Bomber escort

 Another holiday game with my son: X-wing (1st ed.)

Imperial bombers are on their way to drop a load of experimental new bombs on unsuspecting innocents. They are accompanied by a Black Squadron escort, including Darth Vader, who wants to witness the effect of the bombs firsthand.

Fortunately a Rebel patrol intercepts the Imperials. It's Red squadron, led by Biggs and supported by Dutch Vander in his Y-wing and a B-wing from Blue squadron.

"This is Red leader, Those bombers must not be allowed to reach their target, follow me".

It isn't long before the shooting starts.

And Red 3 is destroyed by concentrated Imperial fire.

Red 1 and 2 attack the bombers while the others try to draw the escort away or keep them busy.

But the most important targets are the bombers, so Dutch and the B-wing also try to get a bead on them.

The bombers take some damage but retribution is swift and first Red 1 is shot down.

Soon followed by Red 2.

Darth Vader attacks Dutch and the B-wing together with 2 TIE fighters from Black squadron while an imperial academy pilot is lining up behind them.

 

While Biggs shakes off his pursuers and achieves a target lock on one of the bombers, Dutch and the B-wing manage to pull through and Dutch has a clear shot at the other bomber. 

The bomber takes several hits and explodes!

Unfortunately the ensueing move puts Biggs in the crosshairs of four Imperials.

This is more than Biggs' X-wing can take.

The Imperials now converge on the B-wing.

Taking it down in a hail of fire.

And while Dutch manages to inflict some more damage on the remaining Imperial bomber, he is unable to destroy it before his Y-wing is destroyed.

Game over for the Rebellion. They succeeded in preventing the bombers reach their target (the second bomber was one damage point away from being destroyed), but at great cost to themselves.

It was an enjoyable game, especially because my son (who played the Imperials) had obviously gotten a better grasp of the game dynamics and tactics (taking into a account where my fighters would be after movement instead of where they were before movement) since the last time we played.

Ambush at the asteroid field

 A while ago I bought the X-wing CR90 Corvette Big Ship. Today it made its first appearance in a game. I played the rebels with a no frills CR90, a red squadron X-wing and Biggs Darklighter (remember that name!) in his X-wing.

My son played the Empire squadron consisting of:

• Tie Fighter - Academy pilot
• Tie Fighter - Obsidian squadron pilot (2x)
• Tie Fighter - Black squadron pilot
• Tie Fighter - Night Beast
• Tie Bomber - Gamma squadron pilot (+ proton torpedoes)
• Tie Bomber - Scimitar squadron pilot (+ proton torpedoes)
• And... Darth Vader himself in his TIE Advanced.

The Corvette with its X-wing escort was just clearing the asteroid field when its sensors picked up a formation of Imperial fighters and bombers.

Battlestations!

The X-wings rushed forward to engage the enemy while the Imperials where attempting to envelop the corvette.

Darth Vader and a Tie Bomber swept around the Red squadron X-wing and attacked the port side of the Corvette. Despite taking damage, the Corvette blasted Darth Vaders Tie Advanced. A critical hit damaged Vaders weapon systems, destroying his fighter when he pressed the fire button during his next attack!

Explosion engulfs Vaders fighter

Vader limps away from the action to fight another day

Successive blows to the Corvette crippled the front side.

Aided by the crippled Corvette, Biggs succeded in destroying the second best pilot in the Imperial squadron: strike one Night Beast.

One TIE Bomber found out a crippled Corvette can still be lethal when you crash into it. Another imperial clipped a TIE Fighter which destroyed it (due to a previous critical hit). The rebels lost the red squadron pilot, but Biggs managed to evade or shake off all hits. The imperials now focused all their efforts to bring down Biggs!

Keeping his cool, Biggs destroyed the remaining TIE Bomber at point blank range, flying through the resulting explosion in true Hollywood fashion.

With only the Imperial academy pilot unscathed and Biggs still going strong without his shields and only 1 damage point, the Imperials were low on fuel and had to break off the engagement.

 

The Force is strong in this one!