I usually fly things that are not considered competitive, just to see how many people I can beat with it. I've done pretty well so far.

I am thinking of just skipping the whole tournament scene lately, though. Going for these "competitive" games of meta only lists is not really what I find fun these days. I'd rather just get with my buddies (who don't go to tournaments) and play some scenarios.

I've only been playing for a little over a month, and this is where I see myself already as well. I played a list last night that was basically this:

• Vessery
• Echo
• TIE/fo (a cheap one at 15 or 16)

So first of all in the local meta here, people are flying a lot of high-count rebel ship lists or other rebel lists with a lot of shield regen.

I've never lost to another Imperial list. But, that's because I've NEVER faced one one in the month I've been playing locally. But, I really like the Imperials, and I love the Phantom (especially Echo's unpredictability). I'm currently 1-4 with my Imperial lists, but I just don't want to run out and buy a bunch of rebel ships to replicate what others are doing. I'm determined to get so much better with the Phantom and refine a list that uses it that I'm willing to take a beating.

Of course, that all being said, I am looking forward to my shipment that contains the original core, Y-wing, K-wing and the Ghost (whenever it's released) so that I can try and have a little rebel fun myself.

Is this something anyone else struggles with? Do you ever change your list solely because you see others running it too?

No one would ever be stupid enough take one of my lists in the first place, so it's never yet come up!

I usually fly things that are not considered competitive, just to see how many people I can beat with it. I've done pretty well so far.

I am thinking of just skipping the whole tournament scene lately, though. Going for these "competitive" games of meta only lists is not really what I find fun these days. I'd rather just get with my buddies (who don't go to tournaments) and play some scenarios.

I've only been playing for a little over a month, and this is where I see myself already as well. I played a list last night that was basically this:

• Vessery
• Echo
• TIE/fo (a cheap one at 15 or 16)

So first of all in the local meta here, people are flying a lot of high-count rebel ship lists or other rebel lists with a lot of shield regen.

I've never lost to another Imperial list. But, that's because I've NEVER faced one one in the month I've been playing locally. But, I really like the Imperials, and I love the Phantom (especially Echo's unpredictability). I'm currently 1-4 with my Imperial lists, but I just don't want to run out and buy a bunch of rebel ships to replicate what others are doing. I'm determined to get so much better with the Phantom and refine a list that uses it that I'm willing to take a beating.

Of course, that all being said, I am looking forward to my shipment that contains the original core, Y-wing, K-wing and the Ghost (whenever it's released) so that I can try and have a little rebel fun myself.

Look into ordnance as a way to stop the Rebel shield regen, especially with the new fixes coming out. I'm running 4 x Tie Bombers and it does very well vs. Rebels. Poe doesn't last long vs. 3 Homing Missiles. It will be better once Guidance Chips and Long Range Sensors.

I haven't used the Punisher at all yet, but you can use Redline. The new Imp Vets will be excellent with Thomax B.

Funny thing. A guy walked into the shop mere days before the mini-league kicked off and was like, mini league, I'm in! He bought a core set, played a game, bought a Defender, then submitted his tourney list! In the space of two hours! Lol

He has since won both his games, with just a core set and one expac. First game he fought Super Dash and Regen Poe, smoked Poe and halved Dash. Game two he faced Brobots and crushed them mercilessly.

Everyone thought he was crazy, but it turns out two /FO and Brath is a heck of a list. Caught both his opponents off guard because they just saw three squishy TIEs. So, I think this fella has done a good job of shaking things up. He is the only guy with a 5 point Init bid too.

So, unconventional lists can bring it home too.

Funny thing. A guy walked into the shop mere days before the mini-league kicked off and was like, mini league, I'm in! He bought a core set, played a game, bought a Defender, then submitted his tourney list! In the space of two hours! Lol

He has since won both his games, with just a core set and one expac. First game he fought Super Dash and Regen Poe, smoked Poe and halved Dash. Game two he faced Brobots and crushed them mercilessly.

Everyone thought he was crazy, but it turns out two /FO and Brath is a heck of a list. Caught both his opponents off guard because they just saw three squishy TIEs. So, I think this fella has done a good job of shaking things up. He is the only guy with a 5 point Init bid too.

So, unconventional lists can bring it home too.

He's skywalker..

I usually fly things that are not considered competitive, just to see how many people I can beat with it. I've done pretty well so far.

I am thinking of just skipping the whole tournament scene lately, though. Going for these "competitive" games of meta only lists is not really what I find fun these days. I'd rather just get with my buddies (who don't go to tournaments) and play some scenarios.

I haven't been to a competitive game in a few months now. I'm REALLY enjoying playing Epic games with friends. I skipped the Rebel epic ships, but have bought BOTH Imperial ships and WOW are they fun! Already planning my next epic night with friends...

Funny thing. A guy walked into the shop mere days before the mini-league kicked off and was like, mini league, I'm in! He bought a core set, played a game, bought a Defender, then submitted his tourney list! In the space of two hours! Lol

He has since won both his games, with just a core set and one expac. First game he fought Super Dash and Regen Poe, smoked Poe and halved Dash. Game two he faced Brobots and crushed them mercilessly.

Everyone thought he was crazy, but it turns out two /FO and Brath is a heck of a list. Caught both his opponents off guard because they just saw three squishy TIEs. So, I think this fella has done a good job of shaking things up. He is the only guy with a 5 point Init bid too.

So, unconventional lists can bring it home too.

Ha! That's awesome. I'll bet the folks that have been playing for some time were pretty peeved.

Well each faction has 15 odd ships, another 50 odd pilots each assigned a ship. Compared with the amount of people playing this game the chance you are going to be able to be a special snowflake at every event is remote and growing smaller. Play what you want and don’t worry about what the other guy has.

I played Vader+Decimator when two ship builds were popular, right before the big ship MOV nerf. I loved that list. Vader+Palpatine (Rule of Two) felt super flavorful to me and I really enjoyed it. Didn't care that it was popular in the meta.

Afterwards, the meta shifted to more small ships and Imperial Aces became the new hotness. Decimators were declared passe', thanks to TLTs and the big ship MOV nerf. I kept flying it anyway and continue to do well (9-1 over my last 10 tournament rounds). It's a weird case of the meta separating from me.

Just fly the ships you enjoy flying, and learn how to fly them well.

By changing your lists based on what others are flying you are playing the meta game.

What you want to say is "urge to not fly popular lists" because you are most definitely playing the meta game hard.(you may not be playing it to win but you are playing it).

When the decimator came out, I thought it'd be really fun to fly with the Phantom. I came up with basically the same list that Texx won the team covenant open with. I stopped flying it for no reason other than wanting to be a beautiful unique snowflake.

I've since come around pretty hard on the idea. I had gone away from it for the most part by regional season when I flew a modified panic attack. As many did, I fully abandoned the concept after palp came out.

I do however believe that it is vital to fly a list that you are comfortable with over a "meta" list, but if they overlap there's nothing wrong with it. That said, many people scout out lists in the weeks before a tourney and practice against them. There's no reason to make everyone's work easier for them and run a list everyone knows is coming.

Yeah, buddy definitely is a strange space monk, that's for sure!

Anyways. I find myself drawn towards the less popular elements in many things. A lot of us just go with the flow, go with the crowd and never make waves. I hate that. I don't know what my life is about, but it isn't blindly following, not for the sake of simplicity anyways. I don't fancy myself a leader or an individual or anything. I wear a sweater because it's cold, and you're dumb, not cool, if you don't wear a sweater when it's cold. I don't wear it because it's a fashionable thing to do, I just wear it. The way a person enjoys their time should be subject to the same pragmatic approach. It's not a desire to be different, but simply a desire to fulfill ones own wants, in the way most suited to them. Some perhaps enjoy the brisk air and so don't wear sweaters and it's not a statement at all, some do prefer to make a statement, and they're easy to spot. But that's not them being different, it is not a verb that you conjugate, they aren't different-ing, only be-ing. Humans be-ing human. Humans being. Human Beings.

Bump.

Lose your action.

Man, I'm ******* stoned.

I play what I think will be fun to fly. Sometimes it's a list I thought up myself, sometimes it's a list I copied from the Internet. I'm playing this game to enjoy myself, therefore I use lists that I enjoy. It doesn't matter where the list came from, only that I'm having fun with it. When a list becomes boring or some other list seems like it will be more fun I change lists.

Bottom line. If you are playing this game to have fun then play the lists that are fun for you, whatever they may be, for whatever reasons you think they are fun. It's really that simple.

Caveat: It definitely helps if you have like minded companions looking to get something similar from the game as you.

I struggle with this desire to fly different ship from what everyone else is bringing and usually, as someone else lamented, to my detriment.

By changing your lists based on what others are flying you are playing the meta game.

What you want to say is "urge to not fly popular lists" because you are most definitely playing the meta game hard.(you may not be playing it to win but you are playing it).

I never really thought of it this way. Two sides of the coin I suppose.

Trend-setters usually end up flying the same list as other people.

It's not a bad thing, fly what you enjoy flying.

Fortunately the meta is open enough that you can pretty much use whatever.

The first store championship in Atlanta had 43 people. I made top 8 with a t-65. Never saw soontir all day. Only saw one Poe.

Daym, I WANT DAT META

Atlanta has always been just off center.

Last year, during the height of phantom/deci fever I made top four at a 25 man store championship with 2 rookie x-wings, and the overall winner was pre-thrusters soontir/carnor with capt Kagi

I've only been playing for a little over a month, and this is where I see myself already as well. I played a list last night that was basically this:

• Vessery
• Echo
• TIE/fo (a cheap one at 15 or 16)

So first of all in the local meta here, people are flying a lot of high-count rebel ship lists or other rebel lists with a lot of shield regen.

Just to drive home the "ain't nuthin' new under the sun" point, Vessery, Echo and a naked bomber at 16 was my store championships list last year. Flew it for about six months before giving up on it.

Hope it works better for you than it did me!

I like flying weird stuff because I don't get to play nearly as often as I'd like. If I'm going to a small tournament, I'd probably be the 6th or 7th best Soontir Fel pilot, because most people get more practical experience than me. However, if my meager practice time is devoted to something weird, like TIE Defenders, I'm probably the best Defender pilot there, and I'm probably blindsiding some people with stuff they've never seen before.

And it makes me feel like a special snowflake (which have 6 points, like TIE Defenders).

I like Aces..... but don't expect to fly the Palpmobile!

I will admit, a good feeling is bringing a list in wave 5 that made people say "you can't do that... Wait, you can?!"

Rhymer

Procket

Procket

Stealth device

VI

Jonus

Siesmic charge

Delta w/HLC

I would get to r2, and procket with 5 dice. With people saying "Prockets are R1 only!" "Not with Rhymer's ability"

"Rhymer only has 2 agility!" "Stealth device"

Well... Uh...

Then the Fat Han or Deci would take 5 to 3 hits depending and leaving it wide open to Delta's HLC. Rhymer's quickly got shot at after they figured out the threat, but he usually got another 4 hit rocket off before death.

It's not so much that I want to fly non-meta stuff just to be different, it's that the stuff dominating the meta right now isn't stuff I really like to fly. If we had a wave 3-esque meta I'd be fine flying swarm.

I don't enjoy playing turrets and I'm not a huge fan of Acewing, although I'm starting to turn around on that.

I do like my 6x Crackshot list, and my triple juke ptl autothrusters green squadron + PS 4 TLT stresshog list is as meta as you can make a genericwing squadron, not counting quad TLT and Danger Zone.

Also, certain A+ lists don't lend themselves well to ditto matchups. Acewing games seem to be determined heavily by initiative/PS to the point where it seems solely based on it, and Turretwing dittos have the tactical depth of candyland.

But 4 ship Rebel ditto matchups are good. Swarm vs. swarm is probably my favorite matchup.

I always fly whatever falls in the intersection of "fun" and "competitive." In Wave 2, I liked Dutch and Lando. In Wave 3, I flew BBXX (the most standard meta build there was). On the other hand, I don't particularly enjoy flying fat turrets (although I do like the challenge of going against them) so last year, I flew a lot of Rebel control. Now, we're getting back to the point where a lot of what I like to fly just also happens to be strong in the meta.

I always fly whatever falls in the intersection of "fun" and "competitive."

I hear that. I'm 100% cool with running a 90% competitive squad in a tournament as long as it's also 90% fun.

I'm on that boat too - I prioritize flying something fun while being competitive.

For the latter part, I tend to focus more on efficiency rather than copycat builds. Studying the meta is important, but it really differs by area.

I've always been trying to make munitions work- I have a Horton/dutch/Jan list that I updated first for Plasma/TLT on Jan, and have been waiting for Guidance Chip. I also was one of the first to try Bandit Concussion swarms, though I never bought enough Zs to be useful. Tomorrow I'm bringing Drea Renthal to a store champ, and crying because I dont have a Jumpmaster yet to fly beside her.

Someone else in my store has a 3 Kilhraxz list that runs triple crack shot, triple glitterstim, 2 Chipp'd Concussions and EU Talonbane with a homing missile. It's been kicking ass, and we've been telling him to stick with it, even without chips, for the store champ.