Background:
I have been playing a pretty standard Hunter list since around February, and I've been feeling a bit burnt out on it. We had also had a prior Store Championship a while back, which I had done reasonably well in, getting me most of what I wanted. For this upcoming second Championship, I realized the only thing I truly wanted was the plaque and bye--and I never want to enter one of these with the express goal of outright winning it. There are some very strong players in our community, and I can't count on winning; but I do want to count on having fun.
So, I decided to let it go. I would create a list that didn't use any of the Big Three that we all (including me!) think are the Winning Lists: some version of eJets, some version of Scum Hunters, and some version of Jedi Luke and/or eRangers. I decided I would make a list that I figured I could do reasonably well with, using figures I haven't played in a long while but love to play, and see what I could do with them.
When Jabba's Realm was first previewed, I was convinced eGamorreans would be The Next Thing. I bought two boxes, not for the Rancors, not even the eWeequays, but for the eGamorreans. I also have always loved Nexus--Elite and Regular--but have never felt they -quite- made the cut into elite. And hey, they're all Brawlers! Done. So, I've got 12 points left. I need something to open doors and camp terminals, so rHired Guns it is. With the Beast Master (BM) auto-include, that left me 7 points. I didn't want to run eWeequays, that would defeat my purpose. So I debated between eTusken Raiders, and Jabba with Black Market; eventually deciding on Jabba.
My list:
eGamorrean Guards (8)
eGamorrean Guards (8)
eNexu (6)
eNexu (6)
Jabba the Hut (6)
rHired Guns (4)
Black Market (1)
Beast Tamer (1)
I decided to go for cards that highlighted and supported my theme. Pummel worked well the eGamorreans reach, and the eNexu's BM movement support. Grisly Contest was obvious, Provoke looked interesting and fun, and I was thinking I could do some interesting deflections with Bodyguard. Movement was required, and I figured I would try to play some of the defensive cards to help enhance the defensive theme of the list. I didn't like the stuns from Parting Blow, and there was nothing to exhaust for Take Initiative--I figured even the rHired Guns would be needed in most games (and I was right). So I did not include Take Initiative (!), and found myself with less than 15 points in Command Cards in the end.
Command cards:
Grisly Contest (2)
Bodyguard (1)
Bodyguard (1)
Pummel (1)
Pummel (1)
Provoke (1)
Brace for Impact (1)
Survival Instinct (1)
Ferocity (1)
Jump Jets (1)
Negation (1)
Opportunistic (0)
Fleet Footed (0)
Element of Surprise (0)
Parry (0)
I now had a list I was looking forward to playing, and having some more casual-oriented fun with. I had only been able to play on the new Rangers map once, and I didn't even try to play this list before the tournament. That was the whole point; I didn't need to win, I was just out to have some fun.
Now for the game reports:
Game 1: Jabba's Palace / New Ownership
Opponent's List:
Jedi Luke
eRangers
Hera
Murne
Gideon
R2-D2
C-3P0
Command cards:
Assassinate
Son of Skywalker
Call of the Vanguard
Comm Disruption
Blitz
Fatal Deception
Intelligence Leak
Negation
Strategic Shift
Against the Odds
Celebration
Devotion
Element of Surprise
Planning
Take Initiative
Highlights:
I rolled initiative, and after some deliberation chose to start on the blue side. The first round involved a lot of jockeying into position; since I knew I wouldn't be able to attack with anything except maybe an eNexu, I decided to move one eGamorrean to the terminal, and then moved -all three- of the others to the middle Stash. Jabba focused one eNexu, and the other moved to hide against the two-square black wall near my terminal. My opponent had already used Devotion round 1 to draw into SoS, so I knew I'd be taking some pain. I activated my Hired Guns second last, opened my door and contested the other two Stashes with them--one of them even getting some damage on the eRanger on the top stash with his attack in the process! I think my opponent killed the top Hired Gun with Murne or Hera, and the resultant Parting Blow did a bit more damage to the wounded eRanger--for a total of 5. From a Hired Gun.
Luke charged in at last and wounded one eGamorrean. In between Luke's two activations, my focused eNexu then charged across the map, pounced and attacked Hera, using Cleave to kill the wounded eRanger. Luke SoS'd, killed my wounded eGamorrean, and wounded another. End of Round 1: three figures had been lost already. I controlled the top and bottom Stashes though, so the score was 9 (1 from Jabba) to 6 in my favour. But I was hurting, and he had initiative.
Next round, he started with Luke (of course), killing another eGamorrean and leaving the last one there wounded, then retreated to the terminal with R2. I had two eGamorreans left, from different groups, with one stuck way back at my terminal. I moved the surviving one from the middle Stash to attack an eRanger, and ended by contesting my opponent's terminal--and used Provoke to force him to activate R2-D2 next. He Scomp'd with R2, then tried to zap the eGamorrean, but it's a ranged attack, and no damage.
I then attacked the eNexu up top, killing Hera. The rest of the round is unfortunately fuzzy; I know he dropped an eRanger down to contest the Stash in the pit after dealing some damage, and I used BM to move the eNexu near my terminal all the way up to near the stash, using his 2x2 size and Survival Instincts to block my opponent from easily finishing off the other, badly wounded eNexu. I believe I moved the remaining eGamorrean off the terminal with Opportunistic from my second Hired Gun's Parting Blow (the eRanger in the pit killed him, of course), and then dropped him down the pit. I also believe I rolled a key X-man at some point, preventing an attack from finishing off the protective eNexu that round.
Third round, my opponent played Take Initiative. Oh crap. Sure enough, Luke moved up, killed one eNexu, finished his movement, and the other eNexu was hacked to pieces as well. However, I was sitting on Pummel and some other defensive cards. In the end, the wounded eGamorrean by the terminal managed to kill the wounded Gideon he tried to use to kill me off, and then Fleet Footed to a safe spot near the bottom door. The other eGamorrean in the pit Pummel'd the eRanger to death, and we ended either on time or due to my reaching 40, I forget which.
I actually thought -many- times during this match that I had lost. This was a very fun game, and I was surprised how powerful my eNexus felt--which turned out to be a recurring theme.
Game 2: Anchorhead "Cantina", Line of Fire
Opponent's list:
Bossk
eWeequays
eWeequays
Jabba
Onar
Vinto
Black Market
Command cards:
Assassinate
On the Lam
Heightened Reflexes
Tools for the Job
Blitz
Draw!
Negation
Primary Target
Tough Luck
Celebration
Deadeye
Element of Surprise
Positioning Advantage
Planning
Take Initiative
Highlights:
I was very concerned about this match-up: the eNexus live or die on their white die, and eWeequays can force the reroll.
I got initiative again, and so I chose the blue starting zone, figuring I would be able to pile up my eGamorreans against that top wall, in a 2x2 one square away from its edge. First round was a lot of positioning, with me activating Jabba first, then both eGamorreans (since I knew I wouldn't attack with them). I ran an eNexu to the far terminal, and the Hired Guns went second-last again, one opening the door and the other joining the eNexu at the upper terminal.
I'm a bit fuzzier with the details here, and I'm sorry for that; I know the second round was carnage incarnate though. My eNexu rolled an X-man at a key moment, and sure enough the eWeequay forced the reroll--and then added injury to insult by Tough Lucking it! But she lost Vinto to a BM'd ?Pummel? (I think?). The Hired Gun picked up a crate early in the round and retreated to the top beside an eGamorrean; she tried to kill him with an attack, but I Bodyguarded it onto an eGamorrean instead. The other eNexu used BM to pick up a crate (instead of moving), then Pounced to attack one of the eWeequays in the middle of the map. By the end of Round 2, lots of figures were wounded and quite a few dead...and I had two crates I was in range to deliver during Round 3. Then she drew Primary Target with Black Market, and I immediately had to shift strategies.
One side note that was rather amusing for me: the last activation of the round was a pair of my eGamorreans. One ended his turn beside a lone eWeequay that had lost his partner, and I Provoked him into forcing her to activate that eWeequay first next round. However, I had initiative, and she used Take Initiative to steal it...exhausting the one I had forced her to activate! Fun moment.
However, she was left with a *very* difficult choice at the start of Round 3: I still had three eGamorreans, two of which were wounded. She had lost Onar in last round's carnage as well, so only had one set of eWeequays and Bossk for her heavy hitters. She could either Primary Target with Bossk and probably kill the eNexu (barring an X-man), preventing its run to drop off the crate. If she did that though, she would almost certainly lose at least one of her remaining two eWeequays in my counter-attack. On the other hand, if she activated her eWeequays, they could probably kill off two of my rather badly wounded eGammoreans, leaving me with only one left. She decided to take that route...and once again I Bodyguarded a killing attack away. I think she may have still killed one, I'm not sure.
I then Pounced to kill an eWeequay with my remaining eNexu, and ran the crate in using BM for 10 points. Bossk kills another eGamorrean, but my Hired Gun at the top runs in the other crate, and I use Pummel to kill kill another eWeequay with my last eGamorrean, putting me at 40.
Game 3: Anchorhead Cantina again, Gaining Favour
Opponent's List:
eRangers
eRangers
Hera
C1-10P
Mak (!)
Gideon
C-3P0
On a Diplomatic Mission
Command Cards:
Assassinate
Take it Down
Call the Vanguard
Heightened Reflexes
Tools for the Job
Blitz
Focus
Negation
Element of Surprise
Fleet Footed
Planning
Positioning Advantage
Stimulants
Take Initiative
Toxic Dart
Highlights:
Once again, I roll initiative. Rangers? Two of them?!? Yeah, definitely the blue zone again. I do almost the exact same thing again for Round 1 as last game. This time though, I lose the Hired Gun contesting his terminal early, and I get to attack with both eNexus, although it leaves one of them a bit exposed. Again, I'm fuzzy on the details here, so I apologize. I remember losing an eNexu in Round 2 again, to another X-Man that was Heightened Reflexes away this time. There was much carnage in Round 2 again as well, with lots of damage dealt on both sides.
One key moment I remembered during Round 2: I had drawn Ferocity with Black Market last round, so he knew I had it. I positioned a 4/8 eNexu adjacent to a terminal so he could attack and kill a wounded eRanger that had already gone, if it could survive the round. However, that left it within two spaces of C1-10P, a potentially lethal problem. But! I can block with my eGammorean, if I'm willing! So, a 1/8 eGamorrean gives up an attack to move to block C1-10P's only access to both the terminal and the eNexu (within that 2 spaces anyway), ending up beside an unwounded eGamorrean as well.
He focuses one of his remaining eRangers with Gideon and moves him down into position for a nasty attack. I debate whether to Bodyguard the focused attack to the adjacent unwounded one, and decide against it, figuring he likely would not kill mine in one attack. Silly me. Sure enough, out comes Assassinate: exactly 7 damage. Dead eGamorrean. Chopper then moves up, rolls a green die: 1 damage. Whew! But no, he decides to attack with Chopper, and this could be -bad-. But I roll an X-man, and this time I finally get to keep it! That was a key moment: the eNexu kills the eRanger at the end of the round. Round 3 he tries to Take Initiative, but I Negate it. I then use BM and Pummel with the surviving Nexu to start a snowball of carnage that leaves me with the win.
Game 4: Swamps of Nal Hutta, Shielded
Opponent's list:
IG-88 (w/Focused)
eWeequays
Jabba
Onar
Vinto
Hired Guns
Command Cards:
Assassinate
On the Lam
Overdrive
Blaze of Glory
Heightened Reflexes
Draw!
Negation
Celebration
Element of Surprise
Deadeye
Opportunistic
Planning
Positioning Advantage
Shoot the Messenger
Take Initiative
Highlights:
(As I talk about the crates, I'll be using right/left references from the reference of facing the blue starting zone--so, blue zone at the top of the map.) Finally, I lost initiative! My opponent chose to start in the blue zone, so I got the red. I sent an unfocused eNexu to the far left crate, protected with Survival Instincts. I sent the Hired Guns to the terminal and the far right crate. The first Gamorrean I placed one on her side of the inner left crate, and bunched up the other three in a row on my side of that crate (so there was a row of squares in between them and the forward Gamorrean). I did this because I had drawn Pummel, and wanted the option of using it with the forward Gamorrean if he survived, but didn't want to risk placing all my Gamorreans that close to her forces.
She had tucked a focused Onar into that pocket in the middle of the map, and IG-88 joined him after a single shot at my eGamorrean. The eWeequays had moved to either side of the 2x2 square of difficult terrain and hidden themselves as their second activation. Vinto tried to get some Rapid Fires in on him, but the -1 Surge really saved me. In the end, the eGamorrean had taken three attacks and only suffered ?four? damage. Sitting on Grisly Contest, I used BM to send the focused eNexu charging in last for an attack on Vinto, cleaving into IG-8--oh. She rolls an X-man. Well, that was unfortunate! Still, I gained 8 VP at the end of the round by controlling two crates.
End of Round 1: one of the cards I drew was Bodyguard. I looked at the three unwounded eGamorreans, all *two* spaces away from the forward wounded one. Uh, right. Oops. With initiative, I play Pummel and (I think?) Grisly Contest with the eNexu to kill off Vinto, cleaving four damage onto IG-88. She used her focused Onar to kill the eNexu in revenge. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details of the rest of this round, but I knew we both activated our Hired Guns, using one each to try to kill off the opponent's at the far right crate: in the end, after the two attacks, each of our Hired Guns had suffered one damage. We got a good laugh at that. At some point I tried to use two eGamorreans to finish off an eWeequay before she could attack with it--but she used On the Lam to move him *one* space out of range.
So I killed IG-88 instead, using my remaining activations of eGamorreans and focused eNexu. With my other Hired Gun having moved up to the inner-right crate from the terminal, and my eNexu able to use BM and Pounce to attack from the far-left crate and retreat back to it, controlling three crates actually managed to gain me40 points by the end of Round 2.
My opponent had tried to focus on removing my figures, but with Bodyguards, Parry, Brace for Impact, Survival Instinct, and their innate toughness, they proved very difficult to kill off! And by doing that, she allowed me to gain 20 points from uncontested crates. And once again, the eNexus proved absolutely deadly.
With that, I was 4-0. I had won an 11-person Store Championship--using eNexus and eGamorreans!
Final thoughts:
I was very pleasantly surprised with just how effective this list proved to be. The rHired Guns were effective far beyond their 4 points, and the eNexus were unbelievably adaptable, able to go almost anywhere on these relatively open maps, attacking with almost free reign. The eGamorreans felt like true tanks, and the Bodyguards and Provoke were clutch plays at times.
This list played completely differently from anything I've ever used before. And I do think unfamiliarity worked in my favour, here.
Or maybe--just maybe--we don't *have* to play one of the Big Three lists to win. ; )