I’ve been running a 15 week League in Kansas City and it’s time for the Playoff tournament. I figured I could post the results here because it ought to give us a good look into wave 4 and showcase some of the excellent players we have in the area.

Regular Season Results:
http://challonge.com/KCXWL

Season 1 Playoff Bracket
http://challonge.com/LambaCityPlayoff1

I have to be honest I have no idea who is going to win this round I’m calling it the Unknown Regions (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Unknown_Regions). Wave 4 took all my assumptions and threw them out the window. There are 6 Phantoms in this tournament and I’m excited to see how they do. Skyhopper brought the best counter list but he won’t see a potential phantom until at least the Core Worlds. He might not even make it there. Seems like the only thing that might counter the phantoms in this tournament will be bigger phantoms.

Already Chilling in the Outer Rim Territories
Artfcllyflvrd: http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93377/artfcllyflvrd

This is a very potent list. It combines an absolutely killer closer in Echo with ships that are very good vs the Phantom’s main counter, the Falcon. To win vs Whisper lists the Ties will have to block the area that they don’t want Whisper to go to and hopefully get a decent shot on him.

Round One: Unknown Regions

Banksie http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93171/banksie
v Substitute Fel http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/89575/substitute-fel-week-15

Boy, Banksie better hope a thatch weave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thach_Weave) or something similar can get the phantom in arc. He has the firepower to kill a phantom. B’s are especially good vs a Doom Shuttle as well with their 5 crit protecting shields. This game will basically come down to whether Banksie can corner Whisper quick enough to be able to reasonably fight the remaining ships. If it’s 3 B’s vs shuttle and academies or even possibly 2 this could be a good game. Likely I’d expect to see Whisper mostly avoid arcs and damage.

Prediction: Substitute Fel

JoyNvengeance http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/92849/tourney-list-kcxwl-season-1
v Rogue 9653 http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93176/rogue-9643

Are you there Gunner? JoyNvengeance brings a decent option to kill Echo in a 360 shot with gunner. I’m not sure how often 2 red dice rolled twice will beat 4 green rolled twice but I know that will likely decide the game. The ORS can play havoc with the Defender if left alone and the Shuttle can be pretty easily out maneuvered but under concentrated fire I’m not sure how long the ORS can live with a Defender and Phantom trying to to murder it.

Prediction: JoyNvengeance but I’m not at all confident.

Porkins six http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93178/porkins-six
v Thrawn Junior http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93006/sigma-yorr

I’m sure if there was a redo Porkins Six would opt for ion cannon over blaster turret to lock down those phantoms when they have their cloak down. This game looks like it comes down to the Phantom’s ability to stay at range 3. Strictly speaking I think the B Wings can handle the Lambda. I don’t know if the Grey’s can kill the Sigma’s fast enough with unfocused 3 dice attacks.

Prediction: Thrawn Junior but I’m not at all confident.

Betes http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93181/betes
v Strobe http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/74426/strobe-week-9

I know this is 2v15 seed, but I know that 5 ship rebel is generally a very good way to counter 4 ship rebel. The idea is very simple. Even if the opponent kills a ship, it’s still 4 healthy ships firing on 4 healthy ships on the return fire. Next round you’re either dealing with 4 healthy ships against 3 or 4 healthy ships against 3 healthy ships and a hurt one. I think Betes’ list has a lot of nifty tools to play with. Dutch, 360 turret, Auto hit ion pulse missile, HLC and R3A2. He can use those to neutralize the numbers advantage if he’s clever.

Prediction: Betes but I’m not at all confident.

Sly Murdoc http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/61112/release-the-cracken
v Skyhopper http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93145/yolo420soloswagpraiseit

Skyhopper guessed right. There are a lot of Phantoms… just not in your bracket until at least the Core Worlds round. I’d actually put this list to win vs most Phantom lists. Instead the first matchup puts a bunch of hit points against 3 guns. That’s rough. I think Sly has a really nice swarm that offers a lot of options to shoot at, and that’s actually a good thing for splitting fire. This game will come down to how well Han Solo decides to Yolo! over the match and out maneuver his opponent.

Prediction: Sly Murdoc

Alpha Leader http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93185/alpha-leader
v Clueless http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93183/clueless

Clueless brings a counter to Whisper which will be helpful. I think if given a chance to go one on one Vader stands a chance at killing him but I’d still put my money on Whisper just outgunning Vader. I’m not sure Vader’s 2 attack dice will be enough to kill Whisper even withoutt the extra cloaking agility. There also isn’t a counter for the doom shuttle which will feast of the exposed hulls of the TIE’s and bombers.

Prediction Alpha Leader (I’m currently thinking he’s gonna win the tournament)

Warlord Shaggy http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Galactic%20Empire&d=v3!s!37:11,-1,41,25,-1:-1:-1:;15::-1:-1:;14::-1:-1:;50:58,-1,-1,-1,24:-1:-1
v Flying Vacuum http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/93189/flying-vacuum

Kath Scarlet has the ability to 1v1 both the Bounty Hunter and doom shuttle. But getting a shot on Whisper means exposing your flank to Crit city with the doom shuttle. If you can’t get Whisper early I’m not sure you can get him at all… Decisions Decisions.Shaggy is one hell of a pilot and knows how to fly Kath but I’m not sure if he can get Whisper in time before he loses the rest of his hull exposed list to Vader.

Prediction: Flying Vacuum