Time for a Big one...

Well, I've updated the squadron following last weeks mission... and felt it was time to add a big ship, so welcome the Lambda Class Shuttle.

I've spent the last however long working with the "little" ships, so this should be a bit of a new challenge as the big bases really do mess with the whole movement thing!

Also, think it's time my TIE bombers actually made it out of the hanger for a mission

The current squadron roster...

1. TIE Bomber -  Gamma Squadron - 18 Points
2. TIE Bomber -  Scimitar Squadron - 16 Points
3. TIE Fighter -  Obsidian Squadron - 13 Points
4. destroyed in last mission - currently blank
5. TIE Advanced  -  Tempest Squadron - 21 Points
6. TIE Fighter -  Academy Pilot - 12 Points (Replacement)
7. TIE Fighter -  Obsidian Squadron ,, - 13 Points (Upgrade)
8. TIE Interceptor -   Alpha Squadron - 18 Points (Replacement)
9. Lambda-Class Shuttle - Omicron Group  Pilot - 21 Points (New Ship)

132 of 135 Pilot points used.

Next game on Friday!

MISSION 4: Den of Thieves

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Sent by the imperial central intelligence section to Vulture Squadron

Because of their fundamental role in the Imperial Navy, Sienar engineers are vital to the Empires hold on the galaxy. Their ceaseless toil is responsible for the most recent star ship prototype, currently in transit to rendezvous with the imperial fleet. Alliance intelligence discovered it only days ago and offered a substantial reward for the prototypes capture. Rebel-aligned smugglers are prepared to ambush the vulnerable shipment, and the modest Imperial excort must safely deliver its precious cargo

A Vulture squadron escort consisting of a TIE Advanced armed with Cluster missiles, four TIE Fighters (a pair of Obsidian Squadron pilots and a couple of Academy pilots) plus the Alpha Squadron TIE interceptor - freshly delivered to the Vultures.

The three Containers the Vulture squadron were escorting were indeed ambushed by rebel scum (the infamous Millennium Falcon and 3 head hunters).

Whilst the falcon escaped with a single head-hunter, the other two were destroyed, and all three containers safely delivered.

Two TIE fighters and the TIE Interceptor were lost, but the mission itself was still a resounding success.

+++END MESSAGE++

Wow - as today, I've caught up!... who knows the next update should be straight after the next game (this Friday 6th March!)

This mission was (as the title suggests) a straight run of "Mission 4: Den of Thieves" from the Millennium Falcon expansion pack, and was played between myself and Adam.

Adam kind of played this all wrong, and took his time in getting to the containers... also, we took the rules as being that the "steal action" was just that - an Action... so I made a point of sitting a TIE in front of the falcon all the time... causing a collision and meaning, yes, no Action for the falcon...

A good game, interesting the more missions played, with different victory conditions, the more you get to think about different tactics, not just dog fights....

A good win for the Vultures, and an extra 10 pilot points...  meaning after the mission the squadron looks like -

1. TIE Bomber - Gamma Squadron      - 18 Points
2. TIE Bomber - Scimitar Squadron     - 16 Points
3. TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron     - 13 Points
4. TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron     - destroyed
5. TIE Advanced - Tempest Squadron - 21 Points
6. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot            - destroyed
7. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot            - 12 Points
8. TIE Interceptor - Alpha Squadron    - destroyed

80 points of 135 points used... time for a new ship and some upgrades...

Looks like a photo opp...

I've finally found a camera, and assembled the current Vulture Squadron...

I'll mock up some other pictures of previous missions and that so... watch this space ...

I don't always win you know...

On the same night as the previous mission, before everyone arrived we had a couple of runs of Mission 2: Asteroid Run... Vulture squadron took part...and didn't cover themselves in glory...

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From the intercepted logs of a rebel ship -
"Whilst scouting the outer Rim, rebel ships came across a hidden

Imperial outpost. Unfortunately before they could contact the rebellion, the imperial facility's ION cannons fired a barrage disabling the communications relay and hyperdrive engine on one of the rebel ships. In desperation, the rebels have fled to a nearby asteroid field while their astromechs attempt to repair the damaged systems. Hopelessly outnumbered the disabled ship must survive  until its systems are back online, and then must flee the battlefield in order to notify Rebel high command."

Two Academy pilots were despatched to intercept, but were unable to stop the rebel X-wing escaping. Mission failed.

+++END MESSAGE++

I'm using the excuse that it was my first game in ages and thought I could be all cocky with my formation TIE flying... I dallied around the bottom of the board whilst the astromech on the x-wing fixed its engines and it scarpered...

No extra points from this one for the Vultures...

Even For the Imperials...This was pretty Low...

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Whilst the VT-49 Decimator was still in the Sector, members of Vulture Squadron went on a joint mission with it and several other visiting TIE Interceptors lead by Commander Tiller.
News reached us of Rebel sympathetic smuggler activity. The patrol went out and encountered two smuggler vessels (a YT-1300 and YT-2400) along with several other rebel Star fighters.
The ships were challenged and engaged. All Rebel ships were destroyed with no casualties to Vulture Squadron.

+++END MESSAGE++

This was a full house gaming night with Myself, Adam, Mike and Ben. and as well as a couple of quick missions from the core rules, we had a big 4 player, two on each side game. As a social thing this is what I like best about the game. Although it is only "two-sided" (i.e. Rebels vs. Imperials - although Scum & Villainy to come soon!), I like having a 4 player, two on each side game.

We play this as each player having there own "Squadron", but checking and conversing for tactics etc. for the same end goal. Often even those squadrons will be set up to compliment each other.

For instance, the two rebels may have 100 points each, one with a couple of slower attack ships (Y-wings or B-wings, maybe even a Falcon thrown in there) and the other a "Fighter" escort (X or A -wings). In this way each player will be set up slightly differently and will play in a different manner - whilst checking tactics with each other to achieve the same end goal.

In the mission above it was myself and Adam as the Imperials, and Mike and Ben as the Rebel (Scum).

The joy of the social side of gaming, is that this being Mike's first game in a while, he went out especially and bought himself the falcon that afternoon. In knowing he had done this, the agreed tactic of myself and Adam was...Destroy the Falcon.

Now, tactically this would probably be the thing to do, as the YT-1300 is a beast of a ship... but it was nothing to do with that, it was just, I guess the imperial coming out in us. Sorry Mike.

Once the Falcon was gone, Dash Rendars YT-2400 soon followed and the imperials easily mopped up the rest. Adam's Interceptors took a lot of damaged, but the Decimator came through pretty much unscathed along with the rest of Vulture Squadron.

So another 10 points for Vulture Squadron...

My squadron stayed the same as previous, but now using 123 of 135 available points. The reason I'm not rushing to "Spend" my extra points, is to add a bigger ship when I can "afford" it points wise...

SHIP PROFILE: VT-49 Decimator...

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!

A Visitor to the Squadron...

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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 -

1. TIE Bomber - Gamma Squadron      - 18 Points
2. TIE Bomber - Scimitar Squadron     - 16 Points
3. TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron     - 13 Points
4. TIE Fighter - Obsidian Squadron     - 13 Points
5. TIE Advanced - Tempest Squadron - 21 Points
6. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot            - 12 Points
7. TIE Fighter - Academy Pilot            - 12 Points
8. TIE Interceptor - Alpha Squadron    - 18 Points

A total of 123 Points from a possible 125 point