Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-454133-20171102205841/@comment-27029853-20180228152123

Canadian Nationals is at a board game convention on the 16th-18th of March this year, so I'm gearing towards that.

On Sunday I flew a Nu with HLC, Linked Battery, LRS, and the XG-1 title, x7 Vessery with Expertise and TIE Mk II, and Lone Wolf x7 Ryad in a kit tourney, but with everyone there looking towards nationals and some big name players there.

I went 3-0 to take 2nd on MOV (1st was the Regional champ using his Regional championship list: 3 Harpoon LRS Nus and QD and only losing 3 Gunboats all day), but all my victories were nervy and I think fortunate in regards to dice.

Game 1: I actually came up against 2 Defenders and a Nu, but with very different builds. It was Maarek with TIE/D  Ion Cannon, Vessery with Adaptability and TIE/D Tractor Beam, and a Nu with the XG title and Flechettes. We both agreed that he had the much superior matchup with TIE/Ds generally winning against TIE/x7s and TIEx7s generally being better than TIE/Ds at facing other things. He also gave me initiative, which meat his Nu could SLAM and shoot after mine had moved. The dice were very fortunate for me however, as while a rock was in front of him, Vessery managed to dodge all of Maarek's and Vessery's attacks, including the Tractor Beam and Ion which would place me on that rock. Then in retaliation Vessery and Ryad managed to take his Vessery off in 1 turn. Managed to see the game out but it was nervier than I'd like.

Game 2 was against Proton Crimson Specialist and Red Squad Vets with Intensity, Primed Thrusters, and R2 Astro. I don't think this list is entirely optimized, but Proton Specialist was there to give me hell. My gunboat got sandwiched early and died after 2 rounds and my Defenders took some yucky crits. Meanwhile, I had done a few hull damage to the Bomber and gotten a Vet down to 1 hull and his astro remaining and I had to kill one of them to get the victory, and that Bomber started to get fast in his fleeing while also dropping bombs to cover him. Last turn I managed to get Proton Specialist off after time had been called. My opponent at the end of the day had enjoyed the game so much he gave me some Slingpaint Rebel shields that look gorgeous. We had played in the past however, in a store champ on the Wave VIII release, and before final salvo was a thing, we had actually gotten a draw with his 39 point Miranda and my 39 point 4-LOM left on the board, so I guess that helped and we kept bringing up our fond memories of that day, we were both on the higher tables for that day until that spectacular draw dropped us down (in those days, victories got 5 points, victories on time would get 3 points, a draw would get 1 point, and a loss 0, so it really was disadvantageous).

Game 3: I faced Asajj with 2 Glitters, Engine Upgrade, Latts, and Lone Wolf, Starviper Dalan with both titles, Autos, FCS, and Mindlinked to a Light Inaldra. On the one hand, I think Asajj should probably either take both Lone Wolf and Gyro, or take PTL and Engine Upgrade. I think a mix kinda hampers her, he was taking his single action to rotate arc and the lack of focus in later turns really hurt him, particularly on offense. Asajj was my target early on, partially deliberately and partially due to opportunity. However after the first round of firing where I got a shield off of Asajj, I didn't see a great follow up on her so I went after Dalan which surprised my opponent and had Dalan going in. After 2 turns I managed to get him off, although I was fortunate he blanked out twice (although he had autos for the one). The turn Dalan died, my Gunboat hadn't had it's chance to attack Dalan but had focused Inaldra in arc. I took the shot knowing Light Scyk would mean the HLC's damage got flipped up, and rolled 4 hits, as Linked Battery and focus is wont to do. He then blanked out, spent his shield to reroll all his dice, and failed to roll all paint, getting 1 blank. From there I picked my shots on Asajj, willing to disengage to get the victory, and managed to get Asajj down since her lack of Glitter helped.

So 3 victories, but all were nervy. I got $10 store credit though, and then I won $50 in a raffle for the end of the league's season, so I managed to get this C-3PO that was clearly designed off of the Droids cartoon show, of which I'm one of the only people with fond memories of it.

I was told after getting it that I'm running out of space in my tacklebox for all my toys.

Last night I replacing Vessery in the list with Debris Gambit Advanced Optics Quickdraw (with the otherwise standard FCS and LWF and title). I took it against a similar Asajj to the one I faced on Sunday, but with Countermeasures, and Bossk with Mangler Cannon, 4-LOM, Maul, Ion Dischargers, Inspiring Recruit, and VI.

I enjoyed it, having the focus and double evade on Quickdraw is nice, but overall I feel like I'm not comfortable enough with Quickdraw to make it work for me by nationals.

I also saw that in the Polish System Open, TIE/D Ryad with PTL, TIE Mk. II, and Ion Cannon, TIE/D Vessery with VI and Tractor Beam, and a Harpoon LRS Nu made the cut, as well as 2 Glaives and Vessery, all with TIE/x7 and Crack Shot, made the cut. I'll try those two out, although with Toronto's love of aces (and the resurgence of aces in general) I think I may just bring them to nationals, although I may see how Ryad with a 1 point bid rather than Vessery turns out.