Hello and welcome to this weeks blog.
When I decided to write a blog it was for two reasons, 1) to put out something that people would find interesting (hopefully) and 2) to force me to analyze my games and improve (again hopefully).
So I’m writing this and not really wanting to! Why? Well to be brutally honest I’m embarrassed about the game I played last night. But if I’m to improve I have to take the good with bad and man up.
So you may be wondering about the title and that this isn’t the battle report I’d promised from the Tauntaun Regional.
Well, it has been The Worst of Times. I was called up for Jury Service and I did two cases, the first was Sexual Assault and it was unpleasant but I thought I was fine that week.
Last week ( my second week on Jury Service ) found me sat on the sofa on my own on Wednesday night about to burst into tears. As a grown man I was frankly shocked by how I felt after hearing three days of a rape case with both men involved accusing each other of rape.
We concluded the case on the Thursday but I just didn’t have it in me to write a blog about five X-Wing games.
So apologies to all my opponents at the Tauntaun Regional, the games were all awesome, I just don’t have the mental energy to face that much writing.
But thank you to all my wonderful X-Wing buddies who realized something was up and reached out. You are The Best of Times. Thank you.
Luckily last week Team Wales had a rest week. This week we get to play Team Germany. I’m lucky to be friends with a lot of the team.
But it was The Best of Times to get paired into Jannis Fritsch. I love this amazing man.
We first met two years ago at Sith Takers. I wasn’t really feeling X-Wing at the time and had gone to see all my friends before putting X-Wing away and moving on.
As usual I’m having a great time at Sith Takers and thinking it’s a great way to finish playing the game when I get paired into Jannis at the end of the day.
As we went into the last round of our game either of us could have won and we walked around the table after setting dials and hugged each other, it had been such a fun game. I managed to pinch the game but more importantly Jannis kept me playing and I’m absolutely loving X-Wing. Thank you buddy.
This was to be the second time we’d played and it was just the opponent I needed after last week.
So what was Jannis flying?
Now I’m feeling confident in this match up. I can initiative kill Nimi and C’ai with all my I5’6 ships. Poe can be tricky but if I catch him I can hurt him.
So my plan is grab an objective (we are playing ancient knowledge) to stop Jannis racking up points, kill what ever he presents me with and spread the rocks to limit trick shot.
Well it’s probably a good plan if I stick to it.
I think I actually got a good set up. Jannis was surprised that I managed to get the small rock (top middle) into the space between the larger rocks and didn’t sound happy
So I do my standard set up, Wolffe, Oddball and Obi in one corner and Ani flanking, I did didn’t I, oh god please say I did!!
No, I decided that Wolffe would pick up and then everything would go to the left to stay away from Trick Shot Poe and force Jannis to come through the rocks. The only thing is ‘no plan lasts after getting punched in the face’. This will now be a very embarrassing report of my stupidity.
Turn One, Obi goes two forward as I’m expecting Poe to turn BUT if he comes forward I don’t really want to joust him, between M9-G8 re-rolls and Rey Gunner he’s going to pump out 3 hits almost all the time. Wolffe one forwards and will grab the knowledge next turn. Oddball does the same and Ani hard one barrel rolls back into the corner. I’m already feeling I’ve made a terrible mistake.
Turn Two. What if Jarek and C’ai get good shots into Wolffe? I’m, on tilt and panic and decide that Ani can grab the knowledge. Oddball will barrel roll so Wolffe can K-Turn over him next turn and then I’ll have all my ships jousting Jarek and C’ai while Poe and Nimi come around the top rocks.
But as I look at the position I’m unsure that Wolffe will clear Oddball (we chatted after and Jannis thinks it would have cleared), my tilt level is rising. We both score 2 points for objectives.
Turn Three and I decide to not risk the K-Turn (images of Ani dying the last time I tried to jump Wolffe over Oddball are in my head) and knowing it’s not great I hard turn left towards my board edge.
Oddball goes forward and Obi three banks in to take on Jarek and C’ai with support from Ani.
Poe goes forward and then Jannis barrel rolls him and suddenly Oddball is taking three shots. I’m lucky that Jarek couldn’t do the slam or he would have taken a procket as well.
My dice decide that I’m on my own and C’ai takes minimal damage and Oddball losses his shields and takes a hit but isn’t halved.
We are tied at 4 points each but I’m in a terrible position and know it. Wolffe needs to get back into the fight.
Turn Four and I go back and forth about turning Wolffe left or right. I’m certain whichever way I go is wrong. Eventually I choose left as this seems to be where the fight is going to be.
Poe’s through the rocks with a range one into Oddball or Obi and a procket from Jarek. Ani has the bullseye on C’ai. Shots are fired and Obi and Oddball are halved, ouch, Jannis is now 18-10 up. Wolffe has yet to shoot, well done Steve
Turn Five and I K-Turn Wolffe to get a shot into C’ai, Obi also K-Turn’s, Jannis reminds me about R2 but I decline needing shots at this stage (Jannis is such a lovely opponent, he spent the whole game reminding me of things when he didn’t have to). Ani get’s a lovely bulls eye shot into Poe but I’d won road so Poe just boosted out and I have another round with a ship not attacking.
Oddball dies and I’m 26-17 down with half an hour left, so maybe three rounds.
Turn Six and Poe pounds Wolffe who only has a range zero shot into C’ai. Jarek is on one health but I have no shots on him and he’s set up to run. I need to get points so I’m grabbing objectives, Obi grabs the knowledge and regens giving me 4 points and Ani drops his at the end of the round. I’m still down 28-21 but I’ve slowed the bleed.
I won’t see Jarak again so I need to halve Poe or kill Nimi
Turn Seven and Wolffe is finally halved. Ani gets a bullseye into Nimi but only gets two hits. It’s 38-23 and I’m 15 points behind. I joke with Jannis that my win condition is to kill Poe. With the clock on 7 minutes I know I have one more round.
If I kill Nimi that’s 11 points, have two knowledge another 4 and I could tie the game but all Jannis needs to do is have a knowledge and the 2 points wins the game.
Turn Eight and I finally do something well, I get Nimi in a kill box and kill him. I also get two knowledge and bring my score upto 38 but Jannis has a knowledge as well and takes the game 40-38
Congrats Jannis, you’re a great player and a lovely opponent.
Conclusion
I think the message I sent to my team mates says it best
I was trying to say ‘shot myself in the foot’ but I think ‘shit on my foot’ is probably more correct.
I should have just put the two Arcs in my right corner to joust Jarek and C’ai, they could have grabbed a knowledge. With Obi there I probably take a procket but with kind dice I kill Jarek, maybe hurt C’ai and it’s a different game
Jannis is an absolute pleasure to play and even though I’m embarrassed with how I played he certainly is ‘The Best of Times‘ and a well deserved winner.
It’s been a tough couple of weeks but it’s the friends you make in X-Wing from all over the world who make it what it is.
I’m loving the game at the moment and looking forward to my next in person event in Newport. I have an FO list that I want to try. I can then make a decision on what I take to Cornish Nationals next month.
Next week we play Serbia which I’m looking forward to. Hopefully I can play better (not hard) than I did this week and make a new X-Wing buddy.
Pew pew everyone
StevieB
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