X-Wing, watched Worlds, prepping for the next local stuff...

Got in a few more X-Wing games and have actually downloaded the Vassal stuff so that I can get more games in…  Well, in theory…  Assuming that I actually have that time.  In any case, the S&V Ace list is performing quite well.  Learning the ins and outs of the ships.  N’Dru on the Z-95 is surprisingly good.  I mean REALLY good, especially against certain builds I expect to face.  The good potential for an 8 hit strike in there AND the recovery of those missiles to potentially do it again.  Now, good players will see this and understand how serious a threat he really is, but with Ordinance deployed on ALL of my ships, there is really nothing that can be safely ignored at either short OR long range.  Also, 2 PS 9 Ships is massive overkill in one respect, but it gives me a number of good options.  There ARE in fact Pilots that are higher Skill, but not seeing them as often.  RAC with VI does come out to play locally at times, but honestly not as concerned with the Decimator.  Well, with this list at least.  Line up, volley the Missiles/Torpedoes and then close to Range 1 for the 5 Dice Attacks on my Aces.  Bombers are going to be an issue, but I have to be careful in much the same way as I need to against the Uber-Jouster lists.  Stand off, volley Missiles/Torpedoes and try to thin the other Squadron a bit before closing to finish.  Shoot early and often, just like voting in Chicago.  And the Bomber effectiveness drops drastically as their numbers do, so being able to kill off one K-Wing before we engage closely is going to be key.

Not really sure what else I might run into frankly.  TIE swarms, TIE Defenders and maybe TIE Phantoms for the Imperials…  Aces are of course likely there, but I suspect my own are better…  Rebel Regen is a big thing, but I think I can overload it and kill them easily enough.  Scum?  Well, I bet a LOT of Mindlink will be there.  Fenn vs Fenn, but I have Cobrabane to back my Fenn.  Contracted Scouts are a bit of a pain, but should be beatable.

So, since I started writing this one I got to watch the excellent Gold Squadron Podcast’s Twitch streaming of the X-Wing Worlds tournament over the weekend (well, Friday it started, but…) and got to see a number of REALLY good games there.  Got to watch one of the local(ish, he’s from Peoria, but he plays here pretty frequently) absolutely destroy a list like I was flying previously with his Whisper/RAC list.  Simple, brutal and efficient.  Not so sure my old list would have done any better, in fact I am fairly sure I would have done worse.  My current one?  Dunno, volleying the Ordnance is the make or break moment in that one.  If I can get a few good hits in early, I might be able to take his Decimator off the field.  If I fail to do so?  Well, at least it will be a short game I suspect.  Whisper is still quite good, and the combo of Palpitine and Kylo Ren on the Decimator that has Critical conversion already?  Pretty darn powerful on its own.

DID see one list that I REALLY like and might just steal:

BobaKath (100)

Boba Fett (Scum) — Firespray-31	39
Fearlessness	1
4-LOM	1
Homing Missiles	5
Extra Munitions	2
Guidance Chips	0
Slave I	0
Ship Total: 48
Kath Scarlet (Scum) — Firespray-31	38
Expertise	4
Heavy Laser Cannon	7
Dengar	3
Ship Total: 52

Just two loaded out Firesprays…  But the combination of Boba Fett’s Homing Missiles and 4-LOM mean that I can throw out a VERY accurate Missile that I can prevent them from using their Evade or Focus tokens on, so just raw dice.  Only change one I might make there, I like the Salvage crane over the Extra Munitions, but it IS a bit more risky.  More shots possible but HAVE to destroy something to get the Missile back.  Kath is just a modified 4 Dice Attack, pretty much no matter what…  Well, 5 Dice at Range one out the Rear Arc…  With Dice modification and Rerolls, this allows me to use the Evade action a lot more.  Bad part being that the ship has such a Craptastic dial.  And of course it is seemingly over costed, but only in comparison to the Jumpmasters…  Of course, almost EVERYTHING is over costed compared to them, so it is really just an exercise in taking an option NOT obviously the most efficient.

SO Many Jumpmasters at Worlds…  Kind of shining that spotlight on the ship that a LOT of us feel is just too good for its point cost.  SO many good things packed into the efficient package there and it is so customizable.  This allows you to build it out to fill a very large number of roles in the Squadron from straight out Torpedo Boat to Bumpmaster or Ace…  I am not sure what if anything will be on the next errata, but it seems obvious that SOMETHIN needs to be adjusted WRT this ship.  I know a lot of people were also complaining about the Mindlink, but this one I think is FAR less a problem.  With the resurgence of Stress and the built in disadvantage I am not really seeing this as the major problem in the game at the moment.  Yes, it IS efficient and I DO use it in a list, albeit without the JK5K.  But is it on the order of the JM5K?  No.  My list is certainly beatable, and frankly easily so since it is just 3 Aces (well, 2 and a good “almost ACE”) dependent on Agility to survive.  A bad roll or two and that’s game.

Looking like I take a day or two off next week to get my bike back on the road.  Maybe the rain will stop someday.  Really missing the ancient bike, it is something to get my thoughts in order riding on the back roads out here.  Still have an overabundance of sick and vacation time, so might as well use some.