I have noticed this happening to me in several casual games with different opponents. I have my set ready and put and my opponent shows up and say I want to try a new build. Conveniently it looks as though he sized up my build and built to it's weakness and cheesed up his fleet to get an easy win. It's getting to the point I am almost about to drop playing FFG games because this happens in X-Wing as well. What do I do? The only thing I can think of is hide my build to the last second and give them nothing to size up. But everyone I run into gets nosy and wants to know what i am running I have no problem with that normally but it really seems to be costing me games as I notice quick changes made to either get rid of a weakness and or build up a strength.

The straw was my last set of games when my opponent literally played stuff he normally hates but it was perfect for going against the build I fielded. He even stated post game he just put it together at the last second and then when I confronted him on that wasn't very sporting he doesn't need that advantage. He in a long winded legaleeze way said I sucked and I should of won he was playing a weak build he put together at the last second. I was beginning to rebuild my fleet to a configuration that would of had a chance but he jetted before i could challenge him again. He wins every time we play by a lot. I am not that bad of a player I have beaten people at tourneys he has lost to so what gives? His skill level is way above mine but to have a 1 and 40 record against him makes me think there is something up. Also the 1 win was a very lucky 5-5 1. No matter what I do he wins and this is all I can think of at some point I should of gotten a lucky build and pulled a couple of more close victories by now or at least not be 10-0ed so much.

Play someone else? Or just dont tell them what you are running till you hit the table. Or tell em you are running ackbar broadsides, just neglect to mention the 8 Bwings shoved in. They'll stop asking before too long and you can explain why you are doing it.

Casual play is supposed to be about learning together, not about one player winning by a huge margin.

Personally, I don't really know the game all that much, so I'm not 100% sure that'll work, but you could try a trick I'm gonna call double-sleeving

Step 0: Explain the situation to someone else in your meta who can back you up when you try this. (Especially if this player (or players) are a known problem)

Step 1: Set your fleet out on the table, with your cards upside-down and some completely different strategy sleeved in the backside (With the same ships) (that's also illegal because it's over point value so they can't claim that you cheated by changing your fleet)

Step 2: Wait for them to commit to a specific fleet.

Step 3: Flip your cards before the game starts.

Step 4: Profit!

Or, alternately, if that's too much work (or highly impractical), then just bring your stuff with a blanket and cover your stuff with that until the other player commits to a fleet. It's really sad that you've got players that will force you to go to those kinds of measures, and I feel really bad for you that you have to deal with that. It's really sad that these players feel like, at a casual games night, that it's worth scouting and pulling out a teched fleet against it.

Personally, I don't really know the game all that much, so I'm not 100% sure that'll work, but you could try a trick I'm gonna call double-sleeving

Step 0: Explain the situation to someone else in your meta who can back you up when you try this. (Especially if this player (or players) are a known problem)

Step 1: Set your fleet out on the table, with your cards upside-down and some completely different strategy sleeved in the backside (With the same ships) (that's also illegal because it's over point value so they can't claim that you cheated by changing your fleet)

Step 2: Wait for them to commit to a specific fleet.

Step 3: Flip your cards before the game starts.

Step 4: Profit!

Or, alternately, if that's too much work (or highly impractical), then just bring your stuff with a blanket and cover your stuff with that until the other player commits to a fleet. It's really sad that you've got players that will force you to go to those kinds of measures, and I feel really bad for you that you have to deal with that. It's really sad that these players feel like, at a casual games night, that it's worth scouting and pulling out a teched fleet against it.

I like that one as I have two builds that use the same ships with different load outs and squads. All would have to do is flip the cards and have the squads ready to switch out. Or might just use the blanket method well box method in my case.

Refer to this Post:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/228476-lukes-ability-and-crits-that-affect-shields/?p=2382942

Play someone else? Or just dont tell them what you are running till you hit the table. Or tell em you are running ackbar broadsides, just neglect to mention the 8 Bwings shoved in. They'll stop asking before too long and you can explain why you are doing it.

Casual play is supposed to be about learning together, not about one player winning by a huge margin.

Pretty much nailed how I feel about it. He blames me for not asking him about tips in playing to get better but every I take use those pointers he uses the counter or blunts by not taking the thing I was trying learn how to attack or defend against it in the next game and I learn nothing and lose big.

You keep referring to "him": is this everybody you play, or mostly just one guy? If it's mostly one guy, I agree with Gink--play somebody else. If it's everybody you play, I'd submit that this may be a perception issue--if the only common factor is you, then try examining yourself.

Maybe there are just a lot of things that counter the build you like to play, and it just seems like the other guy is teching against you. If that's the case, the weakness is in your list, so try revising it to deal with a wide range of opponents better.

Maybe you play the same thing every time and people know how to counter it when they know they're playing you. If that's the case, try switching up what you play. If you normally play 2 ISD's Christmas trees, try a gladiator swarm or a Yavaris bomber list to keep them on their toes.

If your play experience is limited to mostly one opponent, try diversifying. You'll learn more from playing multiple different opponents than you will from losing to one guy over and over again, regardless of whether you're taking his advice or not. If you don't have a lot of options in your local area, try getting a few games on vassal. That'll let you tap into the global community's experience, and see some things you might not see in a local meta.

If none of this is the case and you really are just having opponents build their lists directly to counter yours, just don't putt your stuff out first. Ask them first what they're playing. Be blunt, if you have to, say something like, "i don't want you to be unconsciously influenced in your build by setting mine first." You don't have to be accusatory or confrontational account it, just keep it friendly but frank. You might also ask when they come to the table what their bid is--that'll help prevent in-the-spot list building.

Good luck!

Have a few builds ready. Talk about them all you want, but don't committ to a build to play specific build until you are ready to set up at the table.

Frankly you shouldn't be explaining the tactics you plan to deploy with your opponent before the game starts. You are giving them an unfair advantage even if they didn't change their build.

You keep referring to "him": is this everybody you play, or mostly just one guy? If it's mostly one guy, I agree with Gink--play somebody else. If it's everybody you play, I'd submit that this may be a perception issue--if the only common factor is you, then try examining yourself.

Maybe there are just a lot of things that counter the build you like to play, and it just seems like the other guy is teching against you. If that's the case, the weakness is in your list, so try revising it to deal with a wide range of opponents better.

Maybe you play the same thing every time and people know how to counter it when they know they're playing you. If that's the case, try switching up what you play. If you normally play 2 ISD's Christmas trees, try a gladiator swarm or a Yavaris bomber list to keep them on their toes.

If your play experience is limited to mostly one opponent, try diversifying. You'll learn more from playing multiple different opponents than you will from losing to one guy over and over again, regardless of whether you're taking his advice or not. If you don't have a lot of options in your local area, try getting a few games on vassal. That'll let you tap into the global community's experience, and see some things you might not see in a local meta.

If none of this is the case and you really are just having opponents build their lists directly to counter yours, just don't putt your stuff out first. Ask them first what they're playing. Be blunt, if you have to, say something like, "i don't want you to be unconsciously influenced in your build by setting mine first." You don't have to be accusatory or confrontational account it, just keep it friendly but frank. You might also ask when they come to the table what their bid is--that'll help prevent in-the-spot list building.

Good luck!

My list change all the time as I trying new things his list have a flavor to them and he always playing rebels if he changes up it almost always seems to corresponds to a change I made that was designed to counter something he keeps bringing. IE he loves rebel carrier builds so I build a list to deal with it. We meet he sees I changed up and pulls out a fresh ISD II Vader no squads list designed to hammer a alpha striking MSU build which is pretty much what I brought to counter his carrier lists. Three games each time he took the same list that walked over me never once changing to one of his favorite lists. I called him out as that list plays nothing like any of his normal lists. In fact it clearly flied in the face of his squads are a must have doctrine in the current meta he keep pushing around. It was clearly built on the fly to take out my no squadron MSU build. He knew my build would Madine around and take out carriers as it was designed to do and not take on ISDs head on so he changed to that list.

A trick i have done before is ask firt if they have there fleet ready to go when they get to the table when they say no i say "cool while you get yours ready im going to get a drink(or any excuse to leave the table). My stuff is ready to go when you are." I point to the ships i have assembled and the closed black box with my list and squdrons.

Throws them off a bit and they will only know what ships you have not how you intend to use them. Keep a small one in the box and really mess woth them.

If you are getting a drink ask them if they wont one then they might feel bad about being a prick to you

If you are just playing for fun, have fun. If your opponent has to win by doing this don't mind, if you can win against a fleet specifically chosen to counter yours it is a much better win isn't it? Plus you are getting far more practice at playing against the toughest fleets you may well face.

Personally I like to have each player have their list printed out and simultaneously present the lists to each other. This locks everything down in one shot and presents the fleet values up front. Of course this isn't officially mandated, but you can always ask your opponent beforehand.

place every card face down and dont put any of your fleet on the table till it is time to place your fleet, at this time you flip the ship card and all its upgrades and place the ship.. Dont tell anyone your fleet...loose lips sink ships

place every card face down and dont put any of your fleet on the table till it is time to place your fleet, at this time you flip the ship card and all its upgrades and place the ship.. Dont tell anyone your fleet...loose lips sink ships

Fleet reveal actually happens a little before this.

place every card face down and dont put any of your fleet on the table till it is time to place your fleet, at this time you flip the ship card and all its upgrades and place the ship.. Dont tell anyone your fleet...loose lips sink ships

Fleet reveal actually happens a little before this.

Worded that wrong. Place all the cards face down when it is time to reveal the fleet flip the cards up, tell no one anything about your fleet and no more worries about people fast changing fleets before the reveal. See our casual games here we just show up, place our cards pass numbers and play the game. Dont care who wins we play for the love of it