If you want to bring home the crash prize coin for last place!
I knew it wouldn't be a super competitive squad, but didn't really expect it to get crushed as badly as it did. I like running things that are out in left field, and this one is on the warning track just a few feet inside the foul pole. We went to the Regional in Indepencence, MO, the same one Hothie attended. I'll echo his comments about a super-friendly group of people and a very smoothly run tourney. The TOs even kicked in a few prizes out of their own pocket for random drawings during the event. Kudos to Jonathan and Michael for supporting the game so much!
My first game was the closest, against Landon running Wedge w/R2-D2, Dutch and a Green squadron A-Wing. I had Wedge down to one hull point when he made a crucial maneuver to get him out of range and out of the fight for a while. I managed to ion Dutch off the board but lost one Y-wing in the process. The A-wing got in and did some more damage and took a second Y-wing in before I got rid of it. Came down to last turn, I was ahead on points. We'd just picked up the dials when Time was called, and I said "Yeah, let's finish it". Famous last words. Wedge came screaming in from across the board and managed a long-range shot that took out my third y-wing and tipped the balance. In retrospect, I should have kept my mouth shut and taken the modified win, but we had great fun!
Second game was against Gavin's TIE swarm that Hothie has already described. Not much detail to report, suffice to say that 7 TIEs shooting at 4 Y-wings is not a pretty sight (at least from my point of view). The Y's just do not have an advantage over a TIE, and plinking away one hit at a time just doesn't work. I managed to down Howlrunner and one or two other TIEs before getting wiped out. Gavin's squad also proved that you don't necessarily have to "fly pretty" to maintain the advantages a swarm offers. I think I played it wrong early on by not splitting up into at least two groups, but I don't think that would have altered the outcome - there's just too much Advantage->TIE in this matchup.
My final match was against Nathan whose had played against Hothie in the first round. To recap, his squad had Krassis with HLC, Howlrunner (w/Stealth, I think) and 3 Academies. He had obviously learned from his earlier matches, and tucked Howlrunner into the middle of the squad instead of out on the end. Early on I flew one of my ships off the map - it was not a total bonehead maneuver (as I am wont to do) but a calculated tactical risk that I took, and lost by about 1/8". I managed to take out Howlrunner and one other TIE before Krassis and his HLC came into play and took out my second ship. We were coming close to time, and I had a chance to take out one more TIE to keep it a modified win for the opponent if I could hang on long enough to get a shot - but Krassis got my third ship before I could do so, and I conceded.
It was an experimental squad, and the experiment failed. Along the way I got to interact with so many good people and have such a good time that I do not care so much about the result, only that the experience was well worth the effort. Thanks to everyone I got to play, and those I didn't, to the TOs once again for a first-class event, to hothie for the opportunity to learn (though I feel a poor student), and to my sweetheart Lynne, who while indulging me proves to be a better pilot than I am.
Luck to all in your Regionals, and may your dice always favor you!
