Does anyone know what the purpose of the wing like appendages on the VSD?

Opinions vary. Some think they are purely for atmospheric flight and some think they are extra torpedo tube decks. I imagine some think they are both.

I believe that the original WEG version listed them as the torpedo decks, but obviously they are there so it looks different from the ISD at a glance.

The VSD has a fun history. In the Star Wars universe the VSD predates the ISD, created by the father of the inventor of the ISD, who the turned rebel. In reality it is the other way around. Lucasfilm created the ISD, WEG needed to expand the universe with other older ships, so to differentiate the VSDs in the Star Wars RPG, West End Games gave them a slightly different look. Early expanded universe authors used WEG material as a writing aid to maintain basic continuity. The VSD has remained largely unchanged in appearance from those early WEG drawings.

In the ascension mod the vsd sides open to launch rockets

Ascendancy* not ascension lol

I think the old X Wing vs TIE fighter had them opened up for its model.

I had always thought/read/misinterpreted that those were for atmospheric maneuvering because screw physics. Also, I thought the big antenna was actually a cannon on the bridge.

The forward facing "antenna" was originally listed as a forward observation station. I always pictured some unlucky Imperial technician sitting alone up there and crapping himself during a battle.

https://www.google.com/search?q=victory+class+star+destroyer.&client=ms-android-verizon&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjtp_e_u9jQAhXDRCYKHRNSCdoQ_AUICCgC&biw=360&bih=559#imgrc=Ids3MmNLYh0WvM%3A

The forward facing "antenna" was originally listed as an observation pod or some such. I always pictured some unlucky Imperial technician sitting alone up there and crapping himself during a battle.

Fire Control Tower.

Three people mentioned the SSD thread, so it is called back to the first page.

(Besides, FFG is holding back the FAQ, CC & wave 5 articles as they compete the SSD & Epic scale rules.

The Epic Scale rules are a required part of CC, and the SSD will be the Empire's Fleet Command upgrade icon ship. What else do you think SWM20 is.)

You heard it here first!

I see a SSD on some of those cards. The SSD will come with two of the current Fleet Command Upgrades, and the Concentrate Fire one. SWM20 is coming!

It's been a whole day since we had an article.

I'm outraged.

Give us a new article NAO!

Okay, so, deep breath people...

Caveat: It was only a small Local. Not a Regional or anything really important. But the Calgary Meta is very varied, and I was playing on a Saturday vs. Different opponents than I normally do, because I normally play Sundays when these people are working.

Second Caveat: my Die rolling was still "Below Average". Well below Average, but I have done my damndest to capitolise, as you'll see.

BUT.

I went 4-7, 9-2, 9-2.

The first 9-2 was Victory by Wipeout.

The 4-7 would have been a 10-1 to me, if I had remembered that Demolisher had Ordnance Experts... Because I failed to kill the enemy ISD by 1 Hull, in Turn 2, which cost me Demo and an Interdictor.

The Second 9-2 saw me roll ACC-ACC-ACC-CRIT against an MC80 that had no shields, and the Crit that stopped it spending any of its all exhausted tokens - leaving it roll away on 1 hull as well...

So... Rather Decisive, don't you think?

What was this list of Doom that Did this?

Here's the part that you won't believe.......

1 • Interdictor Suppression Refit - Interdictor (90) - Admiral Motti (24) - G7-X Grav Well Projector (2) - Targeting Scrambler (5) - Interdictor (3)

• Total : 124 • Code : e29c3h3h2f28

2 • Interdictor Suppression Refit - Interdictor (90) - Flight Commander (3) - Fighter Coordination Team (3) - Expanded Hangar Bay (5) - G7-X Grav Well Projector (2) - Grav Shift Reroute (2)

• Total : 105 • Code : e29o23s5g1h3h4

3 • Gozanti-class Cruisers - Gozanti (23) - Bomber Command Center (8)

• Total : 31 • Code : e27b0

4 • Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer - Gladiator-class Star Destroyer (56) - Ordnance Experts (4) - Assault Proton Torpedoes (5) - Demolisher (10)

• Total : 75 • Code : e5w5n4f12

5 • Major Rhymer TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (16)

• Total : 16 • Code : e8

6 • JumpMaster 5000 - JumpMaster 5000 (12)

• Total : 12 • Code : e23

7 • TIE Advanced Squadron - TIE Advanced (12)

• Total : 12 • Code : e12

8 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)

• Total : 9 • Code : e9

9 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)

• Total : 9 • Code : e9

10 • Objectives - Objectives (0) - Opening Salvo (0) - Fleet Ambush (0) - Minefields (0)

• Total : 0 • Code : e0a4a7a11

I refer to this list, as the Nose-Punch.

Can you see why?

Ideally, it uses its 7 point bid to aim for first player... Without it, then it dares you to take Fleet Ambush from its objectives, because everyone does that, right?

Then it covers the majority of your deployment zone in G7 Tokens.

The sections that are not covered by G7s, generally have a bunch of Obstacles that I have either Placed nearby, or Grav-Shifted into the Area...

Then, again, if I have first activation... WITH THE FIRST ACTIVATION OF THE GAME... I FC/FCT 3 TIE Bombers (inc Rhymer) at you.

And potentially kill something that has Up to 2 Shields on one facing and 4 Hull.

That Raymus Tantive? Yeah, First shot, do 1 damage... Second Bomber, lucky, hit/crit... Do a face up. Third hit is gravy, because even if I don't kill it now, I'm probably bombing it next turn when its going all of Speed 1....... 2 if its Selfish.

Either way... MOST PLAYERS CONSIDER THE FIRST TURN TO BE A BIT OF A WARM UP... You get to Move your Ships... Place some Tokens, generally get into the feel of things before the Fleets Close on each other.

NO.

First turn, I'm bloodying your Nose.

And its my choice of who I bloody.

I mean, sure, You can throw them at an ISD... You can effectively, on average, almost drop an ISD's front Shields, before it can do ANYTHING... And it can't get those shields back until Turn 2 if it wants to be doing anything else, and that's ASSUMING its not a Carrier who wants to be doing something other than Engineering!!!

...

Double Arcs with Interdictors. Do not underestimate them. Against a Single Target, an Interdictor with a Double Arc is effectively the same as an ISD-II that is facing its target....

And when they're stocking up on Engineering... They're very tough to Kill... When there's 2 of them covered by a Repeating Targeting Scrambler through 'Interdictor'...

...

So. That's the end of the Truth....

I'm sorry its so unbelievable.

I wish I had a more believable story to tell.

But I don't.

I Won.

I like this build! Mine if I use it?

if I could legally charge a Dollar for the privilege, I would.

But I can't.

So it must be free to use

So, ladies and gentlemen:

I believe a few weeks ago we made the observation that Wave 5 would need to be marked as "shipping now" this week in order to be to US retailers by December 22nd, the last FFG release date before the holiday weekend.

So, good luck everyone here in the US.

And apologies to our foreign friends

So, ladies and gentlemen:

I believe a few weeks ago we made the observation that Wave 5 would need to be marked as "shipping now" this week in order to be to US retailers by December 22nd, the last FFG release date before the holiday weekend.

So, good luck everyone here in the US.

And apologies to our foreign friends

It's already at the distributor here in australia though.

Lets see if it makes the stores, that's where the wheels fall off.

So, ladies and gentlemen:

I believe a few weeks ago we made the observation that Wave 5 would need to be marked as "shipping now" this week in order to be to US retailers by December 22nd, the last FFG release date before the holiday weekend.

So, good luck everyone here in the US.

And apologies to our foreign friends

It's already at the distributor here in australia though.

I actually hope you guys get it first. You get the short end enough feels like the armada fans down under deserve a little something special in their stockings this year.

That would be awesome, a couple of ships, some fighters to top up on my plastic addiction for the new year in prep for the campaign, if not released at the same time! Good times to be a fan of Star Wars, that's for sure... Now all we need is a new movie, oh wait.....

TIE Striker article for X-Wing

My newest prediction.... We will get it on the 29th or Jan 5th. With this Friday being the arq followed by the squadrons on subsequent Fridays.

TIE Striker article for X-Wing

I'm not a big x-wing guy, but that swarm list they posted in the article looks like a lot of fun

This is also definitive confirmation: X-Wing articles can come while a product is shipping now... Traditionally, they've always been on the boat and not shipping.

This is good news for us.

It is entirely possible that they'll set up a shipping now on Wave5/cc this week, in time for the 22nd deadline, and still give us articles.

Yeah disclaimer my above prediction was under the same assumption that has been invalidated

So much wide-eyed optimism coming from Dras!

I wrote a 2000 word tirade on luck today. I'm entitled.

LoTR Guest Article.

I thinking Wednesday or Friday for the Arquitens. Not sure why. I really want that beautiful red dice slinging broadsider.

I thinking Wednesday or Friday for the Arquitens. Not sure why. I really want that beautiful red dice slinging broadsider.

friday