Felt the front page needed at least a few topics about the game itself, and not just the vast social deficiencies of some of the players.

So no matter what game I play I always care more about Lore than the mechanics and winning. I like to think it's because I have a rich imagination, and not just because when you suck as bad as I do at winning games you need a coping mechanism. Anyway, bought a Lambda today, and I decided to make a nice fluffy lore-heavy list:

Basically, the Rebels have 100pts to put together a strike force to ambush this Imperial Convoy:

- Colonel Jendon (Lambda Class Shuttle) 48pts

ST-321 Title

Darth Vader

Rebel Captive

Heavy Laser Cannon

Sensor Jammer

Anti-Pursuit Lasers.

- Tempest Squadron Pilot (TIE Advanced) 25pts

Concussion Missiles

- Obsidian Squadron Pilot 13pts

- Obsidian Squadron Pilot 13pts

Lore: The Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger, under the personal command of Lord Vader has captured a secret rebel outpost hidden within a dense asteroid field. Forced to remain on the outskirts due to it's size, Avenger was forced to let it's fighters and commandos take the base. Despite heavy losses, the base was taken, and a high value target was captured. Wishing to waste no time, Vader has begun the interrogation aboard the shuttle. His personal TIE Advanced is being flown back by one of the commandos, along with the surviving Obsidian Squadron pilots. Unknown to the Imperials, the outpost was one of two, both operating in the same asteroid field. The remaining base must quickly scramble a force to intercept and destroy the Imperials before they reach the edge of the asteroids.

Battlefield: Rebels get to set up two asteroids for every one the Imperials place. Imperial Shuttle must get from one table edge to the opposite. Rebels deploy second, and can begin on any table edge.

Rebel Squad Building Rules: 100pts, no unique cards.

So what would you bring, and/or what do you think of the mission?

Tempest Squadron Pilot is OP!!

Oh, wait...

I like this (even if I'm enjoying the other threads as well)! Have you written it up in the new mission engine that they snuck up on us this week?

Tempest Squadron Pilot is OP!!

Oh, wait...

I like this (even if I'm enjoying the other threads as well)! Have you written it up in the new mission engine that they snuck up on us this week?

Not yet. I need feedback first.

I would agree those 24 points are better spent elsewhere, but overall, it's a cool scenario.

It also seems like it would be the second mission in a campaign of serial/parallel-possible missions.

I would agree those 24 points are better spent elsewhere, but overall, it's a cool scenario.

There are definitely stronger options, but it's there for fluff reasons. Vader had to land during the battle and help ensure the captive was taken alive.

Felt the front page needed at least a few topics about the game itself, and not just the vast social deficiencies of some of the players.

So no matter what game I play I always care more about Lore than the mechanics and winning. I like to think it's because I have a rich imagination, and not just because when you suck as bad as I do at winning games you need a coping mechanism. Anyway, bought a Lambda today, and I decided to make a nice fluffy lore-heavy list:

Basically, the Rebels have 100pts to put together a strike force to ambush this Imperial Convoy:

- Colonel Jendon (Lambda Class Shuttle) 48pts

ST-321 Title

Darth Vader

Rebel Captive

Heavy Laser Cannon

Sensor Jammer

Anti-Pursuit Lasers.

- Tempest Squadron Pilot (TIE Advanced) 25pts

Concussion Missiles

- Obsidian Squadron Pilot 13pts

- Obsidian Squadron Pilot 13pts

Lore: The Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger, under the personal command of Lord Vader has captured a secret rebel outpost hidden within a dense asteroid field. Forced to remain on the outskirts due to it's size, Avenger was forced to let it's fighters and commandos take the base. Despite heavy losses, the base was taken, and a high value target was captured. Wishing to waste no time, Vader has begun the interrogation aboard the shuttle. His personal TIE Advanced is being flown back by one of the commandos, along with the surviving Obsidian Squadron pilots. Unknown to the Imperials, the outpost was one of two, both operating in the same asteroid field. The remaining base must quickly scramble a force to intercept and destroy the Imperials before they reach the edge of the asteroids.

Battlefield: Rebels get to set up two asteroids for every one the Imperials place. Imperial Shuttle must get from one table edge to the opposite. Rebels deploy second, and can begin on any table edge.

Rebel Squad Building Rules: 100pts, no unique cards.

So what would you bring, and/or what do you think of the mission?

Make the Tie Advanced a Tie Bomber perhaps? If you need a fluff reason, how about this: They didn't spend time fighting in ships on the planet as it was more of a ground assault, so Vader opted to be escorted to the planet in a Lambda rather than fly his personal Advanced. The reason the Bomber was taken was to bomb the base as a distraction while the Imperial forces stormed it by foot. the Fighters were there as an escort to the Bomber and the Lambda.

I enjoy the thematic...

Gold Squadron x2 w/ IC, R2 unit

Red Squadron x2 w/ R2 unit

Rebels may begin on any table edge? Even "behind" the imperials, on the imperial edge (just asking, not sure if that's a good option for the rebels...)?

Real concern though: The rebels just have to destroy the Shuttle, they can focus all their force on that goal. The imperials will need more ships/points to make it a worthy challenge, maybe add 2 more Obsidians... If one side just have to destroy a single target my experience so far says that the game lasts for no longer than 2 turns after the fighting starts.

Other than that, cool scenario. I will give it a try (but I will add the extra ships).

Rebels may begin on any table edge? Even "behind" the imperials, on the imperial edge (just asking, not sure if that's a good option for the rebels...)?

Real concern though: The rebels just have to destroy the Shuttle, they can focus all their force on that goal. The imperials will need more ships/points to make it a worthy challenge, maybe add 2 more Obsidians... If one side just have to destroy a single target my experience so far says that the game lasts for no longer than 2 turns after the fighting starts.

Other than that, cool scenario. I will give it a try (but I will add the extra ships).

Maybe it should say "any edge besides the Imperials starting edge".

As rebel I would bring:

Green A-Wing with Ion Pulse Missile, Failsafe, Deadeye (24)

Dagger Squad B-Wing, Advanced Sensors (27)

Tala Squad Pilot, Cluster Missile, Hull Upgrade (20)

Red Squad Pilot X-Wing, Proton Torp, R7 Astromech (29)

Rebels may begin on any table edge? Even "behind" the imperials, on the imperial edge (just asking, not sure if that's a good option for the rebels...)?

Real concern though: The rebels just have to destroy the Shuttle, they can focus all their force on that goal. The imperials will need more ships/points to make it a worthy challenge, maybe add 2 more Obsidians... If one side just have to destroy a single target my experience so far says that the game lasts for no longer than 2 turns after the fighting starts.

Other than that, cool scenario. I will give it a try (but I will add the extra ships).

Ooooooo! Brain-wave:

Maybe the rebel objective should be to destroy everything but the shuttle before it leaves the board?

How about this:

Rebel Objectives: Cripple the shuttle and destroy all escorts before the Shuttle leaves the board = Major Rebel Victory.

Destroy all Imperial Ships = Minor Rebel Victory.

Shuttle Escapes or Survives = Major Imperial Victory.

Shuttle Destroyed AND all Rebels destroyed = Minor Imperial Victory.

SHUTTLE IS CRIPPLED IF IT IS REDUCED TO LESS THAN 3 HULL POINTS. CRIPPLED SHUTTLES CAN ONLY EXECUTE 1 OR 2 SPEED MOVES.

Huh, that sounds interesting, especially since you have to be careful to not destroy the shuttle accidentally.

Since there's an important rebel captive onboard destruction of the Shuttle should be a draw (at best) - the Imperials got rid of that scum dude, and the rebels don't have to fear that sensible data was leaked.

I will return with a BR :-)

with the new rule I would change my squad somewhat, to include an Ion Cannon - remove Hull upgrade from Tala and add Ion Cannon to B-Wing. Ion Cannon gives a reliable max 1 damage, no accidental overkill.

I think the rebels should get at least 150 points because it does not take a ship the size of a Shuttle that many turns to get across the board. I would also let the Rebels place all of their asteroids after the Imperials have set up.

I would bring some Y-Wings with ion turrets to slow that space cow down. I would also consider Chewie with anti-pursuit lasers to park in front of the cow and play bumper cars while the cow is ionized. Chewie has a turret so he does not care where the escort is.

I think the rebels should get at least 150 points because it does not take a ship the size of a Shuttle that many turns to get across the board. I would also let the Rebels place all of their asteroids after the Imperials have set up.

I would bring some Y-Wings with ion turrets to slow that space cow down. I would also consider Chewie with anti-pursuit lasers to park in front of the cow and play bumper cars while the cow is ionized. Chewie has a turret so he does not care where the escort is.

You can't use Chewie - no uniques for Rebels. If the board was 5x3 instead of 3x3, and the shuttle had to do the 5, would that be a sufficient balancer? If the Rebels HAVE to have more points, I'd rather do 75vs100 than 100vs150.

On a separate note, I'm seriously considering doing a series of Avenger themed missions - wookieepedia has a lot of info on it. It's first battle was pretty cool - 2 Y-wings and a CR90 vs 3 TIE Bomber flights.

I think the rebels should get at least 150 points because it does not take a ship the size of a Shuttle that many turns to get across the board. I would also let the Rebels place all of their asteroids after the Imperials have set up.

It takes the Shuttle 5 turns to get straight across (starting at 10 cm from the edge, distance to the other edge is 81.5 cm, shuttle can go 3 straight = 12cm + size of base = 8cm = 20cm each turn); you know that it will go straight for the other side, so guessing its position each turn is no big deal. From turn 2 on there will be fire on it, and with agility 1 it will take 2 turns at most to destroy it.

That's why I would increase the points for the imperials, the escort have to scatter the rebels, block their flypaths etc to buy the shuttle the time to get across.

Funny thing is that in our league there was an achievement "Secret Service" For running a squadron with 2 Royal Guard Ties and a Shuttle with Vader crew.

Maybe give the Imperials a few extra points to make up for the TIE Advanced. 110 seems decent, since Rebels get to position as they wish. Otherwise this is actually pretty cool.

Question to those subscribed:

Is the Imperial list too restrictive?

What if it changed to this:

Forces:

Rebel Player may choose 100pts worth of non-unique ships and upgrades.

Imperial Player begins the game with any shuttle pilot, Vader, and Rebel Captive, and then may spend 100pts on non-unique ships and upgrades.

Would that be more fair?

If I did this, I'd want to limit Imperials to TIE's, Interceptors and Bombers only for lore reasons. Better or worse?

Or does the scenario lose something without the narrative-tailored feel of the original list?