Running Scum and Villainy Squadrons: Star Wars X-Wing

Four ship squadron based on the Khiraxz

My boys and I meet up with local X-Wing enthusiasts every Wednesday at the Hobby Chest in Jacksonville.  Attendance is on and off, but I've recently been working on two new Scum squadrons, one a four ship based on the Khiraxz and the other based on the Jumpmaster (Punishing One).

Khiraxz, Scyk and 2x Z-95s:  100 pts

I played this against my son running a Ghost with an A Wing and B-Wing and started in a linear formation, focusing on the Ghost with my assault and concussion missiles.

The Khiraxz and Scyk maneuver on to the remaining rebel ships after splashing the Ghost.

My Z-95s then broke off to engage the B and A wing with the Khiraxz amd Scyk and focusing on the Ghost.  While I lost one Z-95 almost immediately to the B-Wing, the Khiraxz and Scyk joined the fight after dispatching the Ghost.




With the A-Wing now a flaming ball of twisted wreckage, the Scyk and Khiraxz double-team
the lone B-Wing.

I focused fires on the A-Wing, leaving the slow-moving B-Wing for last, splashing it with my three remaining ships.  I found that the key to this squadron was staying in formation for the initial engagement and focusing on the large ship.  I was able to get all my missiles off in the first two turns, leaving none of those cards on the board.  The Z-95's were expendable, but kept the B and A-Wing busy while my stronger ships with higher pilot skills concentrated on the Ghost.  I've had little success with the Scyk in the past, but I find that launching missiles at range 2 and then bugging out to get onto an opposing ships' flank or rear is the way to go, with that light armored fighter.


Moving on to a second game, I picked up the Jumpmaster (Punishing One) for the Scum faction.  I've seen a lot of people running this ship and after playing it, I can see why

The Punishing One is about to execute a micro jump to join the Khiraxz in attacking the Ghost.

My squadron was based around the Jumpmaster, piloted by Dengar, supported by a Khiraxz.  One of the interesting capabilities of the Jumpmaster is its ability to conduct micro hyperspace jumps and leap around the board.  This I did on my second move to focus both my ships on my son's Ghost, again firing missiles immediately. 

The primary weapon turret and ability to counterattack are key for the Punishing One. 

A close call:  liberal use of the Segnor's Loop maneuver allowed me to keep
enemy ships in my primary firing arc, thereby allowing me to use my counterattack
special skill.

Having a gunner and/or R4-B11 attached and a loadout of two missiles as secondary weapons didn't hurt either.  Even though my son deployed his Phantom, it was easily destroyed based on some less than optimal evade rolls.

The rebel Z-95 maneuvers for the Khiraxz, only to explode in a hail of fire. 

All in all, I love fielding the Punishing One (it is 2 for 2 in the win column), but I'm starting to wonder how the ship will change the metagame.  It seems too powerful...




Assault missiles end the Ghost's misery