Legion and some University life stuff...

We got the official word that for the next year, no raises and cutting all expenses we can.  The Sidhe verbiage included “no mass layoffs planned at this time”…  But getting to sit in on a lot of meetings dealing with the budget and the like it is not looking good.  Will see how things pan out if the Students come back or how many of them do since the bulk of our budget is based on you know, our customers actually coming and attending the University.  At one point I wanted to get to a level where I knew “what was going on” and maybe even had some input on that direction…  Got that, but once again reminded about the being VERY careful what you wish for as you might actually get it…  And it might not be what you thought it was…  The official announcement is due this week what the University is planning to do/offer for Fall Semester.  Being in a number of those meetings where this is discussed it will be interesting I suppose.  “Blended Environment” being the new buzz word thrown around.  So, the bulk of the computer Classrooms will be changed somewhat to allow Students to remotely log in (RDP) and use the machines as if they were physically there.  In other places we are creating the virtual machines (VM) to host virtual Classrooms of machines with the software for instruction.  The Spring Semester showed how the bulk of the traditional Lecture sessions and the Discussion sections will be held via Zoom, MS Teams or whatever other platform that the instructor in question chooses…  J  Plus and minus there for the IT across the University being decentralized and every group getting to do whatever they’d choose to do.  FAR less efficient of course, but the central IT group has been quite helpful and Campus has arraigned to get us all the licenses we would need to remain legal and keep things moving. 

So, prepping continues for Fall here in Illinois…  Waiting on word from Texas as I have at least one more interview there…  Heading down there for a Campus visit, but of course reality has been…  Less conducive to travel.  So, just in wait and see mode.  Seems like an amazing place and the opportunity is definitely one I would jump at were it to present itself.  Suit packed in my “go bag” and looking at the flights from Champaign to Dallas… 

Gaming?  Well, I finally figured out some of the controls on TTS, so I might actually get in a game with that…  X-Wing seems simple enough to run on that platform and Legion I hear is also doable…  But Legion is a much longer game and I lack that time these days with the work and real life schedule being what it is.  I HAVE been painting a fair bit… 

My Legion Rebels are coming along quite nicely.  Need to get Cassian Andor assembled as I intend to magnetize him to swap between the “sniper” and “close combat” setups…  But Legion differs from 40K in that it is explicitly NOT a WYSIWYG system.  So, either would work, and I rather like his “sniper” setup…  So if the magnets look to be more trouble than they are worth, so be it.  I DO seem to be drawn more to the Rebel “Rogue One” sort of setup with Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor leading out my forces.  I go more for the Rebel Vets over the more standard “fit in as many Sniper Teams as possible” that I see a fair number of other folks fielding.  Maybe I never learned how to use them correctly, but the 2 man Sniper Teams seem easier to deal with, at least they were with my Clones on the 500 point tables.  The BARC speeder rolling up fast and the support fire from a Squad or two would usually clear the Teams in a turn or two before they could do much to me.  I suppose my Rebels will need something similar and of course I may find on the field that my build simply falls apart…  But:

795/800

Jyn Erso (110 + 5 = 115)
--Strict Orders (5)

Cassian Andor (90 + 18 = 108)
--Duck and Cover (4), Overwatch (4), A280-CFE Sniper Config (10)

Cassian Andor (Loadout)
--Hunter (6), Endurance (6), Environmental Gear (3), A280-CFE Pistol Config (10)

K-2SO (70 + 10 = 80)
--Jyns SE-14 Blaster (10)

Rebel Veterans (48 + 26 = 74)
--CM-O93 Trooper (26)

Mark II Medium Blaster Trooper (38 + 0 = 38)

Rebel Veterans (48 + 0 = 48)

Mark II Medium Blaster Trooper (38 + 0 = 38)

Rebel Commandos (Strike Team) (20 + 28 = 48)
--DH-447 Sniper (28)

AT-RT (55 + 20 = 75)
--AT-RT Laser Cannon (20)

Tauntaun Riders (90 + 6 = 96)
--Endurance (6)

AT-RT (55 + 25 = 80)
--Comms Jammer (5), AT-RT Flame Thrower (20)

So, a few points to play with and of course change out the options here and there…  But a decent starting point I suspect there will be things changed one way or the other…  Thinking of a few of the obvious builds for instance, what do I do to deal with heavy Armor?  The CIS tank is terrifying, but very expensive and with this game focusing heavily on missions I feel like I can win a fair number of them by doing what Jyn does well and just completing the mission…  11 Activations initially and with my Tauns being  decent flanker/linebacker with the AT-RTs it is a fairly mobile list…  Well, except for the Vets themselves…  I suspect strongly that I will need to make changes to them at least.