Vader vs the Salami Dumptruck!

This weekend I headed out to my X-Wing gaming venue of choice, TCOW. Dan and I had arrange for a re-match where I would take Vader and some friends up against Horton and Salami Dumptruck!

I had also downloaded a cool app for my phone that lets you build battle reports from still images so I thought it might be a chance to give that a go as well. The results of both (the game and the app) were pretty good, and I definitely learnt some lessons... the main one being to use a decent camera (rather than the one in my phone - sorry for the blurry shots!) and that if Vader is going to get locked up by three Y-Wings with Photon Torpedoes it pays not to run in to things and lose your actions!

It was a great game, although I think I should start thinking about Rebel builds as I cannot seem to stop my ships from running into each other, so running less ships has to work in my favour!

Dan's List
Pilot: Horton Salm, Y-Wing (25)
Upgrades: Proton Torpedoes (4), Ion Cannon Turret (5), R2-D2 (4)

Pilot: "Dutch" Vander - Y-Wing (23)
Upgrades: Proton Torpedoes (4), Ion Cannon Turret (5), R5-K6 (2)

Pilot: Gold Squadron Pilot, Y-Wing (18)
Upgrades: Proton Torpedoes (4), Ion Cannon Turret (5)

My List
Pilot: Darth Vader, Tie Advanced x1 (29)
Upgrades: Squad Leader (2), Cluster Missiles (4)

Pilot: "Backstabber", Tie Fighter (16)

Pilot: "Howlrunner", Tie Fighter (18)

Pilot: "Mauler Mithel", Tie Fighter (17)

Pilot: Obsidian Squadron Pilot, Tie Fighter (13)

Vader gets a little too close and finds three Photon Torpedoes coming his way

Spoiler Alert - Final shot of the game... literally! Who says Obsidian Squadron Pilots cant shoot straight!

Grudge match: Luke vs Vader!

Popped out to TCOW again as it is rapidly becoming my X-Wing gaming venue of choice! I went head to head with Rob again, this time taking the Rebels - I wanted to test out a squadron with Luke, Wedge and Horton (with an Ion Cannon, R2-D2 and 2 Proton Torpedoes). The plan was that he would fire off a couple of long range salvos, then Ion Cannon targets for the X-Wings whilst R2 repaired his shields.

Rob had a plan of his own though taking three TIE Advanced (with Vader and Maarek Stele), matching my elite fighters with some of his own!

(Forgive the really bad photoshop explosions, not my best effort.....)

Both sides close on each other...

The TIEs break right trying to throw off the Rebels aim

Vader and Wedge pull of Koiogran turns and a TIE takes fire from all three Rebel ships (and explodes)

Maarek Stele gets caught in a cross fire and is destroyed

Vader pulls in behind Horton whilst Luke and Wedge flip around to save him

Horton hits Vader with the Ion Canon and breaks right, meanwhile Wedge pulls the "Hazell Maneuver"*

Vader shakes off the hit and swings around to finish off Horton...

But cannot shake off the X Wings, with Luke getting the final

The X-Wings managed to pull off the win, but there a few rough patches - I think I need to move the 2nd set of Proton Torpedoes to one of the X-Wings (thinking Wedge at the moment, although Luke should be pretty handy with them too....). Also not convinced by Horton Salm, I might have to go back and read up on the other Y-Wing pilots. Last of all it might be worth moving R2 over to Wedge as well (I hear he is broken-good when used together) as Luke has inbuilt defensive skills, the Y-Wings have shields and hull points to take a few hits, where-as Wedge found himself pretty badly beaten up by the end of the encounter.

More thinking required, especially if our local store is going to try to run a Kessel Run event (hopefully the NZ distributor of Fantasy Flight product is getting these promo packs in!).


*The "Hazell Maneuver" is where you plan on turning one direction, but accidently find yourself turning the other direction. Confusing to both friend and foe alike it can sometimes be useful, but is generally met with much laughter. Named after an occasional TCOW visitor....

Death of a Jedi

Popped out to TCOW (That Club Out West) this afternoon for another game of X-Wing. Ended up having a game verses Rob and his rather fantastic home made fighters. I took the same squadron as last time with Vader and 4 friends in Tie Fighters, Rob took 3 X-Wings (including Luke) and a Y-Wing (Mr Salami). He purposely went for the extra X-Wing over upgrades trying to even up the numbers.

Lining up, Backstabber takes the flank whilst the rest goes up the middle

Both sides close.

Backstabber breaks to the right a little early, but Vader is about to claim his first kill.

The furball begins and a Y-Wing finds itself in trouble.

Koiogran Turns are the order of the day as both sides pass through each other and turn for another run.

The furball continues with both sides trading shots and an X-Wing is caught in the crossfire.

Vader lines up Luke... but the Force is strong in that one and Vader misses.

Luke puts some distance on the Imperial fighters and turns for a final pass.

Unfortunately his turn puts him in the middle of a nest of Tie Fighters. Vader watches his son...

It was an outstanding match up, this time Vader managed to come out on top with a little more luck on the dice front and better use of their numbers to put the hurt on one fighter at a time. I was also a little fortunate that Rob ran out of points to put an Ion Cannon on the Y-Wing as those things are definitely my nemesis!

I am still looking for a good (and budget) miniature storage option, although I think I might end up with my old favourite, the Filemaster A4 Storage box with some non-slip mat. I keep looking at the cool foam trays that are on sale and they all seem a little over-kill on the $ front, so the hunt will contine.

I also need to sit down a work out a good Rebel fleet - I liked Robs force but I think I will go for 2 X-Wings and a Y-Wing, all pimped out to one extent or another - if you cannot beat the Ion Cannon club, join 'em I say! 

The Salami Dumptruck?

This afternoon I popped out to one of my local gaming clubs for a game of X Wing. So far I had managed to play one test game with Phil at work, and another quick intro style game with some friends. In theory this would be the first "real"outing.

I borrowed Darth Vader off a friend and added in 4 other Tie Fighters (“Mauler Mithel”, "Backstabber", "Winged Gundark" and a Black Squadron Pilot), facing off against Horton Salm (the Salami to his friends) with a seriously pimped out Y Wing, alongside two more unnammed Y Wings (aka the Dumptrucks - they have lots of shields and hit points).

Ready for action

Turn 2: Tie Fighters surround the Y Wings

Turn 3: Initial strafing runs unsucessful, Tie Fighters turn around for another run

Turn 4: Y Wings 360 degree firing Ion Canons cause casualties

Turn 5: Vader finds himself isolated...

Turn 6: and alone...

Turn 7: Ion cannons behind me, laser cannons beside me, stuck in the middle...

Turn 8: and Vader goes down to a Proton Torpedo salvo

So, what did we learn... it takes more than a couple of Tie Fighters to knock over a Y Wing (aka the Dumptruck), in fact the best course of action might have been to fly together as a tight unit pouring fire on to one target as each of the Y's were out of shields and taking damage, of course that does not matter when you run out of guys to shoot at them.

Another good lession was that rolling lots of blank faces on the dice normally results in bad things happening... Darth seemed to be very adept at rolling three jinks or three blanks and nothing in between!

Either way I was great fun and the game was over in about an hour. With a bit of luck my Tie Advanced (with Dark and co) will arrive in the next day or so, letting me noodle up another force to try to take on Dan's Salami Dumptruck Squadron.