Wednesday 23 March 2016

Next X Wing game

This Sunday I'm putting on an X wing game for the club, the game is Napoleonic 15mm. In preparation I have finally put all the ships into foam travel boxes, which are a mixture of KR Multi Cases and Figures in Comfort. The mixture of boxes is not by design, just what I have. The KRs were  purchased for my Full Thrust fleet and transporting 28mm skirmish forces for whatever period. I cannibalised the skirmish box taking the flat sheets to use to provide tops in my oldest of Figure in Comfort boxes. Now that is all done I can take any or all of my Star Wars toys to game.

My KR boxes are the cardboard versions and stack nicely, my Figures in Comfort are plastic cases which are sturdy but don't stack so well when you carrying them. Clearly if you use the handles on the plastic cases there's no problem.

So the gear is ready what to play. This is the question bouncing round my head. I've still to sort out the cards and assemble the manoeuvre dials which may dictate which ships get left out.

I'll have 4 to 8 players to cater for. If you've not guessed I provide all the ships and umpire. We've learnt from previous X wing games and other aerial combat games is that in an afternoon's play everyone loves a grand melee.

Personally I like a bit of a story to a game to give it purpose and that then gives me the ideas of which ships to use. Another consideration is that although I may know Star Wars backwards and it's canon and now non canon expanded universe not all my players do. So the ships need to familiar.

My thoughts so far for a scenario are:
Han and Chewie in the Falcon leading a small group of freighters via an old smugglers route to a planet blockaded by the Imperials. There aim is to get past the blockade and deliver much needed supplies to the rebels on the planet. They will be supported Luke and some of Rogue squadron.

The Empire is stretched thin by the rebellion and is using mercenaries to assist with the blockade and they are watching the smugglers route. They can call on Imperial support. That may include Darth Vader.

I think that gives me enough background to play each faction. I just need to make the forces balanced or not (queue evil umpire cackle).