Scum list // First Order list // VASSAL file // Blog Post

And we’re back from a 2-week hiatus as I caught up on real life obligations. Wave 2 hype is REAL folks and I’ve got a number of Wave 2 puzzles queued up to get you used to the new ships. The next puzzles will be strictly Hyperspace — sorry, no more Whisper puzzles for now — but I intend to do more Extended as well in the future.

Today we find out what kind of crazy shenanigans ensue once you combine Supernatural Reflexes with Autothrusters. Throw in Kylo’s ability and you have one tough number. In this puzzle the Scum player has killed Quickdraw and Malarus for a total of 96 points. The First Order player has killed Seevor and brought both Boba and Fenn down to half points, netting them 110 points. In the last round of shooting Fenn finally struck gold with a 5-dice shot. Having only managed to strip Kylo’s shields, Kylo in return showed him the Panicked Pilot. Kylo earlier also handed a Blinded Pilot to Boba. There are 5 minutes left in the round. The Scum player is first player (regretting that Qi’ra yet, Scum? 0-0-0 is gone, time to give up on the Crew slot). The Scum player needs to somehow peg down a pre-positioning, force-using ace, and time is ticking fast!

Solution to last puzzle: Whisper 101.

Kylo's best option is to dial in the 5 straight. Fenn 2 hards to port, because that's really his only option to possibly get a shot, if Kylo is stupid enough to go down there. Boba 2 hards to starboard and fixes the blinded pilot. If Kylo goes for the bump on Boba, he'll have Fenn right behind him and will murder him. If Kylo barrel rolls to port, boosts to port, then does the 5 straight, Boba will have a r3 with a reroll on him. That's his best chance, hoping for some dice variance to get the one damage through he needs.

This is entirely the Kylo player's to lose. He should dial 3 turn left roll left, move, focus auto boost. Get to r3 if not out of range or arc of both ships. Scum player has no real answer.

E: and for the previous one you could just say that corran had double tapped the round before and so had had wd during the previous round hence not double tapping.

3 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

This is entirely the Kylo player's to lose. He should dial 3 turn left roll left, move, focus auto boost. Get to r3 if not out of range or arc of both ships. Scum player has no real answer.

E: and for the previous one you could just say that corran had double tapped the round before and so had had wd during the previous round hence not double tapping.

If Fenn calls the 3 hard away though, he could dial in a 2 hard starboard and catch Kylo ar R1/2 with a focus. Thus, I think the 5 straight is the safest move. If Boba turns over the rock, Kylo barrel rolls and bumps into him. If he turns the other way, Kylo barrel roll/boosts up the board. With both of those positions, its impossible for Fenn to get a shot.

2 hours ago, pyoinator said:

If Fenn calls the 3 hard away though, he could dial in a 2 hard starboard and catch Kylo ar R1/2 with a focus. Thus, I think the 5 straight is the safest move. If Boba turns over the rock, Kylo barrel rolls and bumps into him. If he turns the other way, Kylo barrel roll/boosts up the board. With both of those positions, its impossible for Fenn to get a shot.

I don't think that gives fenn the R1 or even arc - fenn ends up roughly lines up with the bottom of the seismic charges card, pointing left, kylo ends up somewhere below and to the left of the upper left rock. Don't forget Fenn is doubel stressed so he's ONLY doing that 2 turn, no boost to follow up. If he wasn't kylo would have trouble.

I'm kind of liking dialing in a 4K for Kylo.

SR will allow the boost or BR to position after Boba moves over that asteroid with what will probably be a 3 hard ship left.

I think you may thread the needle between Boba's arcs and there's no where Fenn can go that Kylo won't have a shot, and simultaneously also avoid Fenn's arc.

Depending on Boba's position, you'll either have 1 or 2 force tokens to modify on Fenn.

I tend to be more aggressive, so that's probably my move if I'm not trying to run.

EDIT:

Actually, that 4K probably just barely clips the asteroid. You could BR ship right and 4K, but you'd likely eat Boba's rear arc and Fenn if he hard turns ship left, which is likely.

Bummer.

24 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

I don't think that gives fenn the R1 or even arc - fenn ends up roughly lines up with the bottom of the seismic charges card, pointing left, kylo ends up somewhere below and to the left of the upper left rock. Don't forget Fenn is doubel stressed so he's ONLY doing that 2 turn, no boost to follow up. If he wasn't kylo would have trouble.

Oh I somehow missed the double stress on Fenn. Yeah he's got no chance. I'm not convinced the 3 hard is better if Boba decides to bank onto the rock, but with all of Kylo's repositionings I wouldn't be surprised to see him dodge Boba no matter what he does.

I missed Qi'ra there though. That gives Boba a chance of a shot but it'll be either long range or unmodded or both, so it's not looking good for Scum. I don't think they've got a winning move, especially having to deal 4 damage to Kylo which means 2 shots.

9 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

I missed Qi'ra there though. That gives Boba a chance of a shot but it'll be either long range or unmodded or both, so it's not looking good for Scum. I don't think they've got a winning move, especially having to deal 4 damage to Kylo which means 2 shots.

Agreed Scum are pretty screwed here because only Boba stands a realistic chance at getting a shot, but they just have to half Kylo to win, so only 1 damage. Doable with a shot and some dice variance, plus if he manages to catch the rear arc he has a reroll, but looks bad nonetheless.

Maybe br left + boost left with a hard 2 to the right to get a shot into boba. Dont know if it fits.

First answer seems best here, I think. Fenn is screwed due to double stress, so anything that takes Kylo beyond Fenn's current position should take him out of the game. Fett probably turns onto the rock and fixes Blinded Pilot. A turn away to activate Marauder runs the risk of potentially leaving him out of range, I think. Even then, Kylo would have 4 greens with a Focus vs a single reroll for Fett, which is decent odds of no damage. BR into Boost into 5-straight and Focus should give Kylo the win no matter where Fett goes thanks to the Blinded Pilot crit. Also gives Kylo the option to completely avoid Fett if he does something weird like a 1-bank or straight (unlikely though that is).

I think the BR left, boost left, 5 straight hits that rock at the top of the picture. Taking it to the right can end up with all Scum guns on Kylo.

I reckon Kylo, rolls left, 3 hards left, boosts depending on Scum arcs.

A big gamble is Scums only option. Fenn 2 hards left to block Kylos right hand Supernatural options and cover that direction. A 3 bank left from Boba, seems unlikely but it's the only thing that has a chance of catching Kylo if he goes left. If it clears the rock...

Just clocked Q'ira. Boba 2 hards onto the rock and clears blinded ofc. Or boosts for potential R2 and blows luck onto the dice.

Starting with the win condition for FirstOrder is easier. Kylo wants to surive the next few turns (probably 2-3). All he has to do right now is a) survive an unmodded shot of Fenn, Boba, or both, OR b) dodge all arcs, AND c) position himself well for next turn.
Boba's options:

• Boba can 1/2 turn left and hope that Kylo wants to escape that way;
• Boba can bank right and hope that Kylo remains in the rear arc;
• Boba can 3talon past/onto the locked rock!

Kylo, Option 1: Kylo can dodge the first and stay at range 3 of the second by 1hard right and roll back right. I'll come back to the Talon roll late, so for now assuming one of the other two. This leaves him unstressed, with 2 force. It also dodges all Fenn moves. Boba has a shot, with a 12% chance for 1 or more damage. So there is just one move for the Scum player where he has a 12% chance to damage Kylo - a risk I'd be willing to take for Kylo, especially considering how far this removes Boba from the game.

However if Boba 1 harded onto the rock, and Fenn really did 2hard left, then the second turn is quite simple:

Boba 1hards again, Kylo 1hards left, boosts right and dodges the next 1hard of Boba and either blocks or dodges whatever Fenn does (here a 2bank to remove the second stress, but clearly he would roll away or do a different move. Point is: no shots!)

If Boba should decide to boost, then Kylo can simply SR roll right back and do his 1 hard right, which perfectly dodges both arcs and gives him a nice shot.

If Boba chose a faster than 1hard turn, then he won't catch Kylo anyway.

So what could Scum do? IMO Boba should 3 Tallon onto the locked rock. This gives him at least a R2 shot on Kylo with 23% for a damage or more.

Kylo, Option 2: @Ryuneke mentioned it, Kylo could roll left, boost left and 2 hard right. This fits nicely behind the rock and dodges every move of Boba except a 2 hard right. It does bump a talon roll, but that is ok.

(the image shows the way to roll left, boost left, 2 hard, OR the 1hard+ roll right for Kylo, and the two turns for Boba, his bank or his roll. Fenn has not many options anyway)

Things that don't work: Kylo can't 4k (asteroid), or 5straight (asteroid), or SR roll left back and 1hard right (clips Fenn), or roll port+boost port + 5straight (asteroid)

5 minutes ago, GreenDragoon said:

Kylo, Option 2: @Ryuneke mentioned it, Kylo could roll left, boost left and 2 hard right. This fits nicely behind the rock and dodges every move of Boba except a 2 hard right. It does bump a talon roll, but that is ok.

(the image shows the way to roll left, boost left, 2 hard, OR the 1hard+ roll right for Kylo, and the two turns for Boba, his bank or his roll. Fenn has not many options anyway)

Nice write up!

I kind of assumed it was the last turn tbh. Looking at this image, Kylos break left appeals to me more, he'll be well away from Bobas TR and free to scoot off top right with Boba stressed for the following turn.... Perhaps boost left, 3 bank left and roll to taste.

But I love your bold short moves to dodge arc in those tight spaces.

Thanks for the very fine discussion! The answers accord very well with what I see as two different styles of ace play: "dodging by getting outta' dodge" and dodging by playing the short game. I have to say I prefer the former these days with no autothrusters. I will write this topic up tomorrow along with the release of the next puzzle ... WAVE 2 HYPE.