X-Wing for the next event, Motorcycles and more :-)

So, looking like there will be an event 4 Mar at Titan Games in Champaign…  It is a modified “Hanger Bay” event where you make 2 lists, choose one for Round 1, then you MUST choose the second one for Round 2.  Round 3 is back to you get to choose which one to fly…  Oh, and NO duplication between the lists at all…  Looking over what I might face, the only list I am REALLY overly concerned about the “Raptor Attack” (named by the Mynocks in their Podcast) which is the Ghost and Fenn Rau in his shuttle.  At this point, I have no really good answer for it.  I have a few lists that would do well enough against it, but they’ll pretty much just die to ANY other “meta” list.  Plus side, locally there the meta is just weird and I MIGHT be OK…  So, looking at flying:

DashPoe1 (100)

Dash Rendar — YT-2400	36
Push the Limit	3
Heavy Laser Cannon	7
Kanan Jarrus	3
Engine Upgrade	4
Outrider	5
Ship Total: 58
Poe Dameron — T-70 X-Wing	31
Lone Wolf	2
R2-D2	4
Advanced Optics	2
Autothrusters	2
Black One	1
Ship Total: 42

List 2 might be:

Wookies everywhere 3 (100)

Lowhhrick — Auzituck Gunship	28
Expertise	4
Tactician	2
Rey	2
Ship Total: 36
Wookiee Liberator — Auzituck Gunship	26
Expertise	4
Tactician	2
Courier Droid	0
Ship Total: 32
Wookiee Liberator — Auzituck Gunship	26
Expertise	4
Tactician	2
Courier Droid	0
Ship Total: 32

Or perhaps:

Unsaved Squadron (100)

Nu Squadron Pilot — Alpha-class Star Wing	18
Harpoon Missiles	4
Long-Range Scanners	0
Os-1 Arsenal Loadout	2
Ship Total: 24
"Countdown" — TIE Striker	20
Lightweight Frame	2
Adaptive Ailerons	0
Ship Total: 22
"Omega Leader" — TIE/fo Fighter	21
A Score to Settle	0
Ship Total: 21
"Quickdraw" — TIE/sf Fighter	29
Adaptability	0
Fire-Control System	2
Lightweight Frame	2
Special Ops Training	0
Ship Total: 33

Or even:

Unsaved Squadron (97)

Fenn Rau — Protectorate Starfighter	28
Push the Limit	3
Autothrusters	2
Concord Dawn Protector	1
Ship Total: 34
Thweek — StarViper	28
Advanced Sensors	3
Autothrusters	2
StarViper Mk. II	-3
Virago	1
Ship Total: 31
Guri — StarViper	30
Push the Limit	3
Autothrusters	2
StarViper Mk. II	-3
Ship Total: 32

The Dash/Poe is different than the “standard” one because I am using EU and PTL on Dash…  The YT-2400 was my first X-Wing ship (that my wife got me J), so I really like it a lot…  With Barrel Roll, Boost and the ability to simply ignore the terrain my mobility is simply unmatched.  I can REALLY get to almost anywhere on the field.  HLC for the heavy punch, and Kanan to allow me to clear a Stress on a White maneuver.  Which gets me every maneuver except the 4 K-Turn.  Since I care not at all about terrain, should never NEED the K-turn, but it is there I guess…  This is probably my answer to the Raptor Attack…  Dash goes out and erases Fenn Rau, does as much Damage as he can to the Ghost before he gets shot out of the sky…  Then without the ability to Boost at PS 11, Poe should be able to get in there and with Lone Wolf/Focus Conversion actually get a fair bit of Damage through to either kill the Ghost or at least get it to half to pull the score over to my side…  Against almost everything else?  Well, I have two pretty good ships and so a chance…  This is the one “Anti Raptor” list that I feel at least has a chance against the rest of the field.

The Wookies are a refinement to my previous one…  Stress and passive Focus Modification…  Lowrick should be able to build up a few Focus to make him a bit harder to kill.  The Couriers are to allow me to place my low PS Ships at PS 8…  Should make for at least an interesting game.  Do NOT bunch the lads up, roll in and sweep past…

The 4 Ship Imperial list is interesting to me…  Nothing REALLY OP there.  Just 4 pretty interesting Ships.  Should be fun to fly…

The S&V Starvipers are interesting to me…  For whatever reason I cannot find my 3^rd Starviper ship.  Have the rest of the pack, so I KNOW I have it around somewhere, else I’d be flying 3 of the darn things…  Fun ships, but they ARE exhausting to fly.  SO many different choices and they are just so slippery.  Ace flying at another level altogether.  Fun, but in an event that might have 5+ games?  Not so sure I would fly them…  Or at least not so well…

Weather is clearing a bit, hoping it stays like this.  Really wanting to get the Goldwing back on the road to be sure that the Sea Foam is actually working and clearing up the Carburetors for me…  REALLY not looking forward to the potential “tear them apart and rebuild them” project if it is more than them just having sat for a long time and getting gunked up.  But that bike rides SO much nicer than the old Silverwing.  The Silverwing was excellent for getting me back on a bike, but I had forgotten how nice the Heavy Cruisers are to actually ride.  With the Goldwing I can actually take longer trips comfortably.  The Magna got me to Michigan, but it was fast…  Not comfortable.  I had to stop every hour or so to stretch out and walk around a bit.  Might have to with the Goldwing, but it has the nice highway pegs and the seat is adjustable for a rider my height.  And with the 6 gallon tank, I anticipate not needing to stop nearly so often.  The Magna had a 3.5 gallon tank IIRC, and it burned through fuel…  Ironically at 5000 RPM on the highway it was actually quite efficient, getting closer to the 50 MPG the Silverwing got at 3000 RPM…  I am unsure what the final efficiency will be for the Goldwing, but I expect it will be in the 40-50 MPG range.  Honda makes excellent bikes as evidenced by the fact that my “new” bike is a mid-80’s bike and it is running pretty well. 

Job wise?  Holding pattern…  Applied for what I felt would be an excellent place for me…  Applied there before but did not have my transcript at the time.  JUST got my MS conferred, but no transcript in time, so did not get an interview last time.  No guarantee I would have gotten past the interview stage, I was not really all that confident or frankly that good at the whole “interview process” at that time.  I think this time around I am in a MUCH better place having actually worked on it and knowing a LOT more about how to do the whole interview thing…  Pro tip, do NOT just answer the questions quickly and factually.  I did that the last time I interviewed on Campus…  Right answers, but I failed on the “tell a story” part where I can demonstrate why my experience prepared me for this job and why I might be the best candidate.  Unfortunately, a few months in and nothing…  Plus side, no “thanks for playing” letter, but no interview either.  Will see, remaining hopeful as like I said, I think I really would be a good fit for that job.

X-Wing, Mattoon Month 2 AAR

So, played the Kylo/Whisper list…  Turns out it was a LOT better than I thought.  Final one I ran with was:

New Squadron (91)

"Whisper" — TIE Phantom	32
Veteran Instincts	1
Sensor Jammer	4
Rebel Captive	3
Advanced Cloaking Device	4
Ship Total: 44
Kylo Ren (TIE Silencer) — TIE Silencer	35
Push the Limit	3
Advanced Sensors	3
Advanced Optics	2
Autothrusters	2
First Order Vanguard	2
Ship Total: 47

Rebel Captive was there for the overabundance of Expertise in Mattoon.  Made Whisper a VERY unpopular target. 

Lost my first game against 2 Wookies and an ARC-170…  Just got through one of the Wookies to kill him as Whisper had to run over an asteroid and lost her last Hull…  Lost by 7 MoV.  Great game though…

Game 2 was against a S&V list with a Kihraxz, Star Viper and Kimogila…  Interesting build, but the non “Ace” ships simply lack the ability to Arc Dodge and it went poorly for the S&V…  Whisper is an absolute beast if I can get to Range 1 with a Focus…  Kylo tends to be flashy, but not really the bigger threat.  Whisper in this build though is REALLY hard to take down…

Game 3 was against 2 TIE Defenders and a TIE Striker.  Good build, but Expertise means nothing against the Rebel Captive.  His Striker WAS PS 10 though, so I was in a bad position not really being able to completely arc dodge that ship…  I picked one Defender and focused it down as he spread out to try and corral my ships…  Kylo opens with the Focus, Boost and 5 Straight to clear…  So, even starting on opposite sides of the board, I can get him a LONG way pretty quickly.  And AS means I can see what they have done and adjust accordingly.  Whisper really just lines up and LOOKS like she is jousting, but with the De-Cloak, I can usually surprise them a bit to either close REALLY fast or just avoid their Arc…  The De-Cloak 2 Forward followed by the 1 Turn is REALLY effective in a knife fight.  And of course Cloaking and getting a Focus makes her REALLY hard to hit back…  Oh, and you get a Stress for looking at her the wrong way and I change out one of your Hits for a Focus…  So, you had best be prepared to hit hard…

X-Wing, League Month 2 (Mattoon) Sat

Ah, heading to Mattoon Saturday for Month 2 of their League cycle…  We’ll see if changing the time brings out more players…  Should, as the game store opens up seems a slightly awkward time to hold the event.  Since this is a VERY new environment and I do not want to go in with one of my strong “meta” lists to discourage the newer folks from staying with the game looking at a few more “fun” lists…

This one is LOTS of repositioning and should be amusing, if exhausting to fly:

New Squadron (92)

"Whisper" — TIE Phantom	32
Veteran Instincts	1
Sensor Jammer	4
Hotshot Co-pilot	4
Advanced Cloaking Device	4
Ship Total: 45
Kylo Ren (TIE Silencer) — TIE Silencer	35
Push the Limit	3
Advanced Sensors	3
Advanced Optics	2
Autothrusters	2
First Order Vanguard	2
Ship Total: 47

Maybe swap the HotCop for “Rebel Captive” to stress the first one to target Whisper…  Will see.  Either is a pretty good call I think.  HUGE bid, so assuming no one went PS crazy and brought the 10-11 level, I’ll let them go first and play the Ace “reposition” game.  Should be amusing at least, even if it would get smashed I think by the Ghost/Fenn Rau lists that are all the rage these days…

Other option is I think the Rebel “Anti Gunboat” list…

FennPoeWes11 (100)

Fenn Rau (Sheathipede) — Sheathipede-class Shuttle	20
Veteran Instincts	1
Tactician	2
R2 Astromech	1
Vectored Thrusters	2
Ship Total: 26
Poe Dameron (PS9) — T-70 X-Wing	33
Veteran Instincts	1
R2-D2	4
Advanced Optics	2
Vectored Thrusters	2
Black One	1
Ship Total: 43
Wes Janson — X-Wing	29
Veteran Instincts	1
Flight-Assist Astromech	1
Integrated Astromech	0
Ship Total: 31

Not bad, I call it my BSG (Battlestar Galactica) list because it looks like a pair of Colonial Vipers with a Raptor when it hits the table.  2 X-Wings and an Attack Shuttle.  Many are the shenanigans here with Token denial, etc…  But not an overly strong list again…  Fun to fly and I hope fun to fly against…  Probably more so than the Silencer/Phantom list above…  That one is just slippery… 

But we’ll see what I end up playing I guess…

Bloomington AAR, X-Wing

So, went 2-1 over at Red Raccoon and got games 1 and 3 streamed…  Didn’t embarrass myself I guess.  Played my S&V Ace list:

KuldaFennThweek2 (98)

Torani Kulda — M12-L Kimogila Fighter	27
Veteran Instincts	1
Harpoon Missiles	4
Unhinged Astromech	1
Long-Range Scanners	0
Ship Total: 33
Fenn Rau — Protectorate Starfighter	28
Push the Limit	3
Autothrusters	2
Concord Dawn Protector	1
Ship Total: 34
Thweek — StarViper	28
Advanced Sensors	3
Autothrusters	2
StarViper Mk. II	-3
Virago	1
Ship Total: 31

I think that one of the CURRENT strengths of the list is that people are simply unprepared for how squirrely the Star Viper really is.  Hits like a wet noodle, but if I fly it right it is not getting shot…  So, ANY offence still beats no offence…  Eventually.  I have to be patient and be willing to take the short win…  Meaning get a kill or two, get ahead on points and then avoid getting shot.  Sometimes doing something unexpected…  Seems like that works about 2/3 of the time.  Sometimes it just ends…  Badly.  But if I am at the point when I HAVE to take a risk, I’ll do that without hesitation. 

Game one I flew against a Boba Fett/Asajj list… Having flown Firesprays a lot and knowing a LOT of the traps, I declined to put myself into them and erased Fett first.  Never did get the Timewalk Asajj to half, but I knew I did not have to in order to win.  He had killed my Kimogila and my other 2 ships were at 2 Hull… I was content to Arc Dodge and snipe as time was running out.

Game two was against an interesting list…  4 PS 2 T-65’s with Flight Assist Astromechs and Integrated Mech and a Z-95.  Wow, the X-Wing can REALLY move now.  The game was intense as we both had repositioning on almost every ship.  I ran Fenn right at them, Kulda on a flank and Thweek on the other flank.  He took the bait and jousted against Fenn.  Fenn did Fenn things, dodged 2, and had only one Range 3 shot and 2 Range 1s in each other’s Arcs.  With the title, I get a free Evade and am rolling 4 Agility, so the odds are pretty good.  Range 3 against him is really tough with Autothrusters and 4 Agility.  So, I think I evaded damage and hit one hard, Kulda put a Harpoon in one X-Wing in the center of his formation and Thweek was flailing away with his wet noodle.  Wound up winning on the strength of killing his Zed and one X-Wing while losing my Kimogila on the last turn.  Turns out that you CAN simply erase a Zed with a fully modded Harpoon…  And of course 1 Agility kind of sucks.  Comparing the Kimo against the Imperial Gunboat?  The Gunboat is better in almost every way, and cheaper.  So, I think this is the one thing I am “less sure of” in the list as it stands.  Should note this is I think the first time I actually Reloaded a Harpoon and got the second shot off...  Did a fair bit of Damage, so good I guess...  Just the platform leaves a bit to be desired overall...

Game three was against a fairly standard Imperial Ace list with the Palp Shuttle, Inquisitor and Quickdraw.  Went about as I expected… Fenn killed the Inquisitor before dying, Thweek did Thweek things until he got the Shuttle down below half and his luck ran out…  Kulda died early failing to even get off a Missile.  Loss, but actually a lot closer than I thought it would have been.

Got a decent haul of Alt Art cards, so that was pretty great…

Enjoying flying “Ace(ish)” lists…  Will probably fly one of my Rebel lists next week at Mattoon…  Need to get in some reps though.  Have not actually flown a T-70 in a LONG while…  Never flown the new Rebel Shuttle, and the new Flight Assist Astromech is amazing.  Some interesting tricks there, and not nearly so oppressive as most of the “Meta” lists in a place like Mattoon that is really just starting up their X-Wing scene…