33 minutes ago, Stay On The Leader said:

The story makes it VERY clear that the destination is the tournament, and indeed how this affects the rider's choices is perhaps the single most important part of the tale.

Of course the destination is important in the journeystory. But to as as players, who are represented by the rider in the metaphor, it's not*. Or rather, and this is where the metaphor breaks down, we have several destinations within X-Wing, and many, many more outside of X-Wing. Unless you define the tourney as representing "fun" of course. Otherwise I think most of us, most riders, are on the road for the adventure (=fun), not the glory (= prices? "Fame"? Recognition? Satisfaction?) that waits to be won at a tournament.

33 minutes ago, Stay On The Leader said:

And if the old man is anyone then he's "the X-Wing community". Mostly he's just a fountain of exposition.

That's why I said you're too nice to FFG

It would be their job, as they make and maintain the roads (= playing X-Wing)

*edit: it can be, of course. But I believe that most of us do it as a hobby and hence to have fun. However that fun is to be had

I can kinda sympathize with the OP. I used to love playing aces. Man, I even loved flying T-70s. Soontir, Poe and Jake were my very favorite pilots for a long time. I was heartbroken when u-boats pushed T-70s out of the meta. Then I cheered up a bit when I found out that I can beat u-boats with AdvS brobots. Then I got heartbroken again when I found out a few months later that brobots are no longer competitive. And when I realized that Sabine made imperial aces hopelessly outdated, I felt despair at the thought that the only competitive option left for imperials would be those awfully boring defenders.

I guess it's a part of life to learn to let some things go. We all had our favorite, beloved ships and pilots in the past and it sucks when you try to put them on the table and realize they don't cut it anymore. What's important is to learn to get excited for the new thing. I never got bored with X-wing for more than a couple of weeks because there was always yet another archetype to try, yet another ship to check out, yet another crazy list to build and test.

And guess what, sometimes even those antiquated old ships make a surprising comeback. 6 months ago, when I put Vader (pilot!) in yet another crazy list I made up I wasn't sure the list would make it past initial testing. After all, Vader is cool and all but no AT, iffy action economy, no rerolls on red dice, no white K-turns and no extra arcs... who'd put this guy in a competitive list? And yet he won me 2 store championships this season.

TLDR: don't let nostalgia for old friends prevent you from getting excited for new things, try everything, keep your mind open. X-wing's still full of great combos yet to be discovered. Never lose hope that one day you'll get to play one of your beloved ships again in a competitive list that will surprise everyone. In the meantime check out the top lists - at the very least you'll get to see what their weaknesses are and learn the mindset of a player who uses them. I've had lots of inspiration for original anti-meta lists by doing exactly that.

6 hours ago, FTS Gecko said:

Wow that was a long walk for a short drink of water.

Not even water. Just listing a few statistics and pretending that an actual argument was made.

If you have something to say about firing arcs, say it and defend your case. Please dont direct traffic to your blog to share your non-xwing short story/fable. Sorry.

4 minutes ago, codegnave said:

Not even water. Just listing a few statistics and pretending that an actual argument was made.

If you have something to say about firing arcs, say it and defend your case. Please dont direct traffic to your blog to share your non-xwing short story/fable. Sorry.

I don't get the allegory either. And skipped it after a paragraph.

How do you feel about the shift to PWTs, @codegnave?

Just now, Rinzler in a Tie said:

I don't get the allegory either. And skipped it after a paragraph.

How do you feel about the shift to PWTs, @codegnave?

As long as its prices appropriately im fine with them. Aces will be back when we get a new ace ship with all the new tricks.

19 minutes ago, codegnave said:

Not even water. Just listing a few statistics and pretending that an actual argument was made.

If you have something to say about firing arcs, say it and defend your case. Please dont direct traffic to your blog to share your non-xwing short story/fable. Sorry.

I don't have anything to say about firing arcs, which was kind of the point of the story (as we've beaten to death already in this thread).

I have 50% given up on fighting fair and flying ships that require aim or challenging movement decisions.

After getting repeatedly tabled by Arc Dodging Turret Bomb monsters at high PS.....

I am playing RAC Kylo/Palp + Whisper or QD from now on. At least until the Gunboat or the Silencer can be paired with RAC.

And I dont feel bad about it.

RAC Kylo is the last arc dodger.

Auto Damage from bombs and blasters and TLT everywhere plus Intensity/Regen or Biggs or All my moves are green Dash or Rey stapled to every Rebel list plus a PS war paired with 90% of my opponents flying High HP turret or 180 arc platforms...

Forget it...I now subscribe to the church of the last arc Dodger. RAC/Kylo.

I cannot believe im saying this but ISTD actually feels fair and balanced given all the stuff thats on the table these days. It actually feels more fair than Nym auto blaster/TLT and unavoidable Bombs from her or Miranda.

#BitterAboutImpBoba

10 minutes ago, Boom Owl said:

I cannot believe im saying this but ISTD actually feels fair and balanced given all the stuff thats on the table these days.

Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.

6 hours ago, Stay On The Leader said:

I don't have anything to say about firing arcs, which was kind of the point of the story (as we've beaten to death already in this thread).

Your blfog ended with 'time to turn around' or something to that effect. I thought you were speaking as if the knight was the developers. Is that no the case?

23 hours ago, Effenhoog said:

primary weapon turrets and ships with turrets still have a 90 degree firing arc though :^)

no one cares, semantics troll. no one cares

12 hours ago, Boom Owl said:

RAC Kylo is the last arc dodger.

I'm not so sure about that. Intensity/BB8/Primed Thrusters Poe Dameron has been doing nasty things in store championships I've seen - not least because of his ability to go "what target locks?" and largely take ordnance-based alpha strikes out of the equation.

A fork in the road?

Huh.

14 hours ago, Boom Owl said:

RAC Kylo is the last arc dodger.

Nym.

8 hours ago, codegnave said:

Your blfog ended with 'time to turn around' or something to that effect. I thought you were speaking as if the knight was the developers. Is that no the case?

No, the rider is myself. The developers don't really feature.

See below...

2 hours ago, Stay On The Leader said:

Nym.

You forget.

Nym is unplayable now and not allowed to play. Because every Imperial player like myself is obligated to play RAC/Kylo/Palp as they should and PS0 table nym by the end of round 2.

That way we can put at least one Imperial Ace on the board (ideally Whisper with much skill)and have a chance at getting killed by Dengar.

Science Dangit....

Wait nope Dengar can have a PS0 to!

#TheEmpireSolos

#EmoKyloWonThePsWar

#EmoKyloIsTheRealHeroNow

3 hours ago, Stay On The Leader said:

No, the rider is myself. The developers don't really feature.

See below...

Oh I get it now. Sorry for not reading the whole thread.

I see what you are trying to say now, and i was quick to assume you were complaining, sorry!

I will say though, if you like jousting, missiles and torpedoes are evolutions of jousting. And the new wave choc'o'block with jousters and ordance thowers. Heck, the kimogila is a superjouster!

Instead of going all the way back to the first fork, why not try one of the later ones, yaknow?

http://stayontheleader.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/a-new-hope.html

3 minutes ago, Stay On The Leader said:

http://stayontheleader.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/a-new-hope.html

Very nice.
Facing a similar situation in my preparation for Nationals and decided to go down the Nympath as well... I'll go to your topic in Squad List for some other points, but this blog is a great postpartum primer on the last one.