Played a bit of v1, losing mostly, then turned to Armada, and did ok.

My son played a lot more of v1, and while he joined me in playing Armada, he started playing v2 much sooner than I have due to other gaming commitments (the need to finish campaigns).

We got a couple of games in on Monday night.

The first he used a list he hadn't used before, and had helped me make one. I had designed a list with 2 E-Wings and an Arc 170. He suggested changing the Arc to an Auzituck.

What I ended up with was: Wullffwarro, Trick Shot, Magva Yarrow, Hull Upgrade / Rogue Squadron Escort, FCS / Rogue Squadron Escort, FCS (199)

This faced up against his Pure Sabacc, Outmanoeuvre, Shield Upgrade / Valen Rudor, Juke / Zertik Strom, FCS, Homing Missiles / Tur Phennir, Predator, Afterburners (193)

I set up on my right, in line abreast with the Auzituck in the middle. He set up two opposite me, and two on the other flank (can't recall which ships were where).

My plan, such as it was, was to approach the two nearest me, and then turn into the other pair, around the asteroids.

Who was it said No plan survives first contact with the enemy? Well mine didn't.

His two opposite me turned towards his other pair, which in a turn or two would present four ships together.

Using the e-wings ability I took target locks on two ships, having moved the e-wings ahead of the Ausituck.

Despite my sons greater experience he did manage to bump three of his ships, for two consecutive turns.

Thanks to this and some phenomenal red dice on my part, Pure Sabacc and Tur Phennir were both destroyed for little damage on either e-wing and almost nothing on the Auzituck.

He called it after the second ship went down, so we could play a second game with his favoured build. I also had a different list, which I will detail below.

Second game:

My list: Wedge, Swarm Tactics, R4, Proton Toprs, S-Foils / Luke, Heightened Perception, Proton Torps, R4, S-Foils / Ten Numb, Adv Sensors

His: Darth Vader, plus stuff I can't remember / Pure Sabacc, Outmanoeuvre / Whisper, Cloaking Device (Krennic was in the list somewhere too)

He's played his list twice before, winning both times (firstly against a scum list and then against another Imperial list). No pressure then.

He placed Hunted on Wedge.

Similar set up, with me to my right (B-wing in between the two x-wings), him across his base line.

I started by holding back Wedge while Ten and Luke went further ahead (Ten stayed within 1 on Wedge to benefit from Swarm).

My red dice were again very good and after two or three turns had managed to get half point from both Darth and Pure Sabacc, with the former being on one hull point. However first ship down was Wedge, which meant old Ten was firing last. I did manage to get Sabacc a turn or two later though.

Having flown as well as I'd ever flown in X-wing in the first game, I reverted to type by misjudging a couple of manoeuvres and bumping a couple of times.

However at the crucial point I had Luke and stressed Ten lined up on Vader. Ten was however down to only 2 hull and was in Vaders firing arc. Luke shot and stripped most (if not all) of his defence tokens. Vader fired at Ten. Two hits. One green dice. As he's stressed, I have a 5 in 8 chance of surviving. The dice rolled a blank. Ten was gone. With only Luke left, and it being late, we called it.

Although defeated, I was still happy with how I'd flown. Another day on that green dice and Ten would have survived and might have got Vader.

My enthusiasm for X-wing has returned. My regularly occurring stupid mistakes seem to have reduced significantly and I feel like I have a chance, which I didn't before.

Roll on my next game!