X-Wing - Assault on Imdaar Alpha: Event Review

You've got to give it to FFG - They're doing a great job of turning the X-Wing hype-o-meter up to eleven and the recent worldwide Imdaar Alpha event was no exception... There were a number of game stores around my home city of Brighton that were hosting the event, but I decided to combine testing my gaming metal with a visit to a new games store just along the coast... A&B Gaming here we come!

Before setting off, I had a think about what list I'd use in the event. I'd recently been playing with a Kath / Krassis Firespray list and whilst more than a match for most opponents, once the shields had been stripped, it lacked a little momentum in the end game. No, if I wanted to walk away with one of those shiny new Wave 4 ships, I'd need a list with a bit more steel.

Han, Cheewie, buckle up, you're going in...

The Twin Falcon list is as solid as it comes. A pain in the Bossks to take down (major crit negation) and 360 degrees of re-rolled, target lock lovin' firepower. I'd flown this list on a fair few occasions and it had never let me down. Well, only once... but that's another story.

To be honest with you, the Falcon list was the easy part. Assuming I was fortunate enough to make it, I'd actually spent quite a bit more time thinking about lists for the final round. A round in which the players would be required to construct a 100pt list utilising one of the new Wave 4 ships alongside ships from their own collection. Ultimately though, after spending more time crunching lists than paying attention to the wife and kids, I decided it best that fate deal my hand on the day...

Early round action pretty much went to plan. In each of the games I played, I rolled Han and Cheewie up the board, maintaining a RB1 flight formation to ensure maximum benefit from 'Swarm Tactics'. As always, asteroids had to be considered and in each pre-game set up, I took the opportunity to overload one side of the board with my placement. This provided a reasonably clear run up the opposite side and ensured a good lane of fire for me to attack oncoming enemy ships.

Opponent wise, the draw saw me only paired against Rebel lists. A bit of a shame, as I’d loved to have tested my skills against some Imperials... From memory, the lists I did face included a Falcon and 2 X’s, 2Bs / 2Xs and a mixed Falcon, X and A-Wing combo. The one list I spotted that I managed to avoid on the day was an alpha strike Assault Missile packing A-Wing list. This would have been an interesting match up, with Han and Cheewie having to seriously consider breaking their flight formation to avoid the inevitable.

Game wise, Han and Cheewie fared admirably; soaking up incoming fire whilst methodically picking off ship after ship. Both the list and the tactics had paid off and all my games resulted in a win… bar one. The game in question was against a player called Richard, an opponent I would later go on to face again at the top table. Richard’s Falcon and Wedge-Wing combo had certainly put up a solid fight, but the main reason for the loss was down to the fact that I managed to fly Han off the board. I know, utterly stupid... It was the difference between choosing a 3 turn and a 3 bank and I made the wrong choice. At this point, Han was pretty much unscathed, but Cheewie was running with only one hull left and with Han gone, it was game over...

Above all, I had some great games against some sporting opponents and when the dust had settled, I’d managed to place 2nd overall. Safe in the knowledge that I’d secured a spot on the top table, the draw was made for the final match up. I was placed on Table 1 where I would once again face Richard in a fight to determine the overall tournament winner. Whilst the players who finished 3rd and 4th would square off on table 2.  Next came the important bit – choice of Wave 4 ship for the final battle. Richard, being a staunch Rebel player, opted for the E-Wing. This provided me with the opportunity to choose the ship I’d always had my eye on – the TIE Defender...

With around 10 mins to pull a list together, I opted to keep things simple. Kath Scarlet always proves a solid choice and with the addition of 'Gunner' and 'Marksmanship' to increase her stress causing capabilities, she would be well placed to pin targets for the TIE Defender to finish off. In this regard, Rexler Brath was the other clear choice. The game plan would see Kath attempting to draw the bulk of the enemy to one side of the table whilst Brath would race up the opposite flank and attempt to launch the killing blow from the rear. To this end, Brath was given 'Engine Upgrade' and 'PTL'. Coupled with that infamous White 4 K-Turn, he should prove to be a bit of a nightmare in the opponent's backfield...

My opponent opted for a list made up of Cheewie, Wedge and the E-Wing Blackmoon Squadron pilot. Positioned on opposing flanks, we each rolled our forces up the edge of the table. By round 3, Kath had banked right into the center of the board to meet Richard's forces head on. Meanwhile, through a combination of straight 5's and PTL, Rexler Brath had managed to successfully flank the Rebels and had started to hammer in enough fire power to take Wedge out of the game.

As Kath passed the oncoming Falcon, she flicked the release switch on the seismic charge, ensuring it inflicted maximum damage to the closely packed Rebel formation. The Falcon and the E-Wing emerged from the resulting ball of fire wounded but still in the fight. And they were now out for revenge on Kath, pouring all available fire into the rear of the Bounty Hunter as she attempted to boost out of range.

Through the heat of battle Brath's TIE Defender had remained unscathed and he continued to tail the Rebels unopposed, free to release RB1 fire at will. The Rebel's decision to ignore Brath would eventually lead to their downfall and by the time Round 6 had concluded, the Rebels were down and defeated...

I'd manged to win both the final game and the Imdaar Alpha tournament overall. Great result :). It goes without saying, that my opponent Richard fully deserved to finish on the top table and he'd played a mean game throughout the day. Thanks also to Anna and Bo of A&B Gaming for putting on a well organised and friendly event.

So, overall, an interesting and rewarding tournament. The format worked well and the requirement to build the new Wave 4 ships into final round lists, helped level the playing field and rewarded players with the ability to adapt their game on the fly. With the days battle done, it was time to check out the spoils of war...

The special AoIA Bandit Squadron Pilot card and it's standard counterpart...

Now we're talkin. For my money, the TIE Defender is the most striking Imperial ship to date.
It looks like a deadly lotus flower of death. It looks like the kind of TIE ship that Audi would design...

With the TIE Defender now safely in the Imperial hangar bay, I better put an order in for the rest of the Wave 4 ships ;)

Until next time... X-Wing - Assault on Imdaar Alpha: Event Review

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Judge Dredd - Ape Gang Vs Iron Stan!

Having survived a miraculous escape from death, playboy zillionaire Stanley Park had risen from the ashes reborn a new as the lone vigilante Iron Stan. And with gangs roaming the streets and the Judges under pressure to control the ensuing chaos, it was only a matter of time before Stan donned his armour and prepared to deliver his own brand of iron justice to the mean streets of Mega City One...

The notorious Ape Gang 'The Jackson Five-O' had been on a violent wave of territory expansion and now they were heading straight into Stan's world. Having previously met with little resistance, the apes we're about to experience the wrath of a man on a serious clean up operation. Things were gonna get messy...

Not wanting to risk being completely outnumbered, Iron Stan enlisted the help of his new four legged crime fightng partner; 'Nutz' the robo-dog. The Park Industries Tech Division had done a good job in ensuring Nutz's bite was as frightening as his bark...

Nutz picks up the scent and leads our hero to the waiting ape gang...

Who have already taken up position, ready to hit Iron Stan with a hail of fire...

With Nutz leading the way, Iron Stan ignited his jet pack and leapt from building to building, hugging the available cover along the way. It wasn't long before his targeting systems isolated the profile of the lead ape, hunkered down behind a re-cyc bin. The ape swung his club wildly in defiance, his blood shot eyes widened as a manic grin spread across his face.

As Iron Stan prepared to engage the ape, a sudden hail of spit gun fire poured into his flank from two chimps positioned high on a roof top to his left. The apes had set an ambush and their trap had been well and truly sprung. These fellas clearly had brains to match their brawn... But their bullets were no match for Iron Stan's armour and the shots simply chimed and pinged off his armour like rain on a corrugated roof.

Re-focusing his attention and with the lead ape firmly in his sights, Iron Stan dropped like a meteor from the nearby roof top. Before the crazed ape could react, Iron Stan smashed his fist into and then out the back of the first ape's head! The twitching ape slowly slid down Iron Stan's forearm and crumpled onto the pavement in a heap of blood and fur. The onlooking ape's howled with a mixture of terror and primal rage...

And so, the carnage continued; Iron Stan and Nutz scything through one hapless, onrushing ape to the next - Destroying all in their path with their righteous fury... It wasn't until the last few apes ganged up and made one last desperate counter charge that Iron Stan felt truly threatened. But by this time, there was only ever going to be one victor and the remaining apes from the 'Jackson Five-O' gang scattered into the safety of Mega City One's underbelly to lick their wounds...

Buoyed by his first victory, Stan stood proudly amongst the timid citizens who had begun to venture forward to witness this iron knight who stood before them. The people recognised a hero when they saw one and the boyz from the Pox News Network recognised a ratings winner when they saw one...

Until next time ;) Judge Dredd - Ape Gang Vs Iron Stan!

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X-Wing - Mega Tournament!

At the end of last year, Gambit Games UK held their second X-Wing Tournament. In a change to a straight up knockout format, the players would also be competing to gain vital mission objective points, all themed around classic scenes and battles from across the Original Trilogy movies.

The day would culminate in a huge multi-player battle fought within the cavernous reactor core of the Death Star II. Who would be crowned Ace Rebel and Imperial Pilot and would the course of Star Wars history be re-written within the epic battles being played?

So, with the scene set, let's crack on with what would be my first mission...

MISSION 1:

© Inquisitor James 2013

For this tournament, I would be representing the Rebel Alliance and flying my Twin Falcon list. This squadron would prove to be a tough nut for opposing players to crack and importantly, provide me with the fire power needed to execute those all important critical hits.

In this game, my Imperial opponent would be fielding a force consisting of a Lambda Shuttle, two TIE Bombers and a single TIE Fighter. My mission was clear: protect the 'Tantive IV' at all costs by knocking seven bells out the enemy and should the Blockade Runner lose all her shields, ensure the Escape Pod's safe passage off the board. Bring it on.

Princess Leia and the crew of the 'Tantive IV' attempt to out run their Imperial pursuers...

...Who close like a wolf pack and launch volley after volley into the Blockade Runner's flank,
It's shields dropping at an alarming rate.

But roaring in underneath the shadow of Leia's ship,
Han and Chewie steadily and with lethal certainty, crit the living hell
out of the Imperial forces... 

And only just in time, as the 'Tantive's' last shield fails and the Escape Pod ejects.
Luckily, nothing stands in it's way, as it glides away to safety
carrying the vital plans to the Death Star with it.

One game down and things were looking good. It was a close run thing but I'd got off to a winning start and along with successfully completing the mission objective, I'd managed to chalk up some vital critical hits. These additional points could make all the difference when it came to determining player's scores at the end of the tournament. With the plans safely in Rebel hands, it was time to move onto the small matter of taking down the Death Star...

MISSION 2:

© Inquisitor James 2013

This mission appeared simple: A full throttle run up the middle of the trench followed by a successful hit on the fabled exhaust port. As neither Han or Cheewie were carrying torps or missiles, this meant the lads would require a total of five successful hits. With Han's re-roll / focused / Gunner combo, this should prove a formality... The real concern was whether their ship's armour would hold out long enough to allow them to get to the target in time. With nearly 12ft of board to traverse and a bunch of angry Imperial TIE Fighters hot on their tail, this could prove to be mission impossible...

'That's no moon, that's 12ft of 6mm ply'

The Imperial Hunting Party.

Han and Cheewie line up to start their run... But just how far would they get?

The mission started out as expected, with Han and Cheewie powering their ships full throttle down the length of the trench. The benefit of their 360o fire arc proving critical in their ability to provide an answer to the avalanche of fire the TIE's were hammering into their rear.

As the lads reached the half way point, things started to look sketchy. I'd opted to position Cheewie slightly back from Han so that he could soak up the majority of incoming fire, buying as much time as possible for Han to make the killer shot on the exhaust port. And whilst the theory was sound, the reality didn't stack up. Cheewie finally ploughed into the Death Star trench wall in a climactic, sacrificial explosion. That nagging thought I had at the beginning of the game was coming back to haunt me...

In my pre-game planning, I'd  considered double bluffing my opponent by opting to execute an 'all stop' 1 maneuver on turns one and two, in the hope that the TIE's would over shoot and Han & Cheewie could maximise their range 1 fire power by turning the tables and shooting the (defenseless) TIE's up the pipe. The alternative tactic was to complete a (potentially risky) Koiogran turn to face down the TIEs head on from the get go. In the end, I maintained my faith in the YT-1300's armour...

With Cheewie gone, it was up to Han to reach the exhaust port on his on. But as hit after hit continued to rain in from the pursuing TIEs, it became clear that he wasn't going to make it. With less than two turns to go to reach the target, Han finally ran out of luck and emulated Cheewie's demise with an even more climactic explosion of his own :(

Whilst demonstrating a heroic and valiant effort, the lads had ultimately failed in their mission objective. Their only consolation was a healthy number of hit points gained from knocking out some of those pesky pursuing TIEs...

In this shot, we can see how another Rebel player tackled the Trench Run dilemma;
Opting to climb out of the trench from the start and
taking on his Imperial pursuers in more tried and tested fashion...

Bruised from their encounter in the trench, Han and Cheewie picked themselves up and readied themselves for the next mission. If the Death Star had proved to be a bitter defeat, Hoth would prove to be their most decisive victory...


MISSION 3:

© Inquisitor James 2013

Right, this time there would be no indecision or hesitation. My victory conditions were simple; Either destroy the enemy fighters or take down that AT-AT. My Imperial opponent would be flying Sabre Squadron led by the infamous Baron Soontir Fel. A quick look at the stats showed the four TIE Interceptors had a combined hull value of 12 with an equal amount of base green defense dice (not to mention rapid fast maneuver dials). In comparison, the AT-AT had 5 shields, 3 hull and a lowly agility value of 1. The choice of target priority was simple. The AT-AT was going to get a kicking...

On a direct course to destroy Echo Base, Soontir Fel leads Sabre Squadron
in a fly past of the menacing AT-AT Walker...

Meanwhile, the boys of Echo Base ready the Ion Cannon
in the hope that they can buy enough time for the remaining Rebels to evacuate...

Ignoring the squadron of TIE Interceptors, Han & Cheewie race forward,
pouring relentless fire into the steadily advancing AT-AT...
It's return fire no match for their shields and hull armour.

They then bank around and swoop in to execute the final blow...

And the AT-AT explodes, toppling like a fallen leviathan.

During the battle, Echo Base's Ion Cannon chips in with
a number of vital hit points on the marauding Sabre Squadron... 

And with the battle lost and Han and Cheewie closing in fast,
Sabre Squadron hot tail it off the board...

After defeat at the Death Star, It felt good to come back with a strong victory. Han and Cheewie had stuck to their objective and completed it with ease. The AT-AT proving no match for their combined fire power. Granted, if my Imperial opponent had concentrated Sabre Squadron on taking out my ships rather than Echo Base, it could have been a different story...

After each game, players were required to complete a 'Game Tracker' and hand it in to the Tournament Judges.

Buoyed by their victory, Han, Cheewie and the remaining Rebels escape the ice world of Hoth and power into the expanse of deep space. But, for the lads, trouble is never far away and the Imperial Forces are soon on their tail again. Unable to make the jump to light speed, Han decides to lose the pursuing TIEs by flying into the swirling mass of a nearby asteroid field. Surely, even the Imperial forces wouldn't be crazy enough to follow them in... Would they? 

MISSION 4: 

© Inquisitor James 2013

This was a fairly straightforward mission; Destroy the enemy ships and try not to collide with too many asteroids in the process. With smaller, nimbler ships, dodging the randomly moving asteroids would be a less tricky prospect. But with the much larger YT-1300's this would require a bit more in the pilot skill department. I felt confident I could rely on Han and Cheewie's combined armour to weather the enemy's incoming fire, but I certainly didn't want to make the enemy's job any easier by letting the asteroids do their work for them...

The asteroid field awaits...

As the Imperial forces carefully pick their way through.

mmm...

The battle was a close one. Whilst Han and Cheewie attempted to maintain a lock on the enemy and dodge the ever-moving asteroids, the Imperial Forces led by Boba Fett and Colonel Jendon, attempted to weave around and take them on their blindside. But the lads 360o arc of fire continued to be the bane of the enemy and Fett and Jendon grew frustrated as the Rebels matched them shot for shot. In this war of attrition, the Imperial Forces became sloppy and it wasn't long before the asteroids made their mark. In one particularly unlucky round of combat, the Imperial player took multiple hits from the swirling asteroids... Han and Cheewie mopped up the rest. With another win under their belts and a healthy number of bonus crit points, the lads navigated their way back out of the asteroid field and set a course to rendevous with the massing Rebel fleet. Soon, they would be faced with the greatest battle of their lives and presented with an opportunity to revenge their earlier defeat at the Death Star...

MISSION 5:

© Inquisitor James 2013

This was it. The big one. In a desperate struggle between the forces of good and evil, the players representing the Empire and the Rebel Alliance had been fighting it out all day in their individual battles. But for this mission, the players would join forces under the banner of their respective factions and fight one final battle to determine the fate of the galaxy...

Having nominated an overall commander for each of the opposing forces, the players split their fleets in two and readied their ships for the final run into the Death Star II's reactor core. The Rebel force's agreed tactic was simple but effective; The bulk of the fleet's fighters and fast attack craft would enter at one end of the tunnel system, hoping to draw away the threat of the deadly TIE Interceptors and TIE Fighters. Whilst the big ships (including Han & Cheewie) would be grouped to enter the Death Star at the opposite end, their objective to act as a rolling blockade to protect the lone X-Wing positioned in front of them. Piloted by the legendary Wedge Antilles, the X-Wing would be bought the time to race down the tunnel to the central chamber and destroy the reactor core. But would the Rebel plan succeed or would it fail at the hands of the dark forces of the Empire...?

In the south tunnel, the Rebel Forces led by Skywalker, Katarn and Ibtisam,
ready themselves to duel with the pursuing TIEs...

While over in the north tunnel, Han, Cheewie and their Smuggler chum
prepare to defend Wedge from Boba and the massed Imperial ships...

The reactor core awaits in the distance...

After a series of K-Turns and a fierce exchange of RB1 fire between the Rebel and Imperial fighters,
Luke Skywalker breaks the pack and makes a run towards the Reactor core to support Wedge...

And Wedge has a clear run to join Luke, as Han and the boys hold off the Imperial forces
and easily destroy any enemy ship that attempts to break the blockade...

As the opposing forces gradually ripped each other apart, it became clear that the Rebel plan was working. Freed from the melee in the tunnels, Wedge and Luke powered towards the reactor core and opened up with everything they'd got. Missiles, torpedoes and laser fire hammered into the reactor core stripping the shields in short order. As the last shield sparked out of existence, there was an eerie moment of calm..... And then, an explosion of cataclysmic proportions. Friend and foe alike, disengaged with urgency and raced back down the tunnels in an attempt to escape the onrushing wave of fire, opportunist shots being taken as they went...

In the cold of space, a star died. And with it, an Empire.

A cheer went up from the Rebel players. Victory was theirs and their names would go down forever in the annals of (Gambit Games UK) history.

With the tournament complete, there was the final matter of honoring the best Rebel and best Imperial player of the day. The player's points were tallied up and the results were announced...

Best Imperial Player: Andrew G

Best Rebel Player: Dan T 

Boba's Trophy Cabinet! I'd won the best Rebel Pilot award! 

Congratulations to Andrew for his well deserved award and congratulations to all the other players who competed like true gentlemen throughout the tournament.

Final thanks goes to the tournament organisers, Pete and Gary who not only worked hard to put on a great tournament but importantly, ensured that every single player left the day having experienced some of the most memorable and thrilling games of X-Wing they would ever play.

Pete 'Jedi Master' James

Until next time...

X-Wing - Mega Tournament!

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