X-Wing learning curve...

So, got in several more games of X-Wing this evening at the Gopher…  Played the YT-2400 in all of the games, only one with the “Outrider” title.  Have to say, was less impressed with that.  My opponent was quite good, and was able to fairly easily get to Range one where I could not shoot him with the Heavy Laser.  Next several games I used the same basic ship, but without the Outrider…  Got in a good number of the 4 Dice Attacks in the forward arc, and the 360˚ arc with 2-3 Dice attacks including the important Range 1 bracket…  Have to say that Leebo was “meh” as well.  Saw only one Critical hit in 3 games, and it was not a “Pilot” so he was not able to ignore it.  Ignoring the Obstacles with Dash as Pilot will I think be far better in almost every case.  And higher Skill as well…  The Assault Missiles were REALLY nice as well.  The Z-95 was OK, and pretty useless once it fired its missile, so not 100% sure on that, but it was useful in every case….  Throwing out a LOT of damage and punishing formation flying.  Shame it is a “missile” and so I have very few ships I can use it with.

Torpedoes were quite useful.  Note, I did NOT use them, just caught them when fired J…  So, will be using them.  The Rebel Aces pack has a LOT of really nice stuff in it, and will be flying a few of those ships I think…  Both of the B-Wing aces are good, and flew one myself…  Think both will be used regularly….  I did find it ironic that the A-Wing had three copies of the -2 point “upgrade” for A-Wings in the official “we overpriced the ship” admission…   Getting the Crew slot for B-Wings as well makes for some great combos…  Noticed that the card combos are NOT anywhere near so silly as the potential ones in STAW.  And another major plus, I’m already almost done buying stuff for the X-Wing system.  There are simply not nearly so many releases in this one.  Doubt I will get the Frigate or Transport for the Rebels…  The Transport at least has a decent X-Wing or two in there, but $60 for a few X-Wing cards and a big Transport I will likely not use… 

But on to the learning curve portion...  So far have found the lack of action types on most ships to be a problem.  Finding very few action bars on X-Wing ships...  Example:  Almost every STAW ship has the "Evade" action which can be thought of as the "default" action when moving, just in case you need it later if you do not at that time have a shot, etc...  Not seeing many Rebel ships at least that have that action at all.  Barrel Roll/Sensor Echo is nice, and NOT linked to Cloaked like in STAW, but still makes thing darn maneuverable...

Biggest thing is that the card combos are NOT nearly the OP thing they can become in STAW.  Some powerful things, yes...  But no way to throw out 12+ Attack Dice or have infinite attack cancellation...  

So, sounds like there is a big group playing but unfortunately NOT at the game store I go to…  Might check the other one out, have to say I am really liking the “wing” games.  The Warmachine/Hordes group at the Gopher is large and growing.  So, at least there is one game there.  So, the Warmachine is continuing I guess as well…  Will have to proxy the one Heavy Jack as I never bought another after I went back to the game…  Well, not THAT mech, I have the other Heavies of that faction…  Just can’t see the point of bringing a non-shooting Jack that is just so slow and defenseless…

So, the learning curve for X-Wing is not bad at all I think, looking forward to more games,   :-)  Let's see if more folks don't get out to the Store Championships...

Ah, more X-Wing stuff...

So…  Learning the X-Wing stuff and going through the requisite early losses to learn the system…  Though having said that, it is kind of feeling VERY familiar and like the “Maverick” movie with Mr. Gibson and his proclamation to lose until a set point…  Getting the hang quickly.  Which is good as there are a number of events coming up for this system that I am planning on attending.  NOT planning on winning of course, but certainly planning on playing for the win.  Will see better this weekend what the “local meta” actually is.  Since I will only play the Rebels, my Squadron selection is pretty easy…  Or it would be if I could just make up my mind J…  With my lovely wife’s support on the Christmas present of doom, I have a lot more in the line of choices…

YT-2400

2 X-Wings

2 B-Wings

1-2 Z95s

Y-Wing

E-Wing

My initial inclination is:

YT-2400 (Leebo, Determination, Heavy Laser Cannon, Dash Rendar, Outrider) 49

B-Wing (Ten Numb) 31

Z-95 (Airen Cracken) 19

Leaves me with one point left over for something random or Initiative…  Seem like it would be a decent build for a beginner with a tough to kill ship supported by the 2 Fighters, one of which at least is a decent gunboat, the other really just there for the free action/support

Other than that I have been thinking of running a fairly standard 4 Fighter Squadron of:

B-Wing (Ten Numb) 31

E-Wing (Etahn A’baht, R2-D2) 36

Z-95 (Airen Cracken) 19

Z-95 (Bandit ) 12

Some amusing combos with Ten’s one Crit not being able to be dodged, Etahn’s ability to give ALL other attackers the ability to change a hit to a critical and free action from Airen.  Not throwing a lot of dice down range, but pretty high quality I think…  Other variant with LT Blount and the Assault Missiles for the “it just hits” and causes damage to a swarm.  Not sure, if the swarm of TIEs is a thing locally, then this will definitely be a good one, else…  Situational, and not likely to be something I bother with…

Brings me to a question…  What, if any is the difference between “Missile” and “Torpedo” in this game?  Both seem exactly the same, it really does seem to be just something that FFG is using to control access to certain “missiles” that might cause balance issues if they were more generally available…  But both in this system are things secondary weapons requiring a Target Lock and a Discard of the upgrade to fire, so functionally identical.

X-Wing, and Winter Gaming at the Gopher...

So, got a bunch of great game stuff for Christmas because my wonderful wife was coordinating with Dave at the friendly Armored Gopher…  Got several X-Wing ships, D&D Attack Wing things and such J…    So, knowing how to play the “Wing” based games, they all seem extremely similar.  D&D has the major difference with the ground and air combat really…  X-Wing has the really big ships, but those are more “epic”, and outside of the normal game scope.  Looks like there is a big X-Wing group locally and there are Store Championships coming up.  And it looks like there is going to be X-Wing on Wednesday and some Saturdays with more events hitting.  Looking like some STAW and D&D stuff will be scheduled as well.  Hopefully more of the STAW group will make it out to play and the D&D group grows.  We seem to have a good solid core, but of course getting 12+ players out to an event is a huge deal and a bit of a stretch currently.  So, have to get more of the kids out to play…  I am not sure how many folks will be out for the X-Wing stuff, but looking forward to that…  Globally at least there seems to be a LOT of momentum behind this game…  And frankly I now have a pretty good sized Rebel fleet J  Thanks to my amazing wife of course! 

Noticed the Attack numbers are a LOT smaller than STAW in X-Wing, and I think this is a very good thing.  STAW gets out of hand quickly with this unbalance.  I think WizKids has addressed part of this, but FFG has avoided it altogether I think…Overall, seems balanced and fun…

Looks like a Journeyman League coming up for Warmachine…  Meh…  J  I’ll play I guess, but have to admit I had a LOT less fun in the last one.  Was my choice or more specifically lack of choice with respect to the casters and the point levels…  My Dwarves will do well enough I think, and it will be quick enough to get in some X-Wing and D&D Attack Wing…  So, more gaming I think…

Work is “meh”…  Waiting it out I guess…  Looking and waiting for more Management jobs to open up, waiting to see how things shape up in my current position.  Things are sounding good, and there is potential, but I’ve been there 3 years waiting on the change of title, and with people reporting to me who actually on paper outrank me…  Well, would be more a problem if my personality were different, but I have built up my own little empire with very good people.  Lucky I guess, but I would be in an excellent position were the paperwork in order…  But still being a junior “Systems Administrator” in Math on paper at least…  Well, I’ve been told that has changed, but having not seen it in writing, and the “If it did not get written down, it did not happen” policy….  So, still HAVE a job of course, and that is great…  Just wanting to get it “in writing”.  Will be getting my paperwork in order to apply to start my Masters I guess…  Never thought I would, but any job my level or higher is kind of requiring this particular piece of paper…

First D&D Attack Wing OP event at the Gopher...

So, played in the D&D Attack Wing OP 1 this evening…  Was an absolute blast.  If there is anyone able to make it to the Armored Gopher, would suggest the road trip…   Was VERY close in all three games I thought.  None of the games were what I felt were too one sided really.  I played:

Red Dragon (Fire Breath)

Blue Dragon (Lighting Breath)

Harper Elves (Limnen, Reform, 5 lads)

I faced a list of 3 Wraiths (Named one, 2 normal, all with the upgrade to raise more Wraiths and life drain), a list with 2 decked out named Dragons (Copper and Shadow) and then Joe’s Frost Giant leading out the troop of Hobgoblins and a Ballista…  First game was fun, but the Wraiths ability to regenerate and raise more should not be underestimated…  Killed 2-3 of his un named Wraiths, but couldn't kill it in time.  Game two was a close one with me being able to essentially run my two Dragons into his and trust in the weight of dice.  The Red has a 5 dice attack and the Blue a 4 dice and 2 Armor for both…  Both of his Dragons had base 3 attacks, and one Armor.  The Elves for the additional 3 dice attack.  Made this a very “Klingon” list coming from the STAW world with weight of fire and simply throwing more “stuff” at them than they can handle…  Game three was my Dragons against an all Infantry list…  VERY nearly pulled it off, but the Hobgoblins and Ballista both getting 6 Dice Attacks with concentrate and/or Target for quality of fire are brutal.  Needed to run one flank, overwhelm it and then move down the line.  Got close, killed the Ballista and Giant while losing my Blue and a lot of my Elves…  He offed the last elf and the injured Red and my last retaliation with the fire breath rolled the 5 dice for 4 hits and a focus…  1 short of wiping the Hobgoblins…  J  Epic battle to literally the LAST figure on the board on the last dice roll…  Great game J…  REALLY happy this game is pretty well balanced and a load of fun to play…

Ah, Blood Angels and more Wing stuff...

So…  Looking like the Blood Angels are coming up next.  Not sure I’d call them rumors, GW has announced and people are posting stuff from books they have in hand.  So far, completely underwhelmed as a Fleshtearer’s player.  Gabriel Seth goes to “Lord of War” slot from HQ.  If I’m honest he was mediocre as an HQ, I mostly played him because I liked the model and it was amusing.  He was NOT the most effective HQ I could field by a long shot, and he seldom got his points back lacking Eternal Warrior and dying to the first Str 8 hit…  Yes, there were games he went on a rampage and nearly won the game for me singlehanded, but FAR more often he wandered around a bit with his bodyguards and played “Linebacker” for my force.  Librarian powers are looking “meh”…  Not bad per se, but nothing to bring them up to the top tier.  Mephiston going HQ and gaining the IC rule?  OK, I HAVE the mini but never bothered to field it.  I killed it plenty because a lot of people read the Vampire Lord stat line and thought it was a one man army.  Then I would drop my plasma/melta lads in to kill him in a single round of shooting…  Yeah, he can go into a Squad now and ride in a Transport…  ‘course he cannot really use his magic, I mean “psychic” powers then, so…  CPT Tycho looks like he loses everything that made him interesting and playable, so another shelf model.  Sanguinary Priests lose Terminator Armor.  So there goes yet another converted model for me to the shelves of obscurity…

Vanguard Vets lose their assault from Deep Strike.  Knew it was coming, so not a surprise, just NO reason now to bother fielding them now.  Death Company lose some things, but Jump Packs go to 3 points for them…  By an odd coincidence I have a whole mess of them with Jump Packs because the 3^rd edition silliness was such that this was a no brainer configuration…  Might be again.  But then they are not Troops I think and never could HOLD anything.  Just win by killing everything else.  DNs are…  Well, they don’t really change much at all, so they still are worse than a MC in just about every way.  No cheap AAA, no access to cheaper Interceptor type fliers, no Centurions and only the base Rhino hulls are fast now with the Baal Predators…  The Fast Vindicators were one of the very few good tanks TO field for a BA force.  Predators had a niche role being able to move 6” and fire everything, but…

Grav weapons in some places and Heavy Flamers for Tactical Squads and Sternguard…  OK, nice I guess.  So, looking like a fairly substandard Codex overall.  Still nothing to even come close to the top tier stuff and NO reason for me to put down $50 for the incomplete book and “more” later to get the inevitable “supplemental” books and Data Slates/Formations/Whatever Else…

Not sure what comes next for Warmachine...  Mostly painted army ready for the next league...  I'd say they are all ~90% painted...  Well except for the Forge Guard, they're at 0...  Bases and firing arcs need to be done too, so they should be ready to go next time.

Looking at picking up a bit more X-Wing...  The Rebel Freighter looks interesting, and I have a few B-Wings, so I should be able to field a decent if predictable Squadron...  A few more folks were talking about playing Star Trek Attack Wing, so that might come back...  And the 20th is the first D&D Attack Wing OP at the Gopher...  So, some things coming up...

Time for a break I guess

So, looking like it is time to take a bit of a break from gaming, or at least Warmachine…  3 weeks in a row for what I thought was the League, no games.  So, loads of painting done which is good I guess for the next one if I end up playing.  Just not a lot of people coming out on Wednesday night with the holidays and such.  Pretty frustrating, and coming at a bad time for me.  Just been a LONG 3 weeks with silliness at work hitting hard.  Gotten to the point where I am seriously considering just quitting, taking just about any other job here at the University I guess.  I was looking a while ago, but not a lot of movement at my level.  But I have my resume updated now I guess.  So, wonder if Engineering or Cites will be hiring soon…

So, hopefully Warmachine makes a comeback of sorts after the break.  Was really rather enjoying the game.  Hoping it is not another one that dies out just as I am beginning to really enjoy it.  Star Trek is dead at the moment locally…  Damn shame as WK has actually fixed the game…  The upcoming Dominion Fighters are going to be Borg killers, while being vulnerable to decent builds of normal fleets.  Enough locals still have the game, so perhaps we’ll restart with Kevin running things…  And the D&D Attack wing is looking good…  Guess I’ll break that out and show up next Monday if there are others actually playing to get in a few games and see how it plays…

Not sure what is going on with X-Wing, seems like FFG is having the opposite problem WK is in that they simply have nothing available locally at least…  Might get the YT-2400 to go with my B-Wings and single X-Wing from the base set.  I’d like to get a Y-Wing since I always liked those ships…  No clue how well it plays, and don’t really care all that much.  The Z-95 was another one that I remember Han Solo flying in some of the old books, so…  Will need to find at least one…  Shame that it seems like they cannot get them back in stock…

So, the lads are getting closer to "fully painted"...

See the theme of "Riflemen with Shields" continuing from my 30K Wolves...  And of course there is the completely random assortment of miniatures from various game systems on the table there...  But the Arcanists and Rhulic riflemen have been doing amazingly well for me on the field...  The Avalancher is one that the PP forums has declared "completely useless", but somehow I am able to use it to good effect locally...  Perhaps the local players do not read that forum and do not realize how useless the long ranged, high STR AoE weapon really is...  Lucky me :-)...

So, basement cleaning continuing and moving quickly...  Found even more random "stuff".  Motorcycle is deadlined with an electrical issue...  Tre Craptastic, hopefully something simple, but...  Yes, I know it is winter and riding is "less likely", but...  So, two broken bikes (probably easily fixable), anyone want them cheap?