Decimator & Whisper?

I don't think anyone is much stressed about a Decimator without EU (Falcon expansion), a Gunner (Slave-1 or Outrider expansion), or Predator (TIE Defender).

Nor is ACD-Whisper particularly bothersome without VI (Slave-1 or Falcon).

You can still build a solid list WITH those ships, but they become a lot less 'meta defining' when you remove their most powerful cross-retail-kit upgrade cards from their list of options.

I used to run Yugioh turnies we had the top prizes then we had a raffel for anyone that did not make the prize cut. Then we had a proze for the last finisher

The more rules you add, the more likely fewer people will qualify and will only qualify in order to win the side prize while knowing intentionally that they're giving up on the main prize.

Make the whole tournament with those rules. Or not. But don't incentivize players to take restrictive and admittedly bad (because you said you dislike competitive restrictive lists like bbbbz) lists while competing with unrestricted lists.

So the 2nd place prize doesn't go to the person who placed second?

So I'm TO at a local venue, and some folks have made some requests that we think of ways to be more accommodating to new players in our prize support. Always one to try to kill multiple birds with a single stone, when possible, I'm also thinking of ways to 'mix up' the common lists we see.

So the idea I had is to award first (and most other) places as normal, but the second place instead going to the top-placing 'factory zero' player. IE., the player whose list consists entirely of ships that are using upgrades ONLY from their retail kit.

IE., no Crew2-D2 or C-3PO or Gunner on the Falcon. But the Falcon can take Luke! No 'Engine Upgrade' on anything BUT the Falcon. No PtL for Soontir. Only the TIE Defender can run 'Predator'. etc.

With that sort of restriction in mind - what's the most powerful list you can think of?

(As a secondary list, then - one of our other group members suggested a slight variant on the above. If you bring multiple ships, you can pull upgrades from any of the ships you brought. IE., a list consisting of a YT-1300 and YT-2400 could both have Engine Upgrade, as the Falcon expansion has two of those cards. I'm wondering if this option might not result in lists a bit too much like what we already have, though, but...well, interested in seeing what folks can come up with for that, too...)

Most of this has probably been said.

If announced before hand you'll see those swarms of basically naked ships show up. If you're trying to encourage a newbie I don't think most will have seven or eight TIE Fighters or four B-Wings. Here the vets with a big collection are still at an advantage because they are more likely to have the multiple ships to run these list.

Were you to do this I would keep the upgrade requirements "stuff that in included with ships in the squadron" instead of requiring each ship to be built from the box. There may also be some confusion with ships that have multiple sources.

I think the only way to properly award a newbie is simply identify them at the start of a tournament and then which ever one does best is the "top rookie".

You can counteract the naked swarms by requiring there to be upgrades on the table. The 'one of each expansion' works too, though it'll lead to a mighty lonely rebel Z95 or Y-wing, whilst oddly enough means that Scum can field triple Z-95s or dual Y-wings, while the Rebels can't. How do I feel about this? Heck if I know. You only get a second ion cannon if you also field a HWK, too.

It's certainly an interesting format. I look forward to hearing how it goes.