So I won the Summer Tournament!

By Zoccola, in X-Wing

Got myself the cool little medal, and a beautiful woman to pin it on me! :)

And most importantly, got myself Pornstache Biggs

14 players, we went 3 rounds.

My list:

Rexler Brath + Predator

Howlrunner

Black Squadron Pilot

Black Squadron Pilot

Black Squadron Pilot

I specifically went with BSP because they are PS4 and my meta is chock full of ps1-2 weenies. I wanted to move second and shoot first. I was also afraid of Predator, and I was expecting other people to field it, which only one other person did, on Rexler too.

Game 1:

Opponent flew

Airen Cracken + Ion Pulse Rocket

Chewbaca + Marksmanship + Gunner + MF

Knave Squadron Pilot

He spread his deploy, putting Cracken on one flank next to Chewie, and the Knave in the middle of the field. I deployed on the opposite flank as the following formation.

BBR

.BH

I had initiative

Turn 1

Moved forward at full clip on the first turn. Tried to TL with Brath so I could see how short I was.

Turn 2

He continued forward with everything (Chewie and Cracken were banking towards the center, and I cut in towards the center with everything doing a hard 3 turn, flying round 2 asteroids. Everything was in range 2 and 3 of the Knave fighter, and it promptly disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Turn 3

Three Blacks shot forward in an attempt to block Chewie. Chewie ran into two BSPs. Cracken ran into Chewie. Howl and Brath stayed back at RB2 of Chewie. Howl fired on Cracken at RB3, took out 1 shield. Brath fired one hit, 2 blanks. Used Howl and Predator to get 3 hits (this would be the recurring theme of the night.) Two evades rolled, and a hit slides through, I opt to not convert it. Cracken shoots a BSP in RB1, hits twice, I dodge once and use an evade (that was the other thing I did all night, TIE/F took evades unless I was completely out of fire arcs. Chewie got to Marksmanship and slammed 3 hits and a crit into a BSP, who dodged 2. Crit turns up Direct Hit. Boom. Final two BSPs finish off Cracken.

Turn 4

My 2 remaining TIEs kTurn 3, landing on the other side of the Falcon, who banks away 2. Brath and Howlrunner also Kturn. Howl runner lands 2 hits, no dodges. Brath lands 3 hits, 1 dodge, Chewie removes a shield from Brath. The 2 BSPs down the shields and do 1 hull.

Turn 5

Not looking pretty for Chewie. Everything moves 2 forward to shed stress. Chewie tries to boot away but is still RB3 from everything. Howl adds another damage to the Falcon, and then Brath lands 3 damage, all of which gets through. I spend the focus and flip up 3 crits on Chewie, including a direct hit (omg that was so satisfying.) Chewie is limping now and finished off by the two remaining BSPs.

Game 2:

Opponent fielded

Han Solo + Gunner + Chewbacca + Marksmanship

Bandit Squadron Pilot + Ion Pulse

Bandit Squadron Pilot + Ion Pulse

Bandit Squadron Pilot

I lost initiative, so he had the initiative. He spread the Z95s across the deployment zone. I deployed directly across from one z95, on a flank, and Han in the center. I used the same formation as above.

Turn 1

Everything sped forward at max speed. Was an inch out from RB3 so I had everything barrel roll, which I think threw off my opponent. Nothing in range

Turn 2

Got the jump on one of the Zs without a missile, it disintegrated from Howl and Braths RB3 fire. Han took some pot shots at Brath, 3 hits, I rolled 1 evade despite having 4 dice. Two remaining BSP did some shield damage to one Z95. Their shots were evaded.

Turn 3

Everything K turned and I got the drop on his Zs. Han added some damage to Howlrunner. Howl landed 3 hits, 2 dodges. BSPs finished off a Z.

Turn 4

Hand move further away, other Z TLs Brath. Han killed Brath. Howlrunner killed the Bandit with the help of the two 2 Zs.

Turn 5

Everything moves foward 2. Han tries to escape. Damages Howlrunner who limped away with 1 hull left. The three TIES took Han down to 2 or 3 hull. They finished him off the following turn.

Game 3 (My opponent was extremely good. He placed second in our regional)

My opponent was using

Blue Squadron Pilot

Blue Squadron Pilot

Blue Squadron Pilot

Blue Squadron Pilot

Bandit Squadron Pilot

He deployed the 4 Bwings in a checkerboard pattern and parallel to the table edge. The Bandit was in the opposite direction. I again deployed in the tight formation, directly across from the Bandit.

Turn 1:

His stuff all banks. All my stuff when full burn.

Turn 2:

My entire squad sped forwards and landed in RB1 of a Bandit piloit. The bandit pilot walked away without a scratch. Howlrunner was hidding behind an asteroid, at RB3 and he was still targeted by 3 Bwings and disappeared in a poof of dust. I rolled 15 green dice and not a single evade!

Turn 3:

My squad advanced slowly and ended up RB1 of a B. It was blown out of the sky in one pass. Never got to fire.

And thus began the dance of the bumpings (I would write more but I am tired and need to go to bed) and kturns. In the end, that stupid Z95 evaded at least 15 hits worth of damage. I managed to kill it on the final turn, and Brath managed to avoid any incoming fire. I won the game 78 to 60 thanks to time (I was loosing, I only had 2 hull left. He had 2 hull left vs a Blue with 3 shields and 3 hull.

My 2 cents. Howlrunner + Brath equiped with Predator is bananas good.

Yeah it looks like Predator was hugely beneficial here. That's a lot more 1-2 PS guys than one sees in my local field. Most people here prefer named pilots, with occasional filler.

All hail the Rexnaissance!

I specifically went with BSP because they are PS4 and my meta is chock full of ps1-2 weenies. I wanted to move second and shoot first. I was also afraid of Predator, and I was expecting other people to field it, which only one other person did, on Rexler too.

then why not going with Obsidians and offer a little hull upgrade to howlrunner, for example ?

I can only see tala squadron z-95 and firesprays where having 4 instead of 3 would matter (a little)

then why not going with Obsidians and offer a little hull upgrade to howlrunner, for example ?

I can only see tala squadron z-95 and firesprays where having 4 instead of 3 would matter (a little)

On the drive to the tournament I asked myself this question. I had originally thought of throwing an Ion Cannon on Brath, fully expecting Howlrunner to be everyone's target for the initial joust and subsequent furball turn. I figured the Ion Cannon would give me an option to deal with a Phantom and to provide end game control. I have run 3 ion defenders and if they can lock you down you are finished, its worse than 4 golds with ion turrets. Brath add that not only can he ionize stuff, but he can flip those ionized damage into crits.

I was also expecting to see a lot of Bloody Daggers as a response to Falcon builds, 4 PS ships with 3 attacks can do serious damage to a mini swarm, and I figured shoot for initiative to try and take out an xwing or two on the joust (even though they will fire back, at least subsequent turns, my survivors will be better off.

In the end, only my wife ran Bloody Daggers, so the point was moot.

. Brath add that not only can he ionize stuff, but he can flip those ionized damage into crits.

........ you'll have to pardon me while I go get my ships.