Let me start by saying I'm not sure if I'm going. Between scheduling, cost, and my already full summer using up my vacation days, it would take a miracle to get me there.

Here's the description of Thursday's Epic event (that's September 3rd, for all those interested). EDIT: I bring this up now because tickets go on sale on March 1st, and I'm gauging interest because it's only half an hour away from where I live, so maybe I should go if enough others will be there.

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The X-Wing™ Epic Furball Tournament is a fast-paced alternative to the standard epic tournament. It follows the same epic rules that you’re used to with a few minor changes.

Squad Requirements

Squads in this format will have a 500-point limit, with a minimum of 125 points devoted to Epic Ships and associated Upgrades. Squads must also have a minimum of 1 Wing with a minimum of 4 Ships in the Wing. All squads must be Rebel, Imperial, First Order, Resistance, Republic, or Separatist . However, up to 100 points of your squad may be Scum . Keep in mind that all effects granted by upgrades and abilities apply only to ships of the same faction.

Gameplay

As with a regular tournament, games will be played on a 3’x3’ play area . That means that the action will get hot and heavy very quickly. Deployment and gameplay will work the same way it does in a standard tournament.

This event will consist of five (5) Swiss rounds (or fewer depending on the number of players). Each Swiss round will be limited to 90 minutes . If after 90 mins the match has not ended, the player who destroyed the most points will be declared the winner. The player with the best record after the final round will be declared the winner.

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Alright, folks, what do you think of these rules?

I was mildly interested until I saw that it will be on a 3'x3' mat. Now I'll grant you that most Epic furballs tend to take place on an area of the 6'x3' that doesn't take up more than 3'x3' so maybe I could get behind it. I just foresee nothing but joust syndrome all day - which could be really fun, but as I've iterated elsewhere, I've grown rather tired of that.

--Now let's take a look at the squad building requirements

• 500 points
• At least 125 points devoted to Huge ship and associated upgrades
• At least one wing with minimum 4 ships
• Scum squads prohibited, BUT--
• Any team can bring up to 100 points of Scum

[whistle] Is it just me, or is that REALLY prescriptive? Like, I have a dream to field Reaper, two wings of 3 strikers each, and a Raider. Can't do that here because it needs a 4th ship in one of the wings, and I'm not buying a seventh striker. I know I can find something I like, but it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

And the real kicker: nobody can play Scum! Excuse me, WHAT?! I swear half the people I meet who love Epic gravitate to the Scum faction. Isn't it odd to ban them as a playable faction?

Well, I probably should have waited to post my thoughts to let everybody else form their own opinions, but this feels just really weird to me. Looking forward to hearing others' opinions.

Seriously why couldn't it just be "bring 500 points of a faction and go nuts"? Why do we need all these restrictions and special rules? I'll admit, I understand table space is at a premium, thus the 3'x3' play area, but Epic squad building shouldn't have so many restrictions in my opinion.