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So as it states in the title I'm going to my first tournament in a weeks time. I've come up with 4 lists but have got to the point where my inexperience has me double questioning every upgrade choice. I just can't decide on one so any C&C/advice would be great, I just hope I'm on the right lines with one of these lists!

List 1: Rebel Squad
PS 8 - •Ten Numb (38pts) ["Mangler" Cannon (4pts), Fire-Control System (2pts), Veteran Instincts (1pts)]

PS 5 - •Biggs Darklighter (25pts)

PS 2 - Gold Squadron Pilot (25pts) [BTL-A4 Y-Wing, Ion Cannon Turret (5pts), •R3-A2 (2pts)]

PS 2 - Bandit Squadron Pilot (12pts)

My intention would be to fly this as a squad but if it splits would keep Numb and Biggs together and use the Y and Z for Control/Blocking respectively

List 2: Bounty for hire
PS 6 - •IG-88B (50pts) ["Mangler" Cannon (4pts), Autothrusters (2pts), Inertial Dampeners (1pts), Predator (3pts), Sensor Jammer (4pts)]

PS 8 - •Boba Fett (50pts) [Engine Upgrade (4pts), Gunner (5pts), Inertial Dampeners (1pts), Veteran Instincts (1pts)]

This list would be largely a hit and run list with Boba getting in close to utilise his ability whilst IG88B performs attack runs turning h a hit to crit with mangler and rolling hits to focus with sensor jammer.

List 3: Scarlet and friends
PS 2 - Syndicate Thug (24pts) [BTL-A4 Y-Wing, Ion Cannon Turret (5pts), Unhinged Astromech (1pts)]

PS 2 - Syndicate Thug (24pts) [BTL-A4 Y-Wing, Ion Cannon Turret (5pts), Unhinged Astromech (1pts)]

PS 7 - •Kath Scarlet (52pts) [Determination (1pts), Engine Upgrade (4pts), Heavy Laser Cannon (7pts), Inertial Dampeners (1pts), •Greedo (1pts)]

Using the Ys to set up targets I can the unleash 4+ red dice from Kath flipping the first damage over to crit using Greedo and at the same time countering him with determination.

List 4: Brobots

PS 6 - •IG-88B (48pts) ["Hot Shot" Blaster (3pts), "Mangler" Cannon (4pts), Autothrusters (2pts), Fire-Control System (2pts), IG-2000, Veteran Instincts (1pts)]

PS 6 - •IG-88D (52pts) [Advanced Sensors (3pts), Autothrusters (2pts), Heavy Laser Cannon (7pts), IG-2000, Inertial Dampeners (1pts), Predator (3pts)]

Standard brobot build use b to buzzsaw with the mangler, hotshot blaster to deter tails, then use d's ability to setup sniping positions with the HLC.

Alrighty then. So if this is your first tournament I'll hazard a guess that you haven't been playing that long? The first two questions I normally ask people before giving list building advice is what do you enjoy flying and what's in your collection so far?

All the lists could work. Everything in X-Wing is viable to one extent or another in the right players hands but I feel there's some room for optimisation in your lists and some logic that I don't quite follow.

List 1:Rebel Squad, is just that. A bog standard 4 ship rebel jousting list with some nice control mechanics with the BTL-A4/Stressbot combo. Its a good list for a new player, but may struggle severely with arc dodgers like A-Wings/Interceptors/IG's.

List 2:Bounty for Hire, is a style of list I've never really got. IG's just get too much out of the title to share pilot ability's for me to ever think that using them in a non-Brobots list. Saying that the IG is nicely built, your firespray I just don't quite get. Boba with all the crazy re-rolls surely doesn't need Gunner to improve his hit chances when Rec Spec is surely a better synergy.

List 3:Scarlet and Friends,is a list format I have a lot of experience with. Firespray and Y-Wings are just such a lovely fit for a scum list so thats what I flew when Scum came out. I've found that the BTL-A4's are way too prone to being outmanoeuvred by everything and need the enhanced action economy provided by the R4-Agromech to start landing hits. As for the Firespray-Greedo is awful crew, don't use him. Determination is a great 1 point filler but uses a slot that can be filled so much better. HLC is a massive waste of time on Kath, get the enemy behind her and keep them there-don't spend 7 points on an upgrade you should only be using once or twice per game. Kath works gorgeously with Push the Limit,K4 Security droid and Engine Upgrade which frees up the points to pimp the Y-Wings which they desperately need.

List 4:Brobots are Brobots, if thats a config you've got working to your satisfaction then roll with it. Its one of the nicest things about the IG-88 lists, they have so many options to be bold and experiment with.

Thank you for your commentary, you're sort of right I've been playing for about a year but sporadically so have only played maybe 10 times. Due to this limited amount of table time I've yet to find my sweet spot for lists, I've flown a couple of firespray with two wingmen lists (1with btla4 and another with m3a), ig88 with z95s, brobots and a corran horn with 3 z's I'm looking for a list that will give me a good return with my limited experience. As for my collection I've got pretty much 1 of everything and then a few bits more, mistakes were made, I do tend to lean towards the scum and villainy trickery and general deviousness though.

List 1: My rebel friend commented or perhaps dropping the Z to give Biggs R2D2 to give him a bit more staying power.

List 2: Gunner was a point filler but also trying to maximise damage as I've only got the 2 ships, if I switched to recon spec, what should I do with the remaining 2pts, maybe bump an inertial dampeners up to hot shot blaster, are drop a seismic in the mix?

List 3: I can see your point re the HLC, I guess it was to cover piloting mistakes! What would you consider a pimped out Y? Thug with r4 Argo and blaster or stick with ion cannon? Or even the TLT if it arrives in time!? Again I went with unhinged to make the piloting a bit easier.

List 4: I agree there are SO many options, which often leads me down a path of what if I change this here and this here, forget what I've changed and end up with list that have upgrades that just don't work together

Sometimes, at Tourneys especially you do not always want to blow the entire 100 points. Getting that initiative bid can be important. Sometimes you want to move and shoot first.

Initiative bids merits are debateable, especially for the less experienced player. If you are playing a hyper mobile list and expecting to regularly be paired off with enemy ships at matching PS, then yes Initiative bid is a key part of your list building strategy. Other than that its a trap that some players fall into, so don't do that!

Metaphysics of evil, with that few games under your belt my advice is pick the list you enjoy the most and enjoy playing some new people with it at the tournament. Which tournament are you going to by the way?

Further commentary-
List 1, do not listen to your friend. Biggs was born for dying, putting points into him is a mistake. The list needs no tweaks!
List 2, I'd add a seismic as Boba loves to be surround by bad guys hes got a better chance than most of putting it to good use.
List 3,blaster turrets are nearly never worth it-the focus tax is too much of a price to pay. Twin Laser Turrets if they're legal would be a great way to go as you could drop the BTL-A4 title to cover Kath's blindspot with the 360 arc. If not 2x BTL-A4,R4&ICT plus my recommended Kath leaves 2 point to play with that I would fill with a Seismic Charge for Kath.
List 4,If its not something your confident with I'd bench it for now till you can tinker with it and try it out some more on the casual level.

List's 1&3 would be my picks, especially for a newer player. 3 would be what I would fly, but thats purely a matter of personal preference rather than any guarantee of performance

It's @ my FLGS Thirsty Meeples in Oxford. The TO has just posted that based on previous tournaments and the players typical lists the one I'm going to will be Rebel dominated, does this affect the list choice at all or is it down to personal preference? I'm leaning towards the Modified Kath list at the moment but I'm going to try out the Rebel Squad, Brobots and Kath lists on Vassal and see which one I make the least mistakes with!! From what has been said on facebook wave 7 may well be legal for the tournament but i will check with the TO.

Ouch, that Thirsty Meeples tournament has a 9AM start on a Sunday :( Its a miracle they have anyone attending at all! I was just asking as theres quite a few players who travel widely across the country to do tournaments(and I might be able to give you some hints about what they fly), but a quick poke at the Facebook Event doesn't show any familiar faces.

For X-Wing its always a matter of personal preference, points optimisation and tailoring to your playstyle just help stack the deck in your favour.

Thought I'd drop a quick update. With the tournament this coming Sunday I have decide on the rebel fighters listed above or brobots b&d both with VI, Autothrusters, Inertial dampeners, title, HLC and then B with FCS and D with Advanced Sensors. I've got tomorrow to play around with them both and practice opening moves. I'm going to leave the final decision to Sunday morning and just see how I feel on the day (both will be packed ready in my carry case). Thanks for all the comments and tips, I will post a small report on how it goes after.