Monday, November 4, 2013

Red Wedding Squadron - "Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures" meets "Game of Thrones"

This past weekend, Conscripts Kevin, Frederick and I ran a participation game of X-Wing Miniatures at the 2013 Central Canada Comic Con (C4 for short). We we putting on the game for Imagine Games and Hobbies, who provided the tables.

Kevin and I devised six 100-point teams, based loosely on the canon of the original  movies: Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter, and Wedge Antilles flew in a flight together, Han Solo and Chewie piloted the Millennium Falcon with a couple of Y-Wing escorts, Gold Leader led a flight of 3 of Y-Wings, Darth Vader led some TIEs, Dark Curse led another gaggle of TIE fighters, and Boba Fett was escorted by a couple of Interceptors.

Princess Leia's Blockade Runner was lying dead in space, in the middle of the large 8'x5' table. Whoever had sole control of the board at the end of the game would win.

Below, looking "east", Luke's and Gold Leader's sections are closest to the camera, with the Millennium Falcon in the distance.

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On the Imperial side, from west to east, was deployed Boba Fett's, Darth Vader's and Dark Curse's teams.

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At the start of the game we were joined by conventioneers Jim, Danny and Eric. Throughout the course of the game, other people came up to watch, so we talked with them, describing the mechanics of the game and handing out fliers for Imagine and Jim-Con. As the game progressed, a few other players were brought into the game, as we gave over our ships to them.

To the west, Boba Fett and Darth Vader ganged up on Luke, with Gold Leader caught in the shadow of Leia's ship.

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Biggs was the first to fall, bravely absorbing shots that would otherwise have hit Luke and Wedge.

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The Rebels concentrated their fire on Boba Fett and Vader, reducing them each to a single hull point. However, Luke was the next to fall, caught in an Imperial crossfire. From the disabled blockade runner, Leia mourned the death of her boyfriend, not knowing he was her brother. (George R.R. Martin would be proud.)

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Meanwhile, Han Solo and Chewie led a charge into the middle of a TIE swarm...

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...shooting down two of them in quick succession!

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Gold Squadron finally arrived, but too late to save Wedge.

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In retaliation, Vader went down to concentrated Y-Wing fire.

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And Boba Fett's luck finally abandoned him. After dodging way too many proton torpedoes and laser shots, he was ion-cannoned to death.

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Han Solo's escorts started falling.

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A couple of newcomers joined the game, helping consolidate the Imperial advance by overwhelming the remaining Y-Wings.

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As the game wound down, all that was left on the Rebel side was the damaged Millennium Falcon. We judged that Han escaped, vowing to return another day to rescue the Princess.

Leia, for her part, had her eye on one of the Imperial TIE fighter pilots who never took damage, always rolling "evades", even when hit with 3 crits.

"The Force is strong with this one!"

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The game ended in utter carnage. Most of the named characters were gone, with Wedge, Fett and Vader all dying during the same turn!

At some future convention, I think a "Rescue Princess Leia" scenario would be in order.

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The rest of C4 was a lot of fun. The 3rd floor was filled with booths selling memorabilia, art exhibitors, club displays, and various celebrities signing autographs and posing for photos. Check out this great home-made suit from the Bioshock video games, seen at, IIRC, the Costume Alliance booth.

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I was also able to buy a nice cameo necklace for Jen from a lovely former work colleague, Angela Sawatzky, who sells steampunk jewelery under the brand By Blackbird Designs.

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I spoke to several people who thought this year's convention was better than the last couple of years. I hope to see people out at next year's con.

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