Back from Chicago, gearing up for Armada and X-Wing...

Well, LONG weekend in Chicago…  My wife and one of my daughters wandered off to see Hamilton up there.  They said it was amazing, and I’ll take their word for it J  Different places to visit and some really good food…  Specifically, the Italian Village was amazing.  Far better I think than I’ve ever had up there before.  Old school Italian place, so pretty much my speed…  Took the train up there Thursday night.  Was actually quite nice.  Train was full and delays were a reality, but the cost was not so bad and they had WiFi on the vehicle so we could all kill time on our various devices.  Same for the return trip, though the delays were nowhere near so bad…  Since the freight companies own the rails themselves, they get to set the schedules, etc…  NOT like in Europe where last I rode trains.  Still, all in all not bad.  If you ARE going to do it would suggest you do as we did and avoid the busy times…  Fares were better and it was less crazy J…

Gaming, Armada still plugging along, have another one Wednesday…  Joe attacked one of our locations and I think might be unpleasantly surprised to find a full Rebel Base there.  So, the mission is set and I get to choose the bonus like say, a Planetary Ion Cannon…  Which of course I will.  Not TOO bad I suspect but it will punish him for going slow and I can be waiting on the other end with Ackbar’s fleet…  It’ll be brutal I suspect, but I think we’ll be fine…  Since the cannons hit any facing, I suspect they ISDs will already have damage when they make it through.

X-Wing, we had our firt League event, the next one is the 12^th…  I played m TIE Defender/TIE Bomber list and did well, placed 5^th.  Frankly, was pretty happy with that.  Only a few days out of surgery and nowhere near fully recovered, I was pretty dead on my feet by then.  Should be fine for the next one.  Looking at various lists to play as the Wave 10 stuff should be out by then…  It is officially Legal for the Chicago Regional this weekend, so…  I’m playing around with the idea of:

Unnamed Squadron (100)

Hera Syndulla — VCX-100	40
Accuracy Corrector	3
Autoblaster Turret	2
Intelligence Agent	1
Nien Nunb	1
Anti-Pursuit Lasers	2
Ghost	0
Ship Total: 49
Ezra Bridger — Attack Shuttle	20
Rage	1
Autoblaster Turret	2
Phantom	0
Ship Total: 23
Ahsoka Tano — TIE Fighter	17
Veteran Instincts	1
Sabine Wren	2
Scavenger Crane	2
Cluster Mines	4
Captured TIE	1
Sabine's Masterpiece	1
Ship Total: 28

Or

Aggressor/Lancer (100)

Asajj Ventress — Lancer-class Pursuit Craft	37
Push the Limit	3
K4 Security Droid	3
Black Market Slicer Tools	1
Engine Upgrade	4
Shadow Caster	3
Ship Total: 51
IG-88B — Aggressor	36
Lone Wolf	2
Fire-Control System	2
Heavy Laser Cannon	7
Autothrusters	2
Ship Total: 49

Just a few things to work out in practice rounds. I am not 100% on the weapon load outs and the like, but it is I think a good start…

 The new TO has made the official ruling that you must have the actual cards and material for the game as the winner of the last one used a printed list that included the Emperor…  Who is only available in the Imperial Epic Raider class ship, so a VERY pricy card.  Guessing there was a fair bit of bitterness from the other lads in the top 4 cut who drove over from Bloomington/Normal to find out that this was allowed in an event where there was money on the table in the form of prize support.  That changed, depending on attendance, the payout varies, but with 18 players there the winner could I think buy a large based Ship with their winnings…  I tend to run casual events and always play what I have (being of Scottish decent, you work with what you have and make the best of it), so no effect for me personally…  Some of the longer term players though…  Well, lists will have to be adjusted.  I run things over at the Gopher, or I did, I assume I will continue to as they are changing ownership and as I state up front that it is a casual event, proxies are allowed, etc…  And as we are playing for old tournament kits, nothing particularly interesting frankly and certainly nothing like actual money on the table…  Is a MUCH more relaxed event.  Frankly I prefer that most of the time.  Mind, it only takes one person to bring in a top tier list and kill the relaxed environment, but…  So far so good.

Surgery, and some actual gaming!

So…  Had Cataract surgery this week.  I suppose a slight downside of me not drinking or doing illegal drugs would be the way that the anesthesia hit me so hard.  It was a good 36 hours before I was fully clear of it I think.  Even now, my appetite is nonexistent and I have to force myself to actually eat.  A random pill and a group of eye drops being the course of medications.  But the left eye is clearing up and when I get my glasses changed to matching prescriptions or can wear contacts (with the correct prescriptions) I will I think have my vision back to 100% (corrected to).  So, looking better in the long run I guess…  Just still kind of in the “this sucks” range at the moment.  The hardest part honestly is that I cannot work out.  Got so used to working out in most cases a few times a day that I am getting anxious to get back.  I do not however want to undo the excellent work the surgeon did, so I wait.

Gaming wise we are doing the “Correlian Conflict” in Armada…  Got in my first game last evening.  Won, but it was pretty bloody on both sides.  ADM Ackbar with his MC-80 Assault Cruiser is absolutely deadly, especially in this limited environment.  We are limited to a single upgrade initially, so the normal ships that get flown are…  Different now.  Felt odd not having the normal spread of upgrades that I take as standard, but barring 2 stupid mistakes on my part it would have been absolutely brilliant…  I should have had faith that the Assault Cruiser would erase the Victory Class Star Destroyer before the next turn and I should have understood the rules for warping out…  The Assault Pelta “died” by leaving the field…  It had 1 Hull point left, so I was REALLY concerned.  Should not have been it turns out.

X-Wing this weekend…  First Month of the Titan League, so bouncing between 3 builds:

DeathfireRyadStele (100)

"Deathfire" — TIE Bomber	17
Extra Munitions	2
Concussion Missiles	4
Cluster Mines	4
Long-Range Scanners	0
Ship Total: 27
Countess Ryad — TIE Defender	34
Juke	2
Engine Upgrade	4
TIE/x7	-2
Ship Total: 38
Maarek Stele (TIE Defender) — TIE Defender	35
Juke	2
TIE/x7	-2
Ship Total: 35

Build #2:

DeathfireRyadStele2 (100)

"Deathfire" — TIE Bomber	17
Seismic Torpedo	2
Extra Munitions	2
Concussion Missiles	4
Cluster Mines	4
Long-Range Scanners	0
Ship Total: 29
Countess Ryad — TIE Defender	34
Push the Limit	3
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II	1
TIE/x7	-2
Ship Total: 36
Maarek Stele (TIE Defender) — TIE Defender	35
Juke	2
TIE/x7	-2
Ship Total: 35

And Build #3 for something different:

Aggressor/Lancer (100)

Asajj Ventress — Lancer-class Pursuit Craft	37
Push the Limit	3
K4 Security Droid	3
Engine Upgrade	4
Shadow Caster	3
Ship Total: 50
IG-88B — Aggressor	36
Lone Wolf	2
Fire-Control System	2
Heavy Laser Cannon	7
Black Market Slicer Tools	1
Autothrusters	2
Ship Total: 50
The first 2 are VERY similar with only a few minor changes…  I am actually liking #2 better I think…  The Seismic Torpedoes give me the option to fire as an Action AND drop the Cluster Mines in the same turn…  Oh, and shoot, albeit with the mighty 2 dice Attack the TIE Bomber has…  The TIE Defenders are just darn solid ships and that is a build that I think should do well anywhere.  The Lancer/Aggressor build is more of a “fun” one that I might just fly to be contrary….  Funny thing is that I’ve done a LOT better just playing the “fun” things over the years, so…

Thus it begins... Work, Work Out and even some Gaming I guess :-)

Beginning of the Semester is always fun, but this is my first with severely reduced Staff…  And I am finding the shortcomings of the SCCM automation that we are using.  Well, not so much shortcomings, in GENERAL the stuff works brilliantly…  Just in my case as I try to apply this en masse it begins to show the chokepoints quite clearly.  The networking in my main building is fairly “ad hoc” and as such there are always going to be some odd cases…  Just when one of them is affecting several of my large Classrooms…  Well, it becomes an issue.  In any case, the support from our local SCCM expert has been quite helpful and I have to admit that he is one of those I hired and snagged for my Region that I was always the most proud of.  His ability to so quickly pick up technical skills combined with his excellent work ethic and customer support skills have made him one of the most valued members of our team.  Great to have him, and I know this current effort would have been substantially more difficult without his efforts on my behalf.

But in any case 99% ready with Windows 10 replacing Windows 7 in my Classrooms…  Just in time for my eye surgery…  Tuesday is the only day it could be done.  Sucks, but honestly at this point my eyesight in my left eye is pretty much nonexistent and driving me nuts always “kind of” seeing things moving in my peripheral vision.  Not to mention the fairly constant pain from the eye strain and headaches…  So, hopefully it goes well and this will correct it.  Since my father JUST had both of his done, it seems a consequence of my many injuries to that side that I get to have this done 20-25 years early.

Working out VERY regularly and the 20 minute runs on the Elliptical are actually getting easier all the time.  NOT running really yet, but I am getting my endurance back.  Strength training is going quite well also.  Getting back to the levels I was when I was actually in shape.  Never going to be able to run 20 miles in full gear/armor again I suspect, but at least the 5K coming up in the spring should not kill me. 

Gaming?  Armada a few times and we’re gearing up to run the “Correlian Conflict” campaign.  Playing Rebels of course.  I actually have that written on my arm.  “Ní Bhóna Ná Choróin” Irish/Scot Gaelic for “Neither Collar Nor Crown”, something associated with the Rebels there, or so I am told J…  But I have my list fairly well set for that with the Assault Cruiser, Assault Frigate and a Modified Pelta Class Assault Ship…  So, going with the theme of “Assault” to keep with my “slightly” more aggressive Garau nature I guess..  Oh, and heavy Fighters to go with the heavy Fighter/Bombers with Rogue on all of them so they can run independent and not need to be driven by my Ship’s commands…

X-Wing coming up next weekend as well…  Since there will be money on the table I suspect that I’ll run my Imperial list with the 2 TIE Defenders along with the TIE Bomber…  Solid list against most things, although it DOES rely heavily on at least average Agility Dice to avoid damage…  When I lose, that is usually it.  Higher risk to go with the higher reward per usual.  Just picked up the TIE Striker and it is “neat”…  I’ll likely repaint it as a “Narn” ship (B5) with the Red/Black patterns…  Large flat surfaces just like their ships I think…