This will be a report more of thoughs, results, conclusions and a bit of karma than of memories of games. So I am prepared to dodge rocks.
First of July was a local tournament here in Tallinn, Estonia. At some point a lot of people stopped palying, so the only X-wing ativity I know of here is Tournaments. They do not happen often, but bring most people back together. This time it was quite a large amount of players - 9.
My list selection was quite limited - I do not have enough good (meta-wise) Empire ships, nor I have any Scum, so it had to be Rebels. I wanted to go with Dashing Miranda, but the day before I found out that I can drop only 1 bomb per round and, having played that list just once, I thought to myself, that this won't work, regardless of how well I fly Dash. I could take Corran, as he was what I knew how to fly, but with that little healt, he might die too soon. I had Poe only once on the table, so did not want to take him also. Oh, and since there is no casual play around, I could not prepare for some kind of meta, but my guts were telling me there will be Jumpmasters and at least one Fenn with Asajj (since I was the one who suggested that one to that person at some point). And I was afraid of Kylo... Then I though "it's a chance to have fun and get a few great games" (though I really wanted to win something) and took a list I saw here on the forums
Jan Ors + Twin Laser Turret + Trick Shot + Moldy Crow + Hull Upgrade + Chewbacca
Rey + Expertise + Millennium Falcon (2) + Tactical Jammer + Finn + Kanan Jarrus
At fist I hoped that Tacktical Jammer will provide obstuction for TLT also, but when I understood it does not, I was a bit dissapointed.
I had never played HWK on the table, but I got a chance to fly a game on Vassal in the morning. Once I got to the store and we all traded cards and I got my HWK, we were told that we could pay 1€ more and opt for a larger kit instead of something small (still have no idea, what that was) to what we all agreed. That provided us all with orange Range rules and Engine upgrade cards.
First pairing was against Sergei a new player who was flying a mini-swarm with Soontir.
Academy Pilot + Stealth Device
Academy Pilot + Stealth Device
Academy Pilot
Howlrunner + Veteran Instincts + Stealth Device
Soontir Fel + Push the Limit + Royal Guard TIE + Autothrusters + Stealth Device
We set up with me on the right and he on the left. I tried to make a big asteroid cluster in the middle, so he would have to break his formation. I also remembered, how during last tournament a swarm kept blocking Rey for at least 3 turns on a rock and poked with damage. He was flying really well although he was quite supriesed, when one of his ships got a 6 dice attack right after a TLT shot. I was not able to take "a TIE a turn", but slowly the ships kept going down. My first target was Howlrunner and tried to follow Soontir. Think I managed to do that and then finish off his TIEs. He said my Falcon was too maneuverable somewhere near the end of the game and I suggested that next time he would try to block ships to deny actions.
First time I thought Tacktical Jammer was a useless choice.
Win 200 - 0
Second round was against Freddy from another city
Omega Leader + Juke + Comm Relay
Carnor Jax + Push the Limit + Royal Guard TIE + Stealth Device + Autothrusters
Colonel Vessery + Tractor Beam + Veteran Instincts + TIE/D + Adv. Homing Missiles
This scared me a little, as Omega can just snipe my Falcon away. We set diagonally again and I slowly tried to move into the middle getting focuses on Jan. The idea was, actually, to keep Jan as support and hopefully at range 3 of everything or even out of range. I think on second or third turn Vessery was parallel to my Falcon facing the wrong way. Boom! Vessery was out of the question. The amount of dice supprised again. Freddy reacted with "emm. Omega should have kept the target lock for Vessery. That was the plan. Oh, well.." A misjudged move sent Jax too far and facing wrong way from the Falcon and right in front of the side of Jan. Jan, anticipating the Hard 2, made one himself and was right behind Jax. No shots there, but I could shoot Omega through an asteroid. Eventually Jax killed Rey with just enough damage cards to get Hull to 0. If it were not for the direct hit at the start, Rey would have lived longer. Simultaneous fire killed Jax that turn. Now there were 2 ships on the board. Omega and HWK. Probably, due to some miracle, the HWK actually managed to kill Omega Leader though and asteroid. Trick Shot did the trick.
I think this was the most fun game of the day - with a lot of rules questions ("Finn does not work on defence - you know that, right?"), hard choices and laughs.
Note to myself - why does my list have tacktical Jammer?
Win 141 - 0
I knew I was quite high in the Rankins, so I knew what was comming in Round 3 after lunch.
Manaroo + Attanni Mindlink
Asajj Ventress + Attanni Mindlink + Latts Razzi
Fenn Rau + Attanni Mindlink + Concord Dawn Protector + Autothrusters
Asajj would turn off my Expetise, Fenn would just murder anything and Manaroo - ah, not a threat. Again - opposite corners, slowly rolling and building up focus tokens. I was so into the game, that I actually landed my Falcon while doing a 3-bank on turn 3 or 4 on a rock. Opponent was nice and allowed me turn around my ship as I forgot to do that. We clashed somewhere in the bottom middle part of the board. I decided I should get Asajj down first, as this would be my only option. It took a while, but Asajj was off the board, then Rey and then Jan. I think the choices of using Focus for deffence or offence on Rey were the hardest of the day.
Loss 40 - 160
Round 4 was against a new player (Dmitri K), who was nice, but I was a little off with a cold and I knew that I was Rank 4 and that this match most likely will decide if I stay there or get kicked to top 5. We started the round with him asking me to remind him of actions and stuff and I replied in a really (now I understand it) non-sportmanship way, that this is a final game and top 3 is in question and if he really thinks I will do that. For this I feel terrible. I did appologise later on, but I think that if you rare Rank 5 with 2 wins on your first tournament you know what you are doing.
He had a really strange list I can not put together now. Countess with Ion cannon + PTL, Vessery with Expertise and Tracktor beam and some strange Omega that was higher PS and worth 19 points. I am sure I remember this wrong.
Anyways, he set Vessery and Ryad in the middle facing right. Then he set Omega on the left facing left. I asked if he was set and I could put my ships. He said yes. So, I set both my ships on the left hoping for a first round slow move and then rush for Omega. As it turned out, he did set his ship the wrong way, as he tried to turn in with Omega the same direction as the Defenders. I pointed at that and then saw his dissapoitment. Well, he luckily did not send Omega off the board, but was close. I suggested at least to do a barrel roll to be further from the edge. I did not know what it might lead to. He rolled. Next turn, I knew the Defenders won't make it in time, I rushed Rey forward and shot to the side of Omega, who just did a 1 hard. 5 vs 4 dice. Even with focus, all hits went through and Omega was off the board on Turn 2. Next was a hard choice for me: go for Ryad, that will be hard to pin down, or for Vessery, who will murder Rey with the TIE/D title. I opted for Vessery or whatever gets into Range 1. A few turns later I overthough my opponents moves and got blocked. Jan was stressed, but I had to dial a green maneuver just in case I should have to sloop with Rey. Rey bumped into Ryad, Vessery was on the side, and Jan bumped into Rey. From this moment I knew everything went south and I had no idea, how get out of this mess with a bunch of asteroids in between. Good thing though - Tactical jammer finally worked. A few turns later Vessery and Ryad were flying home to the base waving victory flags.
Loss 19 - 171.
This last game sent me to Rank 5. Probably, the saddest spot in the rankings on small tournaments.
http://lists.starwarsclubhouse.com/get_tourney_details?tourney_id=3072
Luckily, the organiser presented me his rules, as he had a set already. So, all in all, I got a prize, had a great day with great and not so great flying and a bit of Karma there in the last match. I was driving home feeling, that something is missing. Probably, I was a bit sad. The joy of getting the range rules could not override my thoughts on the last match. I really hope to see Dmitri on our next tournaments and, perhaps, we could get the game back at some point.
I would like to thank everyone for taking part, organising in this small tournament of X-Wing in Tallinn, Estonia on 1st of July 2017. Even though playin 4 games with 9 people yilded some really bad pairings in the end.