Clear Chrome Plating - Astromechs, Part 4

                I was getting my sorry butt handed to me on the Elite War setting of Heroes and Generals, and decided to peruse Reddit in order to break up the monotony of my ridiculously frequent spawn times. It was during this time that I came across the discussion of the ARC-170 expansion for X-wing Miniatures and was saddened by what I found: not much love for the R3 Astromech. I've been taking a hiatus from X-wing analytical articles, due to a combination of school and branching out to other games, but I've been reminded of something. There'll always be game aspects that are passed over by popular trains of thought and, therefore, need a hint of nurturing to have their true potential shine. Thus, I give you a long overdue Poor Grey Pilot article, heaven knows you deserve it. Let's discuss the possibilities of the R3 Astromech.

                I am eager to see the retrofitted ARC-170 join this game, especially since it adds to the X-wing ship bloodline, but it was the R3 Astromech that most intrigued me from the Wave 9 teaser. The R3 Astromech has four main aspects attributing to its strength: it provides protection against dice fails, it increases action economy, its generic, and (like the FFG article said) it synergizes well with Rebel builds.

1) Protection Against Dice Fails

                Repositioning power has always been the strongest aspect of X-wing Miniatures, but there is no point getting into the right position if the dice fail. This pitfall was overcome by the basic blueprint of arc-dodging ships introduced with Imperial Aces. You attach Push The Limit to a high PS Ace, in a ship fast enough to deal with the stress tokens, and you now have enough action economy to reposition and prevent dice failure.

                However, Rebels have a hard time reproducing the arc-dodging success seen with Imperials, whether its because of the A-wing's 2 attack dice, the E-wing's high cost, or the T-65's lack of mobility. This struggle can be seen in the development of how I've run Wedge Antilles. Previous ship building standards in X-wing dictated that a solid Wedge build look something like this:

X-wing w/ Wedge - 40 points

                Predator

                R2-D2

                Engine Upgrade

                This X-wing gets repositioning power from an EU, but the lack of an evade action means that you can't get much use out of Push the Limit, therefore requiring expensive upgrades to protect against dice failure on both offense and defense. This leads to a powerful, albeit expensive, Wedge that absolutely needs to be protected by Biggs in order to make it to the late game, and with that you've already spent 65 squad points. So I experimented to see if I could find a cheaper alternative that gave similar power. This led me to my creation of Stay on Target Wedge.

X-wing w/ Wedge - 33 points

                Stay On Target

                Targeting Astromech

                Integrated Astromech

                This clever combo gives Wedge both repositioning and a target lock, allowing you to get into the right place and make sure your attack doesn't fail. We've used the astromech slot and can no longer take shield regeneration, yet this is compensated by the IA and a 7 point savings. But, there is still a fundamental problem that hasn't been fixed, which is that Wedge overly relies on devastating offenses and can't modify defense dice. This weakness can be solved with the R3 Astromech.

X-wing w/ Wedge - 35 points

                Lone Wolf

                R3 Astromech

                Vectored Thrusters

                We now have a well-rounded Rebel Ace costing the same as Soontir Fel, but who doesn't need to self stress. Wedge uses his PS 9 and barrel rolls to get behind enemies. He then attacks with 4 dice, rerolling a blank, and converting a focus result into a precious evade token. We have successfully given Wedge repositioning, protection against any dice fails, and a decent cost.

2) Gives Action Economy

                As seen by my final Wedge build, the R3 Astromech and Vectored Thrusters were made for each other. Together, these two upgrades provide cheap action economy to ships that can't properly use PTL. This breathes new life into X-wing Aces, who now have action economy that jives well with their ship. Wes Janson doesn't mind as much if his attack misses, he generally wants to soften targets for allies. Use him to strip enemy tokens, then take an evade to turtle up. Consider giving him Veteran Instincts to make more use of his barrel rolls, or equipping Juke for even more action denial. If you are in the market for something tankier, take Luke instead. His pilot ability synergizes well to make a more durable X-wing arc-dodging ace.

X-wing w/ Wes - 33 points

                Adaptability

                R3 Astromech

                Vectored Thrusters

X-wing w/ Luke - 34 points

                Lone Wolf

                R3 Astromech

                Vectored Thrusters

                Another great application of action economy is the E-wing. With R3 and the Fire Control System, we have a Corran Horn that can barrel roll, target lock, and evade. Moreover, Corran can use his double tap in a similar fashion to Miranda Doni. He dives on his first attack, using R3 to get an evade, and FCS to get a TL. Then, during the end phase, his pilot ability activates and he can hit hard and dodge away next turn. Another thing to note is that R3's wording says you assign an evade token, rather than perform a free evade action. This allows the possibility of double evades and we can use R3 to replace R2-D2 + Sensor Jammer on Etahn A'baht, a 5 point savings, with a freed systems slot.

E-wing w/ Corran - 39 points

                Adaptability

                Fire Control System

                R3 Astromech

E-wing w/ Etahn - 39 points

                Push The Limit

                Fire Control System

                R3 Astromech

Lore Break

                Here we will pause to take a refreshing lore break. The R3 astromech, in the Star Wars universe, was designed to hold a powerful sensor array, and a stronger battery to power it. To prevent sensor interference, the regular astromech dome of the R2 was replaced with a clear one, the telling feature that distinguishes between the two models. This lore is reflected in R3-A2, who uses its sensors as electronic warfare to stress the systems of enemy fighters. It is also seen in the Salvaged R3 Astromech, whose strong power source provides the equivalent of a shield token to Scum ships. Since shield and evade tokens are quite similar, mechanics-wise, we find that the R3 Astromech does a job like that of its Scum counterpart. However, it is far more powerful for the same point cost. All you need is for one evade token to block a hit and you've matched the power of the Salvaged R3, plus you don't need to wait for a Ship-based critical to activate.

3) Generic Droid

                Our third aspect of strength is that the R3 is an unnamed droid. While you won't be fielding multiple R3s in all your squads, the option to do so if both powerful and liberating for squad building. You could have fun with a list of 3 Juke Red Vet X-wings. Or perhaps you want to capitalize off the cheap action economy and field an all ace list, such as Wedge, Wes, and Luke. Since R3 activates after your ship shoots, you'll want it on higher PS pilots, so low PS squads won't get much use from this droid. Yet, even then, it might be worth the risk so you can laugh as generics TIE Fighter or Headhunter swarms futilely try to break your defenses.

T-70 w/ Red Vet - 33 points

                Juke

                R3 Astromech

                Comms Relay

                Integrated Astromech

4) Rebel Ability Synergy

                FFG claims that the ARC-170 is well priced. If it is indeed, it won't suffer the same defect as the E-wing, namely players overrelying on shield-recharge droids to protect their high point investment. This scenario led to the sad result that R7 droids are rarely used on the ship they were intended for. Let's hope the same won't happen to the ARC-170 because the R3 synergizes so well with it. You can put an R3 on Shara Bey, thus allowing her to survive longer to help her allies. And it is a perfect fit for Norra Wexley. Her ability, when combined with an R3, allows her to turn her target lock action into the evade action. If you then slap on Veteran Instincts, you optimize the benefit of your droid and keep Norra's cost low.

ARC w/ Norra - 34

                Veteran Instincts

                R3 Astromech

                Alliance Refit
                Vectored Thrusters

                Another great pilot with R3 synergy is Horton Salm. This Y-wing Ace who has always been plagued by focus results on his attacks. I played with this combo for awhile but almost gave up since R3 doesn't work with turrets, but then I remembered an old project of mine: the "Hort-hog". It was a silly attempt to justify putting the BTL-A3 Title on Horton, but I never found a combo that worked. Now, with R3, it actually makes sense. This build is about timing. At range 3, you play conservatively, but at the opportune moment, you slip into range 1-2 and blast away! For one more point, you could try replacing the Dorsal Turret and Vectored Thrusters with a Twin Laser Turret.

Y-wing w/ Horton - 32 points

                Dorsal Turret

                R3 Astromech

                BTL-A3 Title

                Vectored Thrusters

Conclusion

                Whether its offering alternative action economy or strong Rebel synergy, there are many applications of the R3 Astromech. I hope that this article gave you some new ideas and I wish you the best in your squad building. Happy Flying!

The Five Main Game Stages - Advanced X-wing Miniatures Aspects - Part 4

                Good day, pilots. I wish to express thanks for your patience. These last few weeks have been busy as I've been getting ready for school. I am also dedicating more writing towards editing as I am working on possibly making a Poor Grey Pilot book.  So we'll see how that goes, wish me luck.

Intro

                In today's article, I want to cover the game stages of X-wing Miniatures. I am not referring to phases of each round, but rather the stages a game of X-wing goes through, start to finish. While I'm not the sole proprietor of X-wing terminology, I have yet to find an FFG guide that states official stage names. So please allow me creative license to explain this topic. I do not wish for my terminology to become canon, only for my thoughts to be properly understood.
                There are five main stages of an X-wing match: Pre, Early, Mid, Late, and Post. In this analysis we will break down the stages, find out what they contain, and look at which upgrades are strong in each.

Pregame - Plan & Prepare

                While not part of the actual match, the pregame stage is nonetheless important. X-wing Miniatures isn't a game of pickup basketball. Before you break out the playmat, I hope you've taken the time to find or create a squad based on your likes. Squad creation is the first part of every game. When playing competitively, research the meta game and plan appropriate counters to what most people fly.

                Then comes the (not so) secret of the Pregame: practice! It can be an alluring to think you know your squad well enough, but if there is one thing I've seen the top level players do, it's beat their squads to death with practice! Know your ships inside and out. That way, you won't forget ability time windows and won't self-bump.

                The final parts of the pregame are when you meet your opponent and see their list. You want to understand the cards your opponent brings and hopefully glean their overall strategy. The pregame finishes when you roll for initiative. Remember to fly causal.

Early game - Set Up & Jockeying

                A mistake newer players make is misinterpreting when an X-wing game has truly "started". It's easy to think that it begins when you enter combat. After all, that is where the excitement resides! However, this mindset places no value on all the things before that moment. The game has truly started the moment the first asteroid is placed. If you haven't put thought into this part of the game, then you're already at a disadvantage. Instead, have a plan for game set up and make adjustments as needed, giving you the chance for better board positioning.

                We start with obstacle placement. Part of your pregame was picking your obstacles and obstacle deployment plan. Learn which obstacle deployments favor you and hurt your opponent. Then you set up ships. Here, you construct ship formations and mentally plot out initial vectors across the board.

                However, initial placement isn't as important as the next part of the early game: jockeying for position. Select your maneuvers and the mental battle is on! You must walk a fine line of guessing correctly what your opponent will do while not giving away hints of your strategy. It is common in the first few rounds for squads to move out cautiously, allowing more time to get an idea of enemy movement. Remember to keep your formations tight and don't self-bump.

                There are also several strategies for the early game. The first is stalling. Ships with 1 forward maneuvers and barrel rolls excel at this. Stalling helps you keep good positions, forcing enemies to come to you. Another tactic is Fortressing, where run ships headfirst into each other to prevent movement. This sacrifices your action economy but there is good chance you won't need it that early.

                Stalling also allowing you to charge upgrade batteries. A battery is an ability that stockpiles actions for later use. This can be Kyle in the Moldy Crow or Dengar with his Gonk Droid. It can even be Keyan Farlander with the Hera crew. The longer you can stall in the early game, the bigger your battery can get. Once things get crazy in combat, you won't have as many chances to charge.

                Another strong early game upgrade is mines. Bomber ships like K-wings and Punishers are mobile enough to traverse the map before combat, allowing you to lay mines and optimize board position for your squad. A well-placed mine forces enemies into less-favorable positions.  

Midgame - The Alpha Strike & The Joust

                The early game immediately ends when you enter combat range, the point of no return. Jockeying is over and now action economy and dice take control of the game. The first part of the midgame is the alpha strike, defined as the initial pass the sides will make.

                There are 3 main things that determine alpha strike strength: positioning, formation, and action economy. The first two are determined by the early game. If you out-guessed your opponent movement, then you will be in good firing position. If you didn't bump your own ships, or asteroids, then you will still have good formation, allowing you to reduce your squad's size while centralizing its firepower. (Exceptions are large-based and Scum ships, which dislike flying in formation). Enough of the alpha strike is affected by the early game that it can cause a snowballing effect. If your opponent lost the early game, then they can easily lose the midgame and spiral quickly to defeat.

                However, one aspect of the alpha strike that is determined right then: action economy. The ability to modify dice removes some bad luck from the game and makes ship performance more consistent, hence why midgame action-economy upgrades are powerful. Cards like Push the Limit and Experimental Interface give you the dice modification needed to keep ships alive. Certain pilots, like Howlrunner and Biggs, are influential because of their ability to shape the alpha strike.

                The next part of the midgame is the joust stage. When the alpha strike ends, all good planning goes to mush. Your starships dance in circles, continuously closing in for the kill. However, don't think that the joust is only for jousting-class ships. These ships are called Jousters because they excel during this stage, but all ship classes take part in the joust. Arc-Dodgers and Bombers cut tight circles and rely heavily on movement actions for positioning. Jousters love K-turns, S-loops, and T-rolls to keep enemies in sight. Turrets fly on wide, sweeping vectors to remain evasive while firing outside of arc. Support ships fly on easily-predicted patterns based off the parameters of their abilities. Concentrated firepower is much harder to achieve during the joust and players must coordinate what's left of their squad.

                One more aspect of jousting that requires attention: blocking. Positioning and dice modification are crucial at this stage of the game, meaning it is devastating to have a ship blocked and action-less. Here, low-skilled pilots shine if you can get them in the correct places to block enemy ships.

                There are many upgrades to chose for the midgame. I've already mentioned action economy, but other strong abilities include ones that shirk damage, such as Determination, the R7 Astromech, and the Sensor Jammer. Or, perhaps you like guaranteed results with Palpatine, Feedback Array, and Autothrusters. There are plenty of others, so be sure to explore!

Late Game - Mop Up & Chases

                It is best to look at the early, mid, and late games as best 2 out of 3. If you beat your opponent in the early and mid then you shouldn't have trouble cleaning the board in the late game. Vice versa, if you lost the first two stages. But the late stage can also be a tie breaker if neither player has gained the advantage.

                Here is where we find another mistake that new players make: how long a game of X-wing will last. Players sometimes think that games will have epic dogfights over large sections of the map. While this happens in some games, most games have jousts that burn out quickly and occur over one small spot of the map. This shortness makes set up and the alpha strike that much more important.

                I call the late game the mop up stage because one of two things happen: either the joust finishes with one player eliminated, or else the losing side breaks off and flees. Either way the winner is clearly established.

                The length of the late game depends on whether the match is casual or competitive. When I play casually, I try to be considerate of my opponent's time. If a winner is clearly established, I am fine finishing. That way time is saved, meaning time for additional games!

                But it is different for competitive. The chase stage is actually crucial because of the Margin of Victory. Put simply, the MoV is how many more squad points you destroyed than lost in all your games combined. While a win is a win in a tournament, there is a good chance players will tie in number of wins. Who breaks the tie is determined by the MoV, therefore each point matters. If you're in the joust stage and know you'll lose, it is wise to break. While you may not win the match, you can save some MoV points overall.

                In regards to upgrades, I would advice that you double check yourself before investing in late game squad points. It's usually more beneficial to pick early or midgame upgrades and defeat your opponent there. That being said, there are some good late gmae upgrades that are worth looking at.

                Health regeneration upgrades are very powerful in the late game. Cards like R2-D2, Salvaged Astromech, and the R5 Astromech reverse ship damage, giving you better squad strength while your enemy is crippled. However, this has the liability of drawing enemy attention. If your opponent can destory your ship in the midgame, then your squad points are wasted. Overcome this weakness by complementing your squad with a strong midgame ship, giving your opponent the tough choice of which ship to focus fire on during the midgame.

                Another strong late game investment is pilot skill. When in formation during the early game, pilot skill only helps you kill enemies without return fire. But during the joust and chase stages, high PS lets you slip behind enemies and stay there. Arc-dodging ships excel at this and terrorize low PS ships with bad dials.

Postgame - Pack up and Analyze

                No matter the outcome, its good sportsmanship to thank your opponent. Then, remember to determine the Margin of Victory.

                These things should be obvious, but there is one part of the postgame that many people forget. After a match or tournament is over, it is beneficial to introspectively analyze your performance. Perhaps you like to discuss games with family and friends. For me, I love writing about my games. That way I capture the exciting memories and have a chance to reflect. (And, of course, I can share them online with you!)

                No matter how its done, this analysis is where you grow the most. What went right or wrong with your squad build? With your action economy? With your ability to outmaneuver your opponent? Find answers to these questions and prepare better for the next match.

Conclusion

                These are the five main stages of an X-wing game. I hope you learned a thing or two about the structure of X-wing Miniatures. With that knowledge, you can improve yourself, your gameplay, and your overall X-wing experience. Which stage of the game do you excel at? And are there any stages that I missed? Let me know in the comments below. Thank you for reading and best of luck fighting for the galaxy! Poor Grey Pilot out.

60 Portions! - Deciding Which Astromech Your Rebel Pilot Should Take Part 3

                Today I am proud to present the third part of my thread discussing the droids available to the Rebel Faction in X-wing miniatures. Click here for Part 1 and Part 2, or here for Scum Astromechs. We will be looking at the three newest droids, discussing the best ways to use them, and applying them in squad building. Let's jump right in.

BB-8

                Moviewise, BB-8 was specifically designed to be the new and loveable droid sidekick in Star Wars. So it is also fitting that he joins R2-D2 as the main droid ally of an X-wing Miniatures Core Set. Since BB comes in a core he is going to be one of the more common droids found in Rebel players' arsenals. Let's get to know how he works and make the most of him.

                BB-8 gives a ship access to a free barrel roll. BR is the main action needed for good arc-dodging ability and so our droid gives more utility to higher PS pilots. And since his ability activates when you pick a green move while unstressed, BB's power is equivalent to the number of green maneuvers a ship has. E-wings and T-70s will get the most use with their 5 greens. Like R7-T1, BB-8 can give a movement actions along with better action economy. However, this means that you can't take a shield regeneration droid, so be sure to weigh your options carefully before picking. In regards to the T-65, we get a little less utility with only 4 green moves. But this is compensated by the fact that BB-8 gives the original X-wing a movement action, a feature that has long hurt it in the meta game. Flying Wedge or Wes with BB-8 and Integrated Astromech are builds that are both powerful and very fulfilling. Finally we come to the Y-wing. While the idea of this ship with a Barrel Roll action sounds awesome, it really doesn't work. With only 2 green moves, the Y-wing doesn't get enough benefit from BB-8. And the two moves are slow which doesn't give enough area for the BR to cover, making the combo both limited and predictable.

T-65 w/ Wes - 32 points

                Veteran Instincts

                BB-8

                Integrated Astromech

T-70 w/ Poe - 36 points

                Veteran Instincts

                BB-8
                Autothrusters

                When we take a look at BB's game mechanics we find that he is quite similar to a B-wing with Advanced Sensors. As long as you pick a green maneuver and barrel roll the right way, the combo makes sure you are never blocked and always have an action. This also means you can hug the asteroids more closely, a skill that can give you an edge over your opponent and give your ships good cover. BB-8 also can be paired with Push the Limit for more effective action economy. Taking your free Barrel Roll action triggers your EPT for a second action of your choice. You then perform your green move and clear the stress, thus allowing you to take a third action during your normal Perform Action Phase.

T-70 w/ Ello - 35 points
                Push the Limit
                BB-8
                Integrated Astromech

R5-X3

                In the Star Wars Extended Universe (now Legends) there was a time when a new shipment of astromechs arrived for the Rebel Alliance. Wedge Antilles was disappointed that they had received R5 droids instead of the better R2 model. However in a attempt to stay positive, our Ace made the humorous comment that his R5's huge dome could take a hit for him. So leave it to the X-wing developers to go and make Wedge's wish come true. Well played, FFG. Well played.

                R5-X3's ability appears rather underwhelming when you first look at it, especially since it is a one shot item. But upon a closer examination, we find that the card's wording applies from the activation phase to the end phase. This means that for one entire round, your ship with X3 gets an ability that is more powerful than Dash Rendar's. When you spend X3 you can move over asteroids without rolling for damage or losing your action. Debris clouds don't give you stress or make you roll for criticals. You can even land your base on an asteroid and still get to fire! But it doesn't end there. The card says that "you ignore obstacles" instead of "obstacles don't apply to you". This means when you fire, your shot is not obstructed by any asteroids in the way. But when enemies fire back they still have to apply bonus dice to you for your obstacle cover.

                So we have a powerful ability. But is it strong enough that one round matters? The answer is yes. It will require a lot of work and practice, just like when flying Dash. In all the games I have played against Dash he always followed the same pattern. First he strafes down one side of the board, both attacking and fleeing. Your squad eventually catches up to him and you try to block him. One of two things has always happened to me in this part of the match. Either I get the block and take him down, or else he escapes through obstacles and starts another strafing run down the board. If the latter, my squad strength is usually is so low that taking him down is near impossible. Dash only needs that one opportunity to turn the tide of the battle and stay alive. And it is the same with R5-X3.

                Consider the example of a Gold Y-wing with a Twin Laser Turret. The Range 1 gap is a weakness that needs to be shored up in your squad building. Perhaps you take multiple TLTs to cover blind spots or maybe give your Y-wing a Bomb Loadout so it can avert enemies from flanking. But if we equip X3 then we have a Y that can act like Dash. Your TLT can strafe down the side and hug close to the asteroids. Then when the enemy thinks that he has closed in on you, pop the droid and make your daring escape. Rather than being a sitting duck in one spot, you are in a different spot entirely, under the cover of an asteroid, with a focus token, and can fire back unobstructed.

                 X3 is great on Y-wings to make them less predictable. And the turret allows you to make use of all benefits: movement, action, and shooting. However, things are different when it comes to X-wings. I wouldn't put R5-X3 on just any X-wing build since he cannot pair with Integrated Astromech. Consider putting him on an X-wing that uses Guidance Chips or Autothrusters. As for the E-wing, the ship generally requires a stronger astromech to protect your point investment. Perhaps a viable combo will come after a (hopeful) E-wing revamp.

Y-wing w/ Gold - 25 points

                Twin Laser Turret
                R5-X3

T-70 w/ Ello - 34 points

                Veteran Instincts

                R5-X3

                Autothrusters

                One final thought on X3. He might see more use in the meta with the introduction of the Tractor Beam. Things are going to get dicey for small ships pretty soon, especially X-wings and Y-wings with their lower agility. If you take X3, your small base ship has a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. You can pop your droid the round you enter combat range to make sure you can still attack if you are barrel-rolled onto an obstacle. Or you can save it till after you have been rolled onto an asteroid and use it the next round to make a clean getaway. It can be a strong defense on a low agility/low pilot skill ship in your squad.

X-wing w/ Rookie - 22 points

                R5-X3

Targeting Astromech

                The first thing the Targeting Astromech brings to X-wing is the incentive to make red moves, just like with Wired or the Outlaw Tech. The TA means you no longer have to sacrifice dice modification for repositioning. You can K-turn or T-roll and still have a powerful attack. And if you don't use it that turn then you have it for another round as you chase an enemy. It also frees up the Y-wing's slow dial. Now you can take a hard 3 turn or a 4 forward to slip past an enemy who thought you were going to move slowly.

                Just like with BB-8, the power of the Targeting Astromech ties directly to the dial of the ship it is equipped on. The more red maneuvers you have, the more diverse options you can use. But there is a flip side: you have to clear your stress to keep using the combo. So the droid also requires green moves to be powerful. The T-65 only has only 1 red move and the E-wing only 2, so most of these pilots won't get much use out of a TA. The Y-wing has 4 red moves and so is very strong with this droid. But only having 2 green moves makes clearing the stress difficult, so you have to use it very strategically. And finally we have the T-70. With 3 red moves and 5 green moves, this ship almost begs for a Targeting Astromech. The combo has strong maneuvering power on the board and can always hit hard. And since you are getting good dice modification, you are free to replace EPTs like Push the Limit or Predator with ones like Veteran Instincts or Stay on Target.

T-70 w/ Novice - 26 points

                Targeting Astromech

                Integrated Astromech

T-65 w/ Wedge - 33 points

                Stay On Target

                Targeting Astromech

                Integrated Astromech

                Another favorable application of the Targeting Astromech is in using Ordnance. The droid makes it possible to K-turn behind an enemy, take a Target Lock, and still fire a torpedo. For example, we can take Hobbie with a Flechette Torpedo and the TA. He can K-turn and use his ability to shed the stress when he acquires the Target Lock. This leaves him stress-free to take a focus token during the Perform Action Phase. Then he can fire a modified torpedo to stress an enemy while he can perform any maneuver you want next round. And even when your ordnance is spent, you can still use the combo for shots modified by both a TL and a focus. Another strong Ordnance combo is with a Gold Y-wing. The Targeting Astromech lets him push it a little closer to the enemy, allowing him to get the Target Lock where he otherwise would not have.

Y-wing w/ Gold - 26 points

                Proton Torpedoes

                Extra Munitions

                Targeting Astromech

                Guidance Chips

T-65 w/ Hobbie - 29 points

                Flechette Torpedoes

                Targeting Astromech

                Integrated Astromech

Conclusion

                Whether you are a fan of barrel rolls, ignoring obstacles, or getting rewarded on red moves, these three new droids add a huge variety to Rebel gameplay. I hope you enjoyed this X-wing analysis and learned something new to help you with your squad building. Thanks for reading and best of luck in solving the challenges that you face in your games. Poor Grey Pilot out.

Subterfuge and Mind Games - Advanced X-wing Miniature Aspects Part 3

                Good morning, PGP fans. This week I am happy to present part 3 of my article thread discussing some of the more advanced X-wing Miniature aspects. Click here if you'd like to review Part 1 and Part 2. Today's article will cover the use of Subterfuge & Mind Games. First, we'll look at how subterfuge applies to X-wing game play. Then we'll discuss how to use it in both squad building and facing your opponent. I hope by the end that you will have a couple new ideas on how to add some flavor to your game play and how to catch unsuspecting opponents flat-footed.

Subversive Tactics

                X-wing is not overtly a game of subterfuge. If it were then you would be able to hide your cards from your opponent and both of you would have to enter the battlefield blind and cautious. While hiding your cards would make for some hilarious casual play, it is against the rules to do so in competitive play. But here's the catch. This doesn't mean you have to tell your opponent exactly how you plan on using your cards. I've said it before and I'll say it again: subterfuge in X-wing is being able to pull a fast one on your opponent even after they have seen all of your cards.

                Some tactics are straightforward and that is both their strength and weakness. For example, if you take Assault Missiles then it is very clear that you want splash damage. Your opponent will know this and will have to split up his formations or suffer the consequences. But other upgrade cards are a little more...sneaky. What do you plan on doing with that Proximity Mine? Lock down a lane between asteroids? Dump it on the face of a higher PS enemy? Or trap a chaser trying to flank you? To be subversive, you want to take upgrades that can fulfill multiple roles.

TIE Bomber w/ Scimitar Pilot - 21 points

                Extra Munitions

                Proximity Mines

Versatile Strategies

                I really like the pilot Serissu. This Bothan has somewhat become my Scum Champion as the Gray Squadron Pilot became my Rebel Champion. There are so many interesting ways to build her ship. I've talked about her with Juke, a combo where she can be both evasive and deadly. I've talked about her with Expert Handling so that she can get the most out of her barrel rolls and be a slippery target.

                But now let's look at her with Veteran Instincts. We have a PS 10 Scyk Interceptor that actually can fulfill an Arc Dodger role. However, that role is in stark contrast to her pilot ability. She can't be coming in on a wide, flanking vector and also protect an allied squad at the same time. But let's capitalize off of this fact. If you put her in the back of a squad formation then she will blend in. VI will look like a cheap upgrade to make sure she gets to attack first. But when the alpha strike comes you can split your formation. That way your ships can cover more area with your firing arcs and Serissu can get to a safe place off to the side. Then the next turn she can move into position behind an enemy ship and start to chase it. And it is the same on the reverse side. You can put Serissu far away from your Scum swarm, which 'tells' your opponent you picked her for high Pilot Skill and not her ability. Then when the alpha strike comes you can trick your opponent by cutting her flanking vector short. Instead, fly her right into the fray and she now can provide protection for her allies. Your opponent now has to chose between shooting at their original target or switching entirely to take care of Serissu first. And this can be especially devastating if enemy ships now have taken Target Locks on the wrong ship.

Scyk w/ Serissu - 24 points

                Veteran Instincts

                Stealth Device

                Versatile strategy that can't be predicted by your opponent draws heavily from the use of overlapping Ship Pillars. Let's use the example of my favorite B-wing build. I really can't stand flying un-upgraded B-wings. Every time it feels like my ships just sit there, relatively speaking, waiting to be outflown by enemy aces. But I absolutely love them when they are equipped with Advanced Sensors. I don't pair the two together because I'm afraid of bumping. Advanced Sesnors in conjunction with the Barrel Roll action is so powerful that it frees up the B's very slow dial. But it also does more than that. It lets the ship fulfill Arc Dodger roles, which is crazy because the ships is very much a Jouster in the mind of the meta. In an Escalation Tournament, I flew my favorite Advanced Ion Strafe B-wing and its movement dial was strong enough allow me to keep it out of arc of an enemy Whisper.

B-wing w/ Blue Pilot - 28 points

                Advanced Sensors

                Ion Cannon

                The main point of having a versatile squadron is that you have more options. You want to be able to react to what your opponent has brought to the table, rather than just stubbornly going ahead with what you already planned. And if you play your squad correctly - as well as your tells - then you can convince your opponent you are flying rigidly when instead you are fluid and can catch them off guard.

Mind Games

                And this brings us to the second main point of subterfuge: playing mind games. If you can get into your opponent's head then you gain the advantage and use it to win.

                Let's start off by discussing one-shot items. These upgrades are some of the best for mind games. The reason for this is that even though you only get to use it once, it is always a threat while you still have it. If you equip Adrenaline Rush then your opponent knows that you will be making a surprise red move at sometime. But when? Since they don't know they have to answer a question: is it safe to fly aggressively and hope for the best, or should I be more conservative until the one-shot is used?

                You can build a whole squad around the premise of wanting your opponent to act a certain way. For example, flying a Talonbane Cobra with Crackshot (or Carnor Jax for that matter) can make your opponent reconsider putting evade tokens next to their ships. Why would they waste their action since you could just bypass them? But that is the trap because now your supporting squad of Headhunters or Y-wings have a much higher chance of punching through the enemy defenses. By forcing your opponent into a lose-lose choice right at the beginning of the game, you can turn the tide of an alpha strike into your favor.

                And the same can be said of Lightning Reflexes, Advanced Homing Missiles, Boba Fett crew, and many others. Use them to strike fear into the heart of your enemy! Find a combo that appeals to your tastes and gives you an advantage in-game. Then practice it long and hard so you are confident you can pull it off in the competitive scene.

A-wing w/ Tycho Celchu - 28 points

                A-wing Test Pilot

                Wired

                Lightning Reflexes

                Autothrusters

                Chardaan Refit

                The next part of playing mind games is doing things that make your opponent work harder. If we put a Targeting Astromech on Hobbie then we have a powerful combo. But it is quite easy for your opponent to guess that Hobbie will pick K-turns and so they will plan accordingly. To get some subterfuge going we need to create combos that really make our opponents think.

                Let's use the example of Poe Dameron with Wired. This combo requires your opponent to put some thought into guessing your moves. Poe's ability means you want to get the focus token but Wired means that you want to pick red moves. Which will you go for in the heat of battle? Let's just make it a little crazier by giving also equipping R2-D2. Now your T-70 wants to go for the green moves as well, making a ship that desires three different things! Poe's movement and actions are now things that your opponent will have to question on each and every turn. And hopefully when they are using precious brain power to deliberate this, they aren't making as strong choices in other aspects of the game.

               

T-70 w/ Poe - 38 points

                Wired

                R2-D2

                Autothrusters

                Whichever way you go about it, whether in the way you fly or the upgrades you pick, mind games can really thrown other players. The name of the game of X-wing is to outmaneuver enemy ships. But more often than not that process starts by you first outwitting your opponent.

Good Sportsmanship

                A small caveat before I finish. Playing mind games in X-wing does not mean that you rudely hinder your opponent, for example by rushing them. This kind of conduct is expressly stated in X-wing rules as both cheating and unsportsmanlike conduct. If your opponent makes a mistake it should be from their own error. Perhaps they are nervous in a game and forget to use an ability in its designated time window. That's fine. But players shouldn't push the game forward with the intention of rushing opponents past time windows. Remember to be competitive but to ultimately fly casual!

Conclusion

                As I've said before, it is important to remember that advanced skills, like subterfuge, are minor compared to essentials ones like ship flying and squad building. If you are just starting out, make sure to get your head square on your shoulders with the basics and then try branching out. Once you do, these subtle mind games can add a great fun and flavor to your X-wing matches. It is one of the main reasons why I keep playing. What are some of your greatest moments of pulling a fast one on your opponent? Let me know in the comments below. I hope you enjoyed this article and have a great week of flying!

Horseshoes in Space - The Physics Behind the Jumpmaster 5000

                Good day, PGP readers. I must apologize for my recent hiatus. My lack of writing is a culmination of contracting a nasty cold bug, having a minor case of writer's block, and also a large part due to the reopening of the Overwatch Beta, of which I was fortunate to be invited to. I hope to now get back into my normal rhythm of things.

                In today's article I want take a look at the release of the Punishing One Expansion Pack, but not in the way you think. Although I am thoroughly intrigued with the inclusion of Guidance Chips, Rage, Mindlink, and the Gonk Droid (especially after my Shield Recharge analysis), what really draws my fascination for this new ship is the unique dial mechanic.

                The Jumpmaster 5000 is somewhat of a quirky ship and to help portray this, the game developers over at FFG decided to give the ship an asymmetrical dial. But why would they choose to do this? Is it the non-aerodynamic design of the vessel? That's not the case since X-wing Miniatures is portrayed as space combat and air resistance is non-applicable. And it is definitely not just because FFG wanted a new mechanic for the sake of a new mechanic. Their way of game design is so intricately laced with lore that they wouldn't do that. No, the reason for the choice of an asymmetrical dial is actual drawn from mass distribution.

                My collegiate career has allowed me to study a large portion of physics and it has been a enjoyable topic for me to learn. Matter acts quite strange sometimes when you really take a look at it. And there is a specific property of mass interaction that is called the Center of Mass, which we will use to look at Dengar's prized ship.

                Center of mass is the name describing the balance point of a quantified body of mass. This balance point is important because it is what dictates how outside forces will affect the body. Let's start by looking at the center of mass of a model cube. This shape is symmetrical and its mass is at a uniform distance from itself. The center of mass for a symmetrical object like this is - quite conveniently - in the center. If we wanted to move this cube we would have to take the center of mass into consideration. If a force is in the middle of one of the square faces then the cube will move directly in the direction you are pushing. But stray away from the center and then we start having problems. The further away you are from the center of the face, the more your forward movement is converted into rotation movement. In a frictionless environment, like the vacuum of space, this means that your cube will start to spin rather than move forward like you wanted.

                This takes us to our second model, a horseshoe. This shape is also symmetrical, but not on all of its 6 axes. As such the center of mass moves away from the exact center and towards a new location. The balance point of said shoe is moved closer to the connected top and further away from the open bottom. And even though it is in a different spot, this point still dictates force interaction. But now we have a problem, we can no longer apply a force directly to the center of mass because it is now just in empty space. We can overcome this problem by applying force from different points that are the same distance from the center of gravity. To illustrate, if you push on one leg of a horseshoe in space then it will mostly spin around the center of mass. But if you apply equal pressure to both legs then the opposing rotational forces will be cancelled out. If we wanted to make a horseshoe-shaped rocket ship then it would need to have engines on both legs.

                And thus we have the Jumpmaster 5000. This ship is a horseshoe with more mass located in one leg. And then the main engines are only placed in that leg. What does this mean? It means the Jumpmaster's center of mass is closer to the cockpit side of the ship rather than the turret side of the ship. And since the engines are only on the cockpit side as well, all of that mass is going to want to rotate around that center of mass when Dengar fires up his ionic boosters. That is why FFG designed the Jumpmaster with a dial where left maneuvers are easier than right ones. It has so many left green moves because the ship naturally wants to turn left when it flies. In fact, to even go straight, the Jumpmaster would rely on lateral thrusters on the turret wing to offset the rotational force. And it would need to use these thrusters even more heavily when attempting to turn right.

                In real life this ship would be more trouble than its worth and would never pass as a viable design for a spacecraft. However it isn't as bad, in my opinion, as the design of the U.S.S. Kelvin from Star Trek. Having the main nacelle engine below the disk of the ship means that the poor thing really only wants to spin heels over head. But the Punishing One's movment problem could have easily been avoided. If the ship designers had placed a second engine on the turret wing then the ship wouldn't have any rotation tendencies. Or perhaps a neater solution would be to place the cockpit and engines of the ship in the middle of the wedge, rather than off to one side, thus creating an umbrella shape.

                But let's be honest. The Punishing One wasn't created to as a prototype for real spaceships. It was made as part of a fantastical universe that is meant to be played in and be enjoyed. So I won't be fretting much once I get the chance to fly my own Jumpmaster in X-wing Miniatures. I will instead be enjoying a unique mechanic and a wonderfully built strategy game.

                I hope you enjoyed this small foray into the physical sciences. Please feel free to leave comments, as well as ideas for anything you would like me to analyse in the X-wing world. I hope you have a great week of flying and I will see you later. Poor Grey Pilot out.

My Fourth X-wing Miniatures Modification - A Smorgasbord of Projects

                This week I am happy to present some of the painting mods I've been doing on the side. Sometimes it is really nice to take a break from strategy and just enjoy a fun hobby.

Rebels' New TIE

                When the First Order TIE Fighter was announced, I wasn't one of the people who jumped on the bandwagon of repainting existing TIE miniatures. First, I am not brave enough to try white paint yet. But I was also suspicious that the TIE/fo would make an appearance as its own ship in the X-wing game. So when The Force Awakens came out I was able to pick up three of the new ships without having to repaint.

                But things were a little different when the mid-season trailer for Rebels came out. They showed a new type of TIE Fighter. Some have theorized that it is the precursor to the TIE Interceptor. I personally think it is one of the transitional stages between the V-wing and the TIE Fighter, just like how the AT-OT was a transition between the AT-TE and the AT-AT. But regardless, there is more than a good chance that this type of TIE won't be appearing as its own ship. And this mod would require no scary white paint.

                It was a delicate but simple job of cutting away the front two panels of each wing. Then I sanded down the plastic so the cuts would be nice and smooth. And finally, I put on some grey paint to help the new lines blend in. It was an enjoyable project and also a fun new look for the TIE Fighter.

Engine Glow

                I have seen a lot of miniature repaints involving engine glow and I must say that I do not have the skill to repeat it. The shading, the different colors, and the pop: I can somewhat understand it, yet I am not sure how to create it myself. But honestly I am ok with something easier.

                For the X-wing, I simply added some red into the inside rims of the engine exhausts. For the Hawk, I painted blue over each engine section then dabbed the paint on the top. That way only the paint in the crevices remained. They both give a good feel of engines for me. 

Paint Tune Up

                Next on my list was my gold Y-wing. I like the color scheme it has but I do not like how faded it looks. So I got some goldenrod paint and I went over it. There really isn't that big of a difference but the yellow stands out more. And to finish it off I added a dollop of red to the top of the R5 unit.

Finn's Helmet

                My last repaint actually isn't a starship miniature. But the story is so great that I had to share it. I won one of the games at my family's Christmas Party and received a prize. It turned out to be a 12 inch figurine of the new Episode 7 Stormtrooper. Later that day my young nephew approached me and asked if he could play with the Stormtrooper. Knowing that there was a big chance of things going missing with my whole extended family present, I opted to not open it and pointed him towards the Family Room's big toy box. However, I did not keep a close eye on him and, much to my chagrin, he was later found with it red handed. Now, it would have been fine except for the fact that he was literally red handed: he had also found himself some red lip balm.

                Needless to say, my once brand new Stormtrooper was now slightly pink. But I decided to make the most of the situation. After a lot of thought, I was inspired by Finn's helmet from the Force Awakens. The red paint actually helps the pink splotches blend in, making them less noticeable to the eye. And even if you are looking for them they now look like residual stain from the "blood". Plus it gives the figurine a lot more personality. My camera didn't show it as well as in person but here is before and after my paint job.

                And that's it for me this week. Thanks for checking out my repaints, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave any comments about the miniatures you have worked on. Have a great week flying your custom creations!