Hi everyone! Been reading this forum for a while, but now I finally have a reason to post.

I'm relatively new to the game (and already spent more than I was planning to...), and I'll be taking part in my first tournament this weekend. I decided to focus on a thematic Scum & Villainy squad, and came up with the following list:

I'm not just posting this topic for feedback on my list (I've read plenty of helpful Hound's Tooth topics on here), but more about tournament tips in general:

- What can I expect?

- Any weak points in my list I should be wary of?

- Can I switch up my squad between matches, or do I need a fixed set-up?

- Anything I should take into account in terms of etiquette?

- What was your first tournament experience like?

- Anything you wish someone had told you before your first tournament?

I decided to focus on a thematic Scum & Villainy squad, and came up with the following list...

Drop Saboteur. The range limitation can be tough to satisfy, it's typically one of the least effective things you could do with an action, and the 50/50 chance that it actually works makes it borderline unusable.

Consider dropping or replacing Dead Man's Switch. It works nicely on teeny ships that are likely to pop easily, but on something like Fett, the incentives don't work out: a couple of points of damage for killing half your list? I'll take that any day.

With those extra points, I'd recommend picking an EPT for Fett. There are too many good choices in that slot to list them all, and you'll have the points for it.

- What can I expect?

Hopefully, you'll find easygoing people with a good understanding of the rules. If it's a small tournament, you'll play three or four timed games using Swiss pairing. If it's a larger tournament, you'll play those same three or four Swiss games and then the top 4 or 8 players will play a few single-elimination rounds to find a winner.

- Can I switch up my squad between matches, or do I need a fixed set-up?

You'll use the same fixed list throughout the tournament, unless there are some special rules in place.

- Anything I should take into account in terms of etiquette?

• Don't ask for takebacks or for your opponent to let you fix a mistake. (That is, know the rules well enough that you don't need to ask for those things.)
• Don't dawdle at the table.
• Shake hands before and after the match.
• Ask questions about your opponent's list, if you need to, before the match starts. Give your opponent a chance to do the same.
• Offer to let your opponent inspect your damage deck.
• If there's a rules issue, don't try to argue at the table. Call the TO; it's his or her job to handle disputes.
• The rules on whether and when you can use the range ruler to measure things can look a little complex, but they boil down to "don't do it unless the rules actually tell you to determine something".
• Shower the morning of the tournament. (You'd think this would go without saying, but...)

- Anything you wish someone had told you before your first tournament?

You might not win all your games. You might not win any of your games. Remember to be the kind of person you'd want to play with again, regardless of the outcome.

Expect to learn/lose a lot.

Eat before and bring/buy a snack these things can take a lot of time

Bring a tray to carry your stuff

you don't need all of your minis in the store, just the stuff to play and your list

Hounds tooth came with engine upgrade right? Use it. It is also easier to avoide obstacles on the smaller moves, and you can move very fast when needed to get out of range/arc.

K 4 is a good crew for Bosk, great when paired with engine upgrade (green manuever then boost)

Ask about their list, multiple times if needed and ask in advance about how their combos work.

If you are confused ask how they are doing something.

Don't get angry at the dice, laugh and curse but keep it in good spirit.

I agree with both previous posts. I would also recommend walking around and watching some of the other games going on if yours didn't go to time. You may end up playing one of them later and can maybe glean some insight about how to approach their lists. That said, just observe. If someone forgets an action or does something incorrectly let them work it out it's not your job to call people out if you aren't playing. I would also recommend talking to others who have already finished and getting to know them a little. I've met some awesome people at local and some regional events and still keep in touch and bounce ideas off of each other.

Try to win.

Edit: If you can't, try to get a modified win.

I'd say asking for take backs is fine, just don't get angry when your opponent denies them to you because that's within their rights.

You're not required to allow your opponents to perform forgotten abilities after their trigger has passed. Don't let your opponents shame you into it.

If you see an opponent being lax with maneuvers or (semi-)cheat-y call the TO over ASAP and get it nipped in the bud before you end up with a cheater at the top table that no one said anything about until it was too late.

If someone is taking too long to decide on a dial or action or whatever, politely ask them if they could make a decision.

Pay attention to the timer. If you're up on MoV and the game is almost over, you're often better off running.

In general be polite. You can WAAC and be polite simultaneously.

Be prepared to lose. I am not saying this to be mean. Your first few games with a new build will go bad as you learn the ins and outs. Be ready to learn from ypur games. Never be afraid to ask fo feedback from the other player when the game ends.

And have a good lunch ready too.

Here's some more advice:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/129868-tips-for-tournaments/?hl=%2Bfirst+%2Btournament+%2Badvice

Teach yourself to have fun if/when you lose. It is a paper rock scissors game with dice.

Don't premeasure with your fingers(or toes).

1) Shower/Bathe the morning before, use Deoderant, Wash your hands, and don't eat at the table if you can help it. There are other things of course, but these are the most common faux pas.

2) Shake hands and get your opponent's name before the match in addition to after it. This sets the tone for the rest of the game and can hopefully make everything slightly more pleasant.

3) Don't attribute your opponent's win to luck. Sometimes the deciding moment of a game is determined by a dice roll, and it's okay to tell people that, but do not make it sound like your opponent didn't deserve to win.

4) Have copies of the Rulebook and FAQ handy. The TO is on hand for any rules disputes, but being able to check for yourself helps too.

5) Have realistic expectations: Your first few tournaments are going to be a struggle. Getting a 50-50 win/loss ratio is an achievement. Expect to only win 1-2 games, and be okay with that.

6) Calling the TO is not a jerk move unless you're deliberately trying to draw things out or be contrary- In which case the TO will tell you to stop it.

7) Asking for a takeback or missed trigger is... acceptable. However, if your opponent says no, that's the end of it. Also, be fair about this. If your opponent let you take a missed action or something, give them the same benefit if it comes up later.

8) Ask your opponent about their list (not their strategy and tactics, but the list itself) during setup when you have a moment and don't begrudge them doing the same. Also, if you see an interaction you're not sure about, ask your opponent and/or the TO.

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

Read the current FAQ, and if you can, bring a print out or have it on you phone.

https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/0a/7b/0a7b939b-31ae-4690-bac8-e878cdce62e9/x-wing-faq-v311.pdf

Assuming you don't already have something better that you use:

- Spend a buck on a cheap cookie sheet to move your stuff from table to table.

- Spend another buck or two on a pill container with compartments for Sunday-Saturday. Get it in one of the bigger sizes. Put the tokens you need in it.

Know what and how much of everything you are bringing and make sure you take a quick inventory after every match:

- Bring enough red dice for your highest attack +1 (to account for range one bonus) , bring enough green for your highest agility +2 (to account for obstacle and range bonus)

- Bring enough Target Lock tokens, focus tokens, and evade tokens for your squad (make sure to add some if you bring someone like Soontir)

- Bring 2 stress tokens for each ship you have. If you run a list that passes out a lot of stress you might want to bring extra in case your opponent runs out.

- If you run something that passes out Ion tokens make sure you bring sure you bring some, your opponents probably won't

I find that announcing the steps of everything as you are doing it helps to make sure that you do everything that needs to be done. If you are doing something wrong or out of order, your opponent will probably attempt to correct you if they hear your process.

Call a TO if you aren't sure that something is being done correctly.

All of your opponent's cards are public information during the game as are the contents of their (unset) dials, if you aren't sure about something, ask to see it.

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

I've never heard anyone tell me it was bad form for me to pick up dials and check maneuvers before confirming that I was done with the planning step.

Unless you mean it's bad form to look at your dials during the movement phase, in which case ... I've still never had anyone tell me it's bad form to check my dial again. I've seen this a lot, especially from swarm players and players using ships with Advanced Sensors. As long as you aren't fiddling with the dial, it shouldn't be an issue.

Am I wrong? Has this really been an etiquette thing all along?

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

I've never heard anyone tell me it was bad form for me to pick up dials and check maneuvers before confirming that I was done with the planning step.

Unless you mean it's bad form to look at your dials during the movement phase, in which case ... I've still never had anyone tell me it's bad form to check my dial again. I've seen this a lot, especially from swarm players and players using ships with Advanced Sensors. As long as you aren't fiddling with the dial, it shouldn't be an issue.

Am I wrong? Has this really been an etiquette thing all along?

I'd personally say at least communicate what you're doing with your opponent. It can be unsettling to have someone just start looking through their dials midphase if you're not really sure what they're doing that for.

Good call.

I see the mention of switching Seismic Charges for Cluster Mines. This is generally not allowed as the squadron you start with tis the squadron you are to use the entire tournament.

Be prepared to lose. I am not saying this to be mean. Your first few games with a new build will go bad as you learn the ins and outs. Be ready to learn from ypur games. Never be afraid to ask fo feedback from the other player when the game ends.

And have a good lunch ready too.

Boy is this the truth! My first store tourney was a disaster except for the knowledge and experience gained.

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

I've never heard anyone tell me it was bad form for me to pick up dials and check maneuvers before confirming that I was done with the planning step.

Unless you mean it's bad form to look at your dials during the movement phase, in which case ... I've still never had anyone tell me it's bad form to check my dial again. I've seen this a lot, especially from swarm players and players using ships with Advanced Sensors. As long as you aren't fiddling with the dial, it shouldn't be an issue.

Am I wrong? Has this really been an etiquette thing all along?

If you fiddle with dials already placed, you do run the risk of picking up the opponent's dial by mistake (seen that happen many times; mirror matches)... This is completely avoided if you Batch-Place all your dials at once, when ready. Making it impossible for a (pre-reveal) fiddler to accidentally pick up your dial.

Thanks a lot, guys! This is really helpful. Keep it coming!

Depending on the length of the tourney, bring some snacks (Clif Bars, jerky) and water. As the day goes on, staying hydrated and getting protein between games goes a long, long way towards keeping your mind sharp.

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

I've never heard anyone tell me it was bad form for me to pick up dials and check maneuvers before confirming that I was done with the planning step.

Unless you mean it's bad form to look at your dials during the movement phase, in which case ... I've still never had anyone tell me it's bad form to check my dial again. I've seen this a lot, especially from swarm players and players using ships with Advanced Sensors. As long as you aren't fiddling with the dial, it shouldn't be an issue.

Am I wrong? Has this really been an etiquette thing all along?

If you fiddle with dials already placed, you do run the risk of picking up the opponent's dial by mistake (seen that happen many times; mirror matches)... This is completely avoided if you Batch-Place all your dials at once, when ready. Making it impossible for a (pre-reveal) fiddler to accidentally pick up your dial.

I frequently double check all of my dials after placing them. I would probably actually do it more often if I set all of my dials off the board and then placed them at once. I'd want to make sure I set the right dial on the right ship. I probably end up catching the wrong dial placed on a ship at least once a game when I'm setting dials one at a time.

Lots of good tips in this thread... I'll try to add something new:

*** Don't trickle out your DIALS one at a time ***

A. This "first in / first out" method can reveal a lot about which ships you're focusing on and which ships have an obvious(easy to guess) maneuver.

B. This "piecemeal" method can have you placing your first too soon, lagging, and forgetting what you've chosen. (picking up over and over is bad form.)

C. This "trickling" method can lead to misplacing dials

*** Instead, hold all your DIALS to your chest like a hand of cards -- placing ALL of them at the same time; when you're ready ***

A. This "batch" method can withhold/protect information about individual ships. Specifically, which DIALS you might have "paused" on, which DIALS you were nervous about

B. This "flood" method can actually scare your opponent if you beat them to placement. Mass placement might get them thinking you're very "put together" in your planning (even if untrue).

C. This "organized" method can reduce errors, but definitely reduces second-guessing AFTER a placement.

I've never heard anyone tell me it was bad form for me to pick up dials and check maneuvers before confirming that I was done with the planning step.

Unless you mean it's bad form to look at your dials during the movement phase, in which case ... I've still never had anyone tell me it's bad form to check my dial again. I've seen this a lot, especially from swarm players and players using ships with Advanced Sensors. As long as you aren't fiddling with the dial, it shouldn't be an issue.

Am I wrong? Has this really been an etiquette thing all along?

If you fiddle with dials already placed, you do run the risk of picking up the opponent's dial by mistake (seen that happen many times; mirror matches)... This is completely avoided if you Batch-Place all your dials at once, when ready. Making it impossible for a (pre-reveal) fiddler to accidentally pick up your dial.

I frequently double check all of my dials after placing them. I would probably actually do it more often if I set all of my dials off the board and then placed them at once. I'd want to make sure I set the right dial on the right ship. I probably end up catching the wrong dial placed on a ship at least once a game when I'm setting dials one at a time.

The trick is not placing them anywhere... hold them like a hand of cards... or inline like a mess of Pringles potato chips. Double- and Triple-check all you like... I never said to rush the process. Get them all ready and then drop 'em. If you pick up your opponent's dial while "double checking," you might actually be forfeited that entire match.