventually!
BRING IT ON!
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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Exile Initiates:
Douglas Thomson
Exile Rookies:
Ben Kennedy
Exile Veterans:
Mark Beor, Daniel Barringer, Michael Bird, Steve Boulton, Jason Desmarais, Darin Schwarze, Alex Peters-Bean
Exile Commanders:
Kevin Larsen, HasNolo, David Bryan
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You are all amazing humans!