Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I had started X-Wing back in December with plans that I could just head to the local store and play matches against other folks I would get to know there. Well, last RPG session, 2 players couldn't make it so I brought my X-Wing stuff instead. We played a few games, including one with one of the host's kid (I think he's 9 or 10). Everybody had a blast, and the kid absolutely loved it. My buddy was saying the kid was still talking about it over a week later. He ended up diving in and ordering one of the starters (TFA) and is taking the kid to the store to spend Christmas money on more ships this weekend. So today I sent him the "Mistakes were made" comic strip. He agreed entirely.

I just recently got three of my mates into the game. they are hardcore 40K players but now they're cursing my name because they've become addicted to x-wing. one mate alone spent nearly $500AUD in one go....

You terrible and awesome person you.

I'm almost scared to ask how much a single blister goes for in Australia...

500$ sets you up for a good long while, right?

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
I'm almost scared to ask how much a single blister goes for in Australia...

500$ sets you up for a good long while, right?

well sort of, here's a rough price of things for you:

Starter set (either set) $65AUD
Tie Fight (OS) is $25AUD
Tie Fight (TFA) is $25AUD
Tie Aces $52AUD
Decimator is $65AUD
Carrier is $120AUD
Raider is $160AUD

those are rough prices at my LGS so you could get them slightly cheaper etc if you went online.

Tell me he didn't get that exact loadout?

I mean, sure, fine, he won't have to buy an epic ship for a while. But, he could have had so much more versatility with small ships out of his money.

Eh, who am I to judge?

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
Tell me he didn't get that exact loadout?

I mean, sure, fine, he won't have to buy an epic ship for a while. But, he could have had so much more versatility with small ships out of his money.

Eh, who am I to judge?

oh no not at all. that was me just giving you a rough idea on what prices are here is Aus.

My recollection is he got something like both starter sets, the carrier, three or four TFA Tie's, two Imp Ace packs and a Defender or something to that effect. He's since expanded his fleet further to having almost 10 TFA Ties and 10 OS Tie's.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
oh and the Radier

That's a lot of TIEs. He must have snazzy suits.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Yes, I'll show myself out.

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
That's a lot of TIEs. He must have snazzy suits.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Yes, I'll show myself out.

LOL no he worked over the Christmas break and got paid a butt load so it was wisely invested in x-wing merch

To be fair, I talked a friend with no wargaming experience at all into a intro game last year - much the same thing occurred, and he has since become a regular too -as well as picking up Imperial Assault and Armada.

There was this thing called "Geek Grenade" whereas you introduce people to geeky stuff via an accessible entry drug, like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars or Firefly, then you hook them.

Would the expression "Star Wars Howitzer" be more appropriate?

I like it Mathieu

X-Wing is nice because it is really easy to introduce people to, and is relatively inexpensive.

Furthermore, despite having easy rules, the tactical depth is very impressive.

 Cothonian wrote:
X-Wing is nice because it is really easy to introduce people to, and is relatively inexpensive.

Furthermore, despite having easy rules, the tactical depth is very impressive.

now that I think of it you're completely right with how tactical it is. it's the reason why I've gotten out of 40k, 40k comes down to pure math and games can easily determined when the armies set up. x-wing gives you a general gist of "maybe I might win this from the start" but you have no real idea of what or how your opponent will fly which imho gives the game a bit of mind games, "if he does this and do this but is he already thinking that I will do that and he should get his other fight in here to take out this one."

Yep, it was the imbalance and the huge effort vs little reward of a game that's made me suspend my 40K gaming, it's the total lack of player agency that's discouraging me from going back.

If GW did X Wing, you'd roll a scatter dice and 2D6 for your manoeuvres.

 Azreal13 wrote:
Yep, it was the imbalance and the huge effort vs little reward of a game that's made me suspend my 40K gaming, it's the total lack of player agency that's discouraging me from going back.

If GW did X Wing, you'd roll a scatter dice and 2D6 for your manoeuvres.

I Laughed but we all know it would be the case....

 captain bloody fists wrote:
" but you have no real idea of what or how your opponent will fly which imho gives the game a bit of mind games, "if he does this and do this but is he already thinking that I will do that and he should get his other fight in here to take out this one."

This more or less sums up my games!

The simple act of having guessed an opponent's move correctly and having the perfect manœuvres to counter it is almost more rewarding that winning.

I still like winning, though.

But it draws a big distinction from the 40K, "this blob will move forward, my blob will move forward." "we'll throw buckets of dice, my IG will get swept off the table..."

It's why I've always liked naval and dogfighty wargames - when you don't have the choice to sit still, and have limited options to turn and limited arcs of fire, it can't help be a war of movement.

Yes, you can come up with all the ridiculous combinations of rules to improve your red dice and take away your opponent's green dice, but the fact of the matter is that if he knows what he's doing and you don't, you can beat seven shades out of someone with what the internet would regard as a so-so list.

There have been examples - even in the last year - of a TIE fighter swarm that contains nothing that's not in the original core set winning major events.

I guess it's why my pet hates are Boosting Large Ships and similar - large post-movement and turrets that can take much of the maneuvering out of the game (admittedly in return for a unit that's much LESS effective in a head-to-head fight if you can catch it in one).

locarno24 wrote:

I guess it's why my pet hates are Boosting Large Ships and similar.

IG-88 and his Aggressor would like a word with you.

I think the Firespray and Aggressor are fine because they are not turrets. They have definite weaknesses that can be addressed with solid piloting.

Yes, the children. Got The Girl into the game almost 2 years ago. Now at age 11 she is in her first full season of Store Championships and last year at Regionals she even won a game (against Boba-Kath). This year I've moved The Boy (age 9) out of family gaming and he has done some Store champs and is playing in the regular FLGS league. My 5 year old Baby Girl loves pew-pewing and now has her first ships...a Gozanti (we all got a Gozanti for Christmas) and an extra Tie.
So yes, get the kids involved . Its easy enough for them to learn. Games are short enough to hold their attention, and they even get to use basic math and writing while developing lists. And it keeps the game growing as they get older and better.
My wife just shakes her head at the level of Geekness that reigns in the household...but she's happy because not all fathers get to spend as much time with their kids as I get to.

That is indeed the most precious gift you can give them.