I guess for me intuition is simply 'crunching the numbers' on what the possible outcomes of each decision are, then choosing the most beneficial one based on available information.

There's always that risk of slipping into 'Vizzini's Battle of Wits' and trying to select a sub-optimal move in order to throw off your opponent, but generally speaking there is a comfortable middle ground somewhere between the two that ends up being your optimal move. In the grand scheme of things you can always commit a single ship to a sub-optimal maneuver in order to throw off your opponent, while maintaining the most optimal maneuvers with the rest of your ships. For example, I have a group of four Ties, Han is approaching them to their left. I move one Tie to be within the footprint of Han's 4 Straight and with the rest I Turn short, Now; if Han has selected a straight maneuver, no matter what speed it is, he either bumps or has no opportunity to boost and I've set up shots with my remaining three Ties and put them into an optimal position for the next turn.

There's always that risk of slipping into 'Vizzini's Battle of Wits' and trying to select a sub-optimal move in order to throw off your opponent,...

Never play X-Wing with a Sicilian when DEATH is on the line!

Indeed. But here Sun Tzu's 'know yourself and know your enemy' comes into play. Admittedly, X-Wing is a more tactical game, whereas 'Diplomacy' is almost entirely strategic, so being optimal and calculating is overall the best.

I get a plan based on my list and then play it by ear. Chances of my plan actually working are about 40/60, but it becomes the 60 or even 70 when my opponent is a f*ckin' idiot, like my dad. (Really? Grouping up a bunch of TIEs and sending Vader out alone? Really?)

I get a plan based on my list and then play it by ear. Chances of my plan actually working are about 40/60, but it becomes the 60 or even 70 when my opponent is a f*ckin' idiot, like my dad. (Really? Grouping up a bunch of TIEs and sending Vader out alone? Really?)

Hm, having Vader as a lone flanker isn't all that outlandish. Isn't it what the fellow in the Strategy Tips was recommending as a good way to fly Vader?

I've been playing since Core Set, before my country even had Wave 1 expansions.

My flying is mostly on "autopilot", and I tend to plan at least for the very next turn. I only really stop to think when it comes to very high risk high reward situations, especially during the middle game. Otherwise, my movements are usually already prepared for since the previous turn, so there's not much thinking, unless the board state changed unexpectedly due to some really really unexpected dice rolls (either I get taken out too quickly, or get a funny crit, or I take out a key enemy target too quickly which would be unexpected, eg. Luke R2D2 dead in 1 round)

I just blame the dice. It is easy to do when out of 6 to 8 rolls you only get 2 hits. and you never roll an evade unless it is against 1 hit in which for some reason you roll 3 evades.

I consciously analyse my opponent's moves first; What is possible? Which is most likely? What is the most funky and unexpected move available that could possibly blindside me?

Secondly, I go through my own options, and with the above in mind I start thinking in advantage vs. risk depending on the possible combinations between mine and my opponent's moves. E.g. if do A and if my opponent does A or B then I will have a significant advantage, but if she does C while I've done A then I'll be at a significant disadvantage. Of course it is impossible to go through all possible computations (especially in higher-than-usual formats like 150+ points), but I do try to cover the basics - being aware of the order of activation etc. and I do tend to think one round ahead and what positional advantages I might get on different maneuvers this round. I rarely think beyond the current and the following round unless dealing with slow-turning ships (mine or my opponent's) that will be influenced by placement for several rounds.

Thirdly I decide on my maneuvers. I do tend to lean toward low risk vs. advantage ratios, preferring the least worst possible outcome from the combination of our maneuvers to risking getting in a terrible fix to gain an advantage. Depending on the stage in the match as well as prior experience with my opponent I might opt for the high risk / high reward; I might even be forced to do it to push my luck if I'm behind and have to catch up. However, this entire third part is where gut feeling or instinct tends to take over to avoid getting caught in a double-think mess.

I'm fully aware of every detail going on on the table. What moves my opponent is likely to take, what moves he/she CAN take, what order things are executed in, what actions are most suitable for the situation at hand. When I pick up the dial in the planning phase I usually get a gut feeling about what to do, then I run the analysis, if I then get stuck in two or more possibilities and can't decide which one I go with the gut, if that is one of them that'd be. I rarely forget about my own or my opponent's game effects.

Feels like my head was made for this game.

How long have you been playing this game?

Ever since Wave 2 came out. I'm a sucker for A-wings.

Okay, that's interesting. I would have thought that most long-term players would have been less conscious of their playing, and have routinized more of their thought process.

Well the process is in itself routine, but I can't make decisions based on past games. Most of the time I play a list of 3 A-wings, which makes my choices highly situational. I need to be aware of everything that happens to avoid making mistakes as a single mistake can lose the game. I am conscious in the way that my head is highly active during my "gaming state" rather than going into a "comatose state" like other posters. So after a game I can for example recall almost every detail about the game I just played.

Strategy is an overarching set of objectives and ways to accomplish them, at the theatre level

Tactics are a set of operational options in situations, think of the squad level behaviours.

As applied to x wing, your strategy might be to strip away the high value pilots from your opponent first, while your tactics would be a combination of cards and manoeuvres to maximise damage to your opponents while limiting chances for hits on yourself.

Oh, on a more serious note, I'm also consciously/unconsciously listening to all the non-verbal messages (or sometimes very verbal) that my opponent is sending me. Sometimes things like:

"Oh what the heck" translates into "Time to take an offensive risk"

or

*Muttering* "Um... no... no" translates into "I'm going to have to play it safe and dodge that asteroid this round"

Sometimes, people seriously underestimate the effectiveness of a good poker face. Who needs an intelligence agent when the enemy is broadcasting so openly?

The following affects how much I think:

Did I just work 2 jobs back to back again?

Did I drink last night?

Am I on pain meds?

Am I so tired I misqoute phrases and say stuff like "a hot butter thru knife"?

And lastly, have my dice failed me so badly I want to put them in the microwave

I try an not to over analyze and go by my gut instincts

.., while my friend, with an equal amount of experience, goes through all the options individually. He usually takes longer ( a lot longer!) to play his turns but the plays are usually just as good as mine.

Interesting. Why do you figure your friend's approach to the game is different than yours? Does he just not trust his instincts the way that you seem to do?

I'm not sure to be honest, it could be that he is more risk averse. On games we have been spectating he is very quick to suggest a good solution but when in the driving seat he checks and rechecks the most likely options. He does get incredibly upset when after all that deliberation his first roll is double skulls, reroll, double skulls!

In regards to X-Wing, the strategic play for me is all about the asteroid set up and first 3-4 turns. I'm usually trying to set up the ideal first engagement for my squad. Stuff like trying to approach swarms through asteroids so their whole formation can't easily k-turn behind me. But after that first pass it is all flying by the seat of my pants.

I consciously analyse my opponent's moves first;...

Secondly, I go through my own options, ...

Thirdly I decide on my maneuvers.

Okay, that process makes a lot of rational sense. Have you instilled in yourself the discipline to do this every time, or are there times when you wing it for fun?

I consciously analyse my opponent's moves first;...

Secondly, I go through my own options, ...

Thirdly I decide on my maneuvers.

Okay, that process makes a lot of rational sense. Have you instilled in yourself the discipline to do this every time, or are there times when you wing it for fun?

The further I'm into the rounds of a tournament, and as the brain gets fatigued, I tend to reduce the number of combinations I consider - on the other hand I might face tougher opponents which require me to be more stringent with my choices to stay in the game. Contrarily when playing against friends just introduced to the game, I let go and let the acquired instincts rule without analysis.

I've found it the hardest to get better at the alpha strike phase, perhaps because of playing alternative and less popular lists, but found it easier once the matches opened up as dogfights. Been at my best in the chaos and been hard to kill off even when behind; and I attest that to my maneuvering.

How conscious are you during play?

That depends on several factors ... I am much older, and if I miss my nap during the afternoon, well ...

The other major factor is how much BEER have I drunk before and during play?

These are key points which greatly impact the level of my consciousness.

Putting that aside, I am a poker player that relies on his intuition and feel, along with reads, to be successful. I find that I play X-Wing the same way.