Ohio Regional BatRep (not to be confused with the winners report)

By Johdo, in X-Wing Battle Reports

Posted at

While i didn't win, i feel that reporting on how you did...for good or bad...can be helpful to others on what to do, or more importantly what NOT to do.

Congrats to the winner. Props to my MI brethren for having a nice showing in the Top 8.

Thanks to Epic Loots for hosting.

If you were there, i was the guy in the "Fly Casual" shirt wearing a Detroit Tigers hat.

The squad of choice...

Capt. Jonus /w Squad Leader

2 x Gamma Squadron /w Concussion, Cluster

2x Academy Pilot

I took 3 different lists, but settled on this one as i am most familiar playing it and figured i had to be comfortable playing a list i was literally going to play ALL day. At the start of the event, there were 44 entries i believe? Maybe 46. Either way, it was a decent turnout.

In each match, i set my squad up in the following formation.

A A

G J G

I tried to set up Asteroids in each of the four corners allowing my bombers to stick close to Jonus until the initial volley was launched.

Round 1.

Carnor Jax + PTL, Kir Kanos, RGP + PTL, Saber + VI

He wins the toss, and chooses to keep Initiative. I setup in my Left corner, and he spread out across the back starting in the opposite corner. I move up and bank past the asteroid closest to me. RGP and Alpha move forward and bank into the middle getting stuck on an asteroid. My Bombers eyes open wide, and those 2 ships are not long for the Galaxy but not before Kir and Carnor remove an Academy. Carnor and Kir try to zoom in behind me, but my Gammas k-turn while Jonus keeps straight to stay within re-roll range. 2 more missiles fly, and 2 more Interceptors leave the galaxy.

1-0

Round 2.

Lando + Push the Limit + Recon Specialist + Nien Nunb, Chewbacca + Recon Specialist + Millennium Falcon + Draw Their Fire + Anti Pursuit Lasers (2nd place winner)
I can't remember who won Initiative, but it wouldn't have mattered due to PS. He was able to place the Asteroids in a nice line along the middle of the map basically cutting the play area in half. I setup in my Left corner, and he in the opposite corner. I fly straight, and he hard turns to fly along the back to the other side of the map. He turns to meet me and i'm thinking Bombs away!!! Missiles were launched, but Chewy had the force, and my ordnance did sub-par damage. His dice were Hot and each YT one-shotted a TIE Fighter. More missiles fly and i'm starting to get in good damage on Chewy, but not before Chewy relieves Jonus of his duties. From here, Chewy has decent hull left, and Lando barely a scratch. My Bombers don't last too much longer.
It should be noted that of all the green dice i rolled in this match, only 1 Evade symbol actually showed up. I don't think i would have won this match, but i'm sure you math-wing kids out there will tell me that's statistically obsurd to only have 1 Evade through an entire match. *shrug*
1-1
Round 3.
2 Falcons again! Han + Gunner + PTL, Chewy + MF title, Recon Spec
I win initiative, and choose to give it away. I set up in my Left corner, and they choose to set up across from me. I was able to rush the Academies up and block as my Missiles do their thing. Better re-rolls from Jonus this time, and Chewy isn't long for the Galaxy...albeit at the expense of 3 ordnance. Han one-shots a TIE and flees the scrum. As my bombers pursue, Han takes out Jonus, but not before i'm able to get my last missile off. Time is called, and on the last shot, Han is destroyed turning a Modified Win for them into a Full Win for me.
Dice were better in this match on missiles. Defense were about average, however they were getting some bad rolls on damage from Han...even with the re-rolls.
2-1
Round 4.
Biggs, Luke, Wedge with some upgrades that have escaped me.
He wins and keeps initiative. I set up in my Right corner this time due to some heavy asteroid placement along the left. He sets up across from me and jousts. Academies get in close and start action denying. 2 nicely rolled missiles and Biggs leaves the galaxy, but not before he takes 1 TIE Fighter with him. I K-turn with the bombers to joust again, as my academy stays close to action deny. My missiles make quick work of Wedge as he can't get any actions in. 3 Bombers and 1 TIE Fighter are too much for Luke, and he is dispatched.
Successful TIE blocking on this match was the MVP as he was action denied during the Alpha. Coupled with some bad dice on his end, and this match was over quickly.
He asked me what he should have differently, and i told him
1. Don't Joust Bombers.
2. Go for Jonus.
3-1
Round 5.
Biggs, 2 Blue + AdvS, Gold + ION Turret (Torresse)
He wins initiative, and gives it to me. I set up in my Left corner, and he in the opposite. We fly forward and bank into the middle. I put the hurt on Biggs and one of his B wings (Range 3 shot and Biggs was out of my Arc). He ION's my bomber who is now stuck on an Asteroid. 2 more ships join me on this asteroid and i'm thinking "is there free beer in there?". I focus on the Y as my ships are getting picked off and IONized left and right. With the Y down to 1 Hull i make the mistake of taking a R1 on a B-wing instead of R3 on the Y. With the Y still on the map, my ION'ed Bombers succumb to focus fire from the B wings. Time is called and destroys my last Bomber turning his Modified Win into a Full Win.
Somewhere in this match, i could start to feel the fatigue of the day setting in as the mental mistakes were gradually increasing...which is no discredit to my opponent, but the match may have gone very differently had i been up to speed. *shrug*
3-2
Round 6.
Soontir Fel + Push the Limit; Targeting Computer; 2x Royal Guard Pilot + Push the Limit; Alpha Sq. Pilot
He wins initiative and chooses to keep. I set up in my Left corner, and he in the opposite. Instead of flying forward to bank into the middle, i choose to bank right off the start hoping to come up into the middle to avoid a potential flank from the Interceptors. My idea sorta worked, but my initial volley wasn't able to remove an Interceptor from the map. Even with Jonus re-rolls i wasn't getting much and to his credit his Defense dice were smokin'. His Int's move into some good spots, and pick my TIE's off with ease. I was able to get my Bombers back into position for another volley, but not before Jonus is destroyed. My non-Jonus missiles don't offer up much damage, and in the end his Ints are just TOO maneuverable for my Bombers to handle.
During this match, the fatigue from the day was in full force as i was making mistakes all over the place. Bad dice on my end vs. good dice on his hands me my last loss for the day.
3-3
Finished the day 20 or 21 in the standings.
Takeaways:
-As much as i thought i was prepared for a marathon day of gaming, i still needed more. In my early matches i was good and attentive, but by the end of the day it was getting hard to concentrate on simple things.
-I knew going in that Bombers were a high-risk / high-reward type of list...and it sure was. Matches i played were either finished in the first 30 minutes, or they went to time. No in-between.
-I sometimes tend to rush decisions and then second guess myself after the fact. Need to learn to just go with my gut and deal with it. Over-thinking a decision can sometimes be worse than just doing what you thought was right in the first place. This would have been more evident when trying to use the TIEs to block.
TL:DR - I had fun.
Edited by Johdo
Posted at

I'm glad you had fun. I'm surprised you setup the way you did instead of

A A G G

J

That way you can lure people into attacking your Gammas, while the Academies do a three bank into perfect blocking position for the first real combat. It works pretty well and it can catch people off guard as they get target fixation on the bombers.

Posted at

A A G G

J

I'll have to try that next time. I've been playing with the TIEs in front as a 4 and 5 forward followed by either a barrel roll or 1 turn usually denies a jousting fleet. If there is no joust, then I break the TIEs off from the bomber pack and use there speed to either cut off the incoming squad, or try to flank.