xwingnovember2

Will the new T-70 X-Wing bring back (a version of) the X-Wing to the X-Wing tournament scene?

It’s a question I have been asking myself. Now, at a local tournament, I ran a test with the following Rebels Squadron, featuring the top X-Wing aces of two eras: Poe Dameron and Wedge Antilles.

X-Wing Aces Old & New

My 99 points Rebels X-Wing tournament list:

  • Wedge Antilles (X-Wing) with BB-8 (2), Push the Limit (3) and Plasma Torpedos (3) – 38 points
  • Poe Dameron (T-70 X-Wing) with R5-P9 (3), Lone Wolf (2) and Autothrusters (2) – 38 points
  • Bandit Squadron Pilot (Z-95 Headhunter) – 12 points
  • Bandit Squadron Pilot (Z-95 Headhunter) – 12 points

To Hit Hard, To Survive the End Game

There is a nice symmetry in the list, with two X-Wing aces at 38 points and two Bandits, who generally serve to purpose of being a nuisance to my opponent.

Though the two X-Wing aces cost me the same amount of points, they fly very differently on the table.

Wedge Antilles

  • Wedge Antilles is not nearly as survivable as Poe Dameron. He rarely survived the games.

He did deal massive amounts of damage and I was really, really positively surprised with the BB-8 + Push the Limit combination. I knew it was good. I didn’t know how good. It makes the X-Wing extremely maneouverable (for an X-Wing) and allowed Wedge Antilles to deliver his trademark killer-attacks right where he needed them to be. With or without Wedge Antilles, this is a combination I will certainly use again (with a T-70 X-Wing Red Squadron Veteran or even Poe Dameron himself).

Poedam

  • Poe Dameron in this build was the exact opposite to Wedge Antilles, as far as X-Wing-builds go. With Autothrusters, re-rolls from Lone Wolf and the ability to regenerate shields, he was meant (and usually was) built for the end game, the last ship on the table, where he excelled at wars of attrition.

Again, I am happy to report that Poe Dameron served excellently in this faction.

In one game, circling with an equally mobile and nearly as robust IG-88 Aggressor, I was able to wear my opponent down through many, many turns of shooting and shield-regenerating.

It wasn’t the finest game of X-Wing ever played, but it shows Poe Dameron’s potential for the long game, assuming he does not die early in the game to a concentrated barrage.

Final Thoughts?

Did I win the tournament?

No. I was beaten soundly by a Scum-&-Villainy-Swarm full off M3-A Interceptors and only just managed to eke out a small, technical victory by points against a Squadron of Y-Wings with Twin Laser Turrets and Corran Horn in an E-Wing.

That said, both X-Wing were tons of fun to fly. They were also effective in their own right and complemented each other well.

A fun list, and I will definitely fly something along those lines again!