Don't know how many have played it in a real-world game of X-Wing, but I did tonight. I played against my 12-year-old son (who proxied the stuff, of course). I'm older than 50, and a very solid X-Wing player.

I had small-base ships. He had the list in the subject line. I never had a chance. The game was effectively over on the first turn of firing. He simply pulled my Omega Leader into arc of all three Defenders (it was in arc of just one at the start of the turn). Reduced his agility to 2, parked him on a rock. At that point, Omega Leader was vaporized without a whimper and the game was basically over.

I expect it's going to be that way for anyone not using large ships from here on out.

So now, maneuvering is useless. I love getting near obstacles and just missing them -- I practice this and enjoy it. Now, you have to stay OUT OF RANGE 1 of *every* asteroid. How do you do that for a whole game? You don't. Or you get three of your ships per turn "beamed" and your fancy flying for focus fire is rendered useless. Formations are a thing of the past. Arc-dodging? Nope; the TB pulls you right back in arc. With lowered agility, and three dice *minimum* coming at you.

And if you end up on a rock or debris field, you're either stressed next turn or maybe flying over the rock you're on the back of, and lose your action. Again. This is, of course, after rolling to see if you take a hit or crit from the asteroid.

I don't like flying large ships, for the most part. Now, it's the only way to survive that I can see. I hate that.

Am I being overly negative, or an alarmist? Maybe. But this may make me quit the game. That's how much I hate TIE-D/TB Defenders.