X-Wing the next 2 weeks...

Looking like I’ll have a few X-Wing events coming up in the next few weeks.  This weekend is at Titan here in Champaign, and is the “Back to Basics” event: https://www.facebook.com/events/152085798844972/

Then another League starts in Mattoon the next week…

Looking like I will NOT run the triple Star Viper list again.  I was really disappointed how poorly that one performed.  Well, to be fair how poorly I performed WITH that list.  It is not really in my nature to avoid a conflict, so with that list requiring a lot more dancing around than actually getting in and shooting things I think it is not a list for me.

So, either the BAY list or the Rey/Horton one…  Though Tony did point out that my Firesprays list from last year would actually still be legal…  Dammit J… So, thinking about that one, have a fair bit of experience with it…  It is “OK”, certainly nothing really OP.  BAY is “fun”, Rey/Horton is somewhat more competitive…  The REAL list would be Rey/Lowrick or Miranda (or Poe I suppose). 

The REAL version of the Rey list is one reason I do think that my Firestorm list will be viable for SC season…  I think that it just dies to the FS if I fly it correctly.  I have the higher PS, can adjust to get in or out of Arc as needed, at least a little with the Barrel Roll.  Throwing the Proton Bombs and following up with the Harpoon Missile and automagic Critical from the Mangler should erase a K-Wing on the approach.  Only cripples the YT-1300 most likely, but leaving the Falcon with no Shields and 4-5 Hull remaining from the first exchange should work out well for me.  Imp Aces is probably a 70/30 or 60/40 split…  A LOT depends on whether they have seen what my list can do and correctly react to it.  Not many will, this list gets dismissed as a “meme” list and so few will play it or even bother to try and figure out what to do against it.  RACLo builds are probably the mirror of that with me looking at the 30/70 split I think.  I CAN beat it, but it will take luck.  Since I KNOW Tyler Tippet will be at several of my SC runs, I am likely to run into at least one run by someone who knows VERY well how to run it…  Tilting my odds to “even worse than that”…  OTOH, I always have good games against Tyler and Will, so…  At least I’ll have fun dying…

Other builds I am looking at: 

Control Brobots…  Solid, but another one that is both exhausting to play and not entirely my style…  Have to be willing to run, snipe in at range and avoid a lot of combat until you have worn them down completely.  The old SFB “Klingon Saber Dance”.  So, a solid one I have painted up and ready, but…

“A Wookie Mistake” is my 3 Gunship build…  Expertise and Tactician on all three.  Courier Droids on the PS 3 generics and Lowrick gets Rey to build up Focus…  Solid build…  Another “Gatekeeper” build though I suspect.  There will be some lists that this is a hard counter to, some it is a good match and a few REALLY bad ones.  But easier to fly over the long day…

S&V “Aces”…  Fenn Rau, Kulda and ?  Likely a Kihraxz of some sort…  So, 3 higher PS ships that hit hard and likely have a few tricks.  Third ship could be a Bumpmaster, that is a solid build.  Likely to be a “Gatekeeper” build as the Birmingham Barons I their Episode 41 (https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/bhambaronsxwing/episodes/2018-03-28T08_04_29-07_00) put it…  I THINK I could do well enough to stay in the top half certainly and maybe even be close to a cut…  Not likely at all to win though.

Other than that?  A few 4 Ship builds for pretty much all 3 Factions…  Kind of wanting to avoid the “OP” Rebel combos…  Well, until towards the end and then I switch to “Try Hard” mode like last year. 

We got one preview so far for the next wave, but nothing else.  Waiting on FAQ and the next wave to hit at this point.  We are in a decent place I think, but there is a VERY clear line between the “Top Tier” lists and the rest.  I think there are maybe 5-6 top tier lists at this point.  A number of other ones that are close, so tier 2…  I put the Firestorm in there, so “Gatekeepers”.  And then there are a bunch that are essentially unplayable.  Well, playable, but no realistic chance of winning.  This would be why I think they absolutely need to change to keep the game healthy.  Too many things that make unhealthy combos that break the game.  Just my opinion of course, so YMMV….

Picking up the base set for Legion…  Turns out I had some gift certificates, etc. to spend, so…  Will see, but even if it flops, I should have some decent shelf minis…