No doesn't bother me, it shouldn't bother anyone really.

Lots of people buy and trade their prizes.

I mean I got into the game at wave 3, so I was never able to get some of the cool stuff, so I bought some (like getting the alt art cards. That's the collector in me)

I've won most of what I have since by playing, but even so, not everything was won, some things I bought because It was before I was playing, or I was unable to travel away to attend.

Sometimes people just get cool extras when buying someones collection. I've seen that before too.

Where I'm at I have to travel out of province for the closest xwing scene, so that can be troublesome at times.

Sometimes buying what I want on eBay is cheaper than the travel costs.

However the downside of that is not getting to play xwing, which is why I really like going over. Great bunch over there.

Acrylic templates and tokens at the table is one thing.

Someone displaying their collection of challenge coins is another.

Acrylic templates and tokens at the table is one thing.

Someone displaying their collection of challenge coins is another.

This, as long as you're using the templates for what they were intended for its fine, i've seen the challenge coin for shield token photo going around and was not amused.

Why would anyone ever be intimidated over a miniatures game?

I currently have a box for tournaments, outside that box sits 7 of the 8 medals you can win. I then mention how I like to sound like a wind chime where ever I go. I then pour out a bag of acrylics (no critical hit ones ) then my sets of regional dice, then my range rulers and maneuvering acrylics. After all that I fan out every alternate art card except the national and worlds one. If the opponent doesn't concede at that point, I pack up and go home, cause that player has nerves of steel and I don't want none of that!

But really, I like all my winnings and I use them because I enjoy how they look. Not only that they don't wear out as much as my cardboard had, though some of the painted facings are starting to go.

Edit: also I go two face with the challenge coin the entire time, just to set more tension.

Some interesting questions were raised last night during my weekly practice session with a fellow "competitive" x wing player. Does the introduction of prize rulers, templates, and other in-game tokens intimidate new or "casual" players?

Mynock Squadron Podcast mentioned this a while back where a guy showed up with his acrylic templates, range ruler, shield, focus and evade tokens all won from various tournaments. The opponent made the comment something along the lines of, "Oh, it's going to be that kind of game."

Does the introduction of usable in-game trophies cause an immediate intimidation factor to the opponent before the first dials are placed? Can using your spoils of war unintentionally ruin a players Fly Casual attitude in a non competitive game?

I, for one, am a huge fan of the acrylic prizes. They are so pretty. My attitude playing someone who has something I don't is... I want to be good enough to win what he or she has and I will practice my butt off until I have that. But I am a competitive person.

What is one to do when faced with someone who automatically shuts down any hope of a pleasant X wing game if he or she thinks you are flaunting your "better than me" prizes all throughout the game?

Anyway, interested to hear what the rest of you guys think... I'm bored at work and it's a Friday

I'm a casual player. It wasn't until AFTER I saw the awsome prizes that I immediately spent over $1k on tickets and etc. to go play in the Hoth game at Chicago. No, not intimidating at all lol

If your ability to "Fly Casual" is dependent on your opponent, you are not actually "Flying Casual".

Your behaviour patterns and attitude are under your control, and nobody else's. Saying otherwise is equivalent to saying "Listening to Eminem made me shoot that guy". If you treat someone differently simply because they have a different colour ruler then you're the one with the problem.

I've also played Paul Heaver at a Regional, lost by 3 points, and it was the most adrenaline pumping game I think I've ever had, so...

I've heard of the opposite happening. One of my friends travels a lot for work and one time decided to bring some X-Wing stuff with him, but opted to bring his cardboard tokens instead of the kit that he's built up over time. His first opponent, never having seen him in the area before, asked for a game and while setting up told him about all the cool swag you were able to win and showed him what he had. My friend just smiled and played the game, and left the other guy wondering what hit him after. From what I was told the guy was very friendly, and he definitely wasn't being cocky or anything. He was just lulled into a false sense of security.

Of course, the intimidation is real. I've had another friend from out of town join us at our regionals last year, and having two sets of worlds templates with him sure made some of our local players very nervous.

Nah...swag is swag. I made nationals in my clicky tech days Fantasy Flight stuff is at least usable in game, and less for show than the Wizkids champion pins. It is also not uber broken like the champion prizes that were useable.

I have lost all but 2 games I've played so far, and can even point at the moment I lost, in game, which has not been at the list building/set up stage. Still been fun.

My templates are forged from the foreskins of slain opponents.

I'm afraid the intimidation will be quite intentional when your friends arrive.

Oh, you have acrylics? Yawn...you gonna play, or what?

When I sat down to start my first match at my first store championship last year, and my opponent had prize acrylics for every component (apart from focuses) and was flying a slightly modified version of the 2014 worlds fat Han list (as my buddy had pointed out to me) I did think, "I might be out of my depth here". And so it went- I was outclassed and off the table very quickly.

But I don't have an issue with it. And I'd never assume a certain player is going to be unpleasant to play because of the bling they have- just that they've won a lot of games. It doesn't tell you about their attitude.