This was a couples game night, with a spouse new to the game (and miniatures gaming.)

Empire

1 x Obsidian Squadron Pilot, per teammate

1 x Academy Pilot, per teammate

Rebels

1 x Rookie Pilot with R2-D2, Teammate "A"

1 x Rookie Pilot wit Proton Torpedoes, Teammate "B"

The 50 points per team and the strict adhesion to the Core Set pilots and cards, ensure the game had minimal rules complexity for the new gamer at the table. I stayed out of the asteroid placement and took whatever team slot was left un-claimed.

Scenario (Just flavor text):

"A promising Rookie Pilot and wingman nearing the completion of flight training volunteer for a patrol. R2-D2 rides along for the evaluation. The "offense first" minded Wingman opts to "load up for bear."

Two Obsidian squadron pilots are each assigned to train a new academy pilot. The Obsidian pilots decide to venture to the edge of their patrol zone to make the training more exciting and earn some respect from their charges.

X-wings set up some distance apart, as did one pair of TIE's. Initial engagement between the other, tightly paired, TIE's, and "B" player rolled out the NGL® (New Gamer Luck) and slipped out of the first three attacks (two of them at range one without a scratch.

The split TIE's started R2-D2 to work almost immediately and R2 must have restored almost ten shield points throughout the game.

The second Academy TIE evaded for all he was worth to take only a single hit from a range one X-Wing Attack and Proton Torpedoes from behind.

As the X-wings to came together as a team, the first Obsidian squadron pilot seeking to out-maneuver his target did a Koiogran turn into an cross fire from "A" player's X-Wing coming out from an asteroid cluster. Death was swift and solid.

The second Obsidian Squadron pilot chased down the elusive, Koiogran-ing, X-Wing - stunning the Pilot. His Academy wingman scored the kill with a last second decision to target the harried X-Wing.

The remaining X-wing (with R2) took to the asteroid cluster to rebuild shields. The three TIE's pursued aggressively, with the Obsidian Pilot recklessly racing over an asteroid to get into position.

Trailed by the orphaned Academy pilot. It was again the other Academy pilot with the taste of a his first combat kill and the notion of Imperial recognition that Koiogran-ed into position to lay waste to the particularly durable X-Wing.

A great, gritty, game was played, and a spouse indoctrinated to the game. With its "low-power and simplicity" it was one of the better games to date.

RogueMorgan

FYI, the squad list confused me just a bit. I think this is clearer:

Imperial Team

Player A

(1) Obsidian Squadron Pilot

(1) Academy Pilot

Player B

(1) Obsidian Squadron Pilot

(1) Academy Pilot

Rebel Team

Player C

(1) Rookie Pilot

R2-D2

Player D

(1) Rookie Pilot

Proton Torpedoes

(I hope I got that right.)

2v2 games are fun. ive used 60 pts per team and played 120pts per team on the table. it works well. gives u a few more points to play with but u need the models to support this i guess.

Love the narrative! Great game!

Ah, yep, you understood it correctly, Lappenlocker. And yes, your version is clearer, good call.

I am glad you liked the narrative, Bommer65. Since we had a new player, I thought it seemed a little more engaging to have a story context, than just to say "it's a skirmish, plan your first moves."

It is not that often that I have a chance to introduce gaming to someone new, so "first impressions" and all that. And she knows Star Wars, of course; so defining a scenario made it seem all the more familiar.

I've also found that if there is a story, then people can accept certain unit selections (though this game was balanced at 50 points) it does not have to be. The scenario survives as a template to play again. I make the scenarios just as a would have planned a Sci-Fi RPG session, just in this case the combat gets played out using the X-Wing Miniature game.

RogueMorgan