Mid June X-Wing doldrums...

Not getting in as many physical games as I’d like these days…  Some events this weekend, but the 2 hour drive to compete for prizes that are Factions I do not play?  Less enthused honestly, but maybe.  I DO have Gen Con coming up and as my lists are Republic they are legal for both Hyperspace and Extended…  Mostly settled to 2 lists at the moment with the Iron Curtain and the 2 Jedi + support (2 x Torrent, an ARC or even a third Jedi) being the hands down favorites.  The Iron Curtain is easy to fly, but kind of boring honestly…  VERY solid ships and with the passive mods I can usually get double modified shots making the whole firing line extremely accurate.  Problem being of course what to do when the other side does not just line up and let me joust them off the table?  Imperial Aces have become a thing again with Vader and Soonter Fel + support being pretty darn good.  NOT a lot of Attack Dice, but then have the 2 I6’s and a bid making them move last for the likely Arc dodge.  Bringing my own Jedi as Arc Dodgers at least makes this a game…  Albeit a difficult one that I MUST land the blocks because as good as Anakin is, Vader and Fel are both likely to move AFTER him and that is never a good thing.  Well, in the hands of an expert of course, but since there are enough of those locally (well, semi locally I would say, certainly will b at the big events I am going to or thinking about going to)…  NOT something to bank on them making mistakes. 

At this point I am eagerly awaiting both the points update and the Wave 4 ship(s)…  The N1 Starfighter for the Republic looks quite interesting…  Almost a mix of the TIE Defender and the Jedi Aethersprites/A-Wings…  Sharing the “go fast for the free Evade” ability with the TIE Defender should make this a good one for a run and gun style of play I am comfortable with. Anakin, Mace and an N1 SHOULD make for a very solid list.  Still “should” because of course we have no clue what the specifics are on the new ships nor do we know that the current stuff is staying where it is points wise…  Slightly frustrating.

Still, if new toys coming out is the worst thing for me then I DO have it VERY good.  Pro tip, it is not :-) …  Lightning strike on the house fried our AC, Refrigerator and all of the circuits in the garage…  No one hurt, but damn those things are expensive.  Got them paid for and the HVAC techs pointed out the blackened refrigerant that indicated the lightning…  So except for the deductible it is covered.  Yea.  Of course an extremely stress filled couple of weeks.  But behind us now I suppose…  Job front?  Still applying and interviewing.  Can afford to be picky, but frustrating having jobs get pulled off the market WHILE you are interviewing for them of course.  And of course having to deal with extremely unrealistic qualifications for the salary level they are offering.  DID manage not to laugh at the one offer I got in a State just to the West of my current one…  Requiring the MS, 20 years experience, 10 in Management and offering half my current salary?  Oh, but with the potential to grow later to ALMOST what I am making now?  I did politely smile my evil little smile and tell them I think I know why they are having a difficult time finding qualified people to take that particular job :-) …

So, painting up Star Wars Legion things and my WWII British Airborne forces in the mean time...  Killer of time at least it is...

X-Wing, Mid June before the points adjustments...

So…  Waiting on the next points update…  Still.  Seems like we are in a stage of “solved meta” and kind of stagnating a bit. 

DID get onto the Thule Squadron Radio podcast here:  https://thulesquadronradio.podbean.com/e/episode-38-this-is-not-a-star-wars-themed-podcast/

Might be a bit long, but we chat quite a bit…  And one of my cats even gets to the cast J… 

Playing has mostly been my Jedi + Filler…  2 Torrents, 1 ARC or a third Jedi…  Though the 3^rd Jedi must be fairly lean and therefore far less resilient in general…  I say in general of course because with the 3 Agility that third Aethersprite MIGHT just dodge everything and survive…  It does happen on occasion.  NOT something to count on, and frankly that third Aether is really just there to support the main 2.  In my case Anakin and Mace with 7B/R2.  Thematically I would LOVE to fly Anakin and Ashoka as the cost is the same but +1 I and that third Force point are simply too good.  Ashoka’s ability is great, so long as your Force does not run out.  With only 2 though and regenerating only 1/turn I tend to run through it too quickly for my own good.  And Mace allows me to be a bit more aggressive which does suit my play style far more.  Anakin is still absolutely the best ship in the game for me.  When my luck holds and I play it smart, it is unbeatable.  J  When I make a mistake however…  Well, the game does tend to end a lot quicker.  Finding a lot of my games going to time with the Republic. 

Still waiting on the Wave 4 stuff…  Assuming that the points update will coincide with the now delayed release…  Will see I suppose.  Should revitalize the game a lot…  And the next “wave” of Hyperspace trials are getting scheduled, and looking like I’ll be heading to Springfield in October…  After the Continentals or whatever the big event there is called now, Grand Championship?  Whatever, I’m in the first flight on Friday so we’ll see how well my Jedi fare there…  Will see if there are any other local events coming up…