We play only for fun, but it is getting much harder for casual players. My wife enjoys the game but has no interest in squad building. Some of our friends that play don't play often enough to know what goes with what. I know you can just take whatever ships and play but that makes for some lopsided games. Even though you can play casually (so to speak) this game seems to be more geared for the competitive players.

P.S. by competitive I should say that I mean people more into squad building; more immersed in the game. It is moving away from being a pick up game.

I don't see how the game is any less a pick up game than it was a year or two ago if you're only playing with your friends...

If you've gotten better at squad building and it's leading to lopsided games because your opponents aren't as good at squad building, that's not the game's fault.

And if you've added a bunch of expansions which introduced a bunch of new rules, that's not the game's fault either.

I mean, the same could be said for basically any board game with expansions... King of Tokyo is more complicated if you add the expansions.

If you had only ever played with your friends without reading strategies and lists online and hadn't added any expansions past wave 1, you'd still be playing (quite literally) the exact same game.

And if your friends aren't into deck building, just build 2 lists that you think will make for a good match up, then let them pick which one they want to play. Problem solved, no more lopsided games.

I don't see how the game is any less a pick up game than it was a year or two ago if you're only playing with your friends...

If you haven't played before against the Tie Phantom and walk into a game with one.....it's not the same game.

I don't see how the game is any less a pick up game than it was a year or two ago if you're only playing with your friends...

If you haven't played before against the Tie Phantom and walk into a game with one.....it's not the same game.

Which is why I spent the other 90% of my post (that you removed from your quote) qualifying my statement...

Notably, literally 2 sentences after the bit you decided to quote: " And if you've added a bunch of expansions which introduced a bunch of new rules, that's not the game's fault either. "

You can't really blame FFG that the game is now less of a pick up game if you went and bought 12 different expansions for it...

While I don't blame the game, I don't see how the rest of your post backs up the statement I quoted. It is the same game with new ships and rules...but some of those ships have drastically changed the game play. There are some things added that have made playing the game quite different than in the first few waves. It's less a game for the causal/occasional player to also play against others who play on a regular basis. There was a time when you could just bring your Wave 1 ships (beyond a Tie Swarm) and still have a decent chance against all current lists. I don't think that's the case anymore.

While I don't blame the game, I don't see how the rest of your post backs up the statement I quoted. It is the same game with new ships and rules...but some of those ships have drastically changed the game play. There are some things added that have made playing the game quite different than in the first few waves. It's less a game for the causal/occasional player to also play against others who play on a regular basis. There was a time when you could just bring your Wave 1 ships (beyond a Tie Swarm) and still have a decent chance against all current lists. I don't think that's the case anymore.

That's a little like saying you can't really play chess casually anymore because there's no way you can compete against the grandmasters.

Or that you no longer enjoy playing Dominion because there so many expansions and new mechanics that it's too complicated.

Again, please consider the context of my response. The person I was responding to (Ken at Sunrise) mentioned he was playing with his wife and friends who are not into deck building. He made no mention of going out to a store to play against other people.

And heck, even in that 1 sentence of my post that you decided to take out of context and respond to:

" I don't see how the game is any less a pick up game than it was a year or two ago if you're only playing with your friends... "

And heck, even in that 1 sentence of my post that you decided to take out of context and respond to:

" I don't see how the game is any less a pick up game than it was a year or two ago if you're only playing with your friends... "

OK...you got me there.

I guess I lament the fact that the casual player who doesn't stay current can't really jump into the game anymore.

I guess I lament the fact that the casual player who doesn't stay current can't really jump into the game anymore.

They can still jump into the game no problem! Picking up a Core Set and a couple expansions ( with a few exceptions ) and playing with your kids, nephews, friends, etc. is still the same great game it was a year or two ago!

They just can't expect to be competitive against people who have been playing for 2 years!

Which is probably a good thing.

Well, but I don't think they would be competitive with someone who's been playing for only 6 months with current ships. That's what gets me. I think if they stayed with it and learned all the crazy new stuff (like how to fly against a Phantom) then it would be OK, but a few pick up games every 6 months will probably just turn someone off X-wing.

In our area we have a handful of players that aren't very good at the game, but still fly fat turret builds because that's what all the good players in our group fly in addition to all of the good players flying fat turret builds. So I can't escape. There are two players in my area that are both pretty good at the game and don't fly Turretwing. One of them flys y wings and a wings and stuff and does pretty well, another used to fly wedge or Biggs and two HLC/weapons engineer b wings with FCS and he was fun to fly against, but now all he does is play 2400. >_>

So yeah, everyone who plays turretwing will occasionally try out some 'fun' list with ndru and kavil and a fire spray, get dominated, and then immediately go back to playing the same Turret list they've been flying for the past 3-4 months. Quite irritating. We have a new guy that loves a wings, I'm afraid he'll turn too once he finally realizes that they're not very good ships, lol.

Tie Swarm where?

After all, the wicked whisper's dead (ding-dong, the whisper's dead, the wicked whisper's finally dead, ding-dong the wicked whisper's dead~~~) ["dead" insofar as "not requiring incredible feats of skill to be dealt with]

The Soontir + mini-swarm has also been making waves in my meta, and I believe it has more than ample firepower to tear down some turrets while offering insurance against the hyper maneuverable ships you're still bound to encounter

Phantom change doesn't go into effect until April 15th. Also, that's another thing that annoys me about the meta. It's so hard counter based now. I have 8 ships, you have a fat turret build. Ya dead. I have 86 double Phantom, you have 8 ships, ya dead.

Our local group has already been playing with the changes in effect since we've already had our last store championship before the revision hits. In casual games and local tournies, Whisper is de-cloaking before anyone.

there's no point delaying the inevitable, so we're all striving to get used to it A.S.A.P

In our area we have a handful of players that aren't very good at the game, but still fly fat turret builds because that's what all the good players in our group fly in addition to all of the good players flying fat turret builds. So I can't escape. There are two players in my area that are both pretty good at the game and don't fly Turretwing. One of them flys y wings and a wings and stuff and does pretty well, another used to fly wedge or Biggs and two HLC/weapons engineer b wings with FCS and he was fun to fly against, but now all he does is play 2400. >_>

So yeah, everyone who plays turretwing will occasionally try out some 'fun' list with ndru and kavil and a fire spray, get dominated, and then immediately go back to playing the same Turret list they've been flying for the past 3-4 months. Quite irritating. We have a new guy that loves a wings, I'm afraid he'll turn too once he finally realizes that they're not very good ships, lol.

Tie Swarm where?

After all, the wicked whisper's dead (ding-dong, the whisper's dead, the wicked whisper's finally dead, ding-dong the wicked whisper's dead~~~) ["dead" insofar as "not requiring incredible feats of skill to be dealt with]

The Soontir + mini-swarm has also been making waves in my meta, and I believe it has more than ample firepower to tear down some turrets while offering insurance against the hyper maneuverable ships you're still bound to encounter

Phantom change doesn't go into effect until April 15th. Also, that's another thing that annoys me about the meta. It's so hard counter based now. I have 8 ships, you have a fat turret build. Ya dead. I have 86 double Phantom, you have 8 ships, ya dead.

Our local group has already been playing with the changes in effect since we've already had our last store championship before the revision hits. In casual games and local tournies, Whisper is de-cloaking before anyone.

there's no point delaying the inevitable, so we're all striving to get used to it A.S.A.P

In my area it's the other way around. Everyone loves to play fat turret lists for some reason, so they didn't feel the nerf was necessary. They also decided to all play phantom decimator one day to troll me after the nerf was announced and they were very successful lol. Some also wanted to get games in with super whisper and try her out before she gets nerfed also. Nerfing the phantom also nerfs their fat turret builds by making swarms not an autolose, so now they might have to switch to lists that take skill to fly and don't allow you to just plop your 2 dials down in 3 seconds and then suck on your E cigarette or look at your phone while you wait for your opponent to select their maneuvers.

To each their own, as long as you're not telling people how they should enjoy the game. As long as someone is having fun playing the game their way (and not breaking the law), then everyone should let that person play that way (or not play with them).

In my area it's the other way around. Everyone loves to play fat turret lists for some reason, so they didn't feel the nerf was necessary. They also decided to all play phantom decimator one day to troll me after the nerf was announced and they were very successful lol. Some also wanted to get games in with super whisper and try her out before she gets nerfed also. Nerfing the phantom also nerfs their fat turret builds by making swarms not an autolose, so now they might have to switch to lists that take skill to fly and don't allow you to just plop your 2 dials down in 3 seconds and then suck on your E cigarette or look at your phone while you wait for your opponent to select their maneuvers.

to be fair, e-cigarettes and looking at phones are a great way to alleviate the boredom of flying and facing turrets

I like Dad's videos, he plays for fun with his son... these guys are casual and it is cool IMO. Sure you can see their mistakes here and there, and they are certainly not playing according to the up to the minute meta.

A few times a meta-yarbler has come on the channel and made an ass of themselves attacking this type of laid back approach to the game, but that is to be expected on the internet.

V-dogg just banned their hateful-know-it-all asses from his channel and moved on.

These guys are having a lot of FUN all the time, and I smile when I watch 'em.

Meta yarbler?

Meta yarbler?

My term for an X-Wing rules lawyer.

Never played in a tournament. Never will.

The most competetive I get is when I'm playing strip X-Wing with my wife. I really .. REALLY .. want to win.

Piece of clothing for each hit scored?

1 ship = 1 item of clothing.

I should introduce a house rule that no swarms are allowed.

Never played in a tournament. Never will.

The most competetive I get is when I'm playing strip X-Wing with my wife. I really .. REALLY .. want to win.

Piece of clothing for each hit scored?

1 ship = 1 item of clothing.

I should introduce a house rule that no swarms are allowed.

this would heavily skew the strip-wing meta towards 2 big ships, and we have enough of that over in normal X-wing

you have to make it % (of cost versus the overall list) based

yes, there is now a strip-wing meta