On War in X-Wing TMG

This blog is my own link archive and online notepad to everything X-Wing TMG related, especially Lists, Maneuvers, and everything else of interest to me for this game. 

[cptargonaut-blog]

Listbuilding: Individual ships of the First Galactic Empire

Now the same for the dark side!

TIE Advanced “Vader” (34)

Darth Vader (29)

TIE/x1 (0)

Adaptability (0)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

EU (4)

TIE Advanced Prototype “PTLInquisitor” (29)

The Inquisitor (25)

TIE/v1 (1)

PTL (3)

[+Proton Rockets (3)]

TIE Interceptor “Baron Fel” (35)

Soontir Fel (27)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

PTL (3)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

“Carnor” (34) or (35)

Carnor Jax (26)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Outmaneuver (3) or Opportunist (4)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

“Turr Maneuver” (33) or (31)

Turr Phennir (25)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Outmaneuver (3) or VI (1)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

“Turnin’ Tetran” (32)

Tetran Cowall (24)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Outmaneuver (3)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

“Hitting Kir” (29)

Kir Kanos (24)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

TIE Fighter “Packleader” (18) or (19)

Howlrunner (18)

Adaptability (0) or Crackshot (1)

“Helpin' Youngster” (18)

Youngster (15)

Marksmanship (3)

TIE/FO Fighter “Alpha and Omega” (29)

Omega Leader (21)

Comm Relay (3)

Juke (2)

Stealth Device (3)

TIE Phantom “SuperFat Whisper” (44)

Whisper (32)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

VI (1)

FCS (2)

Gunner (5)

“Slim Whisper” (37)

Whisper (32)

ACD (4)

VI (1)

VT-49 Decimator “Front Admiral” (64)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Predator (3)

Gunner (5)

Rebel Captive (3)

Darth Vader (3)

EU (4)

[cptargonaut-blog]

Listbuilding: Individual ships of the Rebel Alliance

There are several combinations that I really like. Here I will show some of them.

YT-1300 “Fat Han” (62)

Han Solo (46)

MF (1)

PTL (3)

Gunner (5)

C-3PO (3)

EU (4)

YT-2400 “58 Dash” (58)

Dash Rendar in YT-2400 (36)

Outrider (5)

PTL (3)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Kanan Jarrus (3)

EU (4)

A-Wings

“Quick Jake” (31) to (28)

Jake Farrell (24) PS7/9

A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Chardaan Refit (-2)

PTL (3)

Outmaneuver (3) or VI (1)

Stealth Device (3) or Autothrusters (2)

“Unphased Tycho” (34) to (30)

Tycho Celchu (26) PS8/10

A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Chardaan Refit (-2)

PTL (3)

Opportunist (4) or VI (1) or Wired (1)

Stealth Device (3) or Autothrusters (2)

“Slippy Gemmer” (25) or (24)

Gemmer Sojan (22)

A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Chardaan Refit (-2)

Expert Handling (2)

Stealth Device (3) or Autothrusters (2)

B-Wings “Super B” (38) or (39)

Keyan Farlander (29)

B-Wing/E2 (1)

PTL (3)

Kyle Katarn (3)

FCS (2) or Advanced Sensors (3)

“Keyan one step ahead” (34)

Keyan Farlander (29)

Advanced Sensors (3)

Stay on Target (2)

“Ten Numb” (37) to (40)

Ten Numb (31)

Calculation or VI (1)

FCS (2)

Flechette Torpedoes (2) or Ion Cannon (3)

Guidance Chips (1) or B-Wing/E2 and Tactician (1+2)

“Bombshell Nera” (35)

Nera Dantels (26)

Accuracy Corrector (3)

Flechette Torpedoes (2)

Flechette Torpedoes (2)

Deadeye (1)

Munitions Failsafe (1)

E-Wings “Base Etahn” (36)

Etahn (32)

VI (1)

R2-F2 (3)

“Corran” (42) with 58Dash

Corran (35)

VI (1)

R2-D2 (4)

FCS (2)

“Fat Corran” (48)

Corran (35)

PTL (3)

R2-D2 (4)

FCS (2)

EU (4)

“Sensing Corran” (44)

Corran (35)

PTL (3)

R7-T1 (3)

Advanced Sensors (3)

X-Wings “Fat Poe” (38)

Poe (PS8) (31)

VI (1)

R2-D2 (4)

Autothrusters (2)

“Slim Poe” (35)

Poe (PS8) (31)

VI (1)

R5-P9 (3)

Integrated Astromech (0)

“Tanky Biggs” (26)

Biggs (25)

R4-D6 (1)

Integrated Astromech (0)

Y-Wings Stresshog (26)

Gold Squadron Pilot (18)

BTL-A4 Y-Wing (0)

R3-A2 (2)

TLT (6)

[cptargonaut-blog]

X-Wing Theory: Probabilities

According to Nick Sibicky, the game difficulty is 30% list, 30% deployment/asteroids, 30% piloting and 10% luck.

This means that around 60% of the outcome is decided. Your piloting will seal the deal or let you turn around the game. But this means you have to make the right decisions. The following probability lists are a tool to help you making this decision. All credit goes to user Chris K. on boardgamegeek.

To score 1 hit:

To score 2 hits:

To score 3 hits:

If you have problems to read it:

From left to right over tables the defender dice increases, and the attacker dice from bottom to top within a table. First row is without modifiers of the attacker, then with a focus or target lock, and the third row is with both.

As an example: An X-Wing Rookie Pilot with Focus against a TIE Fighter without focus has a chance of 16.5% to score 3 hits.

Of course there are some pilots that change it again, for example Poe who has a 6/8 chance to score a hit per dice

As an important note: statistics can inform your decision. However, you will realize that the individual event can be very, very important in a game. Watch how Nick Sibicky explains it in this episode.

I will add some calculations of my own later.

[cptargonaut-blog]

The Pillars of X-Wing

World Chamion of 2013, 2014 and 2015, Paul Heaver, wrote about the three pillars of X-Wing around a year ago.

He explains the types of Jousters, Arc-dodgers and Turrets.

However, I find this article of the poor grey pilot much more comprehensive. Additionally he expands the concept to a 4th and even 5th pillar.

Read the article of the poor grey pilot, it’s worth it. However, a summary for myself:

Jousters are simply trading hit points with the enemy, trying to be the last ship flying. The idea is that they have more attack dice and enough hull/shield to destroy the others first. It is an easy idea without many abilities, actions, difficult tactics or maneuvers - just fly and shoot. However, flying a bunch of ships together without bumbing yourself requires some training and experience. They are strong against turrets and weak against arc-dodgers because turrets don’t care if they get shot at and arc-dodgers will get behind you.

Arc-dodgers are trying to avoid hits (dodge firing arcs). The usually 2-3 ships all have several actions. This requires you to not forget them and to choose the right one. Additionally the literal arc-dodging requires a good eye. Thus these lists are both a lot of fun to fly and very difficult. They are strong against jousters and weak against turrets, as you can’t dodge the arc of a 360° turret when there is none.

Turrets are usually large ships (with the exception of the Y-Wing) with a turret that shoots in all directions. Their lists can be huge, such as a Fat Han or Dash58. It is feasible to accompany them with your own jousters or arc dodgers, depending on what you expect to encounter more often. They are strong against arc-dodgers and weak against jousters.

Pillars 4 and 5 are complicating the whole game, and I have to admit that I have not yet quite understood how to fly with or against them.

[cptargonaut-blog]

Skill Training

The echolocation website helps to understand, where you end up after certain maneuvers. Boost and/or barrel roll can be added to show you where exactly you can land.

I think it is a very nice tool to play around with. Unfortunately you should be able to visualize this on the table, which requires much experience or learning.

[cptargonaut-blog]

Piloting: links overview

Earning your wings discusses:

Small ship movement, including distances of the templates

Large ship movement

The barrel roll

The boos

The decloak

Pilot skill levels and their importance

Formation flying

Large ship barrel roll

I would not list all of these topics under Piloting myself, especially importance of pilot skill and the advantages of formation flying. But the post is so good that it’s a must for every beginner.

Notsuchabadpilot is a nice website with different lessons:

Lesson 100 mentions both “Earning your wings” and Nick Sibicky.

Lesson 101 discusses the fire arc and shows, how game knowledge and pilot skill come together when you decide on your movement to stay behind or shake off the opponent.

Lesson 102 discusses how you can escape an enemy fire arc by boost and barrel roll.

Lesson 103 discusses the importance of wingmen, particularly for Rebels and 3 ship lists.

Lesson 104 is basically a case study (’example’ might be more appropriate) that illustrates again the importance of wingmen, formation and deployment.

Lesson 105 introduces large ships into the question of formation and deployment and illustrates the fire arcs.

Lesson 200 is pure text and discusses probabilities and more game knowledge. Again we see how quickly you have to go from piloting skills to the theory behind the game.

Lesson 251 connects piloting with asteroids and more X-wing theory with another example.

Lesson 301 is the last currently (Jan 2016) and discusses decision making with respect to shooting priorities.

This website also starts with pure piloting and goes on into the concepts behind the game to help you base your decision making on facts instead of intuition.

[cptargonaut-blog]

The different aspects of the game

For me there are the following aspects of the game that should be discussed:

General X-Wing theory

List building

Piloting skill

[Mixed links]

I will sort my blog entries and links into these categories. Especially linking to another blog or website might require the last point as they naturally discuss all aspects of the game.

[cptargonaut-blog]

My journey to X-Wing TMG

Same as apparently many others, my very first set was the new core “the Force Awakens” as a gift on christmas 2015.

While I’m quite the Star Wars fan, I had not played or even heard of the game before. Hardly a week after we got it, we had ordered several ships. To be honest it is kind of ridiculous how much we spent on a game, but I guess that’s what happens to many the first time you earn money and get into a new hobby.

I spent several hours searching for tips and tricks, how to build lists, and how to fly them. This blog is my very own link archive with comments. It might be useful for others, it might be redundant. It is primarily for myself.

So that being said as my very first blog post I’ll start right away with some interesting links and things I’ve learned. Have fun!