X Wing Battle Reports: Imperial vs Imperial

Yesterday I decided that I fancied a small break from all the 40k I've been playing recently, so I had a couple of games of X-Wing before my arranged 40k match.

My opponent was my friend Chud, who's recently got into X-Wing, and he was running the following Imperial squadron in our first round:

Tie Interceptor, Soontir Fel, Predator
Tie Defender, Onyx Squadron
Tie Phantom Whisper, Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device
99

I used the squadron below, as I've been meaning to try it for a while and this was the perfect opportunity:

Tie Interceptor, Soontir Fel, Push The Limit, Royal Guard Tie, Targeting Computer, Shield Upgrade
Tie Phantom, Whisper, Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device, Intelligence Agent
Lambda Shuttle, Omicron Group Pilot, Darth Vader Crew
98

I gave Chud initiative to help with the PS9 mirror match as I wanted to be able to arc dodge if necessary. I was excited to use the Phantom, and I chose Whisper over Echo to help with the squad's PS9 bid. Whisper also doesn't need Recon Specialist, so he actually works out 1pt cheaper.

Round 1

 After rocks and deployment, we set our dials.

 My lambda banks towards the middle, ready to help my Soontir kill Chud's. Meanwhile my Whisper gets ready to brawl in the middle, while Chud's Onyx Squadron and Whisper advance centrally

 Our Soontirs drift into Range 1 of each other. Chud focuses and has a predator reroll to score 2 hits 2 crits, but my Soontir has a TL/Focus/Evade stack and only suffers 1 crit. Thanks, shield upgrade! I return fire with Soontir and the Shuttle and he is no more. Didn't even need Vader! On the left we continue to dance around while the Defender puts some shots into the shuttle.
Next turn Soontir moves and boosts around the rock while the shuttle blocks the enemy Whisper, then my Whisper and Soontir combine to take him down. The defender turns past the action but it doesn't look good. 

 My Soontir and Whisper chase down the defender for several rounds, working on its 3 Hull 3 Shield...

 Soontir avoids a Range 1 focus shot with a cheeky boost! Whisper spanks the Defender down to 1 hull this round...

 I reposition my ships ready for the kill next turn, while Chud tries to nail Whisper, who goes down to 1 hull! Bloody cloaking device malfunctioned...

After manoeuvres, Vader has range to the Defender so it's game over. We roll it out anyway and the Omicron Group Pilot steals the kill for himself!

So after the first game, I was pretty happy with the squadron. The opening was a variant of what I used for my Vader Shuttle & 3 Royal Guard Ints with PTL squadron, and it works very well for lists with a central ship and more than 1 flanker.

I didn't use Intelligence Agent once, and I'd probably swap it out for either Enhanced Scopes on the Lambda (when it's released) or even a 3pt initiative bid (as I think it's really important in this list).

I chatted with Chud about the rocks and his deployment after the game, and how it let me pick off his ships quite easily. I also convinced him of the merits of Push the Limit on Soontir Fel. In addition he decided to swap the Onyx Defender for a Delta to better block, and used the 2pts for a Targeting Computer on Soontir after seeing it work so well for me.

So we decided on a rematch...

My squadron was the same as last time. (98 pts)

Chud used:
Tie Interceptor, Soontir Fel, PTL, Targeting Computer
Tie Defender, Delta Squadron Pilot
Tie Phantom, Whisper, Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device
99

Again I give Chud initiative.

Round 2

The rocks are similar again. Chud deploys much better this time, forcing me to deploy differently. I decide to try and nail his Whisper with mine and Soontir together before the rest of his squadron can arrive to help, and if needs be delay them with the Lambda.

Opening moves. Lambda pulls a 3 bank to set his course, stressing itself for next turn. My aces drift up 2, playing it carefully, and both Whispers cloak up. His Soontir heads straight for my shuttle, while the Defender holds the centre.

Chud tries to Koigran Whisper behind my aces but comes up just short. With careful decloaks and choosing to move Soontir first, they are both able to get shots. My Whisper cripples him, and then Soontir finishes him off. Meanwhile his Soontir and Defender really hurt my Lambda, who realises he is going to die soon so starts shooting and using Vader.

My aces turn inside to face his. The Lambda is nearly finished by Fel and is about to be killed by his Defender, so Vader destroys his own ship in an act of spite for an extra damage. Whisper clunks into Soontir, but luckily still has a shot so can get up his cloak and a defensive focus. The combined fire of my aces and Vader reduces the defender to 2 hull.

My Soontir pulls off some fancy flying to get a 4 dice TL/focus shot on Chud's, but he only deals 2 hull. Everyone else is busy repositioning.

Soontir comes around the rock and further damages the Defender, which clings to life on 1 hull thanks to its 4 evade dice this turn. Whisper and his Fel dance around each other, initiative proving very useful in letting me avoid him.

Whisper decloaks and hard turns, killing the Defender at last. Now the chase is on...

Chud's Soontir continues to turn and avoid me, stacking focus and evade whenever he can.

Over the next couple of turns, Chud proceeds to make some spectacular evade rolls to stay in the game- 4 hits, 3 evades and tokens!

"I have you now," I said, with my best Darth Vader impression. However, the force is not with me as I hit 3 times and Chud rolls 3 evades. Didn't even need his tokens...

I reposition, determined that Soontir Fel "The Destroyer" shall get his man!

Eventually Chud tries to speed away 5 and forgoes his actions, but I am able to boost into range 1...  Soontir does his thing at last and finishes the game.

So, a much harder fought victory the second time! This game really showed the value of Push The Limit on Soontir- he's simply a machine with it, especially if you can get him a Targeting Computer as well.

I really enjoyed flying my squadron too- the Lambda is quite tricky to pilot but now that I've got the hang of it, my space bison graceful shuttle is very rewarding. Naturally Interceptors with PTL are great fun, and their ability to alternate between defensive arc dodges and overwhelming firepower as required is always useful. Whisper was really impressive, with the decloak followed by a hard 1 turn standing out as a particularly good move. He also doesn't suffer too badly from action denial either, as long as he can make a shot afterwards to get his cloak up and hopefully a focus too. I think Whisper is better than Echo primarily because the extra pilot skill which, along with a strong initiative bid, gives him the advantage in the mirror match and also against Soontir, Han Solo, and other PS9 ships that are popular at the moment.

Thanks for reading my first X-Wing Battle Reports, and thanks again to my friend Chud for playing. It was nice to play something other than 40k for a change, but I still managed to get a GT practice game in later that evening, so stay tuned for that battle report to come as well!

SimonW