I have been mulling over several ideas concerning the Xwing miniatures game over the last few days and I kinda just wanted to dump some of them here and see what this community thinks. They are in no particular order and are not even necessarily related or connected.

Battle Reports:

RecentlyI played several games with T65 xwings just to see if they are as bad as everyone says and I wrote a battle report about it on the subforum. (Here's the link to it. )

Well while writing it, I realized I had no idea how to properly write a battle report. I didn't remember any of the maneuvers(mostly) and I forgot alot of turns. So my question is, is there a "proper" way of writing a battle report or how do you all do it. I want my future battle reports to be easier to understand and fun to read. Any tips?

The Force in Xwing Miniatures and a missed opportunity:

There is no "force mechanic" in this game that is set in the Star Wars universe. I'm ok with that. But in general, characters that are force users in universe, have similar abilities or at least what there abilities affect. So for example, light side users abilities often have something to do with the focus action/focus tokens and or dice modification and usually affect themselves or their allies. Luke Skywalker (crew and pilot),Kyle Katarn(crew and pilot) and Rey(crew and pilot) are good examples. Dark side users, usually have something to do with dealing damage or shutting down actions and also usually affect their enemies instead of allies. Darth Vader (crew) Kylo Ren(pilot and crew) Mara Jade(crew) Carnor Jax(pilot) are all good examples. I originally started thinking about this because of my recent use of Luke Skywalker pilot card is several games(see above) His pilot ability is almost an perfect example of "using the force for knowledge and defense, never for attack". I also used Expertise on him and that got me to thinking that FFG really missed an opportunity with the card. The card shows Chirrut Imwe holding his bow gun thing and changes your rolled focused results to hits automatically unless you are stressed. This card should have been called "One with the Force" and then it would have been Chirrut's signature line and kept with the "Force" theme.

A "Fix" for the T65 Xwing:

So again, due to playing with 3 Xwings in an attempt to see if they are in fact in need of a "fix"(see above), I made a few "discoveries". After playing 3 games with ships I never use from a faction I never use, I think that they are a bit lacking when compared to the new hotness of later releases. I think their stat line is fine and with Integrated Astromech and/or some of the regen Astromechs, they are pretty survivable. Their point cost is probably ok too. I think their real issue is, like many others have said before, their lack of an innate repositioning action and a very lack luster dial. I used Vectored Thrusters on Wedge and Luke and their xwings felt like the ones from the movies. But their dials make handling stress problematic. I think the easiest way to bring them up to speed, is, like others have said, a title that in some way either gives them a boost/barrel roll(I'd prefer barrel roll) and makes their dial more green. That way you could take the title and IA and it would be great. What do you think would be the best way to improve the Xwing's moveability?

These are some of my current thoughts. What do you think about them?

The T-65 is already plenty strong. Just killed two defenders with four Rookie Pilots last week.

#NerfTheT65

50 minutes ago, JJFDVORAK said:

These are some of my current thoughts. What do you think about them?

Very nice write-up. Personally I think your battle reports are fine.

Like you, I fly Imps, like Scum, and am morbidly curious about Rebels. I think I would overall have the exact same conclusion about the T-65. It is an excellent frame, but might be just a bit more playable (and feel more "x-wingy") if it maneuvered just a little better. . .whether that is changing the dial a little or adding some free repositioning (since free actions are the MO these days for a lot of ships).

In truth, from S&V, I have always been a fan of the Scyk, and felt it did just fine before the fix. And, like the Scyk fix, I think the T-65 could benefit from some new ace pilots with abilities that play off the state of the game currently.

Lastly, I wish the X-wing could be designed as a better ordnance carrier. X-Wings and Proton Torps are like PB&J. But, as it stands, IA and GC are mutually exclusive.

Given how much in particular some rebel ships like to have their mod slot filled with something else (like IA or VT) I think it would neat if FFG released a chimps-like Astromech to give them a good reason to run torps. If it was literally chips but an Astromech this would even favor the 2 X-wings with their native 3 ATK. I hope in general if Wave XI helps imperial missile carriers and the bombs which aren't Sabine-backed that torpedoes for things which don't rhyme with "DumpFaster" are next on the list of ordnance to help. I feel like FFG is trying with stuff like EM and Chimps to make torpedoes a thing, but haven't quite found the right combination on anything but a platform most people agree is at least a little unbalanced.

On the thread in general, I think Expertise is kind of supposed to harken to the Force since it involves focus results - as most Rebel Force wielders have a theme of focus icons or tokens, but since it's an EPT which can be equipped by all factions and a large number of pilots I'd also say they probably didn't want to or weren't allowed to imply anything about the Force with pilots.

I'm curious on your feelings about R2 astromech. It gives the X-Wing quite a wealth of maneuvers which are green (including green turns), did you find that helpful, or were the regen astromechs too important on your big aces to be worth switching, even for the better maneuvers? If the X-Wing got another source of greens (such as a title with a wording similar to Light Syck) how do you think that would be broken down? Speed-2, all banks, all turns? What did you feel like you wanted to be green the most. Do you think there's a level of "too much" greens since X-Wings can equip upgrades like BB-8 and R2-D2? Curious on your thoughts with fresh experience.

I agree that T-65 squads are great fun, but they seem to be missing something keeping them at a solid tier 2 listing. I have the same issue with Interceptors post power-creep and bombs.

I would love for FFG to get a card pack together for the exclusive purpose to bolster squads such as the T-65s. I'd imagine it would be a squad title for Torpedo Run and it would give the wings the torpedo holding/arming/shooting push they need to truly be solidly good against other squads with Alpha (plus) shots. Perhaps another title for Red Squadon that gives them a maneuverability bump and maybe even allow them to move focus tokens between them at range one or something....sans Biggs of course. IDK. There's lots of ways to give squads bumps that keeps OP away cause there's no turrets, bombs, crew or any such crazy combos to mess up things competitively.

3 hours ago, UnitOmega said:

Given how much in particular some rebel ships like to have their mod slot filled with something else (like IA or VT) I think it would neat if FFG released a chimps-like Astromech to give them a good reason to run torps. If it was literally chips but an Astromech this would even favor the 2 X-wings with their native 3 ATK. I hope in general if Wave XI helps imperial missile carriers and the bombs which aren't Sabine-backed that torpedoes for things which don't rhyme with "DumpFaster" are next on the list of ordnance to help. I feel like FFG is trying with stuff like EM and Chimps to make torpedoes a thing, but haven't quite found the right combination on anything but a platform most people agree is at least a little unbalanced.

On the thread in general, I think Expertise is kind of supposed to harken to the Force since it involves focus results - as most Rebel Force wielders have a theme of focus icons or tokens, but since it's an EPT which can be equipped by all factions and a large number of pilots I'd also say they probably didn't want to or weren't allowed to imply anything about the Force with pilots.

I'm curious on your feelings about R2 astromech. It gives the X-Wing quite a wealth of maneuvers which are green (including green turns), did you find that helpful, or were the regen astromechs too important on your big aces to be worth switching, even for the better maneuvers? If the X-Wing got another source of greens (such as a title with a wording similar to Light Syck) how do you think that would be broken down? Speed-2, all banks, all turns? What did you feel like you wanted to be green the most. Do you think there's a level of "too much" greens since X-Wings can equip upgrades like BB-8 and R2-D2? Curious on your thoughts with fresh experience.

I think your idea of a guidance chips Astromech is a great idea. And it kinda gives me another idea. What if the made a bunch of Astromechs that were T65 Xwing only(maybe) that did the same thing as commonly used modifications. So a boost Astromech, a Barrel Roll Astromech, your Guidance Chips Astromech, etc. Make them all cheap points wise and it would allow an Xwing to take one and IA for a net gain of two mods. But you would lose your mod Astromech once you pop IA. Could be a good idea.

As far as my thoughts on R2 Astromech, I did use it on Garvin in my 3 T65 build, but my entire plan revolved around being able to regen on my aces, so I wouldn't have changed. Maybe on Wedge as R5P9 didn't do all that much. But R2D2 was vital in keeping Luke alive. I wish they had given the unique Astromechs the abilities of their generic types as well as their own abilities. So for example, R2D2 would have the regen ability, but also the all speed 1 and 2 are green ability. It may have made them more expensive, but it would have been thematic and cool.

As far as if there was a way to give the Xwing more greens goes, I think a title is the way to go. And the moves that I really wished were green was the 3 straight and 2 banks. Also I wish it had another kturn option. Preferably a 3k, but I would take a 5.

3 hours ago, clanofwolves said:

I agree that T-65 squads are great fun, but they seem to be missing something keeping them at a solid tier 2 listing. I have the same issue with Interceptors post power-creep and bombs.

I would love for FFG to get a card pack together for the exclusive purpose to bolster squads such as the T-65s. I'd imagine it would be a squad title for Torpedo Run and it would give the wings the torpedo holding/arming/shooting push they need to truly be solidly good against other squads with Alpha (plus) shots. Perhaps another title for Red Squadon that gives them a maneuverability bump and maybe even allow them to move focus tokens between them at range one or something....sans Biggs of course. IDK. There's lots of ways to give squads bumps that keeps OP away cause there's no turrets, bombs, crew or any such crazy combos to mess up things competitively.

I think that a title that gives a maneuverability bump is all that is really needed to make the Xwing into what it really should be, an all around utility starfighter. Good at most things, but not really a specialist at any one thing. Then Astromech to taste. A title that made Torpedoes better on them would be ok, but I think if FFG could find a way to make Torpedoes worth the points on no Extra Munitions ships, that would be enough. I think that if/when we get a "Rogue Squadron" or "Scarriff Heros" or "Saw Guererra's Merry Band of Black and White Xwings" set that will hopefully include the much requested Xwing fix, it will come in the form of titles and/or Astromechs that increase their maneuverability and modability.

Yeah, pound for pound I think FFG has a lot more "hits" in Salvaged Astros than in regular Astros; where too many of them require actions or have effects which require rolling dice to activate (or both) which is just not a great direction for the game mechanics. Of course, Salvaged Astros are newer (and technically a rebel upgrade with Havoc and Captain Nym so no "scumwing" potshots, people!) so it has better grips on what plays better overall. Generic Astromechs in particular suffer a lot. BB-8 gives you that barrel roll on a green, but is unique. R7-T1 lets you boost and TL in a single action, but under some restrictions (and is also unique). R5, R7 and Targeting are... okay, though kind of situational. R2 is just solidly helpful for most ships though it can have opportunity cost. The guy who wrote R3 Astromech must have been drunk or something or thought rebel astro ships really needed evade tokens for some reason.

My real hope is that should FFG ever want to help out a lot of rebel ships with their variety they might easily design some generic Astromechs which can apply a lot more help to them - maneuvers or action efficiency I think is preferable to more tokens, regen and other forms of damage mitigation at this point. Don't know if that'll be in new ships or Aces/Epic packs though.

4 hours ago, clanofwolves said:

I agree that T-65 squads are great fun, but they seem to be missing something keeping them at a solid tier 2 listing. I have the same issue with Interceptors post power-creep and bombs.

I would love for FFG to get a card pack together for the exclusive purpose to bolster squads such as the T-65s. I'd imagine it would be a squad title for Torpedo Run and it would give the wings the torpedo holding/arming/shooting push they need to truly be solidly good against other squads with Alpha (plus) shots. Perhaps another title for Red Squadon that gives them a maneuverability bump and maybe even allow them to move focus tokens between them at range one or something....sans Biggs of course. IDK. There's lots of ways to give squads bumps that keeps OP away cause there's no turrets, bombs, crew or any such crazy combos to mess up things competitively.

I think this is why squad would be nice. . .it would be a very specific bump, and therefore would be easy to prevent any unwanted side effects. Plus, a squad mechanic would add something to the game in terms of theme without making it completely obvious that the card was designed to bolster a failing ship.