As it is my newest "Toy", and as shown in the last mission, and (Spoiler Alert!) the next one... The VT-49 Decimator is pretty awesome.
It's not agile (No evade dice unless through obstacles or at distance), but with a hefty 12 hull points plus 4 Shields, that's 3 more hits than the Falcon can take, add to that missiles, bombs, several crew, 360 primary weapon - it will take a concerted effort to bring one down...
My current Fave ship! - although I have yet to fully come to grips with the TIE Phantom...
Actually, I may work my way through the ships and my thoughts on them as future blogs...
Watch this space!
Sunday, 22 February 2015
A Visitor to the Squadron...
+22/01/2015+INCOMING MESSAGE++
After an enforced period of inactivity in the outer rim region the squadron receive a visit from Rear Admiral Chiraneau and a VT-49 Decimator. On board is Ysanne Isard has information about Rebel activity. Five Ships from Vulture Squadron accompanied the Decimator to intercept the rebels, and all four ships were destroyed.
+++END MESSAGE++
This was a straight play of the Mission from the VT-49 Decimator pack, with the two TIE's being from Vulture Squadron (Mission 11: INTERDICTION) played between myself and Mike. As mentioned above, a stunning victory for the Imperials!
The reason I specifically wanted to include the blurb from the mission, was that it really summed up how the game played out. The rules from the Mission stipulate that the imperials have the Ruthlessness card which read -
"Imperial Only. After you perform an attack that hits, you must choose 1 other ship at Range 1 of the defender (other than yourself). That ship suffers 1 damage."
Now this is great when attacking a group of Rebel ships in tight formation...but in this instance, the accuracy of the imperial gunners was idle boasting. I complete destroyed one of my own TIE fighters, and helped destroy the other.
Oh well, a wins a win!
Other than that, I know I kind of bent my own set rules by fielding a ship not currently part of Vulture Squadron, but hey, It was a "Guest" ship, and was oh so shiny and new...
On a serious note, the Decimator is kind of awesome... as shown in the next big mission...(ahem, breaking my own rules again!)
As to updating the squadron... added 10 "pilot" points, replaced the two destroyed Academy Pilots with two fresh recruits from the Academy, and added a basic TIE interceptor (Alpha Squadron).
The re-numbered list looks like -
After an enforced period of inactivity in the outer rim region the squadron receive a visit from Rear Admiral Chiraneau and a VT-49 Decimator. On board is Ysanne Isard has information about Rebel activity. Five Ships from Vulture Squadron accompanied the Decimator to intercept the rebels, and all four ships were destroyed.
The following is from the logs of the Decimator
The Imperial Commander stood stock-still upon the bridge of the VT-49 Decimator, hands clasped tightly behind her back, watching through the viewports as two TIE fighters moved to intercept a pair of Rebel ships.
"Perhaps you can explain something to me lieutenant," she said, her icy voice breaking the silence. "Why aren't our batteries firing?"
"Our fighters are engaging the enemy Commander. We have no clear shot."
"I have heard you praise the accuracy of your gunnery teams on numerous occasions. I hope it was more than idle boasting. Commence firing!"
+++END MESSAGE++
This was a straight play of the Mission from the VT-49 Decimator pack, with the two TIE's being from Vulture Squadron (Mission 11: INTERDICTION) played between myself and Mike. As mentioned above, a stunning victory for the Imperials!
The reason I specifically wanted to include the blurb from the mission, was that it really summed up how the game played out. The rules from the Mission stipulate that the imperials have the Ruthlessness card which read -
"Imperial Only. After you perform an attack that hits, you must choose 1 other ship at Range 1 of the defender (other than yourself). That ship suffers 1 damage."
Now this is great when attacking a group of Rebel ships in tight formation...but in this instance, the accuracy of the imperial gunners was idle boasting. I complete destroyed one of my own TIE fighters, and helped destroy the other.
Oh well, a wins a win!
Other than that, I know I kind of bent my own set rules by fielding a ship not currently part of Vulture Squadron, but hey, It was a "Guest" ship, and was oh so shiny and new...
On a serious note, the Decimator is kind of awesome... as shown in the next big mission...(ahem, breaking my own rules again!)
As to updating the squadron... added 10 "pilot" points, replaced the two destroyed Academy Pilots with two fresh recruits from the Academy, and added a basic TIE interceptor (Alpha Squadron).
The re-numbered list looks like -
- TIE Bomber - Gamma Squadron - 18 Points
- TIE Bomber - Scimitar Squadron - 16 Points
- TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron - 13 Points
- TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron - 13 Points
- TIE Advanced - Tempest Squadron - 21 Points
- TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot - 12 Points
- TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot - 12 Points
- TIE Interceptor - Alpha Squadron - 18 Points
A Second Outing for Vulture Squadron
+28/06/2014+INCOMING MESSAGE++
Four members of Vulture Squadron were on a routine patrol when they happened across a smuggler running weapons for the rebel alliance. This ship had an X-wing escort. Although some casualties were taken by Vulture Squadron and the smuggler managed to evade us, the x-wing escort was destroyed and the smugglers run disrupted.
++END MESSAGE++
So, what happened? The ships out were
3) Scimitar Squadron - TIE Bomber - Lost
5) Academy Pilot - TIE Fighter - Returned to Base
6) Academy Pilot - TIE Fighter - Lost
7) Tempest Squadron - TIE Advanced - Lost
A limited success, so 5 additional pilot points.
New squadron layout -
1. TIE Bomber – Gamma Squadron 18 points
2. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
3. Lost
4. TIE Fighter – Obsidian Squadron 13 points (Upgrade)
6. Lost
7. Lost
8. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot 12 points (NEW)
9. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot 12 points (NEW)
10. TIE Advanced - Tempest Squadron 21 points (NEW)
using 105 of the available 115 Pilot points....
Although I've added the new ships on the end, I'll start to fill the gaps when I next add any pilots...
Four members of Vulture Squadron were on a routine patrol when they happened across a smuggler running weapons for the rebel alliance. This ship had an X-wing escort. Although some casualties were taken by Vulture Squadron and the smuggler managed to evade us, the x-wing escort was destroyed and the smugglers run disrupted.
++END MESSAGE++
So, what happened? The ships out were
3) Scimitar Squadron - TIE Bomber - Lost
5) Academy Pilot - TIE Fighter - Returned to Base
6) Academy Pilot - TIE Fighter - Lost
7) Tempest Squadron - TIE Advanced - Lost
A limited success, so 5 additional pilot points.
New squadron layout -
1. TIE Bomber – Gamma Squadron 18 points
2. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
3. Lost
4. TIE Fighter – Obsidian Squadron 13 points (Upgrade)
6. Lost
7. Lost
8. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot 12 points (NEW)
9. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot 12 points (NEW)
10. TIE Advanced - Tempest Squadron 21 points (NEW)
using 105 of the available 115 Pilot points....
Although I've added the new ships on the end, I'll start to fill the gaps when I next add any pilots...
Saturday, 14 February 2015
The First Engagement...
+08/06/2014+INCOMING MESSAGE++
So, what happened... game wise, I picked a hundred point squadron, and flew with Ben, a mission against Adam's rebels.
Pilot wise my hundred points was restricted to the pilots/ ships already detailed as being in Vulture squadron. I then made up the additional points in add-ons/ missiles/ bombs etc.
We flew the against the rebel ships (including the rebel transport), and came away successful . I added 10 additional pilot points, and updated Vulture squadron as below -
1. TIE Bomber – Gamma Squadron 18 points (UPGRADE)
2. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
3. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
4. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
5. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
6. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
7. TIE Advanced – Tempest Squadron 21 Points (NEW SHIP)
using 105 of the available 110 Pilot points....
Is this starting to make sense...
Next post, will be the next mission...
Three members of Vulture squadron were part of a joint patrol
that happened across a rebel alliance transport and it’s X-wing escort. All
rebel ships were destroyed. There were several imperial ships lost (including
the loss of a fire spray) but all vulture squadron pilots safely returned.
++END MESSAGE++So, what happened... game wise, I picked a hundred point squadron, and flew with Ben, a mission against Adam's rebels.
Pilot wise my hundred points was restricted to the pilots/ ships already detailed as being in Vulture squadron. I then made up the additional points in add-ons/ missiles/ bombs etc.
We flew the against the rebel ships (including the rebel transport), and came away successful . I added 10 additional pilot points, and updated Vulture squadron as below -
1. TIE Bomber – Gamma Squadron 18 points (UPGRADE)
2. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
3. TIE Bomber – Scimitar Squadron 16 points
4. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
5. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
6. TIE Fighter – Academy Pilot 12 points
7. TIE Advanced – Tempest Squadron 21 Points (NEW SHIP)
using 105 of the available 110 Pilot points....
Is this starting to make sense...
Next post, will be the next mission...
Friday, 13 February 2015
So, What are the Requirements...
Remember this whole squadron thing is very much for my own amusement, and bearing in mind it's in relation to a game (as good as that game may be!), I didn't want to create something onerous and overly complicated which may restrict play and enjoyment.
But some rules were needed...
Does that make sense... I suppose what you really want to know is how did the first outing of Vulture squadron pan out...
But some rules were needed...
- You start with 100 Pilot points (not to be confused with points used when building a team for a specific mission)
- These points are only used on pilot cards
- When selecting for a mission you select your pilots from your "squadron" and then add any additional stuff based on the points for the mission
- You can only start with the lowest pilot skills
- As you play missions, if you win, you get an extra 10 pilot points (5 points for a partial success)
- Between missions you can upgrade your pilots/ ships
- If a ship is destroyed during a game that ship/ pilot is gone and you have to go back to the lowest pilot skill.
- If a ship goes off the board he has "run away" rather than be destroyed (No good for the rest of that mission but back to the squadron)
- If a named pilot is destroyed, then he is destroyed...so sometimes worth running away...
Initial hundred pilot points for Vulture Squadron was spent on - 3*Scimitar Squadron TIE Bombers at 16 points each and 3* Academy Pilots TIE Fighters at 12 points, giving a total spend from my "Pilot Points" of 84 points...Did I say you had to use all the pilot points?... you don't - maybe you're saving up for a big upgrade or new ship...
Anyway, in the first mission I played was a 100 pointer. I selected my 3 TIE bombers, and 2 Academy Pilots - 72 points... the remaining 28 points were spent on bombs and missiles as needed for the mission.
Does that make sense... I suppose what you really want to know is how did the first outing of Vulture squadron pan out...
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
A little bit of Squadron History...
So here's the deal. We all between us played the game when we had chance, and although we planned big grandiose campaigns and full days and weekends immersing ourselves in all things Star Wars, we never really got round to it...
So I thought, if I just try and tie all my games together in a semi linear fashion, to try and add a bit of a back story, to help keep it interesting...The obvious answer was a squadron I could build up over days / weeks/ months, adding to it after each game, and hopefully each success. I could use the squadron in the set missions that come with the game, missions we write ourselves (more of that to come!) or just in a dog fight...
An added bonus was it made me start small and simple, and gradually build up what I play with. By that, I mean that although I've got pretty much all the ships, and read lots of tips and advise on best set-ups and combos of cards, pilots and special skills, doing it this way means I can really learn about the ships, how they fly and interact, and gradually build up the "other stuff" without getting buried in the detail.
So, the plan was a squadron, and obviously(!) it had to be Imperial, and I started with a stack of basic TIE fighters and a couple of TIE Bombers. To add some atmosphere before the first game I played with the newly christened Vulture Squadron and wrote the following blurb with my two boys... Now if you could picture it in the classic Star Wars screen scrawl that would be great....
So I thought, if I just try and tie all my games together in a semi linear fashion, to try and add a bit of a back story, to help keep it interesting...The obvious answer was a squadron I could build up over days / weeks/ months, adding to it after each game, and hopefully each success. I could use the squadron in the set missions that come with the game, missions we write ourselves (more of that to come!) or just in a dog fight...
An added bonus was it made me start small and simple, and gradually build up what I play with. By that, I mean that although I've got pretty much all the ships, and read lots of tips and advise on best set-ups and combos of cards, pilots and special skills, doing it this way means I can really learn about the ships, how they fly and interact, and gradually build up the "other stuff" without getting buried in the detail.
So, the plan was a squadron, and obviously(!) it had to be Imperial, and I started with a stack of basic TIE fighters and a couple of TIE Bombers. To add some atmosphere before the first game I played with the newly christened Vulture Squadron and wrote the following blurb with my two boys... Now if you could picture it in the classic Star Wars screen scrawl that would be great....
Episode III (and a half): VULTURE SQUADRON
After an initial period of relative stability under the rule
of Emperor Palpatine, the rise of the rebel alliance is seeing an increased
need for new imperial navy squadrons to be assembled.
One of these is Vulture Squadron. Drawn together from new
raw recruits fresh from the academy, with all the might of the empires war
machine behind it, the squadron has the dual purpose of keeping the varied
systems in place with their TIE bombers whilst always being ready to meet the
rebels in ship to ship action with a wing of TIE fighters.
The new pilots must be ready to carry out the emperors will
at a moment’s notice. Let battle commence…
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