My Third X-wing Miniatures Modification - The E-wing & Hot Shot Blaster

                     So here's the thing. I actually started my E-wing mod long before my Starspeeder. As much as I love the E-wing I have never liked the dorsal cannon. I understand that the ship is supposed to be next-gen but that gun always looked out of place to me.

                Using a little pressure I was able to work the dorsal cannon out of its slot. Yes, you do need to work carefully when modding miniatures but I honestly found that they are surprisingly elastic and resistant. However, once I got the gun out I really had no idea what to do. Anything I tired didn't look any better to me than the original. And so I sat on it for a few weeks.

                Finally, after enough simmering on the back burner I came to my conclusion. I thought the look of the new Kihraxz was pretty slick and so I just filled in the hole where the cannon had been. It was a simple solution but I like it.

                What about the leftover cannon? I couldn't let it go to waste. So I looked around at my other ships to see if anyone needed an extra gun. And I finally found my answer in the "Hot Shot" Blaster. I cut off the extra plastic and glued the gun onto the side of one of my Black Sun Headhunter.

                When I did my analysis of the new Scum Faction I included a look at the Illicit upgrade slot. At the time I didn't include the Hot Shot Blaster because I honestly couldn't find anything "inhumane" about the weapon. But when I attached my own Hot Shot onto my Headhunter I finally realized why it is an illicit weapon. It is installed and hidden inside the hull of the ship...the same place where vital ship systems are supposed to be housed. What had to be removed to make room for this one-shot turret? Life Support? Long Range Scanners? These poor saps have to fly breathless or blind because the guys up the chain of command want some extra firepower in the fleet. But hey, that is just another day in the life of the Scum of the galaxy.

                Anyways, by no means are these the neatest mods but I sure do like them! And I hope you will too.

Continuously Progressing - A Poor Grey Pilot Strategy Update

                The strategies that I create and discuss here on this blog are subject to a present and ever-changing game. Because of this it is only natural that ideas can get outdated as things progress. However it is human nature to not enjoy change and so it can be easy to not agree with updates to a diverse game like X-wing. On online forums I have seen many instances of players learning about a change and then taking the easy way out by no longer using what they think is now unviable. But I believe a better course is to take a step back and actually try to understand why Fantasy Flight made the changes in the first place. FFG is a master at making games and so I believe them when they say that this is how they want X-wing Miniatures to run. With that being said, let's jump into this strat update.

The K-wing

                When I say that ideas get outdated I usually mean that they slowly creep out of existence as the game moves along. But sometimes things can change, or even flip, in an instant and that was the case of the K-wing. Barely a week had gone by with my Bomber article up when the SLAM got nerfed on bombs. (Sorry Leebo, I'll try again with you...) Now whether this was a production mistake on FFG's part or a ploy to sell more K-wings, it doesn't matter. Players need to stop worrying about the loss of SLAM-bombs. What is ironic is that the number of people claiming the K-wing is no longer viable and therefore won't fly it only serve to prove the fact of how overpowered SLAM-bombs were. Everyone apparently was going to fly that build and only because it was easy.

                The bottom line is that FFG rewards hard work in the game. An HLC Outrider may seem easy but it is a very expensive ship and requires a lot of practice to be flown correctly. Torpedoes and ordnance are some of the hardest game-mechanics to pull off properly but they are also some of the most rewarding. There is a reason why the game makers haven't yet given a "quick hot-fix" to ordnance despite years of players begging for one. That reason is that we, the majority of the X-wing gaming community, have yet to actually put forth the effort to learn and master the use of ordnance.

                It is the exact same way with the K-wing. FFG wants us to develop powerful and creative builds for this ship rather than just play a "must-do" easy build. So get to work! The K-wing is the only ship still with the SLAM action. It is the only heavy-ordnance platform with both a turret and crew slot. And that is just the beginning. Let me know in the comments how you plan to fly the K-wing.

The X-wing

                 Now I could look at the new changes to the X-wing and say that it makes my Barrel Roll Refit article old and worthless. But if you actually believe I feel that way then you still haven't learned much about me. I am actually super thrilled about the new advances of the X-wing. The point of why I wrote that article was that there did need to be a fix and one option that I really liked was the BR action. Sure, the new T-70s don't have the barrel roll but they did get the boost! Moreover any X-wing (and E or Y for that matter) can now have the barrel roll action with the nifty combo of the BB-8 Astromech! No, there's no emotion for me but sheer excitement.

                But it gets even better with the Integrated Astromech modification. It is such a perfect and creative fit that it really is mind-boggling for me. FFG, you've done it again! This upgrade ties together two truths about the X-wing miniature: it almost always needs an Astromech to be viable and it is often too fragile with only 5 HP and 2 Agility. For the great price of 0 points you can turn your droid into a reserve shield. If your X-wing is about to die then you can sacrifice your droid in order to discard a damage card, even a face-up one! Now Rebel players have a reason to shout "I've lost R2!" lol. And the final reason why I love this upgrade is because it fits so well with the Lore. The X-wing in the Extended Universe was known to require an Astromech to be at full capacity. More than that, Astromechs were known to grow accustomed to the X-wing they rode in and would integrate themselves with it. The most notable example of this is R2-D2. So here's to Wave 8 that is coming out at Christmastime! I know I can't wait.

Lore

                Talking about the lore of the X-wing/Astromech relationship actually brings me to my last topic of this strat update. I recently received feedback (and in some cases open ridicule) from people telling me that the heavy use of Lore in my analyses was irrelevant and did not add to the arguments I make. To those people who may feel this way I wish to say that you are missing something quite obvious. Claiming that me using the Lore is irrelevant is just as fallible as claiming that FFG doesn't use the Lore as reference points for their game. It is from the movies and extended universe that all of these ships and properties come and so it is actually smart to look at the source material to try to understand what it was that FFG meant to create. In this context the Lore is actually Propaganda War Videos that we can study to learn, just as Ender studied the Human/Formic Wars to attempt to understand the Buggers. Continuing this analogy, all the other Battle School commanders watched the videos too but they couldn't figure out why it was important. It was only Ender who learned anything because he knew what to look for.

                Sure you can call me a geek but I would take it as a compliment. I love getting lost in the alternate universes of stories but my love of it goes deeper than just being entertained. Stories are meant to be learned from and I believe this life is about learning and progressing into something better. And therefore I apply lessons from stories to my life to make me a better gamer as well as a better person. So why do you play X-wing miniatures? Pure entertainment? A need to win and build your ego? Or something more? The choice is up to you. PGP out.

The Sub-Light Acceleration Motor - A Truly Unique In-Game X-wing Miniatures Mechanic

                One of the greatest things I enjoy about Fantasy Flight Games is their ability to accurately capture attributes in game mechanics. The Y-wing has always been my favorite ship and that didn't change an ounce when I started playing X-wing Miniatures. 

                Now when they announced the K-wing I was quite curious to see how they would pull off the SLAM. In the Extended Universe the SLAM is a non-hyperdrive engine that greatly increased the speed of ships in normal space. While the Hyperdrive is a delicate and genius piece of engineering, the SLAM is nothing more than just a really, really big engine. It is similar to comparing Warp and Impulse drives in Star Trek. Installing a SLAM on the K-wing made it one of the fastest ships for its size in normal space.

                So when I first got my K-wing I started experimenting. I wanted to see if FFG held up to their standard of capturing the essence of ships in the game. And the results are quite impressive. For my comparison I took ships right out of the box without any upgrades. Measurements were taken in units of small ship bases.

                The first thing I did was compare a straight forward race. In this context the SLAM beat out most competitors. But in the end there wasn't a clear winner. The SLAM tied with the A-wing, Tie Interceptor, and the Outrider. (The Falcon wasn't a contender because it gets most of its movement speed by applying its large base to the Engine Upgrade). All 4 contending ships came in at 9 base units when they moved forward and utilized their maneuver action. Yes, you could argue that an Interceptor with Push the Limit would beat the SLAM and you would be correct. But the K-wing can just as easily take the Advanced SLAM with Leebo and still match pace. (Although I would not recommend this, haha).

                However, I didn't put much merit into this part of the test because, honestly, there are very few applications of the straight forward speed in actual X-wing matches. What is more applicable is turning power. This is especially true when the K-wing relies so much on position for ordnance and A-wings and Interceptors must be pointed the right direction to shoot out of their forward firing arcs. In this category there really was no contest. The A-wing and Tie Interceptor get most of their speed from forward movements and have the small boost action to help with turning. But this isn't enough when compared to the turning power of the SLAM. The K-wing can take sweeping, evasive maneuvers and still match the forward speed of an Interceptor. Next, the SLAM always beats the boost when it comes to banking. And finally, the K-wing wins in a full out U-turn. The A-wing and Interceptor need the Daredevil upgrade to squeak out that last part of the turn. In fact, the only ship that can match a 2 speed U-turn is the Blue Ace T-70 X-wing.

                 My conclusion from these results is this: The K-wing is the fastest ship in the game when it comes to maneuverability power on the playing mat. But what does that mean for us, the players? It means that the K-wing's SLAM provides a unique in-game mechanic that we can learn, master, and utilize when we fly. However, that is easier said than done. I know for me, I seriously stunk at flying the K-wing when I first cracked it open from its box. I felt like I was a beginner again and my ship maneuvers were completely uncoordinated. And in several of my first games my K-wing didn't quite make it to the right place during bombing runs and was easily blown up. But just like with any new part of a game or new skill, it just takes practice. I got some good play time under my belt and I feel now that I have enough of a grasp on the SLAM to have it help me in games. It can really be a game changer if you can utilize this brand new game mechanic and your opponent can't. So get out there and SLAM away!


Afterwards:
Pardon my photography skills. I'm a analyzer and writer, not a snap-shooter. lol

Also, did you know that the the Imperial Missile Boat also had the SLAM? So keep your fingers crossed!

Eaden Vrill - The Big Game Hunter

         With delight I present to you the next pilot in my series of pilot spotlights. It has been far too long. Today's limelight will be literally green as we discuss the Nautolan Eaden Vrill. When I highlighted Eaden in my last Battle Report I promised that I would have an article dedicated just to him. So without the delay of a more glittery introduction, lets get right in to learning about this pilot.

                Eaden lived and loved the life as a smuggler. He was partner and best friend to Dash Rendar and as such was a native to the Outrider. However, what really sets Eaden apart from the rest of the 'respectable merchants' was his non-occupational hobbies. He was part of a hidden organization that trained heavily in hand-to-hand combat, specially to be used in close-quarter combat against force users. Eaden became an expert and was even slightly force-sensitive himself. 

                For those who played the Shadow of the Empire game you may be wondering why Dash appears alone with Leebo aboard the Outrider. Sadly, Eaden died before Episode 4 even began. He and Dash were hired to protect and escort a client who had gotten herself on the wrong end of several underworld syndicates. Things went well until an assassin was sent to kill the client and Eaden went head to head with him. Even though he was killed, Eaden's fight allowed the others to escape and the mission was successful.

                But there is no need to despair because there is a silver lining. Just like with Biggs and Nera, when you are put into the X-wing Miniatures World you get to live again. Its time for Eaden's legacy to be celebrated and we will start by learning how to use him in the X-wing game.
                The first and biggest difference between Eaden and the other Outrider pilots is that he can't use the Title card effectively. His pilot ability uses the primary attack and so is lost if you use the Title. And if you do equip it then you have just paid 2 points to gain 1 PS above the Wild Space Fringer, which is a terrible purchase. I think most people see this and are turned off from using him. But Eaden is not a useless pilot! Else he would not have made it into the Outrider expansion nor into my pilot spotlight.

                The point of the Outrider was to have a ship that had a low attack value but could have unique builds in order to make it a heavy hitter. Eaden's purpose is exactly the same but he goes about it in a much different fashion. While the other pilots use the Outrider Title to terrorize all enemy ships, Eaden specifically terrorizes stressed ships. This can be a bit tricky, needing enemies to be stressed in order to gain attack power. But while Eaden's ability is harder to pull off, it is much more rewarding. Here's why.
                The main, major cost of any ship in X-wing Miniatures comes in the form of its attack value. To illustrate this I give you the cross examination of the X-wing vs Y-wing. You could say that the Y-wing is cheaper than the X because it has lower agility. But this is not true because the lower agility is balanced out by the increased HP, just like the B-wing. And it is definitely not the upgrades because the Y has better upgrade slots than the X! The reason why the Y-wing has better upgrade slots and is still 3 points cheaper is because it is has one less attack dice. Red dice are very powerful and grow exponentially in power when you add more to your attack pool. To put the statistics in colloquial terms: 1 attack die is pathetic, 2 is great, 3 is amazing, and 4 is ridiculously insane! As such, attack dice are very cost heavy when determining the point cost of a ship.
                And the cost is even more expensive when it comes to upgrade cards! The Opportunist talent costs a heavy 4 points, gives yourself a stress, and even then still requires that the enemy doesn't have an action token. Another clear example is the new Mangler Cannon. You can get criticals in much cheaper ways, like with the Marksmanship upgrade. But the Mangler Cannon is more expensive because it adds an extra attack dice to the Outrider, coming in at a total of 9 points. And finally, I refer to the new Punishing One in Wave 8. If Dengar wants to raise the attack value of his ship with his Title card he has to pay a whopping 12 points!
                So the question is this: how much does Eaden have to pay to get his extra attack dice? The answer is zero points. Do I have your attention? Eaden is the exception to Outrider builds and powerful attack builds because all he needs to get that extra, expensive die is for the enemy to be stressed. Now it is going to require a lot of work to make sure those stress tokens are there, much more work than just slapping on an HLC. But if a player can create a good, stressful environment then they can capitalize off of a ridiculously cheap and powerful 3 attack turret. Moreover, Eaden's stress shots are much more powerful than a Mangler or HLC turret because they receives yet another attack dice at range 1!
                Let's start applying how to have good stress. First off, you want squad synergy. It is inefficient to put a Flechette Cannon on Eaden and have him go solo. He will stress the enemy but then he has already attacked that round. So you wait till next round but the enemy does a green move and clears the stress. So you shoot again and the dance goes on and on. However, the FC only shoots forward and that leaves Eaden wide opened to get outmaneuvered. It is the same with low PS support ships. 1 and 2 skill pilots that give stress will not help because they fire last and the enemy now has a whole other turn before worrying about Eaden's ability. The exception to this, of course, is if your whole squad gives stress and you can overwhelm an enemy ship. So consider pairing Eaden with Tactician B-wings and/or R3-A2.
                Next, we need to utilize Eaden's pilot skill. A PS of 3 may look like a disadvantage but it really is a better fit. It means that there are far more pilots who can be used as stress support in your squad. It also means that the high and mighty ships that Eaden hunts will have more likely used their action tokens. And most importantly, a PS 3 is not threatening to the enemy. You can play great mind games with your opponent by using Eaden as bait while the rest of your squad hits hard. If the enemy ignores Eaden then you can start utilizing his ability and hit hard as well with him. Now your opponent has a hard choice and is torn in what to do.
                The third and final thing that one needs to learn about Eaden is his ability to crowd control. This one is, in my opinion, the most important. By just being on the board Eaden restricts your enemy. You can do lots of things for your squad to have synergy but it is so much easier and more fun when you let your enemy do the work for you! Any time an enemy ship uses a self-stressing ability they become a target. Any time the enemy K-turns, S-loops, or T-rolls they then become a target. And since debris is now legal to bring to tournaments, all you need to do is place 3 debris field and force your opponent to ride the lanes or take a stress and become a target. The possibilities are only limited by the number of ways a ship can get stress in the game!
                So get going. There's tons to explore with Eaden and I can say that he is one of the most gratifying pilots I have utilized in a squad. If used right he can hit as hard as a Falcon, even without any upgrades attached to him. And he doesn't have the same weaknesses as other Outrider builds in the meta. Though he does require more work, he gives far more reward. Get to know Eaden and add him to your list of under-estimated pilots. Have fun! Let me know in the comments how things goes for you.


Afterwards:
Here is a squad that offers amazing synergy and allows you to be very flexible.

Sword & Dagger Squad - 100 Points
Hawk w/ Jan - 36 Points
                Veteran Instincts
                Twin Laser Turret
                Engine Upgrade
B-wing w/ Dagger - 29 Points
                Flechette Cannon
                Advanced Sensors
Outrider w/ Eaden - 35 Points
                Recon Specialist

                The build is centered around creating powerful combos. Jan can give an extra attack die to either Eaden or the Dagger, depending on who is receiving the aggro from the enemy. Jan's build uses her high PS and EU to prevent other aces from hitting her blindspot. She also can use a target lock to measure to see if an enemy is at range 3. If they aren't in range then the target lock fails and she can then boost into range. The Dagger is the wild card here. For just one point more I've turned my AIS B-wing into a stressing ship with 2 more PS. I call this version the RAS - Red Advanced Strafe - for the red of the stress token. (As you can guess, I couldn't call it the Advanced Stress Strafe! lol.) The RAS Dagger can switch between stressing targets for Eaden and hitting hard with its own 3 attack dice. Either way, if you set things up correctly you can hit with a hard 5 dice attack from the Dagger or Eaden at range 1. Hence the name of the squad. It's a great combo and is just right on points. If you want you can take out the RS and put Kyle Katarn on the Hawk. That allows Jan to have a focus for defense even if she boosts or locks.

My Second X-wing Miniatures Modification - The Star Tours Starspeeder 1000

                Welcome back, PGP fans. Before I went off to Disneyland I promised I had something in store for you. I am now happy to present to you my second X-wing miniature modification. When I set plans for a vacation at "The Happiest Place On Earth" I knew that I would be able to purchase Star Tours memorabilia at the souvenir shop. Sadly, upon going I was told that they had discontinued their line of model Starspeeders. However, they did still carry the toy version. The toy Starspeeders are approximately 2.5 inches long and have little wheels like a Hot Wheels car. So they are a bit unproportional when compared to X-wing miniatures but honestly they still fit in rather nicely.

                The first part of the modification was quite simple. I used a small Philips screwdriver to remove the screws in the bottom and took out the wheels. It was the second part where it got hard. If I owned a drill, I could have easily drilled through the bottom piece to create a mounting hole for the pegs. That is the recommended course of action. But since I didn't have a drill I had to be a bit creative. I took a small nail and carefully heated the tip. And with cautious precision I drove the nail through the plastic like an awl through leather. Did I mention that I took every precaution while doing this? Once I had the hole, I placed a peg inside with glue. I got the angle right and set in down for the night to dry. The next day was just simply putting the screws back in and mounting it on the stand.

                I plan on using my Starspeeder to replace the 2D Senator Shuttle in the first mission: Political Escort. Now I just need some icy comets to replace my asteroids and I can reenact the original Star Tours adventure! As for casual Standard play, I'm still working out all the details. I like keeping the shuttle's stats of 2 Agility and 6 HP. And because the Starspeeder has forward lasers I am giving it a 2 Attack Foward Firing Arc. This now sounds a lot like a bare Tie Bomber but the upgrades would be different. It makes sense for the Starspeeder to have the Astromech and Crew Slot and possibly even a Systems suite. There is still lots of play-testing to be done.

                I don't plan on painting the model, I really like the Star Tours orange. Let me know in the comments below what you would give a Starspeeder for stats, point cost, and maneuver dial. I took a photo with an X-wing in order to compare size. Thanks for reading!