Monday, January 18, 2016
Tournament Report
Randy's House of Games
Sacramento CA
17-Jan-2016
This was an event I attended with another local player to a location neither one of us had ever been to. Our understanding was that it was going to be mostly newer players and so both of us resolved to take something other than our usual tournament style lists in order to have a slower pace of game and go a little easier on the newer folks as it were. On arrival it was about 70% new player and the rest had some or extensive experience. My travelling companion decided to play his regular tournament list consisting of Miranda, a TLT Y-Wing, a Stresshog, and a Z-95. He is practicing quite a bit with this build in order to prep for the more challenging store tournaments. I, on the other hand, rather than take Bro-bots decided to play something a bit more fun which was.
Latts Razzi w/ Weapons Engineer, K4 Security Droid and Tactical Jammer
x2 Syndicate Thugs w/ Twin Laser Turret
Binayre Pirate
This list is 100 pts as a bid isn't needed for it. You use the YV-666 in a support roll passing out target locks which get used to make sure your TLTs do what they need to do. It's slow but consistent damage and overall is a pretty tanky list. The downside is it can be difficult to insure damage output from Latts and to get use of the Jammer you have to fly in a somewhat awkward formation. But it did see uses, especially in the last two games.
Round 1
x3 Trandoshan Slavers w/ Feedback Array and Tactician
Result: Loss (50 vs 60)
Not only was the list completely out of left field from what I was used to but there were 2 people (out of 18) at the event running it. So crazy! I also flew against the better of the two pilots (based on standings at the end of Round 3) as he knew precisely how to keep them able to cover each other and mostly managed to keep at least 2 able to fire at all times. I managed to burn down one and do significant damage to the other but I didn't have what it took to come out ahead. Good pilot who made very few mistakes with a very strange list. Was happy to see him at the top tables towards the end of the event.
Round 2
x4 TIE/fo (Omega Ace, Epsilon Leader, x2 Omega Squadron Pilot with lots of upgrades)
Result: Win (100 vs 20)
Here was one of the aforementioned new players who seemed to already have had a hard game previous and wasn't at his best from a flying perspective. It was a short game with him taking 6 HP off of Latts and a couple HP scattered elsewhere. He admitted to me after the game that he usually flew something else and that this list was a last minute change of mind before his first tournament (tournament jitters!) and I let him know that I completely sympathized. I have done that to myself a few times and it has NEVER worked out for me either. We talked lists for a while and I wished him luck.
Round 3
Miranda Doni w/ Twin Laser Turret and C-3PO
Gold Squadron Pilot w/ BTL-A4 Title, R3-A2 and Twin Laser Turret
Gold Squadron Pilot w/ Twin Laser Turret
Bandit Squadron Pilot
Result: Loss (12 vs 100)
Of course I got paired up with the person I came with. We had done this exact match up before and at least I didn't repeat my same mistakes this time around. But the outcome was known before the models were put into deployment zones. He had an amazing turn dishing out 8 to Latts in a single round. So you know what kind of game this was. I got Miranda down to half, the shields off the Y-Wings and I did manage to exact revenge on the Bandit Squadron Pilot who thinks he is Poe Dameron and rolls nothing but crits like its his job by shooting him to one HP and watching him blow himself up on rock. With a crit. Justice is served. :)
Cool Stuff I Saw: I saw some nicely painted models on a few tables which was always welcome. I also saw a Scum list trying to make Talonbane and a Black Sun Ace with Bodyguard work which is not something I ever thought of. So props to him. Might have worked better with Graz the Hunter...
Conclusion: This was a fun event and it was cool to see a different local meta and meet some great new X-Wing players. Thanks to the people running the event and to the venue for hosting it.
Okay I can't let it go. Here is a list that doesn't work and is a terrible idea. Never run it and please forgive me for making it but my brain wouldn't let me rest until I did.
Graz the Hunter w/ Stealth Device
Black Sun Ace w/ Bodyguard
Syndicate Thug with Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech
Spice Runner with Twin Laser Turret
Okay I'm done now. Just a note; until the new ships are released for Scum I will be playing Imperials as I cannot afford the handicap against the cutthroats I'm expecting to engage in combat with.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
M3-A Interceptor Review
This is part one of a series where I'm going to break down all the available options for Scum and give my thoughts on them. I'm going to begin with the M3-A "Scyk" Interceptor.
M3-A Interceptor Pilots
Cartel Spacer [14]
Tansarii Point Veteran [17]
Laetin A'shera [18]
Serissu [20]
As you can see that despite sharing a name and an action bar with other interceptors it does not get the same dial. It is missing the 3-turns, the distinctive 5 straight and has half the green as compared to the other interceptor dials. It does get 1 banks but that is no trade for the manuevers it loses. I think that its safe to say that it may not be ideal in this role.
But I tend to think of it as more of a psuedo TIE fighter myself and when you compare the dials you can start to see what I mean.
While still missing the 3 turns and the straight 5 its core is nearly identical even maintaining the same green maneuvers. Also I feel that the 5 K-turn is very welcome on a jouster including this one so I see that as a plus over the TIE dial. The TIE/Scyk comparison is where the points start to make sense. If you take a basic Academy TIE and compare it to the Cartel Spacer its cost matches up. If you call the dial a wash the Cartel Spacer gets: +1 Pilot Skill, Target Lock, and exchanges a Hull for a Shield. To me that is worth the 2 points. Its not the height of efficiency that an Academy TIE is but its not over costed in my opinion.
I don't feel the same way about the Tansarii Point Veteran as I do about the Cartel Spacer. 3 points buys you +3 Pilot Skill and an Elite Pilot Talent. To me that isn't great value especially if you consider that a Black Squadron Pilot gets +2 Pilot Skill and an Elite Pilot Talent for 14 points and I would much rather have that then be forced to pay a 1 point premium for extra pilot skill I don't really need or want. I consider this ship to be 1 point over costed.
Laetin A'shera is interesting. Pilot skill 6 is a weird place for any pilot to be. Lofty above the rabble (but 5 would be as well) but below most of the aces which start to come around at Pilot Skill 7. But for only 1 point over the Tansarii Point Veteran combined with her pilot ability I consider it fair. Her pilot ability is just okay because it really requires investing in a Stealth Device which makes her 21 points which is just too much for a defensive 2 attack die ship. Also she lacks an Elite Pilot Talent which is just too much to overcome. She desperately wants Lone Wolf or Juke and she can never have it. Without more survivability she should never be taken.
Serissu is Pilot Skill 8 and has one of the few squad buffs available for Scum. I have heard him called the anti-Howlrunner and it sort of rings true. Especially consider that both are unaffected by their own pilot abilities. Except defense dice are less powerful than attack dice. So he is a downgrade especially if you consider that Howlrunner comes in at 18 pts. He costs 2 more and has nothing to show for it except Target Lock. So as far as I'm concerned he is over costed by 2 pts. That doesn't make him a non-starter but considering that he operating outside the usual style of Scum I have yet to find a way to make him fit.
So we have one potentially viable option; the Cartel Spacer. Theoretically it could be used as a low cost heavy weapon (Heavy "Scyk" Title + Flechette Cannon) which would bring its points cost to 17. Seems high to me for a control oriented psuedo TIE fighter that then can't really be used as a blocker. For 14 pts you can get the base model and try to use it as a blocker. However it is actually hurt by its Pilot Skill of 2 in that case and compared to the bargain which is the Z-95 it doesn't seem to have role there either. Which leaves the M3-A without a home in most lists.
Lastly the Title card and lack of an illicit slot is a source of much contention. While theoretically good as it adds a choice of missile, torpedo, or cannon the only real option in the current meta is the cannon. As the Title is +2 points and the cheapest cannon is +2 points it simply costs too much to be effective in its role. In the future with the release of the Tractor Beam or Guidance Chips this could change. I haven't figured out why it didn't come with an illicit slot as it would make sense both thematically and in the game itself.
The breakdown is; the M3-A dial prevents it from competing against other interceptors because of its dial. It may be a cost effective swarm option though the Z-95 also being available makes it a much less viable choice. It is hurt by its title which costs points and its lack of an illicit slot. I've seen fixes proposed online and my favorite one's involve either a new title or a modification which opens up new slots. I hope that they release some new content for this ship in the future as I look forward to having it as an option in my lists.
Future Speak: I am adding this section because the Tractor Beam was recently spoiled and I've seen some discussion about using the M3-A as a low cost control piece. I don't believe that the new Tractor Beam makes any of the M3-A pilots viable but there might be something there and I'm reluctant to entirely dismiss it outright. I feel that there needs to be a lot of play testing and experimentation on all fronts and I feel safe saying that the Tractor Beam will change X-Wing forever. Moving on...
Help Me Obi-Wan!
I've been asked by a commenter here at Rolling Blanks to provide some assistance with Kath. As they didn't specify the Imperial or Scum versions I will do both:
Imperial Kath
Kath with Calculation, Mangler Cannon, Tactician and Engine Upgrade (48)
This build insure's that she is doing what she does best which is hand out stress as much as possible. Calculation opens the possibility of adding more stress from the rear arc and I feel that as long as you can stay in Range 2 you should be reliably passing two stress per attack to your targets. Fun! Note that this build leaves you enough points for a mini swarm to accompany her.
Scum Kath
Kath with Daredevil, Gunner and Engine Upgrade (50)
This build is all about mobility. You want as many opportunities to keep that rear arc on your enemies and Boost or having the opportunity to do a 1 turn as an action does just that. Gunner helps insure that all those dice do something. You could also add Glitterstim or Hot Shot Blaster you had the points and were so inclined.
That's all for now. See us next time as we pick apart the Kihraxz Fighter!
Monday, January 4, 2016
A Return from the Dead
Over half a year has passed and I've decided to resurrect my blog and bring it new life and direction. I am slightly better at the game now and feel like I have a better idea of why something works and why it doesn't. Rather then content that isn't very useful like before the blog will now focus on three things;
1) My thoughts and learning on the Scum faction of the X-Wing miniatures game by Fantasy Flight Games. I feel like the Rebel and Imperial factions get plenty of discussion but the same is not true about the Scum faction and as they are my main force I wish to rectify that a bit.
2) My progress in the game of upgrading from complete scrub to scruffy nerf herder.
3) My repaints of the models.
I think with that focus in mind I can add some value to the community. This will not update on a regular basis as the releases and meta shifts are slower that week to week but I will certainly not let it lapse the way I did again. I feel like I have learned a lot and I really want to bring that knowledge to the forefront.
Currently the Scum faction's top table meta sits somewhere like:
Bro-Bots.
x2 IG-88 w/ Heavy Laser Cannon, Autothrusters, Title Card, and other stuff
(3rd place finish at Worlds 2015)
Twin Laser Thugs (if that's not an original name, let me know)
x4 Syndicate Thugs w/ Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech
(7th place finish at Worlds 2015)
You don't see a different Scum list until 21'st place and it's a variant of Twin Laser Thugs replacing the Unhinged with R4 Agromechs (for a more defensive build) and dropping a Thug for a Cartel Marauder with Feedback Array. Which is an interesting choice and probably says more about the person's local meta than anything else. It would be a place my brain would go if I were dealing with a lot of high pilot skill arc-dodgers like Whisper.
I bring this up because I want to show the stagnation in list design for Scum. Which as near as I can tell has a couple causes; firstly we are the newest faction with the least number of pilots of and ships to choose from. FFG is doing the best they can at catch up by dropping two Scum releases at a time instead of just one which is really appreciated. The second reason is because Scum isn't Rebel or Imperials and thusly is less popular and harder to pin down quickly. Allow me to explain that last part.
What I mean by hard to pin down is that is Rebels have a theme which currently is regeneration. They have many options and builds which allow them to return back to fighting condition (or never leave it) and that gives them a theme to build off of. Imperial's have ace pilots. They have more aces than anyone else to pick from and with those come some AoE buff abilities like Howlrunner and Jonus. Scum isn't either of those things and trying to play them or build them like that isn't going to be fruitful.
So what is Scum then? They are a toolbox of stuff to pick from. They require that you pick and pull each piece as needed with the understanding that it must stand alone and succeed in its individual role. A list, in my opinion, should try to have ways to deal with all of the following:
1) Arc dodgers like Soontir Fel and Whisper
2) Poe Dameron/Stressbot
3) Swarms
4) Fat Han/Fat Dash/Chiraneau and friend
In Rebel and Imperial lists you have some clear options. Like playing a counter list (swarm counters stressbot, etc) or playing one of the main archetypes well. Obviously Scum doesn't have this option, but it isn't without tools to work with.
Arc dodgers - In a real sense we only have three tools which are reliable against these threats which are defined by their high agility, high pilot skill, and ability to stay out of arc. The tools available to us are:
A high PS pilot in a decent ship (honestly only Talonbane or Xizor)
Mux
Autoblaster
Feedback Array
Arc Dodgers: The goal is shoot first before they can. Talonbane can with VI. Xizor can with VI and a point bid. You need to build your entire list around them but both can seal the deal. Mux is much harder to use but is multi-purpose and a distinct threat. The ability to turn someone you don't like into Pilot Skill 0 is very powerful. Unfortunately he is in a HWK-290. Autoblaster is okay, if you can make a Y-Wing or a HWK-290 chassis work for you. I've had only mixed success in my own games. Feedback Array is another weird one. If you can get any part of your ship in range 1 and don't mind the downside, a guaranteed point of damage might be just what you need.
Stressbot: Swarms are the direct counter to this. But if you can't or won't run a swarm than I would strongly recommend you build lists of 4 or more ships and don't put all your eggs in one basket (like a Bossk) so that you are easily shut down. The nice thing about Talonbane is that his ability is still relevant even if he is stressed. Though his maneuvering goes right out the window. Xizor's ability works too but he needs his action(s) in order to get the most out of the Starviper, arguably Scum's only arc dodger, and losing it makes him pretty tough to use. Guri could overcome it a bit better but as she is only Pilot Skill 5, she should not be having lists build around her.
Swarms: Consistent damage. Things like Twin Laser Turret come in handy here. Also having a blocker can help break up formations. These are tough matchups for any build and is still the efficiency standard in which many lists are judged and tested against. A swarm list placed 13th at Worlds 2015 so it's still a thing.
Fat-Whoever: A control element is often the easiest way to bring down a big ship. Stress or ions. We don't have much in the way of either but we are not devoid of options. Usually a tough match up for me as we don't have explicit shutdown tech.
So an example variant of a list I've been playing a lot of:
Talonbane Cobra w/ Veteran Instincts, Glitterstim and Engine Upgrade (35)
Torkhil Mux w/ Ion Cannon Turret, Intelligence Agent and Moldy Crow (28)
Syndicate Thug w/ Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech (25)
Binayre Pirate (12)
100 pts
My reasoning behind the list is as follows:
Talonbane plays an important role in both being an efficient jouster as well as being able to shut down threats like Fel, Whisper, Vader, or Poe. He shoots before all of them and can have an explosive Range 1 burst turn with Glitterstim backing him up. But he is still a jouster and so its important to remember that his movement is predictable and he is not as robust as even a T-65 X-wing in either dial or stat line though his pilot ability does go a long way in making him worth taking.
Mux is a threat to whatever single threat you want to manage. This is a very control oriented build that wants to stay in range 2 as much as possible. It can drop an change an enemy pilot of Pilot Skill 0, look at a dial, and potentially drop an ion token down on something every turn it can stay at range. The downside is that Mux has a giant taget painted on his ship which is a HWK-290 with all the downsides associated with that chassis. He needs protection and other threats to draw attention away from him.
The Syndicate Thug with Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech is a staple in Scum lists. 25 pts gets you a reliable 2 damage per turn output on a tough to kill chassis as long as you stay out on the fringes of the battle. A Y-Wing might be tough but it can be burned down by anyone dedicated enough to put a decent ship on that duty for a turn or two.
Binayre Pirate is a blocker pure and simple and is another ship at 12 points. I feel a list should try to have at least four ships and while it is not a superstar it is an average star which is often ignored by my opponent allowing it to do its job of being a pest.
As I said before it is a mixed bag of different ships all of which require practice and expertise. But it also demands the same from people you play. I feel it is crucial to practice as much as possible just to make sure you have a complete understanding of all the moving pieces.
I will close by saying it feels good to be back and I hope I can provide some insight into Scum and help in some way to make them both more competitive as choice and more popular as well. Have fun and fly casual.
1) My thoughts and learning on the Scum faction of the X-Wing miniatures game by Fantasy Flight Games. I feel like the Rebel and Imperial factions get plenty of discussion but the same is not true about the Scum faction and as they are my main force I wish to rectify that a bit.
2) My progress in the game of upgrading from complete scrub to scruffy nerf herder.
3) My repaints of the models.
I think with that focus in mind I can add some value to the community. This will not update on a regular basis as the releases and meta shifts are slower that week to week but I will certainly not let it lapse the way I did again. I feel like I have learned a lot and I really want to bring that knowledge to the forefront.
Currently the Scum faction's top table meta sits somewhere like:
Bro-Bots.
x2 IG-88 w/ Heavy Laser Cannon, Autothrusters, Title Card, and other stuff
(3rd place finish at Worlds 2015)
Twin Laser Thugs (if that's not an original name, let me know)
x4 Syndicate Thugs w/ Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech
(7th place finish at Worlds 2015)
You don't see a different Scum list until 21'st place and it's a variant of Twin Laser Thugs replacing the Unhinged with R4 Agromechs (for a more defensive build) and dropping a Thug for a Cartel Marauder with Feedback Array. Which is an interesting choice and probably says more about the person's local meta than anything else. It would be a place my brain would go if I were dealing with a lot of high pilot skill arc-dodgers like Whisper.
I bring this up because I want to show the stagnation in list design for Scum. Which as near as I can tell has a couple causes; firstly we are the newest faction with the least number of pilots of and ships to choose from. FFG is doing the best they can at catch up by dropping two Scum releases at a time instead of just one which is really appreciated. The second reason is because Scum isn't Rebel or Imperials and thusly is less popular and harder to pin down quickly. Allow me to explain that last part.
What I mean by hard to pin down is that is Rebels have a theme which currently is regeneration. They have many options and builds which allow them to return back to fighting condition (or never leave it) and that gives them a theme to build off of. Imperial's have ace pilots. They have more aces than anyone else to pick from and with those come some AoE buff abilities like Howlrunner and Jonus. Scum isn't either of those things and trying to play them or build them like that isn't going to be fruitful.
So what is Scum then? They are a toolbox of stuff to pick from. They require that you pick and pull each piece as needed with the understanding that it must stand alone and succeed in its individual role. A list, in my opinion, should try to have ways to deal with all of the following:
1) Arc dodgers like Soontir Fel and Whisper
2) Poe Dameron/Stressbot
3) Swarms
4) Fat Han/Fat Dash/Chiraneau and friend
In Rebel and Imperial lists you have some clear options. Like playing a counter list (swarm counters stressbot, etc) or playing one of the main archetypes well. Obviously Scum doesn't have this option, but it isn't without tools to work with.
Arc dodgers - In a real sense we only have three tools which are reliable against these threats which are defined by their high agility, high pilot skill, and ability to stay out of arc. The tools available to us are:
A high PS pilot in a decent ship (honestly only Talonbane or Xizor)
Mux
Autoblaster
Feedback Array
Arc Dodgers: The goal is shoot first before they can. Talonbane can with VI. Xizor can with VI and a point bid. You need to build your entire list around them but both can seal the deal. Mux is much harder to use but is multi-purpose and a distinct threat. The ability to turn someone you don't like into Pilot Skill 0 is very powerful. Unfortunately he is in a HWK-290. Autoblaster is okay, if you can make a Y-Wing or a HWK-290 chassis work for you. I've had only mixed success in my own games. Feedback Array is another weird one. If you can get any part of your ship in range 1 and don't mind the downside, a guaranteed point of damage might be just what you need.
Stressbot: Swarms are the direct counter to this. But if you can't or won't run a swarm than I would strongly recommend you build lists of 4 or more ships and don't put all your eggs in one basket (like a Bossk) so that you are easily shut down. The nice thing about Talonbane is that his ability is still relevant even if he is stressed. Though his maneuvering goes right out the window. Xizor's ability works too but he needs his action(s) in order to get the most out of the Starviper, arguably Scum's only arc dodger, and losing it makes him pretty tough to use. Guri could overcome it a bit better but as she is only Pilot Skill 5, she should not be having lists build around her.
Swarms: Consistent damage. Things like Twin Laser Turret come in handy here. Also having a blocker can help break up formations. These are tough matchups for any build and is still the efficiency standard in which many lists are judged and tested against. A swarm list placed 13th at Worlds 2015 so it's still a thing.
Fat-Whoever: A control element is often the easiest way to bring down a big ship. Stress or ions. We don't have much in the way of either but we are not devoid of options. Usually a tough match up for me as we don't have explicit shutdown tech.
So an example variant of a list I've been playing a lot of:
Talonbane Cobra w/ Veteran Instincts, Glitterstim and Engine Upgrade (35)
Torkhil Mux w/ Ion Cannon Turret, Intelligence Agent and Moldy Crow (28)
Syndicate Thug w/ Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech (25)
Binayre Pirate (12)
100 pts
My reasoning behind the list is as follows:
Talonbane plays an important role in both being an efficient jouster as well as being able to shut down threats like Fel, Whisper, Vader, or Poe. He shoots before all of them and can have an explosive Range 1 burst turn with Glitterstim backing him up. But he is still a jouster and so its important to remember that his movement is predictable and he is not as robust as even a T-65 X-wing in either dial or stat line though his pilot ability does go a long way in making him worth taking.
Mux is a threat to whatever single threat you want to manage. This is a very control oriented build that wants to stay in range 2 as much as possible. It can drop an change an enemy pilot of Pilot Skill 0, look at a dial, and potentially drop an ion token down on something every turn it can stay at range. The downside is that Mux has a giant taget painted on his ship which is a HWK-290 with all the downsides associated with that chassis. He needs protection and other threats to draw attention away from him.
The Syndicate Thug with Twin Laser Turret and Unhinged Astromech is a staple in Scum lists. 25 pts gets you a reliable 2 damage per turn output on a tough to kill chassis as long as you stay out on the fringes of the battle. A Y-Wing might be tough but it can be burned down by anyone dedicated enough to put a decent ship on that duty for a turn or two.
Binayre Pirate is a blocker pure and simple and is another ship at 12 points. I feel a list should try to have at least four ships and while it is not a superstar it is an average star which is often ignored by my opponent allowing it to do its job of being a pest.
As I said before it is a mixed bag of different ships all of which require practice and expertise. But it also demands the same from people you play. I feel it is crucial to practice as much as possible just to make sure you have a complete understanding of all the moving pieces.
I will close by saying it feels good to be back and I hope I can provide some insight into Scum and help in some way to make them both more competitive as choice and more popular as well. Have fun and fly casual.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Named Interceptor Thoughts
I now have had an opportunity to play all of the named TIE Interceptor pilots. Here are my thoughts on each one.
"Fel's Wrath" - Everyone's favorite zombie pilot. He is difficult to use well in my opinion. His ability essentially insures he will get to take his attack before exploding but I have yet to see an instance where it has made a significant difference in a game. He is also not an Elite Pilot thus further limiting him. But you could use him as a budget tank to soak fire knowing that you will always have an opportunity to attack with him. In my opinion he pays 1 point to lose 1 point of Pilot Skill in exchange for a Pilot Ability which is a positive trade in my opinion.
Summary Opinion: Worth it only if you are already taking Royal Guard Pilots and you do not need the Elite Pilot Skill.
Lt. Lorrir - His ability is powerful but very situational. Also the cost of a stress token is a tough price to pay. But he can be unpredictable and I am a fan of any ability on an Interceptor that increases its movement options. He is not an Elite Pilot but I don't feel he really needs it. Like "Fels Wrath" I feel he is paying 1 point to lose 1 point of Pilot Skill in exchange for a Pilot Ability which is a positive trade in my opinion.
Summary Opinion: Worth it only if you are already taking Royal Guard Pilots and you do not need the Elite Pilot Skill or are a big fan of unpredictable movement.
Kir Kanos - His ability will work often if you are careful to plan for it. I like Evade tokens and the fact he is Pilot Skill 6 actually helps him with his ability. He can wait to see what higher pilot skill pilots are going to do then he can choose to burn his token or to keep it if he feels he will need it. I also believe his ability is one of the only automatic hits in the game. The ability to simply insure you will do 1 damage is tremendously reliable. He lacks an Elite Pilot ability but I don't feel needs it.
Summary Opinion: Worth taking if you want reliable damage and you are reasonably sure you will be facing high Pilot skill models.
Tetran Cowell - His ability is interesting. Like "Fels Wrath" I believe he is hard to use well. But his ability is much more proactive and you do get an element of unpredictability from him. Also his Pilot Skill is 7 which is significant. Also he an Elite Pilot which is never a bad thing especially given the maneuver friendly Elite Pilot Skills which exist.
Summary Opinion: Worth taking if you are big fan of unpredictable movement. Has possible synergy with Lt. Lorrir.
Turr Phennir - Amazeballs. Easily my favorite of the named TIE Interceptor pilots. For starters he has Pilot Skill 7 as well as being an Elite Pilot. Then he has one of the only abilities in the game which allows him to move after shooting. Which lets him do drivebys. He can close to near point blank range, attack with 4 Attack dice, and then Boost or Barrel Roll out of opposing enemies arcs. I am not a fan of giving him any Action based Elite Pilot Skill and think he is well served by taking Veteran Instincts or Opportunist as both of these abilities are passive and leave his actions free,
Summary Opinion: Amazing. If you are looking for a late game Interceptor this should definitely be on your short list.
Carnor Jax - Very interesting but I have never seen him used effectively. While keeping your opponent from getting the value from certain actions does sound great in execution it is hard to get an appropriate amount of milage from this ability in the sense that you must be within Range 1 to use it and Interceptors aren't meant to knife fight. They are meant to make single passes with long sweeps and flank. So the ability is useful but runs counter to one of the core Interceptor play philosophies and is far too expensive for a suicide run.
Summary Opinion: Not sure where he fits in and so I would prefer to take Turr or Soontir who are in the same price range.
Soontir Fel - Second favorite and definitely one of the most popular choices. Both he and Turr are late game closers who can realistically take on whats left of your opponents force after the decisive mid game turns have played out. His ability adds a great deal of consistency and with the appearance of Hobbie and R3-A2 seems to have even more of an edge in countering some of the new Stress tech in the meta.
Summary Opinion: For your late game Interceptor you should consider Soontir very carefully among your available options.
75x75 - TIE Swarm (75 points)
x3 Academy Pilot
x1 Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
x1 Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
This is pretty much a perfect Imperial list for the event and has a great combination of bodies as well as firepower. Also it should outnumber almost every other list there. I fukly expect to see at least one person run this on Saturday.
See you again on Thursday when I preview the custom painted A-Wing in the prize pool on Saturdays event.
"Fel's Wrath" - Everyone's favorite zombie pilot. He is difficult to use well in my opinion. His ability essentially insures he will get to take his attack before exploding but I have yet to see an instance where it has made a significant difference in a game. He is also not an Elite Pilot thus further limiting him. But you could use him as a budget tank to soak fire knowing that you will always have an opportunity to attack with him. In my opinion he pays 1 point to lose 1 point of Pilot Skill in exchange for a Pilot Ability which is a positive trade in my opinion.
Summary Opinion: Worth it only if you are already taking Royal Guard Pilots and you do not need the Elite Pilot Skill.
Lt. Lorrir - His ability is powerful but very situational. Also the cost of a stress token is a tough price to pay. But he can be unpredictable and I am a fan of any ability on an Interceptor that increases its movement options. He is not an Elite Pilot but I don't feel he really needs it. Like "Fels Wrath" I feel he is paying 1 point to lose 1 point of Pilot Skill in exchange for a Pilot Ability which is a positive trade in my opinion.
Summary Opinion: Worth it only if you are already taking Royal Guard Pilots and you do not need the Elite Pilot Skill or are a big fan of unpredictable movement.
Kir Kanos - His ability will work often if you are careful to plan for it. I like Evade tokens and the fact he is Pilot Skill 6 actually helps him with his ability. He can wait to see what higher pilot skill pilots are going to do then he can choose to burn his token or to keep it if he feels he will need it. I also believe his ability is one of the only automatic hits in the game. The ability to simply insure you will do 1 damage is tremendously reliable. He lacks an Elite Pilot ability but I don't feel needs it.
Summary Opinion: Worth taking if you want reliable damage and you are reasonably sure you will be facing high Pilot skill models.
Tetran Cowell - His ability is interesting. Like "Fels Wrath" I believe he is hard to use well. But his ability is much more proactive and you do get an element of unpredictability from him. Also his Pilot Skill is 7 which is significant. Also he an Elite Pilot which is never a bad thing especially given the maneuver friendly Elite Pilot Skills which exist.
Summary Opinion: Worth taking if you are big fan of unpredictable movement. Has possible synergy with Lt. Lorrir.
Turr Phennir - Amazeballs. Easily my favorite of the named TIE Interceptor pilots. For starters he has Pilot Skill 7 as well as being an Elite Pilot. Then he has one of the only abilities in the game which allows him to move after shooting. Which lets him do drivebys. He can close to near point blank range, attack with 4 Attack dice, and then Boost or Barrel Roll out of opposing enemies arcs. I am not a fan of giving him any Action based Elite Pilot Skill and think he is well served by taking Veteran Instincts or Opportunist as both of these abilities are passive and leave his actions free,
Summary Opinion: Amazing. If you are looking for a late game Interceptor this should definitely be on your short list.
Carnor Jax - Very interesting but I have never seen him used effectively. While keeping your opponent from getting the value from certain actions does sound great in execution it is hard to get an appropriate amount of milage from this ability in the sense that you must be within Range 1 to use it and Interceptors aren't meant to knife fight. They are meant to make single passes with long sweeps and flank. So the ability is useful but runs counter to one of the core Interceptor play philosophies and is far too expensive for a suicide run.
Summary Opinion: Not sure where he fits in and so I would prefer to take Turr or Soontir who are in the same price range.
Soontir Fel - Second favorite and definitely one of the most popular choices. Both he and Turr are late game closers who can realistically take on whats left of your opponents force after the decisive mid game turns have played out. His ability adds a great deal of consistency and with the appearance of Hobbie and R3-A2 seems to have even more of an edge in countering some of the new Stress tech in the meta.
Summary Opinion: For your late game Interceptor you should consider Soontir very carefully among your available options.
75x75 - TIE Swarm (75 points)
x3 Academy Pilot
x1 Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
x1 Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
This is pretty much a perfect Imperial list for the event and has a great combination of bodies as well as firepower. Also it should outnumber almost every other list there. I fukly expect to see at least one person run this on Saturday.
See you again on Thursday when I preview the custom painted A-Wing in the prize pool on Saturdays event.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Rolling Blanks Tournament Prize Reveal 1 of 2 & Tournament Philosophy
So next Saturday is the big event so as it draws near I wanted to preview one of the two custom painted models that will be in the prize pool. The first is a crimson TIE fighter.
Next week I will also preview the custom painted A-Wing.
Now I wanted to talk a little bit about why I chose 75 points for my tournament. I know its not a standard total and that is actually part of the reason. I wanted to shake up conventional thinking and make people think outside the box a little. Also 75 point games go a little faster and also tend to favor smaller ships to an extent. Lastly it is a little easier for newer players to round up the requisite number of ships in order to participate. This design philosophy called out to me as beneficial. We will see how it works in execution.
75x75 - XXA 75 points
x2 Red Squadron Pilot with R2 Astromech
A very straight forward list with better than average Pilot Skill, survivability, and firepower. Tycho is the star of this list and should attempt to flank and harass as much as possible while staying out of enemy fire arcs. With Refit he is only 3 more points than his X-Wing counterparts and with good flying should be able to be a serious thorn in the side of your opponent.
See you all next week!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Event Summary - Game Kastle Fremont 05/05/14
I had the good luck of participating in the X-Wing Tournament at Game Kastle Fremont on Sunday. It was a very well run event and I really appreciated everything happening on time. I went 1-2 and the list I ran was 100 points:
Krassis with Heavy Laser Cannon, Recon Specialist, and Seismic Charges
x4 Obsidian Squadron Pilots
My first opponent had a list at 99 points:
x2 Alpha Squadron Pilot
x2 Academy TIE
Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
It was a strong list. I only managed to take out the Interceptors and bring Howlrunner down to 1 Hull before time was called. He had managed to kill everything but a single Obsidian TIE on my side. Nothing was out of my favor in terms of dice luck but I was a bit aggressive with my Firespray and he ended up with a pair of Direct Hits on him which ended his attack run a turn sooner than I had expected. Also Howlrunner shot out an Obsidian TIE in a single shot which was pretty rough.
My second opponent was a friend of mine who I have played many times. It was my only win. His list was 100 points:
Chewbacca
Dagger Squadron Pilot with Advanced Sensors
Ibitsam with Push the Limit
It was an extremely close game. He had managed to knock down three Obsidian TIEs and I only took out Chewbacca. I won by 3 points. No major mistakes this game though I could have been a bit more aggressive with my Firespray but I was still gun shy after the first game.
My final opponent had a list which was 99 points:
x3 Bounty Hunter
He ended up with initiative and the rock placement was pretty aggressive for both of us. However in the end I could not summon enough dice to take out more than one Firespray. I did have another down to 4 Hull but he had taken out Krassis as well as an Obsidian TIE.
Overall I felt I have improved a bit over my last tournament showing. However my list was not very strong in execution and I did make some mistakes which further hindered me. Krassis is okay but honestly I don't think the HLC or his ability are very good on the Firespray chassis. Most battles end up as close range knife fights anyway. A Bounty Hunter with a Recon Specialist would have done as well in my opinion. Furthermore the Seismic Chartges were entirely useless. I also did not get as much mileage out of my Obsidian TIEs as I had hoped. It only became relevant in one game and that was the first one. I believe I could have gotten the same performance from Academy TIES.
In retrospect I missed Howlrunner and should have adjusted things in order to take her. Based on what I saw at the tournament this is what I should have taken at 99 points:
x2 Academy TIE
Bounty Hunter with Recon Specialist
Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
This has just about the same amount of firepower but now has pilots who are able to fire at Pilot Skill 8 and 7. Mauler is very dangerous at Range 1 and you keep the Firespray for support and hit points.
75x75 - Mini Elite Wing (75 points)
Backstabber
Howlrunner with Hull Upgrade and Swarm Tactics
Night Beast
Mauler Mithel with Expose
This list has a nice range of higher than average Pilot Skills in conjunction with Howlrunner to let Night Beast fire at above his pay grade. Hull Upgrade also should buy her a little bit of time as she is commonly focused first. Mauler is deadly at Range 1 especially with Expose and poses a threat to one shot an unlucky ship. Backstabber is also no slouch. I like the combination of threats that this list poses.
See you all on Thursday!
Krassis with Heavy Laser Cannon, Recon Specialist, and Seismic Charges
x4 Obsidian Squadron Pilots
My first opponent had a list at 99 points:
x2 Alpha Squadron Pilot
x2 Academy TIE
Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
It was a strong list. I only managed to take out the Interceptors and bring Howlrunner down to 1 Hull before time was called. He had managed to kill everything but a single Obsidian TIE on my side. Nothing was out of my favor in terms of dice luck but I was a bit aggressive with my Firespray and he ended up with a pair of Direct Hits on him which ended his attack run a turn sooner than I had expected. Also Howlrunner shot out an Obsidian TIE in a single shot which was pretty rough.
My second opponent was a friend of mine who I have played many times. It was my only win. His list was 100 points:
Chewbacca
Dagger Squadron Pilot with Advanced Sensors
Ibitsam with Push the Limit
It was an extremely close game. He had managed to knock down three Obsidian TIEs and I only took out Chewbacca. I won by 3 points. No major mistakes this game though I could have been a bit more aggressive with my Firespray but I was still gun shy after the first game.
My final opponent had a list which was 99 points:
x3 Bounty Hunter
He ended up with initiative and the rock placement was pretty aggressive for both of us. However in the end I could not summon enough dice to take out more than one Firespray. I did have another down to 4 Hull but he had taken out Krassis as well as an Obsidian TIE.
Overall I felt I have improved a bit over my last tournament showing. However my list was not very strong in execution and I did make some mistakes which further hindered me. Krassis is okay but honestly I don't think the HLC or his ability are very good on the Firespray chassis. Most battles end up as close range knife fights anyway. A Bounty Hunter with a Recon Specialist would have done as well in my opinion. Furthermore the Seismic Chartges were entirely useless. I also did not get as much mileage out of my Obsidian TIEs as I had hoped. It only became relevant in one game and that was the first one. I believe I could have gotten the same performance from Academy TIES.
In retrospect I missed Howlrunner and should have adjusted things in order to take her. Based on what I saw at the tournament this is what I should have taken at 99 points:
x2 Academy TIE
Bounty Hunter with Recon Specialist
Mauler Mithel with Swarm Tactics
Howlrunner with Swarm Tactics
This has just about the same amount of firepower but now has pilots who are able to fire at Pilot Skill 8 and 7. Mauler is very dangerous at Range 1 and you keep the Firespray for support and hit points.
75x75 - Mini Elite Wing (75 points)
Backstabber
Howlrunner with Hull Upgrade and Swarm Tactics
Night Beast
Mauler Mithel with Expose
This list has a nice range of higher than average Pilot Skills in conjunction with Howlrunner to let Night Beast fire at above his pay grade. Hull Upgrade also should buy her a little bit of time as she is commonly focused first. Mauler is deadly at Range 1 especially with Expose and poses a threat to one shot an unlucky ship. Backstabber is also no slouch. I like the combination of threats that this list poses.
See you all on Thursday!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Countering Soontir Fel
Soontir Fel. I have played with him and against him. He can be a very dangerous model to face especially in the late game as his opposition decreases. As his appearance seems to be increasing in the meta I think it might be a good time to talk counters.
Rebel
Turrets are the obvious answer. If he can't stay out of range of opposing fire arcs much of what makes him strong is lost. Anyone taking the Millennium Falcon is already is already countering him thanks to the large ships ample base size and 360 degree fire arc. In the same vein an Ion Cannon can also ruin his day. Robbing him of the flexibility of his maneuverability is critical. If you manage to get an ion token while stressed, which is common thanks to people using Push the Limit to take synergize with his Pilot Ability, then he is pretty much neutered at that point. Lastly you could consider taking Tycho Celchu with Veteran Instincts and Push the Limit or Daredevil in order to try and counter him in a dogfighting sense. In that configuration the A-Wing can almost keep up with the TIE Interceptors maneuvers and has a higher pilot skill. Lastly Tycho, like Soontir, is not dissuaded from being Stressed.
Playtest Addendum
After play testing the most cost efficient way to shut him down is the following at 23 points.
Gold Squadron with Ion Cannon Turret
Combined with a target lock you should with a little planning be able to ruin his day. The threat of the ion turret either keeps him from being stressed, thus neutralizing his pilot ability, or forces him to stay at range 3 of the Y-Wing who can fly in the center of your formation and wait patiently. It is a cheap addition to any list and has uses outside of countering Soontir.
Empire
Due to the Empire's lack of turrets they must approach it from a different perspective. Going with the big ship option; a pair of Bounty Hunters can cover a lot of area with their twin fire arcs. Soontir might still be able to find a gap but you can greatly diminish his chances with staggered formations and careful maneuvering. Also taking Carnor Jax with Veteran Instincts might work as you can move to stay near Soontir and keep him from using Focus or Evade as well as potentially getting the drop on him thanks to having a higher Pilot Skill. Lastly the obvious dogfighting option is to take your own Soontir Fel. You will have to outplay your opponent and hope the dice stay with you but at least you know you will shoot at the same time and you both have the same tricks. A game might very well devolve into a mirror match with a pair of Soontirs dancing around waiting for a opening in that case.
In the event of the mirror match it might be prudent to design your list to conserve points as much as possible. Tying up some points in a tanky shuttle build might make be the difference that denies those points to your opponent and possibly forces him to compromise his position so that your Soontir Fel can get the drop on his doppleganger. Here is an example of a list that might take advantage of that.
Soontir Denial 100 points
Academy Pilot
Dark Curse
Night Beast
Omicron Group Pilot with Darth Vader and Recon Specialist
Soontir Fel with Push the Limit
The purpose of this list is to try and deny points and so you take the two most survivable TIE pilots to try and eat volleys that do nothing. Evade tokens are going to be a popular action in this list. The shuttle has the Recon Specialist to increase dice odds when defending and Vader to insure damage on unshielded models if they ever stumble into your fire arc. Lastly the list is rounded out with an extra Academy TIE because the points were available but this could easily become more upgrades for the shuttle or a Stealth Device or Hull Upgrade on Soontir and the TIEs which might tip you over the edge in a mirror match.
75x75 - Imperial Tank 75 points
Omicron Group Pilot with Advanced Sensors and Recon Specialist
x3 Scimitar Squadron Pilot
If you are willing to give up maneuverability then you too can have a points denial list which brings 28 hit points to the table. Everyone is at Pilot Skill 2 which helps for maneuvering (in straight lines) and shooting before Pilot Skill 1. The shuttle will be taking a Focus action every turn and benefitting from it offensively and defensively. The bombers are simply less maneuverable TIE fighters for the purposes of this list. It is effectively a micro-swarm based around the shuttle instead of the Firespray-31. Short of three shuttles it is the most hit points you can bring to the table at this points level.
See you all again on Tuesday!
Rebel
Turrets are the obvious answer. If he can't stay out of range of opposing fire arcs much of what makes him strong is lost. Anyone taking the Millennium Falcon is already is already countering him thanks to the large ships ample base size and 360 degree fire arc. In the same vein an Ion Cannon can also ruin his day. Robbing him of the flexibility of his maneuverability is critical. If you manage to get an ion token while stressed, which is common thanks to people using Push the Limit to take synergize with his Pilot Ability, then he is pretty much neutered at that point. Lastly you could consider taking Tycho Celchu with Veteran Instincts and Push the Limit or Daredevil in order to try and counter him in a dogfighting sense. In that configuration the A-Wing can almost keep up with the TIE Interceptors maneuvers and has a higher pilot skill. Lastly Tycho, like Soontir, is not dissuaded from being Stressed.
Playtest Addendum
After play testing the most cost efficient way to shut him down is the following at 23 points.
Gold Squadron with Ion Cannon Turret
Combined with a target lock you should with a little planning be able to ruin his day. The threat of the ion turret either keeps him from being stressed, thus neutralizing his pilot ability, or forces him to stay at range 3 of the Y-Wing who can fly in the center of your formation and wait patiently. It is a cheap addition to any list and has uses outside of countering Soontir.
Empire
Due to the Empire's lack of turrets they must approach it from a different perspective. Going with the big ship option; a pair of Bounty Hunters can cover a lot of area with their twin fire arcs. Soontir might still be able to find a gap but you can greatly diminish his chances with staggered formations and careful maneuvering. Also taking Carnor Jax with Veteran Instincts might work as you can move to stay near Soontir and keep him from using Focus or Evade as well as potentially getting the drop on him thanks to having a higher Pilot Skill. Lastly the obvious dogfighting option is to take your own Soontir Fel. You will have to outplay your opponent and hope the dice stay with you but at least you know you will shoot at the same time and you both have the same tricks. A game might very well devolve into a mirror match with a pair of Soontirs dancing around waiting for a opening in that case.
In the event of the mirror match it might be prudent to design your list to conserve points as much as possible. Tying up some points in a tanky shuttle build might make be the difference that denies those points to your opponent and possibly forces him to compromise his position so that your Soontir Fel can get the drop on his doppleganger. Here is an example of a list that might take advantage of that.
Soontir Denial 100 points
Academy Pilot
Dark Curse
Night Beast
Omicron Group Pilot with Darth Vader and Recon Specialist
Soontir Fel with Push the Limit
The purpose of this list is to try and deny points and so you take the two most survivable TIE pilots to try and eat volleys that do nothing. Evade tokens are going to be a popular action in this list. The shuttle has the Recon Specialist to increase dice odds when defending and Vader to insure damage on unshielded models if they ever stumble into your fire arc. Lastly the list is rounded out with an extra Academy TIE because the points were available but this could easily become more upgrades for the shuttle or a Stealth Device or Hull Upgrade on Soontir and the TIEs which might tip you over the edge in a mirror match.
75x75 - Imperial Tank 75 points
Omicron Group Pilot with Advanced Sensors and Recon Specialist
x3 Scimitar Squadron Pilot
If you are willing to give up maneuverability then you too can have a points denial list which brings 28 hit points to the table. Everyone is at Pilot Skill 2 which helps for maneuvering (in straight lines) and shooting before Pilot Skill 1. The shuttle will be taking a Focus action every turn and benefitting from it offensively and defensively. The bombers are simply less maneuverable TIE fighters for the purposes of this list. It is effectively a micro-swarm based around the shuttle instead of the Firespray-31. Short of three shuttles it is the most hit points you can bring to the table at this points level.
See you all again on Tuesday!
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