Yesterday a friend played a casual 200 pts local hobby store game, casual. His opponent ( a kid ) purchased 16 basic ties. "my tie goblins will smash you" He deployed a "tie brigade" 8 ships abreast, ordered in columns. The.only obstacles were 2 asteroids plus one debris ( bad ).

The kid rolled badly and my friend selected two Y wings with Assault Missiles plus bombs...he won.

But...is this a common tactic, or just a weird move made by a 14 years old kid? Napoleonic x win, warhammer fantasy x wing...

This game was wildly illegal in multiple fronts. You can only have 12 of one ship, ever, and y-wings can't equip missiles.

Granted, you stated in your opening sentence twice that it was a casual game. But there is a big difference between casual and "making it up as you go"

This game was wildly illegal in multiple fronts. You can only have 12 of one ship, ever, and y-wings can't equip missiles.

Granted, you stated in your opening sentence twice that it was a casual game. But there is a big difference between casual and "making it up as you go"

If I want to put down 15 or 25 TIE Fighters on my table ... I will.

I own these toys after all. They are my property. None is going to tell me what I can do with my toys.

Except ffg when you play using their rules.

This game was wildly illegal in multiple fronts. You can only have 12 of one ship, ever, and y-wings can't equip missiles.

Granted, you stated in your opening sentence twice that it was a casual game. But there is a big difference between casual and "making it up as you go"

If I want to put down 15 or 25 TIE Fighters on my table ... I will.

I own these toys after all. They are my property. None is going to tell me what I can do with my toys.

Of course you can, but as soon as you stop playing by the rules the integrated balance goes out the window. It's very much as case of "on your own head be it".

I'm all for causal play, and for people having fun. But i wouldn't start a pick up game of basketball by saying all my lay ups are 4 points and I don't have to dribble.

I think the point of the OP was not about balance, nor rules, but more about how such a young kid could have developed basic ideas of advanced strategy. The game per se was not interesting. I'm admired by the kid too

This game was wildly illegal in multiple fronts. You can only have 12 of one ship, ever, and y-wings can't equip missiles.

Granted, you stated in your opening sentence twice that it was a casual game. But there is a big difference between casual and "making it up as you go"

If I want to put down 15 or 25 TIE Fighters on my table ... I will.

I own these toys after all. They are my property. None is going to tell me what I can do with my toys.

Of course you can, but as soon as you stop playing by the rules the integrated balance goes out the window. It's very much as case of "on your own head be it".

Right but I do not care about having nice balanced games, I care about telling/making cool STAR WARS Stories.

War is not nice and balanced and fair.

Weird move/tactic!

I have to deal with similar things with my 15yo and local gamers that play historical games with no knowledge of or no intent of using historical tactics in the correct context!

Just because a tactic worked well in one situation/era doesn't mean it can be transferred to all combat

Except ffg when you play using their rules.

Least of all then.

Actually, due to things like rules of engagement and war crime law, war is pretty much as fair and balanced as it could be.

Actually, due to things like rules of engagement and war crime law, war is pretty much as fair and balanced as it could be.

Tactics come into play when battle is joined!

Two rows of eight TIEs is just a standard swarm but, y'know, bigger. It's not like it's all that weird, especially if Howlrunner's in there, somewhere.

It's hardly "Napoleonic" to fly in formation, people've been doing it for a really long time in this game.

Two rows of eight TIEs is just a standard swarm but, y'know, bigger. It's not like it's all that weird, especially if Howlrunner's in there, somewhere.

It's hardly "Napoleonic" to fly in formation, people've been doing it for a really long time in this game.

The key element was the Assault Missiles! The Ties needed to break formation to avoid their increased damage capability!

Yes, Y wing misile armed...ejem. A new x wing player, even less expert than me, against a kid... The main question is... does people fly "brigades" of cheap ships in shoulder to shoulder formation? I only play at home, so i have no idea about this

You mean formations?

Depends if there's an incentive to. The Rebels do because they've got lots of Range 1 synergistic abilities and thus they work together. The Empire flies TIEs in tight knit formations to make maximum use of Howlrunner and Captain Jonus who give AoE range 1 attack buffs. Scum's mechanics actively discourage formations.

Yes, Y wing misile armed...ejem. A new x wing player, even less expert than me, against a kid... The main question is... does people fly "brigades" of cheap ships in shoulder to shoulder formation? I only play at home, so i have no idea about this

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2014/4/17/mastering-ship-placement/

http://www.themetalbikini.com/2013/02/maneuvering-as-formation-part-1.html

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/925391/maneuvers-302-imperial-formations

Formation fly, ok. But shoulder to shoulder 8, 10, 12 ships... Not very dinamic, more warhammer I think

Actually, due to things like rules of engagement and war crime law, war is pretty much as fair and balanced as it could be.

Not been my experience of warfare. What about yours?

There are significant problems with flying your ships in base contact with each other (shoulder to shoulder) and trying to maneuver (unless you also house rule some kind of wheeling maneuver for your ships), so very few experienced players (none?) will do that. It is far more common to fly in formation with your ships separated by 1/4"-1/2" to give your ships some room for those square bases to make banks.

Perhaps after the first frontal attack you can divide them in two "demi brigades" or simply...immelman / koigram turn. All at once... 3,2,1... Go!!!

Honestly, this Napoleonic approach of converging lines of battle sounds like a fun way to experiment with X-Wing. After the initial joust, how does the battle devolve? How differently do massed formations scatter and reform after the initial clash, given the movement and collision rules of a space combat game? I would be excited to try it, again as a learning experiment that has the advantage of being really fun.

I'm not entirely clear from the OP: did the rebel side literally have only two Y-Wings?

Nope, a mixed fleet just purchased in the store, including 2 Ys. The Rebel player is a green one, and put some money on the table ( large ships, a tantine, As, Bs...). Ahhhh...the satisfaction obtained wasting money !!!. He only owned two X and two Ys...

Where the hell did the kid get the cash to buy 16 TIE's?

I have no idea, but when I was a dedicated warhammer 40.000 player it was normal to take some friend's Heavy Tanks or expensive models. Ahhhh... Land Raiders a gogo. My brothers and I shared a Space Marine army. Good old Rogue Trader...