Hello all,

I've been playing for a little less than a year as rebels and have participated in a couple kit tournaments and one store championship. I was persuaded by local players to give it a try which I was willing to since the events were small enough guaranteeing a copy of the alternate art cards (i.e. gunner, C-3PO, recon specialist). I didn't feel too bad even though I was new since I wouldn't be going home empty handed.

From what I could gather, most of the regional tournaments are large events where there will be more than 64 people in attendance. I've read on the forums that these top 64 cards are not participation cards and should pretty much be earned.

My question is: When do you know you are ready to participate in such an event with the chance of going home empty handed? Thank you all in advance!

TL;DR

See last paragraph.

Do you like playing X-wing? There's you answer.

Just go, as long as it's not going to be enormously expensive or disruptive to your schedule. The worst thing that's likely to happen is you play X-wing all day and don't win as much as you'd like.

My question is: When do you know you are ready to participate in such an event with the chance of going home empty handed? Thank you all in advance!

You will know... when you are calm, at peace, passive.

I've spectated one regional and played in another, and my big takeaway was that "the meta" -- as defined by the worldwide/internet X-Wing community -- gets serious representation on the tables. People bring the lists that are considered top tier, and it's not uncommon to see point-for-point identical lists from one player to the next. At a casual tourney or a store championship you get a wider spread of niche/lower tier lists mixed in among the netlists and archetypes.

So my advice for playing at a regional would be to get comfortable with the meta, familiarize yourself with and practice against those top tier lists (regardless of whether or not you have personal feelings about their effectiveness) and maybe even bring one of those lists yourself, assuming there's one you're happy and comfortable flying.

A bad day playing xwing is still better than a good day at the office. Go play, have fun. Big tourneys like that are a blast.

When you're in the final, rolling crits like there was no tomorrow.

Hello all,

I've been playing for a little less than a year as rebels and have participated in a couple kit tournaments and one store championship. I was persuaded by local players to give it a try which I was willing to since the events were small enough guaranteeing a copy of the alternate art cards (i.e. gunner, C-3PO, recon specialist). I didn't feel too bad even though I was new since I wouldn't be going home empty handed.

From what I could gather, most of the regional tournaments are large events where there will be more than 64 people in attendance. I've read on the forums that these top 64 cards are not participation cards and should pretty much be earned.

My question is: When do you know you are ready to participate in such an event with the chance of going home empty handed? Thank you all in advance!

TL;DR

See last paragraph.

Lol i went to Nationals after 3 months playing Xwing.

Have you done a Rocky-style training montage yet? No? Then you're not ready.

As others have said, if you enjoy the game enough to want to go, then go

If you want to do well and take it a little more seriously, then my advice is to pick say 2/3 lists that you like and fly the hell out of them for a while. Even if you lose games with them, don't change the lists/drop them. Just change the odd upgrade here or there. The main thing you want to practice is the flying of your list. Once you know how it all flies together, that's 80% of the battle won right there.

I feel too many people fall into the trap of making a list, losing with it, changing it entirely, rinse and repeat. If you know your list well, know how it deals with certain other ships and lists, and have flown it around about 8/9 times, you are ready to take an event a little more competitively.

You may still lose awfully, but at least you'll feel like you gave it a good go, whether you went just for fun or to maybe come away with a prize or two

There are also participation prizes in many locations. At Dice Dojo in Chicago I won a Tantive IV Expansion Pack just for being a good sport! That was simply amazing!

As long as you had fun you didn't leave a tournament empty handed

While regional's are seen as more competitive, its a good way to learn what to expect, meet new players and grab some list ideas.

just do it

I started playing in January this year. First SC in Feb, been to 3 others - top half in all and top 4 in 1. Going to Regionals in July.

As long as you know the rules and enjoy the games, go.

The best way to improve at the game is to play more X-wing against more varied opponents. Go for it.

I'll echo the above:

Let's say you miss out on the loot. You still walk away with a FUN day, meeting new players (and likely some very good ones), and experience that will improve your game. That's a lot of profit.

Nothing compares to experience. The only way to get that experience comes with putting models on the table against different people. There are only two other events where you will get the opportunity to play against people you do not normally do so and they are harder to get to than regionals. So go, fly some ships make some friends and learn some things, and who knows you may just surprise yourself and make it into the top 64, 32, 16, 8, or even 4.

Just have fun.

Your voice will change and you'll find hair in strange places.

Like the best labouf says, "just do it"

Heck. If nationals or any large tournaments are around, sign up and play. You'll become a Bette to layer by playing good players and have fun while you do it.

If you have fun playing in tournaments then go. If its going to stress you, don't go. Play X-wing the way it is most enjoyable to you. Despite how some treat it, end of the day you are quite literally playing pretend with a bunch of toys, it is only about what is fun for you.

I went to Regional last year after about 4 months of playing and did horrible. I was not happy with how I played. But was I happy I played? Definitely.

I met a wide variety of players, played against a bunch of lists I had never seen, and played X-Wing all day. I'm so glad I went and I am looking forward to this year.

Let the Force guide you.

I have been playing since PAX East last year, so just over 1 year long. and like it or not im going to a Regionals this year due in whole by the fact that i have a Bye i do not intend on wasting, it was my first and only store championship, i think i was ready for it (despite my results it was way close in many of the games) and win or lose in the final table i was getting the bye and the other player already had a SC win.

I probably won't be going for the 3rd year in a row thanks to other commitments again.

Would be nice to go someday. Maybe this fall when they are moved. Having a bye would give me extra incentive to go. But that's unlikely to ever happen.

I do worry about my results though. I'm a very competitive person so if I did average or poor, especially if I miss top 64, I'd feel like I wasted my time and money on the day.

To the OP's question, you don't know. You just have to go and find out. You try and prepare in all the ways people have described, then put your ships on the table and see what happens.