With the release of Core 2.0 we have a lot of new players to the X-Wing scene. This, I love. Not only to increase the amount of casual play, but to increase the size of the Tournament scene, as well as to add many new faces to FLG stores. I had a blast right after Force Friday teaching the game to new players. And seeing their perspective of the game not having seen the phantom pre-nerf, the old damage deck, or even their ideas of how the game is to be played. It is a blast of fresh air, and some of the lists that I have seen new players come up with are almost inspired to the point of brilliant.

However, casual play is one thing, Tournament play is another. After attending a FLGS casual event, I feel that I need to post here some things for new players to consider and plan for, based on the observations that I saw as a player. I do this because the new Store Championship/Regionals season starts in a couple of months and I want the new players to do as good as they can.

1. Know the rules. Not only that, but also read and understand the FAQ and tournament rules as well. Especially sections that relate to the cards/abilities you are using in your squad. Especially when you go to a high level event like regionals, it is required that you know and understand how the game works.

2. Practice your list. Make sure you know how it works, and how your cards interact with each other. Make sure you know how to fly it to the best of your ability.

3. If you plan on borrowing ships and cards, plan ahead with fellow players to know who you will be borrowing from before the event starts. Most players are happy to share with new(er) players, but it looks bad on yourself when you shout out looking to borrow a specific ship/card/token that you don't have.

4. Condense your items. Usually there isn't a lot of spare space in a tournament. So try to condense your items you are taking from table to table to as minimum as possible. Many players use a single small Plano (or similar) box, or even a Tupperware container. You don't need much more than your rulers, ships, cards, dice and tokens. All your extra ships don't need to come to every match you play.

5. Carry with you a printout of your squad list. Not only does this make setup quick if you don't remember what exactly goes with what, but you can hand it to your opponent so they can see what you are flying.

6. Bring a Pen and Pencil for record keeping.

7. Remember to shake your opponents hand before and after the match, make sure you know their name, and they know yours. Yes, the goal is to win, but making friends is a close second in a large event. Especially if you are going out of your local area to play.

8. Don't just go straight to playing in a Regional event. Play in a casual FLGS tournament, and then at least 1 store championship. You will notice many things different than what you are used to in a normal casual match or even a league match.

9. Support your FLGS. They are giving you space to play, support them with a purchase from time to time.

10. Remember, have fun. Wining is cool and all, but until you are REALLY good at the game, you will lose many of your games. Keep a positive attitude!

11. Let your opponent know you are a new player. While they don't have to do anything different, they may be more inclined to help you out if you forget something.......

12. When rolling dice, make sure that they are rolled in an area that your opponent can see, and keep them visible on the table until the attack is done, even if you use the Dice App, a tower, or a tray. It is common courtesy so your opponent can see exactly what is going on and who rolled what.

13. Finally, unless you are using your phone/tablet to take pictures, record the match, or use the Dice App, keep it put away. Nothing is more distracting that when a player is on the phone talking to someone else or texting or whatnot. It also means that you are not focusing on the match at hand. Oh, I do absolutely recommend taking photos/notes of your opponents list, and the map before the first move is made, as well as the final attack/move before the end of the game. It helps to remember what happened and how the match went.

Forum Members Thoughts:

(Updated 10/27)

A. Zathras 23: I'd like to add, if you're attending a tournament, personal hygiene is very much appreciated. A shower/bath on the day of the tourney plus whatever deodorant to eliminate the funk will be received well. It may sound like unneeded advice but I've been to tourneys for other games where some of the players were, shall we say, using biological warfare on the people in their vicinity

B. HERO: Get into a habit of narrating what you do as you're doing it. e.g. Bank right with Soontir, barrel roll to the left, push the limit for Focus, he gets a stress and another focus..etc. Next to move is Zeta 1..etc. To save time, it's okay to let your opponent move your ships if you're out of reach if you ask them pilotely. This particular table-top is very.. how do I say.. interactive. Not only do you alternate turns of moving and shooting, but there's going to be a lot of bumping and grinding which leads to a good amount of ship jenga.

C. Zero 8855: Be sure that you've eaten before the tournament begins or pack a lunch/snack for in between rounds, and bring water. Tournaments can go on for hours and it doesn't help to have an empty stomach and/or dehydration.

D. Dagonet: Ask your opponent if she minds being in the picture. Not everyone wants their face on Facebook.

E. DailyRich: I'd add to be respectful of the other games going on. Multiple tables of X-Wing games are going to make for an inherently loud environment anyway; try not to add to it by yelling or shouting or otherwise being disruptive. If you need to have your phone with you, put it on silent or vibrate. If your match finishes early and you want to watch the other players, be a good spectator and don't interrupt with questions or suggestions or rule interpretations. Behave how you'd want someone watching you play to behave. Also, don't wander off in between rounds. A good-sized tournament is going to be a lengthy affair as it is. Having to corral the players because they've dispersed to all corners of the store/con/venue is only going to make it take that much longer.

F. Blail Blerg: Don't be egotistical. Whoever you are. New or old. Narrating, as brought up, is something awesome to make sure everyone is on the same page... but "talking" while playing can be really really egotistical. Don't say things like, "oh I should have done this and I would have beaten you." "the right move here would be to do blah blah". These are really dumb things to say.

G: Zathras23: Another thing, expect to be standing for the majority of the day. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and make sure to get off your feet between rounds if possible.

H. ShockBlocked: One thing I would add - If you arrive early (I was about an hour early out of sheer excitement), offer to help the organizer set up tables or clear out space. It's a great way to introduce yourself, have your name remembered, and meet players trickling in.

I. catachanninja: Hydration goes a long way.

J. Radzap: Roll It Off: If you get into a tiff regarding arc/range/etc? Just roll for it and move on to keep the game moving. Deep Breaths: We all get Dice ****ed from time to time. Take a deep breath, stay composed and keep going to the best of your ability. Know where the restrooms are and the locations of places to restock on snacks/coffee (gas stations are great for this).

As a side note, right now the meta is wide open, and the truth is there is no meta. Their are squad archetypes, arc dodgers, turrets, bombers, jousters, but with the rapid release of Core 2.0, Wave 7, the Imperial Raider, and the Tourney FAQ updates, well just about anything goes.

Anything I missed?

I'd like to add, if you're attending a tournament, personal hygiene is very much appreciated. A shower/bath on the day of the tourney plus whatever deodorant to eliminate the funk will be received well. It may sound like unneeded advice but I've been to tourneys for other games where some of the players were, shall we say, using biological warfare on the people in their vicinity.

I'd like to add, if you're attending a tournament, personal hygiene is very much appreciated. A shower/bath on the day of the tourney plus whatever deodorant to eliminate the funk will be received well. It may sound unneeded advice but I've been to tourneys for other games where some of the players were, shall we say, using biological warfare on the people in their vicinity.

Especially at some of the larger tournaments held at stores, the density of people can exceed what the A/C system was sized to handle.

I have another one..

Get into a habit of narrating what you do as you're doing it.
e.g. Bank right with Soontir, barrel roll to the left, push the limit for Focus, he gets a stress and another focus..etc. Next to move is Zeta 1..etc.

The same can be said about any competitive event in table-top, or TCGs even. Being able to accurately describe what you're doing is very important in competitive events. Not only does it demonstrate your maturity as a player, but it also conveys your exact intentions to avoid confusion or cheating accusations.

Oh, and while I'm on that,

To save time, it's okay to let your opponent move your ships if you're out of reach if you ask them pilotely. This particular table-top is very.. how do I say.. interactive. Not only do you alternate turns of moving and shooting, but there's going to be a lot of bumping and grinding which leads to a good amount of ship jenga. Not only does this make the match more enjoyable if both players are helping each other out, but it often reduces the amount of tension that might arise from a competitive event.

Good luck newcomers!

I would also like to add

Be sure that you've eaten before the tournament begins or pack a lunch/snack for in between rounds, and bring water. Tournaments can go on for hours and it doesn't help to have an empty stomach and/or dehydration.

Anything I missed?

Ask your opponent if she minds being in the picture. Not everyone wants their face on Facebook.

I have another one..

Get into a habit of narrating what you do as you're doing it.

e.g. Bank right with Soontir, barrel roll to the left, push the limit for Focus, he gets a stress and another focus..etc. Next to move is Zeta 1..etc.

The same can be said about any competitive event in table-top, or TCGs even. Being able to accurately describe what you're doing is very important in competitive events. Not only does it demonstrate your maturity as a player, but it also conveys your exact intentions to avoid confusion or cheating accusations.

Oh, and while I'm on that,

To save time, it's okay to let your opponent move your ships if you're out of reach if you ask them pilotely. This particular table-top is very.. how do I say.. interactive. Not only do you alternate turns of moving and shooting, but there's going to be a lot of bumping and grinding which leads to a good amount of ship jenga. Not only does this make the match more enjoyable if both players are helping each other out, but it often reduces the amount of tension that might arise from a competitive event.

Good luck newcomers!

Good advice. It can be frustrating when players do things without actually telling you.

I'd add to be respectful of the other games going on. Multiple tables of X-Wing games are going to make for an inherently loud environment anyway; try not to add to it by yelling or shouting or otherwise being disruptive. If you need to have your phone with you, put it on silent or vibrate. If your match finishes early and you want to watch the other players, be a good spectator and don't interrupt with questions or suggestions or rule interpretations. Behave how you'd want someone watching you play to behave.

Also, don't wander off in between rounds. A good-sized tournament is going to be a lengthy affair as it is. Having to corral the players because they've dispersed to all corners of the store/con/venue is only going to make it take that much longer.

Finally, if you're playing a tournament at a store, I'd recommend supporting that store in some fashion, beyond whatever entry fee you paid (which normally covers prize support anyway). Pick up an expansion. Buy a comic book. Grab a soda or snack if they offer them. Show them some monetary appreciation for the time and effort they put in to holding the event. It'll make them much more likely to hold more events in the future.

Have to say this thread is actually rather needed. Not because people don't do these things, but because literally every event I've been to there has been at least 1 or 2 people who's first game of the day is like the 2nd or 3rd game EVER.

More so than any other game system I think, new people go to events for this game.

I have another one..

Get into a habit of narrating what you do as you're doing it.

e.g. Bank right with Soontir, barrel roll to the left, push the limit for Focus, he gets a stress and another focus..etc. Next to move is Zeta 1..etc.

The same can be said about any competitive event in table-top, or TCGs even. Being able to accurately describe what you're doing is very important in competitive events. Not only does it demonstrate your maturity as a player, but it also conveys your exact intentions to avoid confusion or cheating accusations.

Oh, and while I'm on that,

To save time, it's okay to let your opponent move your ships if you're out of reach if you ask them pilotely. This particular table-top is very.. how do I say.. interactive. Not only do you alternate turns of moving and shooting, but there's going to be a lot of bumping and grinding which leads to a good amount of ship jenga. Not only does this make the match more enjoyable if both players are helping each other out, but it often reduces the amount of tension that might arise from a competitive event.

Good luck newcomers!

Good advice. It can be frustrating when players do things without actually telling you.

I'm usually quiet when I play, unless the other player is talking to me a lot. Especially if we're both silly about it. So it takes two to tango.

These are all great tips!

One from me: Don't be egotistical. Whoever you are. New or old. Narrating, as brought up, is something awesome to make sure everyone is on the same page... but "talking" while playing can be really really egotistical. Don't say things like, "oh I should have done this and I would have beaten you." "the right move here would be to do blah blah". These are really dumb things to say.

Have to say this thread is actually rather needed. Not because people don't do these things, but because literally every event I've been to there has been at least 1 or 2 people who's first game of the day is like the 2nd or 3rd game EVER.

More so than any other game system I think, new people go to events for this game.

It's the property. Everybody knows Star Wars. So there's less of a barrier to entry than, say, Magic or Warhammer, since you're playing in a world you're familiar with.

These are all great tips!

One from me: Don't be egotistical. Whoever you are. New or old. Narrating, as brought up, is something awesome to make sure everyone is on the same page... but "talking" while playing can be really really egotistical. Don't say things like, "oh I should have done this and I would have beaten you." "the right move here would be to do blah blah". These are really dumb things to say.

On the flip side of this, don't take things personally. If your opponent tables you in fifteen minutes, they're not some big meanie out to ruin your fun or humiliate you. Maybe they had better luck with the dice, maybe they're just more skilled. Don't get yourself down. Ask them questions. "What did I do that made it easy for you to win? What could I have done better?" If they're any kind of a decent player, they'll be glad to help.

These are all great tips!

One from me: Don't be egotistical. Whoever you are. New or old. Narrating, as brought up, is something awesome to make sure everyone is on the same page... but "talking" while playing can be really really egotistical. Don't say things like, "oh I should have done this and I would have beaten you." "the right move here would be to do blah blah". These are really dumb things to say.

On the flip side of this, don't take things personally. If your opponent tables you in fifteen minutes, they're not some big meanie out to ruin your fun or humiliate you. Maybe they had better luck with the dice, maybe they're just more skilled. Don't get yourself down. Ask them questions. "What did I do that made it easy for you to win? What could I have done better?" If they're any kind of a decent player, they'll be glad to help.

Good advice! Don't take losses hard. Try and enjoy the game, and make friends.

---

I've mostly had the egotistical problem actually with newer players. They talk loudly about how good their build and their game execution was to their very quiet and sulky losing opponent after the game. Its just really not good sportsmanship at all. Rubbing it in their face?

They're also mercifully quiet if they don't win.

If I feel like you do this or you're being very irritating in the manner you chose to speak, I'm going to grind you into the table, just to get you to be quiet.

Another thing, expect to be standing for the majority of the day. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and make sure to get off your feet between rounds if possible.

Don't forget your towel.

7. Remember to shake your opponents hand before and after the match, make sure you know their name, and they know yours. Yes, the goal is to win, but making friends is a close second in a large event. Especially if you are going out of your local area to play.

Very well said. Glad you included this.

As an almost brand new player who just attended his first casual tournament, this thread is greatly appreciated. I love how the community strives To create a fun atmosphere and employing these behaviors was extremely well received by the staff and competition.

One thing I would add - If you arrive early (I was about an hour early out of sheer excitement), offer to help the organizer set up tables or clear out space. It's a great way to introduce yourself, have your name remembered, and meet players trickling in.

Most of the time they will likely say "I'm good, but thanks!", but it shows respect and appreciation of the event and organizers.

From my experience, I believe one of the reasons that newer players ("noobs") play their 2nd or 3rd game at the tournaments is that they might not have been able to play with other players at casual events. In my area, there are two stores locally which hosted casual events. There were venues further afield; however, familial responsibilies kept me close to home. When I went to these stores for the casual events, many times there was no one else there. As I had friends who did not share an interest in this game or found it difficult to comprehend and as I was unable to download Vassal, this was my only exposure to the game. Either I play at the turney or I did not play the game. I knew that I was not on top of things, that I was not at the skill level for competitive play, so I never attended a turney. I have read reviews at BoardGameGeek where others have written that the competitive nature of this game drove them away. In my area, at least one person has written that newer players abandoning the game because of its competitive nature is a pervasive occurence. In consideration of this, I think it is important that there be some leniency made towards newer players in the turneys. I am not speaking of changing the rules of the game; I am speaking about recognizing that they are new and helping them in their understanding of the game.

(In my area, there were over 300 members on a Facebook group. In the time I played the game, from late July to early September, I saw the same 10 or 15 players, who were also members of the group. I would say that 90% of them were experienced turney players. Though some were friendly to new players, it was clear to me that they were operating mentally at a higher level in this game, and I was playing catch-up. I became frustrated at the lack of exposure to this game, and faced with not playing the game or playing the turneys, I became one of the players who quit the game. I "orphaned" my models at one of the LGS.)

Those poor pooor orphaned minis!!!! Think of the children!! ahhh.

makes me sad.

Hydration goes a long way

Points to be reiterated:

• Hygene: the last tournament I attended smelled like a locker room. Please bathe and wear deodorant/antiperspirant.
• Roll It Off: If you get into a tiff regarding arc/range/etc? Just roll for it and move on to keep the game moving.
• Quietly Spectate: Got a Bye and you're just watching a game? STFU and watch. Don't coach or arbitrate from the sideline as this can be distracting/annoying to the players.
• Eat/Drink/Restroom: One of the events I attended went over six hours. Get your food in before the match, and hydrate during it. Know where the restrooms are and the locations of places to restock on snacks/coffee (gas stations are great for this).
• Buy Stuff!: If you can afford to buy stuff at the FLGS, do so...you're not obligated to but if you want to keep the sport alive, then yes, you are obliged to.
• Deep Breaths: We all get Dice ****ed from time to time. Take a deep breath, stay composed and keep going to the best of your ability.
• Be Helpful: Self explanatory.

Courtesy and sportsmanship should be a given, but unfortunately that's not always the case. I realize there are some borderline Asperger's cases out there who can't control their behavior. Just take the high road when confronted by a rude player enjoy the game from a fundamental standpoint.

Lastly, play to win. It doesn't do your opponent any favors to not bring all you game to bear. The best kind of friend is like Iron sharpening Iron. Your matches are experiences that broaden the knowledge of the game for yourself and your opponent. So, go out and be an example of excellence for other players to follow.

I would also like to add

Be sure that you've eaten before the tournament begins or pack a lunch/snack for in between rounds, and bring water. Tournaments can go on for hours and it doesn't help to have an empty stomach and/or dehydration.

This is huge. Also just as huge for cons in general. It can be very easy to forget to eat or drink until you're starving and have no idea where to get food.