You know what's the worst? Getting ready for a Regional. Actually, any major tournament really. The conundrum for me is always picking what list to fly. I'm familiar with and comfortable with several, and they're strong in different ways against different opponents and lists, so picking one is the worst.

I'm down to a 2xU-boat/HWK list and a Palp Defenders list. I can't pick which, and of course there's always a third list potential.

When I went to worlds in 2015 I did this stupid thing where I didn't trust my gut, took something I wasn't familiar with and ended up paying for it because the list I took wasn't optimal. There's something about choosing a list before a big tourney that's twisting me about.

Jacob

Play all your potential lists against as many meta lists as you can. If you can adapt your list to handle all the other stuff you'll do fine. All things considered equal, I'd go with the one that you enjoy flying the most. Otherwise take the list that is more geared towards your regional local meta for a better chance at success.

I took something I thought was silly and I just liked to fly to a regional and went 4-2 with it, making top 16 out of 72. I faced 6 different lists in 6 rounds. Its awesome out there!

The most important thing is practice. While certain lists are better suited to certain metas and certain builds are more or less optimal there are relatively few 'auto loss' situations and very few matchups you can't wiggle out of by knowing your squad inside and out.

I've practiced my lists against meta lists pretty well, that's not the problem. It's the problem of second guessing and choosing more than anything.

Jacob

5 minutes ago, jkokura said:

I've practiced my lists against meta lists pretty well, that's not the problem. It's the problem of second guessing and choosing more than anything.

Jacob

In this case, flip a coin or take the one you love to fly. And ONLY that one. Pack a really small case. Don't give yourself the opportunity to change it on the way there! Bad thoughts will creep in.

3 hours ago, jonnyd said:

In this case, flip a coin or take the one you love to fly. And ONLY that one. Pack a really small case. Don't give yourself the opportunity to change it on the way there! Bad thoughts will creep in.

Yeah, I learned that at worlds. I brought all the options I was considering, and then I tried to mash them together instead of taking the solid list I knew. Never doing that again.

Jacob

4 hours ago, jkokura said:

The conundrum for me is always picking what list to fly. I'm familiar with and comfortable with several, and they're strong in different ways against different opponents and lists, so picking one is the worst.

This is the worst, especially when you finally decide on a list, pack everything up, journey to the tourney, unpack, prepare, wait in anticipation, and then.... draw a first round match-up with your hard counter.

I reeeeeeally hope the hangar bay format takes off and you get to bring two lists to a tourney and choose one to play after seeing your opponent's two lists. Although I'd still like both lists to have to come from the same faction.

Gibarion has 420 total Likes.

Nobody breathe.

3 hours ago, Gibarian said:

This is the worst, especially when you finally decide on a list, pack everything up, journey to the tourney, unpack, prepare, wait in anticipation, and then.... draw a first round match-up with your hard counter.

I reeeeeeally hope the hangar bay format takes off and you get to bring two lists to a tourney and choose one to play after seeing your opponent's two lists. Although I'd still like both lists to have to come from the same faction.

I haven't had that happen persay, but I have had the experience where I wish I brought the other list before. I think ive settled on my list, but it's hard to choose sometimes. Having a hanger bay format would be fun, but I don't think it's legal for a regional.

Jacob

I always plan around the current meta hotness...

Then get smoked for five rounds playing against janky ass non meta home brew squads that never usually see a table.

Screw the meta. Prep for the nonsense.

One simple metric you could employ might be "Can the U-Boat list beat the Palp Defenders list?" And I mean really beat it - not just in theory. Put both lists into the squadron benchmark tool and play them against each other - play both sides I mean, the AI isn't a realistic challenge.

If you can't beat Palp defenders, you probably can't do particularly well at your Regional. The odds of coming up against them are just too high, and, of those two, you're better off going with the meta and seeing how far your skill can take you. But if you can, then your U Boat list is competitive against one of the top tier lists our there right now, and you're better off taking it, because nobody is likely to have practiced against it.

My regionals prep basically consisted of list building about a month in advance, trying to come up with something that could semi reliably take down Palp Defenders, practicing it as much as I could (probably a dozen or so table games and three times that vs myself on the squadron benchmark tool), and then enjoying the fact that people largely hadn't prepped for it because it wasn't a common list archetype in my local area.

To steal Velvetelvis' concept: Prep for the meta but be the nonsense.

I hear you OP. Ive got my Regional this weekend; and two days out I'm tinkering with new lists online despite having played something fairly consistently for a few weeks. I genuinely think I'll just be rocking up with something I've barely flown...