[su_row]
[su_column size=”2/3″]

This is the first IA lunch league to include 3 players! Jeff was free to join in on the fun this week, so we put together a little scenario to accommodate all of us getting in on the action. Using an idea from the guys over at Imperial Propaganda, each team was built with a 30-point buy for deployment cards and 10 command cards consisting of 1-unique for the leader (3 point card), 2-two point cards, 3-one point cards, 4-zero point cards.

Be sure to click the List names to the right to see the specific figures and command cards.
[/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/3″]

Mason
Chewie’s Strike Team
Jim Bob
Vader’s Strike Team
Jeff
Fett’s Strike Team

[/su_column]
[/su_row]

A Nal Hutta Standoff

A stalemate where everyone has a weapon pointed at someone else. All the threats are equally balanced to ensure a mutual disadvantage; no one is walking away from this standoff with what they came for. This tricky situation is a favorite of Hutt gangsters looking to setup and get rid of multiple rivals at once. In this case Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Chewbacca all received an “anonymous” (we know it was you, Jabba) tip that one of the others was spotted alone at the Kuat Space Station. On the surface it looked like a simple snatch and grab job until that first step through the airlock and then the wheels came off.

Kuat Space Station (Expanded) – A Simple Job (custom)

This is a slightly expanded version of the Kuat Space Station map with customized mission objectives to suit a 3-player skirmish scenario. The mission objectives focus on the leader of each strike team. Points are scored normally through combat but when the strike team leader kills a group, the player is awarded double the Victory Points. At the end of the round if the strike team leader is still alive, an additional 2 Victory Points are awarded! As usual, first player to 40 points wins.

The action started with Jeff deploying from the red zone and heading toward both of the crates in that area. Mason deployed from the yellow zone and quickly moved to control the southernmost terminal. Jim Bob found his team facing action on two fronts as he deployed from the blue zone and looked to both acquire a crate and control a terminal. As intentions began to unfold in the second round, Jim Bob decided against splitting his team in two and pulled his units back from the terminals leaving them open for Mason. Using Fett’s superior speed, Jeff made a run for the crate on the far right which set up a clash between Vader and Fett’s support units over the crate between them. Vader began plowing through them and putting points on the board.

As the lead began to build, Fett and Chewie got into gear with one common goal between them – stop Vader or this show is going to be over with real quick. They both put forth a good effort, getting some damage in but more importantly putting stun and weakened conditions on him. It looked like the tide might be turning at that point, but Jim Bob was able to rally with the powerful Rally command card to shake off the harmful conditions and continue the Brutality. That left Vader free to take down Fett and with double the points, easily secured the victory.

The moral of this story is: Sith Lords are mean.

FINAL SCORE

Jim Bob 52 – Mason 9 – Jeff 6

[su_row]
[su_column size=”2/3″]
Here we go again. Both players decided they needed at least one more turn with the lists they constructed last week before passing final judgement on who reigns supreme. Sometimes a particular map or mission can favor specific unit capabilities or strategies, and sometimes it takes some practice to really settle in with a new list. And for sure sequels and rematches are always popular in hopes that they will live up to the original.

Be sure to click the List names to the right to see the specific figures and command cards.
[/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/3″]

Mason
Furious Furries
Jim Bob
Fett’s Alliance

[/su_column]
[/su_row]

Chewbacca vs Boba Fett – Part II

The Fett Strikes Back? Jim Bob definitely hopes so, but rest assured Mason and his furry gang will have something to say about that. Since both players are running the exact same lists again, it will be interesting to see what (if any) lessons were learned from the lopsided victory from a week ago.

Massassi Ruins – Lost Knowledge (Mission A)

This map provides a great combination of objectives and combat zones for point scoring opportunities. The objective goals require players to recover lost Jedi holocrons and transport them to a communication beacon where their information can be transmitted. Each transmission will award you 10 VPs, but there are only 30 possible points so the rest of the victory must come from good old fashioned combat.

To make a long story short, those furiously furry Wookies proved too much to handle for Fett and his Imperial lackeys once again, but it should be noted that the rematch was much more competitive than the first meeting between these two lists.

The pivotal moment came at the beginning of the second round when Mason played the Shadow Ops command card, completly disrupting Jim Bob’s strategy. Fett ended up getting defeated after much of his side’s planned offensive moves were negated by the timely command card Mason drew at the beginning of the round. At that point Jim Bob went into scramble mode. He managed to scrap for 10 points with a successful holocron transmission but in the end, all of his units were defeated (curse your furiousness, you Furries!!!).

This match did highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in these two lists and some of the lessons learned by playing them again. In particular, Mason made great use of Chewie’s Protector capability which made his units extra tough to damage. Keeping his units bunched together took full advantage of that bonus especially since Jim Bob’s list lacked any units with Blast attacks. Also highlighted was the fact that Jim Bob’s list lacked any real synergy between the units which unfortunately is typical of Mercenary (aka Scum) lists right now. Hopefully as more Scum expansion packs are released it will make that faction more competitive – only time will tell.

FINAL SCORE

Mason 39 – Jim Bob 10
(army defeated)