A Week of Star Wars Gaming - Part Two

I think I'm getting the hang of this Star Wars - Edge of the Empire system, albeit at the detriment of my kids' bedtime.  If you haven't read Part One of our full Week of Star Wars Gaming, go back and give it a read.  Here's the continuation of this glorious, Force-filled week... 

Wednesday

"41-VEX, I've got forty-one reasons for you to buy a dewback!" - Jumper Mappy, the Mos Shuuta Dewback Rancher trying to close a deal with the party's Droid Colonist.

On Wednesday we debuted out brand new Star Wars Rebels, Season 2 collection.  Cooper and I watched two episodes while Evie did homework.  Carrie didn't get home from an event until later, so we had to wait until 9pm again to get back to our Edge of the Empire game.  

While Episode I of Escape from Mos Shuuta was fun, especially learning the new game mechanics, we had a much smoother and engaging night during Episode II.  Everyone started getting the hang of the rules system, which made gameplay a lot faster.  Also, the adventure came off the rails, and the party was able to explore the city of Mos Shuuta a little before continuing along the path.  

Perhaps my favorite scenes all involved Cooper's Droid Colonist, 41-VEX, and the purchase of his new dewback named Mitchy.  Cooper insisted that he wanted to visit the dewback stables, and then had to have one of the lizards.  Once purchased (after some shrewd haggling), Mitchy became a full-fledged party member.  

When the party faced off with some pesky stormtroopers, 41-VEX and his trusty steed charged into combat.  Cooper even used his dewback to talk his way past the droid guards out in front of the landing bay.  Cooper insisted that the droids should pet the dewback, and then had a tremendous Coerce roll.  So the entire team entered the facility while the guards were busy admiring Mitchy's silky scales.

Cooper wasn't the only one with crazy ideas.  In order to get into the landing bay with the Krayt Fang, Oskara (played by +Carina W.) claimed to be the new janitors for the landing bay.  The ruse worked, although I informed my daughter that her "Despair" die result meant that the landing bay staff wanted her to clean an incoming Imperial shuttle.  After some quick thinking the party slinked off in stealth-mode, quietly arriving just outside of the Krayt Fang.  

Thursday - Friday

Technically we skipped the Star Wars "gaming" on Thursday and Friday, mostly because of work and then I had a DCCRPG game last night.  But I did get some great swag in the mail: Heroes of the Resistance!  Now I've got the updated Millennium Falcon from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as well as Poe's T-70 X-Wing.  

Saturday

On Saturday morning we resurrected our old tradition of "Dunkin' & Dragons."  But instead of Dunkin' Donuts we went with Peace Love and Little Donuts, and instead of Dragons we went with Star Wars.  Yes, it was time to complete our run through Escape from Mos Shuuta.

On to Episode III...

Finally the party reached the Krayt Fang, and we were about to take off into the Stars.  Continuing with their stealthy plan of disguising themselves as janitors, Oskara, Lowhrrick, 41-VEX, and Pash convinced the droids to let them on board the YT-1300 freighter for some light cleaning.  

As soon as they were all on board, however, the team attempted to take out the security droids quietly, before Trex the Trandoshan could figure out what was going on.  

The plan didn't quite work out... as planned.  Oskara did a stealthy attack, as did Pash, but 41-VEX didn't get the memo.  The droid used a stun grenade, lobbing it down the corridor towards the cockpit, hitting the security droids, Trex, and even Oskara!  Cooper was amused.  

After slaying Trex, 41-VEX ran back to the engineering compartment and repaired the broken Hyperspace thingie.  The Krayt Fang roared into the skies above Mos Shuuta and into the black, never ending night of space.  

The last part of the adventure was a short space battle between the party's YT-1300 freighter and a pair of TIE Fighters.  The action was quick and exciting, and since we only had four players, everyone had something fun to do.  I asked the group if they enjoyed the game, and everyone gave me a big grin.

Winning!

Jen wanted to make sure that I got a picture of her quote for Pash...

... and Evie spent a lot of time working on her own character art.  

Even Cooper had some stuff to share!

All in all, I think we had a fantastic time with Edge of the Empire.  I had my reservations with the dice mechanics again, especially with tallying them up.  I've had the chance to play in a few games of Age of Rebellion on Google+ and Roll 20, but we always use a dice-app to calculate the results.  But as we moved along in our live-table game, the dice calculating went faster and faster.  It really got easy when the symbols clicked with Carrie, and she was able to guide her brother... and mom... through the results.  

I'm thinking about continuing the story of these four characters on Tuesday night, with the Long Arm of the Hutt. 

Oh, and we also played some Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures today!

Cooper has sat in on a few games with me and his sister Evie, but has never had the opportunity to fly against someone in a solo match.  Well, today Cooper decided to take to the stars on his own!  Cracking open our Ghost and Phantom box, we toyed with the idea of Cooper flying the Ghost... but then again that's a tough ship for a first timer. 

Since he really wanted to play as Hera Syndulla, the best pilot from Star Wars: Rebels, I set Cooper up with the Phantom.

We each went with 25 points, and I picked a Scum and Villainy ship, the Kihraxz fighter.  I've only flown it once or twice before, and never with a one on one, but it seemed like a balanced battle.  

I think the kiddo needs a bit more time in cockpit!  He darted straight past my fighter, and then relied on a dorsal turret upgrade to pepper me from medium range.  Maybe another round or two would've helped him get a victory, but I got very lucky towards the end of the game.  

In the end, I was able to shoot down Cooper's Phantom, forcing the Lothal Rebels to perform a rescue mission and save their pilot.  At least Chopper was on board the shuttle to keep Hera company.  

A Week of Star Wars Gaming - Part One

I know the Living 4 Crits blog has been quiet, and I apologize.  Between work, and school, and soccer, and Halloween prep (it's our favorite holiday), getting time to blog, let alone game, is a real challenge.  This is the ultimate curse of adulthood.  I have the cash to buy some awesome games without asking for my parents' permission, and yet I don't have the time to play them all.

I thought I'd showcase how we've been able to squeeze in at least a little gaming, despite the crazy schedule.  With Star Wars Rogue One on the horizon, our house is erupting into full Force Fever.  We watched Episode 7 over the weekend... twice... and are ready to finish season two of Rebels.  Evie and I did some X-Wing dueling on Sunday night, and the entire family decided to give Star Wars - Edge of the Empire a try.  

So here's our Star Wars themed "week in review," part one... 

Sunday

Another grudge match in the Walls household, this time between Evie and me.  I guess technically that's virtually every grudge match, between we are the only two regular Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures Game players in the house.  Carrie, Cooper, and Jen occasionally play with us, but it's rare.  

Surprise, surprise, Evie showed up with a pair of TIE-Interceptors and three TIE-Fighters.  Originally we were going to go with two 100 point teams, but we scaled back to 80 points because of it being a school night.  Not that we finished, since we ended up pushing way past bedtime...

... I get an F for parenting skills.  

We did get to dust off our medium freighter miniature though, so that's a win!

A view from my side of the table.  Two X-Wings and a Z-95 that managed to get blown up in the first turn.  Go #TeamJames.

I have to say that I held my own pretty well during this game.  It was five on two for a good portion of the session, until I lost an X-Wing in the last turn before calling it a draw.  Technically Evie won on points, but don't tell her that.  

Monday (Halloween)

Not a gaming night, but for Halloween I went out with Kylo Ren (Evie) as my own Star Wars/Firefly/Doctor Who creation: Cyberbacca Cobb!

Tuesday

We gave Star Wars - Edge of the Empire another try on Tuesday night!  I've had the opportunity to play Age of Rebellion several times over the last year, but it's been about eighteen months since I've attempted to gamemaster Fantasy Flight's Star Wars system myself.  I've gotta say, the beginner's box for this game is fabulous!  It's incredibly easy to get a game going, and the first adventure helps guide a GM step-by-step through the process.  

Jennifer and I are trying to make a commitment to play something every Tuesday night, no matter what happens with our schedule.  It just so happens that we almost weren't able to make good on this first promise.  I had to work late, Jen had to work (she usually works Mondays instead of Tuesdays, but took off yesterday for Halloween), and there was some confusion with bath schedules.  But we were committed...

... so we started playing at 9pm!

Again... "F" for parenting.

For Episode I of Escape from Mos Shuuta we had the following players and characters:

• Carrie played Oskara the Twi'lek Bounty Hunter
• Evie played Lowhhrick the Wookie Hired Gun
• Cooper played 41-VEX the Droid Colonist
• Jennifer played Pash the Human Smuggler

A common silly look from Evie for the evening.  All-in-all, we had a much easier time with the dice mechanic than I expected.  I remembered last time having to spend a lot of time working through the results, but these kiddos picked up quickly.  It helped having character sheets that cover and explain all of the details.

I think the high point of Episode I for us was Evie trying to hide from the Gamorrean Guards.    With her brother hiding in a closet, and both her mom and sister behind a stage, Evie decided to have her wookie try and impersonate a rug...

...

... it didn't work.

Furthermore, when Evie yelled "ouch!" I told her that her character did the same.  The dice result made sense as well.  This, of course, led to a fight scene.

Carrie, our clever artist, illustrated the scene with Oskara sniping the guards from behind a doorway.

Reading the character backstories aloud, covering some of the rules basics, and playing the first two encounters took us just over an hour, so we decided to pause the game...

... to be continued.  

X-Wing Flight Report 10 - The Force Awakens at Panera

#GetOutAndGame Star Wars Episode VII Style

Its been over a month since Evie and I played the Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures Game. Between Gen Con, a trip to Delaware to see my folks, and back to school preparation we just haven't had time to break out the miniatures.  But all that changed this Labor Day weekend!  Yesterday was Force Friday, and my wife Jennifer went out and purchased the new Star Wars - The Force Awakens starter box for X-Wing!

I just have to say that these fighters look awesome!

The rules aren't all that different, and are definitely cross compatible between the two games.  The Boost mechanic is now in the rule book, and there are a few new kinds of turns, including an especially deadly turn for the T-70 X-Wing called a "Tallon Turn."  But the best part about the new box is the miniatures!  You get a pair of First Order TIE Fighters and one T-70 X-Wing.  

We decided to play the new game as part of a father/daughter date.  Packing up the X-Wing Miniatures box and our iPad we set out for Target and Panera.  My wife had the chance to take part in Force Friday, but neither Evie nor I saw the setups.  It was awesome!  Lots of Star Wars swag in the store, and some really fun displays.  When Evie saw the TIE Fighter hanging over the Pepsi she started to dance around.  Chewbacca was pretty cool too.

The movie isn't out yet, but I'm already a BB-8 fan.  We found the cute little ball droid back with in the toy department.  The displays were a little picked over, but still fun to look through.

After a little window shopping (much to Evie's dismay we didn't purchase any toys), we headed next door to the North Huntingdon Panera.  I guess that technically makes this a #GetOutAndGame post, since we played the game in the restaurant.  

Game 14

A 35 point quick game to try out the new Star Wars Episode VII themed X-Wing Miniatures Starter Set. 

• The First Order (Evie):  2 TIE/fo Fighters
• TIE/fo:  Zeta Ace
• TIE/fo:  Omega Squadron Pilot
• The Resistance (Daddy):  1 T-70 X-Wing
• T-70 X-Wing:  Poe Dameron
• Upgrades:  BB-8, Weapons Guidance

The biggest surprise I had with this setup was the TIE/fo's.  Each TIE Fighter had one shield point, which may not seem like much, but during the game it definitely made a difference.  I found the T-70 to be a bit confusing when I first spun the action dial.  There were two kinds of turns that I had never seen before, and it was clear I'd have to fly the ship a bit differently.  The T-70 is certainly more acrobatic than the last generation of X-Wings.  

The Game

It took us a few minutes to setup, and we agreed to keep the table free of any asteroids or stray blueberry scone crumbs.  There were a few people who stopped to watch us play the game, but sadly no kids. Evie and I always on the lookout to enlist a few more young players into the ranks of tabletop gaming.

Everything started off simply enough.  There wasn't much room at the table, so we both realized that this could be a short, and very tight battle.  

We were right!  In the first turn the firing began!  

I decided to focus on Evie's weaker fighter first.  I got the drop on it during the first round of the game, and Evie tends to favor her stronger pilots so much so that she will be a bit careless with her weaker ones.  I figured her second maneuver would most likely place the fighter right in front of my cannons so long as I turned left slightly.

Yes, I am a terrible father exploiting my daughter's flaws.  

I only managed to knock out the TIE/fo's shields in this exchange.  In turn, I lost a shield from the Zeta Ace's blaster cannons. 

I had to caution Evie to make sure she took care of both of her ships, and not just the one that had her better pilot.  I think the advice worked… at least for a little while.

A couple turns later and I was in a great position!  Poe Dameron had a great shot on the Omega Squadron Pilot!  

Evie couldn't watch my rolls, and for some reason thought she was loosing a fighter.  But  those TIE's are so nimble!  Not even a scratch.

She was quickly getting the hang of some of the new maneuvers though, which was bad for me.  She also performed her very first lock-on!  I don't think she's ever had a ship that could do this.  

This was a great round for me.  Three hits, including a pair of criticals and since Evie performed a red maneuver she couldn't Focus.  So three hits on her Zeta Ace.  One more and he was a goner.  

I flew off but had a pair of TIE/fo's in hot pursuit.  

Evie thought the tables had turned, and she giggled in delight at all the dice rolling.  But Poe is a darned good pilot!  he managed to stay clear of any significant damage.  I would really miss the two points of shields though… 

We flew around each other for a turn...

… and then for another turn… 

… and then I had the Zeta Ace in Poe's sights!  

This exchange was a major turning point in the game.  I knocked out the Zeta Ace with some wicked dice rolling.  I think I had two criticals and two regular hits against the Zeta's lone remaining hull point.  But the "turning point" was not in my favor.  This was the last time in the game that I would roll well.  For the Resistance it was all downhill… 

I pressed the attack on the Omega Squadron Pilot, figuring that it would only take a couple passes to knock out this weaker fighter.

But Evie now had the hot hands in the dice game!  Clickety, clickety, clack!

Evie was now the aggressor, and on the second to last turn we argued over whether or not she could hit me.

She couldn't.  

When at first you don't succeed, do a K-Turn...

… and then roll really, really well!  

Poor Poe Dameron and BB-8… I guess they won't be in Episode VIII. 

Of course for Evie this was a blast!  She loves her TIE-Fighters, and really enjoyed her time piloting the TIE/fo's.   

First Order in First Place

During our last battle I smacked the snot out of Evie on her birthday, so its only fitting that she turned the tide during this game.  Honestly, I thought I had her but I made a pair of poor decisions in the end.  Evie gloated a bit, but that is to be expected.  The kid's only nine.  

I told Evie, partway through the game, that she could have an X-Wing Lego set if she happened to beat me.  She was so excited!  So we walked over to Target and took a look at the Legos.

Look at the joy on this cute little geek girl's face!  She was so excited to hold this TIE Fighter boxed set.  Unfortunately, a $60+ Lego purchase wasn't what I had in mind.

I promised Evie a Lego TIE Fighter, but I didn't say "which" Lego TIE Fighter she was going to get.  

Vlog, Vlog, Vlog, Vlog, Vlog-Vlog, Vlog, Vlog-Vlog (think Imperial march)

If you are interested in hearing more about my daughter's glorious victory for the First Order we filmed a brief vlog following our game: