X-Wing Déjà vu all over again?

Still testing with the Chromebook…  Seems solid, but finding a few more “gotcha” issues..  Some I never really considered like the Mersive Solstice connection App for Android not being compatible with this device.  Never considered that this is not running “real” Android, and so I incorrectly assumed that this device would just work there like everything else I encountered previously.  Opened a ticket with the Vendor, so we will see.  AFAIK I am the first testing this device type in this environment so it is certainly NOT a major issue.

The other issue I am having with the device is related to the physical size of the device I suspect.  The keyboard is just SLIGHTLY smaller that the ne I am used to and so typing is JUST a  bit off…  For me, not as much of a problem as I am certainly not a “professional level” typist like my wife…  I suspect she would have a major issue with this keyboard…

Watched a bit of the Denver System Open over the weekend between Prom “stuff” (2 daughters both going makes for an interesting time) and Endgame/GoT watching…  The winning list was one that one of the Podcasts I listen to brought as a group.  And it’s Palp Aces again…  Déjà vu all over again…  So, having some flashbacks to v1 with the cycle of TIE Phantoms leading to Fat Han leading to Palp Aces…  Mind, they brought a specific “Alpha Class Star Wing” as the second “Ace”, so not really a traditional Ace…  But an Ordnance carrier that does just throw out a LOT of Damage quickly even (and frankly MOSTLY) after performing a SLAM maneuver.  Mind, the SLAM has a Weapons Disabled token as part of doing the Action, but the Alpha has the ability to fire despite having the weapons disabled.  With the Advanced SLAM they can also perform a second Action as part of the SLAM, so Locks an Focus are usually there.

I think this is where my objection to a lot of the Extended stuff at least comes.  There are the rules of the game and then there are things that either ignore the basic rules of the game or are simply FAR too efficient as they get free extra Actions.  Looking specifically at the TIE Phantom here as they get the free Evades when they De-cloak.  Now, with the Evade, it activates Juke making their Offense unnaturally efficient along with their Defense being just better than another similarly priced Ship.  Probably illustrates an issue that FFG should balance sooner rather than later.

Han is another issue, and the current one is the interaction between Han, R2-D2, the Inertial Damper and the infinite Regeneration that comes with that cycle.  And of course the I6 means that most if not all of your opponent’s Ships have moved when you reveal your Dial.  Giving you the option with full board knowledge of where best to put your Ship.  Choosing from 1 of the 8 potential placements as the YT-1300 has a native Boost Action.  Going full Fat Han gives you the Engine Upgrade (making the Boost white rather than Red) and Kannan Jarus to pull away the Stress that the Damper gives you.  Luke Skywalker Gunner is 30(!!) points, but with an additional Force and the ability to change your Turret facing after everything is done moving?  Turns out it is really good in this one particular application.  Especially where cost is a feature rather than a downside…  With a good player, good luck killing or even getting to Half Points this Han build.  And with re-rolls that are defined as “not re-rolls”, this is another area that there is an exception to the basic rules of the game…  You start to get too many exceptions in the game and the rules start to mean less and less over time…

Looking like this is what I am going to fly this weekend at the Hyperspace Qualifiers:

Anakin Mace Wolfe (199)

Anakin Skywalker — Delta-7 Aethersprite	60
R2 Astromech	4
Delta-7B	18
Ship Total: 82
Half Points: 41 Threshold: 3
Mace Windu — Delta-7 Aethersprite	46
R2 Astromech	4
Delta-7B	16
Ship Total: 66
Half Points: 33 Threshold: 3
“Wolffe” — ARC-170 Starfighter	51
Ship Total: 51
Half Points: 26 Threshold: 5

3 solid ships and Anakin being the perfect ship for the way I play...  Mace is another one that I tend to play a bit more aggressively and Wolfe is just solid...

Chromebook and upcoming X-Wing (Jedi)

Testing from the new Chromebook…  Went with the Dell Inspiron 3189 (I think), so a nice “convertible” laptop that can flip over and become a Tablet.  Running the Android OS, so feeling very similar to my Samsung S8 phone…  Bigger of course and a real keyboard, but slight learning curve hitting as I am so very familiar with the “standard” Windows laptops having used them since the Win 95 days…  One HUGE advantage of working in IT, I always had access to the beta builds of the newest OS and starting in the Hardware end of things would build or re-build my own laptops… So far as I have been managing my expectations for this device (I am typing the post ON it) It has been fairly solid.  Spent most of my day today wandering about in meetings and the battery is still showing 95%+…  For the price it seems to be an excellent device so far.  One of my co-workers did remind me that I can install the Microsoft RDP app on this thing, and I did, but honestly I doubt I will use it.  This device is a secondary “for use in meetings or when wandering about” only, so…

Getting in a LOT of reps in with my “Republic” squadrons for X-Wing, mostly Jedi…  Have to say, Anakin Skywalker’s ship is the perfect one for me and my play style.  VERY aggressive, I use the -7B variant and an R2 Astromech for him to give me the X-Wing profile with the A-Wing’s dial and Regeneration.  I DO have to play it a bit cagy as I cannot just joust things out of existence…  Well, NOT full health things.  I6 and the 3-4 Dice Attack I CAN usually kill something already damaged, but better by FAR to dodge their Arc and get in the shots unanswered.  Other than that though?  Ahsoka is solid as well, but I3…  One list I have tried a fair bit is Anakin, Ahsoka and 2 Torrents.  The Jedi have the -7B and R2 and the Gold Squadrons Torrents are just the base model…  198 points, so no real bid and those Torrents are frankly terrible.  The 3 Aethersprite lists with Anakin, Mace and Ahsoka work and Obi-Wan can slot in for Mace easily enough.  Force management is a hard one for me, I am ALWAYS running out so 3 Force is needed on the second Ace…  Obi-Wan has the I5, but his Pilot Ability is not so good in this sort of list.  Mace has an Ability I like (Regain a Force when you do a Red maneuver), but is only I4… 

Turns out I have painted a ship up in purple/grey that looks good for him, so leaning toward that…  DO want a bigger bid though.  Anakin works SO much better if he moves AFTER everyone else.

Brings me to the meme list I am actually considering.  Anakin with Supernatural Reflexes (32 points!!!), R2 and the -7B paired with Obi-Wan sporting the -7B and an R2 unit…  12 point bid, so I might use the Spare Parts Canister as well, but…  It is solid, but VERY unforgiving…

X-Wing, after Wave 3 hit...

Well, after a number of games into the new edition with the Wave 3 stuff on the table I have come to a few conclusions…

Hate:  I hate it J…  “Just a bit” under costed (Now say that in Bob Uecker’s voice ala “Major League”) at 3 points.  Compared to the “Light Side” upgrades available to the Jedi in the Republic?  Just ludicrously cheap.  Mind, just my opinion per usual, but with most of my powers being set on a “sliding” scale where something almost completely useless like “Brilliant Evasion” coming in at 6 points for Anakin Skywalker?  So, double the points for something that MIGHT hit once in a blue moon and MIGHT save me a Force point?  Compared to the gain a Force for EVERY Damage taken (Shields, Hull, whatever…)?  So, the Sith Infiltrator will almost always be full up on Force negating the hard choices WRT resource management I face with the Jedi…  Seems a bit too good.  Now, the Supernatural Reflexes was the obviously OP thing that needed to be adjusted before Wave 3 hit and the I6 Anakin would have been way too good.  I get it.  But now it seems Hate is taking the place as the abusive one.  Hoping it is not a “wait for July” thing. 

As it stands now, none of my Jedi are taking Force abilities as I am finding the resource management portion to be the thing I am struggling the most with.  Anakin with the 7B modification is REALLY good.  And I’m a fairly decent Ace player and dodging Arcs is the key to playing that Ship.  My experience playing Soonter Fel is coming in handy, but I DO think Anakin is a superior version of that Ship.  Costs a lot more, so that follows… 

Other than Anakin?  Well…  Some of the Arcs are solid, but I think ALL of the named ones are slightly overpriced…  Wolfe being the one I think I’ve flown the most for slightly obvious reasons …  

The V-19’s?  Seem like overpriced garbage.  I’ve not flown any, but faced several and they fall in somewhere below the Z-95 and TIE with respect to their utility.  Issue being they NEED Ordnance to become effective.  They’re too expensive and simply not as good as a basic TIE.  Putting on the Missile puts them as too expensive to be effective as filler or even a Swarm.  Lacking Shields, and their Dial is just bad…  Had the Homing Missiles not jumped in price?  Maybe they would have been good, but as it stands now?  A single Missile slot and no Reload action locks them to just bad choices for the Missile upgrade.  Having to spend 4 more points to go to I3 and getting the Talent Slot?  Nope.  Crack Shot or the Dedicated one might be amusing, but I3 still just gets killed too quickly and compared to say the Vulture where jumping from I1 to I3 is only 2 points?  Not worth it, so the V-19 is going to be a “Shelf Unit” for me in my office it seems… 

The other Jedi?  Mace is decent, Ashoka is good I suppose…  I3 though and only 2 Force limits her.  Mace being I4 is extremely limiting.  His 3 Force is good though…  Will likely be running Obi Wan I think as I am finding I5/3 Force to be the break point between the good/mediocre Jedi…  All are perhaps a bit expensive, but I can work with it as long as I can field 3 of them with upgrades.  I DO think that they made the Configurations for the Aethersprite just a bit too expensive though…  Hopefully this is something that gets adjusted down as few of us seem to be flying the Jedi now… 

Droids are solid:  Yes, surprisingly difficult to kill overall…  Calculate is not bad, and the sheer number of them on the field makes for a VERY interesting game…  They have good Ordnance options, excellent synergy within the Faction and are frankly darn cheap.  And with so many customization options there are a lot of different lists that they slot into…  I think that we will see a fair number of good lists from the Faction with these as a big part of it…

Sith Infiltrator:  Another solid one…  Coupled with Hate being too good makes this a solid choice I think.  I5 on Darth Maul, the crew options are all pretty good, Cloak and Barrel Roll on a Large Based Ship that has a pretty solid Dial.  2 Sloop, 5 K-turn, solid Turns, etc…  Maul with the double tap knowing that he is likely to have full Force due to Hate being stupid cheap is not a hard choice I think.  So, it comes down to having to Arc Dodge him well enough to ignore him or be able to kill him REALLY quickly.  Seeing a fair number of lists with either 2 of the Infiltrators or Maul with a mini Swarm of Vultures…  All of them seem solid.

So, the game seems to be in a VERY good place with so many viable options, and with the next big event being Hyperspace I am really looking forward to flying either 3 Jedi or 2 Jedi and an ARC...  Should be fun at least...