As a Birthday treat I went to see the latest Star Wars film. Of course, I loved it and, as usual, it immediately led me to drool into my X-Wing cupboard. Indeed, it also led to some new purchases - the arrival of which are eagerly anticipated - including a well priced Tantive IV. In all likelihood, I'll never get to play with most of my X-Wing stuff as interest among 'The Lads' isn't that strong, and I'll be left to examine my X-Wing miniatures (about 80 of them) alone, muttering "The Force is with me; I am with the Force."
I also remembered a scenario I'd written (largely based, it must be said, on one already done by Fantasy Games) back in April 2019 but which wasn't played or posted here. It was planned to be a trilogy. However it's been so long since I started it I can't exactly remember the original story arc. Perhaps I'll get round to writing two more episodes later.
As I haven't posted much recently, here it is, even though it's possibly out of trilogy sequence (no Star Wars surprise there then). Not my usual fare or interest, but I love a bit of Star Wars every now and again.
BTW: Happy New Year, everyone!
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| Home made debri, escape pod and asteriod - all essential aesthetic additions for this scenario and partly why I wrote it. |
A long time
ago in a galaxy far, far away……..
………Rebel agent Tinder Caress switches frequencies before she
tries the comms once more. “Come in Esege, do you read me? Come in Esege, are
you out there?”
Sitting at the back of the escape pod, hands tied behind his
back, Moff Diver scowls, then snarls between his teeth “Not going exactly as
planned, is it, Tinder? You’ll never get me out of here, my men will find us
first and then you’ll pay dearly for this.”
“I hear you Tinder. This is Esege and we have you on long
range scanners. Tinder, do you have our prize?” splutters from the comms.
“At last! Yes, I have him but there’s a problem. The escape
pod is not responding to the helm. We’re adrift! And the ion radiation gauge has
gone off the scale.”
“That follows.” Esege replies “You’re adrift in the Tandoori
Asteroid Belt. It’s been a dumping ground for toxic waste for years and it’s
spicy in there to say the least; we’ve seen it before and we have a
solution. Hold tight Tinder, help is on the way. Keep your prisoner safe, he
has information that makes him too valuable to lose.”
“Well, we’ll be here. We’re not going anywhere.”
An hour or so later, Moff Diver asks “May I stretch my legs?”
Tinder
nods, reminding him she is not to be trifled with by raising the muzzle of her
blaster. He stands and moves towards a small viewport. As he does so the comms crackle
into life once again.
“Tinder, we are almost with you. But damn it, Tinder, we are
picking up enemy ships on our scanners. Man the helm, kid. We’ll give you
engine power as quickly as we can. It will be sporadic, so stand by. Tandoori
here we come: It’s squeaky bum time!”
At that moment Tinder and her captive see a green streak of
imperial laser fire flash by the viewport. Moff Diver turns to her “Your mine
now, scum.”
Tinder brings her foot up hard into his groin, sending him
cringing to the floor. As she moves to the helm controls she adds with a curt
smile “I’m just wondering how disposable an asset you are to your friends. Are
they here to recue you, or kill you?” Moff Diver’s jaw drops slightly - that
possibility hadn’t occurred to him……
Star Wars Fact: Moffs: In the fifth year of Emperor Palpatine’s reign, twenty Moffs were appointed as Sector Governors of the First Galactic Empire, answerable only to the Imperial Ruling Council. The Emperor’s favourite, Wilhuff Tarkin [see Peter Cushing] was appointed Grand Moff in the same year and was given command of the Death Star. Moff Diver is a fictional creation of my own.
Victory
Conditions
If the rebels get the escape pod off the ‘exit to safety’
table edge (see deployment picture) before the Imperials have managed to
destroy all of the rebel ships, the rebels win the game. Otherwise, the
Imperials win.
Neither side may
attack the escape pod carrying Tinder Caress and Moff Diver.
The Escape
Pod
Tinder’s escape pod’s systems have been badly effected by
ionising radiation emanating from toxic waste dumped in the Tandoori Asteroid
Belt. The solution is to override the systems in the pod with the systems in
the rebel ships.
To do this, a pilot must:
- Carry out TARGET LOCK on the pod during the ACTION phase.
- Carry out an override action during the COMBAT phase by discarding the ship's TARGET LOCK: Assign 2 override (SCANNER) tokens to the shuttle. This action counts as the ship's attack for the phase.
The pod can have a maximum of three tokens at any time. If the pod has override tokens, Tinder (pilot skill
0), can activate the pod for movement at the start of the ACTIVATION phase by discarding one token. The ship can only use the 1[↑],
2[↑], 1[↰], 1[↱] templates.
In the event of unforeseen damage being taken by the pod, it
has 3 hull tokens.
The Tandoori Asteroid
Belt and Ionising Debris Clouds
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| More home made debri - I posted about this when it was made, see the X-Wing label in the sidebar |
The shape, size and position of obstacles (asteroids and
debris) is defined, as per standard rules, by their token. The models of
asteroids, debris clouds and their bases are purely aesthetic additions.
Asteroids are defined and treated as per the core rules.
Debris clouds are treated as asteroids with the following
exceptions. On collision with a debris field the pilot immediately receives a
STRESS token. One ATTACK DICE is rolled to determine damage: on a damage result the pilot
receives one ion token; on a critical damage result the pilot receives one damage and one ion token.
Imperial
Reinforcements
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| Keeping it nice and simple, especially for 'reserve elements', is often best. |
The Imperials always have the benefit of almost limitless
resources to throw at any problem and this one is no different.
When an Imperial ship has been lost by either imperial
player he will roll a single ATTACK DICE for reinforcements in the END phase of
each turn. On a FOCUS result a reinforcing ship will arrive immediately.
Reinforcements arrive within a range 3 radius of any playing space corner; they
arrive facing toward the centre of the playing space.
There are a maximum of six reinforcement TIE fighters (flown
by Obsidian Squadron pilots @13 points each) and a single Lambda Class Shuttle
(flown by an Omicron Group pilot @21 points) that are close enough to reach the
battle area in the time available. No ships have upgrades. To determine a
random order of arrival the pilot cards for these ships should be shuffled and
the deck placed face down; as a ship arrives its pilot card should be taken
from the top of the deck.
Set-up, Initial
Deployment Zones & Squadrons
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| I really did do all of this and then not play it. I even set it all up and took photos of it! |
The playing surface for this game is 4’ x 4’. Eight large
asteroids (using 18 tokens) and three large debris fields (using 5 tokens) have
been deployed in this area.
Tinder’s escape pod has been deployed centrally and
approximately 60 cm from the ‘exit to safety’ table edge but without a clear
run to it - the rudimentary turns permitted to the pod will make the journey
much longer.
Each side will begin in corners of the playing surface that
face each other diagonally, one player’s ships in each corner. Ships must be
initially deployed within a range 3 radius of their assigned table corner (the
picture shows all ships deployed to their maximum radius).
The Imperial players have Sabre Squadron which comprises four
of the best fighter pilots at the Empire’s disposal, flying well-armed, very
fast and nimble TIE Interceptors. Black / Onyx Squadron is a combined task
force of two lightly armed but nimble TIE Fighters and two more heavily armed
TIE Aggressor escort ships mounting twin laser turrets (360 arc of fire) and
missiles.
The Rebel Alliance players have Blue Squadron, led by Ten
Numb, comprising three very well-armed and strongly built and shielded B-Wings; whilst
all have proton torpedoes, Ten Numb’s ship is also fitted with a Flechette
cannon. Esege Tuketu’s K-Wing strike force combines a K-Wing and two X-Wing
escorts. The X-Wings are fitted with the usual proton torpedoes and carry R2 D2 astromechs for in flight repairs (Note: R2D2's abilities are not unique for this scenario). Esege’s K-Wing is armed to the teeth with an
assortment of weaponry and specialist crew, including bombs, mines, torpedoes and
its standard armament of turret mounted lasers.
The picture above shows the layout for this scenario.
· Tinder’s escape pod can be seen in the centre of
the battle area.
· The edge allowing Tinder’s escape pod to exit to
safety is marked with a red line.
· The four squadrons have been deployed out to
their maximum radius. Deployment formation can be changed prior to play
providing the radius is maintained.
Other Notes
The rules for X-Wing version 1 can be found at this address:
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/x-wing/support/SWX01_XwingCoreRulebook_lowres.pdf
It covers most things except the specific rules for bombs
and missiles. Bombs are dropped immediately after the ships move dial is
revealed. Connor Nets are dropped as an ACTION.
Missiles and torpedoes are
fired in the COMBAT phase. The effect of special weaponry is detailed on the
squadron reference sheets below.
Two ACTIONS not covered in the rules or, except by their
symbol in the ship’s action bar on the squadron sheets, are SLAM (available to
the K-Wing), and BOOST (available to TIE Interceptors.
- SLAM ACTION: (Sub Light Acceleration Motor). To SLAM, choose and execute a manoeuvre on the ships dial. The chosen manoeuvre must be the same speed as the one executed this round. Then assign the ship with a weapons disabled token which is removed in the END phase.
- BOOST ACTION: To BOOST, choose and execute a forward 1; or bank 1; or turn 1 manoeuvre.
Sabre Squadron: 79
Onyx / Black Squadron: 50
Blue Squadron: 71 pts
Esege Tuketu’s K-Wing strike force: 71 pts
1 comment:
This is nifty. I quite enjoy X-Wing, but also don't get as much chance to play as I'd like.
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