What makes you into a competitive X-Wing player?

Is it having a lot of game time?

Playing the same list over and over?

Playing various different lists?

Competing in lots of store comps?

I have been playing X-Wing since Feb 2015, joined the local group a couple of months later.

Being located in a country town in Australia, you are limited on the number of players to play against and having a young family, travel is limited to go and play in other locations.

I think when they say " competitive" around here they mean " lots of tournaments,and a strong desire to win them"

It has to do with using hyper efficient lists and flying them like a boss.

If you have to win you're competitive.

If you just like the ships and making pew pew noises you're casual.

That's my understanding anyway.

I enjoy casual play and going pew pew like the rest of us, but I would like to end up in the top cut or even win a tourney.

I just don't know if the ship/lists that I use are competitive or I'm just not getting the most out of them.

I know that I probably don't get enough actual game time and the player pool in our group isn't large to vary the lists to play against.

In that case, you will want to browse through the lists that are currently winning tournaments. Are the crazy efficient and finely tuned squads you are looking for.

As a new player, if you are trying to invent a squad for competition you are going to have a hard time.

Not impossible. People come up with funky stuff all the time that does well. But you'll want to get an idea for what is a proven "wheel" before you try and reinvent a "wheel"

If you're asking "how can I become a more competitive player" or "I want to become a better player", then the answer is simple.

Practice

Everything in this world takes practice. Lose often and learn from your mistakes. Try using a simple list and then master it, or fly just one ship until you mast that. I have a friend who learned how to fly two ships, because that's all he could afford. Because he only played with those two shops he got really good and got 4th at regionals this year. I myself had lost tons and tons of games, and eventually I learned the mechanics and spacial skills needed to play the game.