Coming up this week, I'm rather undecided at this point as to what I want to take….so maybe you guys can give me a hint and state what you think is the better squadron.

#1

Horton Salm-R5/Ion/2xProton

"Dutch" Vander-R5/Ion/Proton

Gold Squaddie-R5/Ion/Proton

#2

Han Solo-Marksmanship/Gunner

Gold Squadron-Ion Cannon

Gold Squadron-Ion Cannon

#3

Han Solo-Expose/Luke/Chewie/Falcon/Sheild Upgrade

Biggs Darklighter-R2F2/Stealth Device

#4

Rookie X-Wing-Sheild Upgrade

X4

So…this is where I'm at so far. The squadron I have the most experience with is the #1 Y-Wing squadron. I've always taken some heat from the guys for insisting on playing it, but I've been able to make it work with some measure of success. It's absolutely dependant on getting a decent torpedo strike in….after that you're hammering away with Ion's unless the odd range 1 main weapon shot presents itself. It's difficult to run but is definatly a FUN challenge.

I've been messing around with Falcon Builds as well. I'm wanting to try out the Falcon and the Y's since I like the idea of all the turret fire. A close range Solo shot with him exposing and Bigg's covering him from list #2 seems interesting as well. Both of these are untested though…I'll try them out tomorrow night.

I REALLY like the concept of Picasso's X-Wing Squadron. If it really shreds big ships that would be great for me since I've sort of developed a fear of the large bases as of late. Although my fear may be unjustified. My regular opponent (with several games a week) pretty much beats me every time we place our toys on the table….thus my confidence is crap in this game. Although, whenever we go to the store and I pickup against a different opponent…I generally win. I think my attitude toward my capabilities in battle is screwed due to my constant playing against my number cruncher buddy. (I'm thinking he is either running dual Firesprays or something I havent even seen yet at this weekends tourney)

At any rate…which of the above squadrons seems like a good idea to run…which seems strongest, and which ones are RIGHT out? Thanks for ths suggestions.

BTW…after you guys help me I'll post up some batreps on monday in this placeholder of a thread title. This is why I placed this here in the batreps section btw.

(I totally plan on blaming you guys for the stomping I receive!)

I'd go with the Han/Ywings list. You should have a lot of experience flying the Ys and that will help with the list. It is also pretty forgiving in general. Use the Ys to escourt any big ships off the table and Han (and any spare Y fire) to kill other stuff.

If you are looking for something different, then try the Rookie list, but I suspect this would be more difficult for you to just pick up and play if you have been playing List 1 for a while

In my experience Horton could definitely use an R2 to help him get in position to lauch that second Proton Torpedo, but that's just me. Also, R5 hasn't served me very well lately because I keep getting those blasted Munitions Failures, which act immediately, so you can't repair it.

If you fear big ships (or hate them) I'd try the 4 x-wings with shield upgrades. That sounds like a lot of fun. And if you're used to Y-wings, you won't have much trouble getting all the little X-wings to do what you want.

I don't like list 3 so much because it's only 2 ships, and I don't like list 2 so much because yes, you have all turrets, but they are also only 1 agility for defense each, and the Y-wings only dish out 1 damage a turn, if they hit. I think tonight or tomorrow night you should try the YT with the Y-wings and see if it holds promise.

For what it's worth,

the Han and Biggs list is weak. I've played against similar lists and I always shred it.

The Han shot first list rendition with the Y-wings. Probobly the strongest list promise you will fly against similar lists at your event. This will make your games close to a coin flip sometimes.

Now how good are you at flying x-wings? I've been playing the four rookies with shields. I have t lost yet and I play a lot. This list is good but you have to be good at flying it. I can defeat three slave ones or two falcons with this list. My games against a Han shot first list are close but I haven't lost one yet.

So I know I'd go with the rooks but if you haven't flown them a lot. To with the Han list.

I took the 4xRookie list.

FAILURE! ….but it was my fault. Not the list.

1st game

Howlrunner-Swarm Tactics (I think)

Mauler Mithel-Some skill that never was utilised…don' remember

2xAcademy Pilots

2xAlpha Pilots

My opponent observed that his own maneuvering failed, though I'm not sure what he was doing and I was able to isolate Howlrunner and the two alpha's first with the other trio of fighters maneuvering around the asteroids to reengage. My own maneuvering felt flawless and dice were on my side as well. I was able to take down every fighter and didnt lose a single ship.

2nd game

Howlrunner-Stealth Device and Determination (again, I think)

2xAcademy Pilot

3xAlpha Squadron

I lost this one pretty bad. We were head to head essentially avoiding all of the asteroids. His deployment was Academy-Alpha-Academy in a straight line in the front with a base sized space in between each and Alpha-Howlrunner-Alpha in the back in the same manner. His first move spaced them out with the first rank moving up a straight 3 and the second rank moving a straight 2. I deployed the 4 X-wings also on the line with a base sized space in between eager to engage going 4 straight forward.

In the firing phase before the merge I managed only 2 damage on the middle Alpha in the front of his formation despite my full 12 damage dice concentrating on him, all of it focused fire. His return fire took the sheilds off of an X-Wing. This is where my problem came in….at this point I didnt know what to do maneuver-wise. Was he going to come at me full? Just a little for another shot? Was he going to move for collisions with the lead Ties in order to rob me of orders? His formation was such that if he moved in concert, It would be disastrous for me if I guessed wrong. I opted to split the difference staggering maneuvers across my line 1 straight, 4K, 1 straight, 4k.

It sort of worked out….his lead alpha did a 4/5k turn, his two academy's both turned in on a 1 turn to face each other and the rear rank moved forward 2. the final result worked out to be a very close fight. I concentrated fire on another one of the alpha's taking it down to a single point of hull again. My final X-wing was out of this arc however, (one of the 4k turning ones) so I took a pot shot at the previously wounded and stressed Alpha in the hopes of taking it out after it's k-turn. No dice. His return fire managed to wax a fresh X-Wing. At this point I'm down a fighter and he has two terribly wounded ships that were still in the fight.

The next maneuver phase was a bit of a disaster. I did green maneuvers with my stressed ships but there was nowhere for them to go. Either I could point towards the swarm and get a shot…but it would cost me my orders as there WOULD be a collision OR I could quickly move off in a different direction….disengaging. As a result, my firing this turn totally failed as I attempted to concentrate two ships on one of the fresh tie fighters. (the only wounded alpha in arc was collided on) I did nothing after it's evade….average/low dice luck. My final shot was a close range shot where I managed a focus on another fresh tie…doing two damage again. (my opponent was doing a good job of isolating his wounded and keeping them in the fight) the close battle was hurting me badly, I may have had lots of shooting dice…but his exceeded mine with +2 firing arcs in a big mixed up collision fest. His return fire did more sheild damage and took out my sheildless fighter.

At this point I saw the battle as rather hopless and began to pick my opponents brain on my tactical errors. Was he happy to see me go head to head? What should I have done better, excetera… I did my best with maneuvers after that and was eventually blown away after taking two (MAYBE three) of his wounded ships with me.

Taking the swarm head to head was probably a bad idea. Being outnumbered as I was, next time I will utilise the asteroids more in order to break up his formation…hopefully that will mitigate the below average shooting results I had…and prevent howlrunner from buffing EVERYONE before I'm able to take him out. (I figured the Alpha's needed to go down first)

Game 3

Some interceptor pilot with high skill and a stealth device and some skill (don't remember which)

Soonter Fell with PTL and Stealth

Krassis w/ Heavy Laser Cannon

This game was a complete mystery to me. "And things were going so well…..* "

He deployed in one corner with both fighters flanking his Firespray….moving forward slowly. I deployed on the other corner and pretty much perfectly maneuvered my fighters by "wheeling" them thru the asteroids toward his formation. On the second turn all of my fighters were in long range of the mystery fighter who fired first inflicting a single point of damage to one of my fighters…Krassis opened up and missed with his cannon thanks to my two evade dice coming up. I took my first long range shot at the mystery fighter. 2 hits. All of his five dice came up blank. He spent his evade token and the stealth device was gone. My next two shots took him out. With nothing left to shoot at, my final fighter took a shot at Krassis, who also failed to roll any evasions and took 3 sheild hits at long range. What a great start!

I maneuvered so that Krassis would be ranged by all of my fighters since he wasnt maneuverable enough to escape and range was long enough. His firing first knocked down the sheilds of a fresh x-wing, another x-wing's sheilds got taken down by 2 thanks to Fell. All four of my fighters opened up on Krassis at close/medium range peppering him with fire. I inflicted enough damage to take him down to 2 hit points. I felt that this was looking pretty good.

The next turn I did some K turns to keep Krassis in my sights. I ignored 'Fell again for the most part in order to make sure Krassis got taken out. After maneuvers I got three ships pointing at Krassis and my 4th in a different direction hoping Fell would be there….after boosting…he wasnt. Fell took out a sheildless X-Wing at close range Krassis then knocked the x-wing with one sheild down to a single point of damage left. I got two fighters to fire on Krassis and he exploded.

So….we're looking pretty good. 1 Fresh X-Wing, One with a little sheild damage, and one X-wing with 1 damage left against a Stealthy Soontir Fell with PTL piloted by an opponent who was totally beaten moral-wise. Also, there were only about 30 minutes left in the round. It's not like me to stall, but I COULD"VE maneuvered to escape. However, since we were both out of the running for 1st place…what was the point in stalling/running away with the game win? That's boring and noone learns anything.

My next maneuvering took me into a bone headed move pushing my heavily damaged fighter over an asteroid where I proceeded to roll a damage on…killing myself. D'oh! After which we proceeded into a dance where I tried to maneuver Soontir into my arcs of fire. I never managed to get BOTH of my ships pointing at him at the same time and he constantly boosted/barrel rolled/evaded every turn out of 1 or both of my firing arcs gaining a focus every time for doubling his actions/stressing/engaging his ability. After probably about 4-5 turns within the 25 or so minutes, Soontir managed to blow both of my X-wings off the table and won the game with 2 Hit points.

so, with the 4x Rookie with stealth devices What did I learn?

I've got lots of firepower and lots of hit points, but I think I'm still just lacking in experience. I'm used to piloting Y's and have been taking to the falcon so I've been spoiled by 360 degree fire arcs. I need to maneuver better against swarms. I dunno what I could've done to change things in that last game, but in the future in a situation like that….if I'm undefeated and going for a tournament win…I'll disengage and survive for the 30 minutes that are left putting the burden of attack on Soontir (or whatever fighter is left). Despite the results in that last game, I think I rather won that fight, but opted for a more fun conclusion to the last game of the day for myself and my opponent. This granted him the win, but like I said…neither of us were taking home the trophy, and what do you learn from Trollololol'ing away?

In the future I plan on continuing with this force on occasion and getting better with it. It DOES seem very strong. I think I just need more practice with it.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the tourney report. Any suggestions/comments are welcome.

What squad won the tourney?

The squad that beat me in round 2.

Thanks! The Richmond one was won by HSF.