X-Wing Miniatures Battle Report: 'Misfit Squadron' Rematch!

The Misfit Squadron was called into action again!  Back in February of this year, I had the pleasure of trying and playing a build for X-Wing Miniatures with surprising success given the build and the fact that these ships don't appear often in various Rebel builds.  I detail the match HERE.  A couple of weeks ago, my friend and opponent had a rematch.  I wanted to continue testing the build and he wanted a chance to defeat and hopefully 'crush' my spirit.  It didn't go to plan... for him.

Surprisingly enough, the build held.  There was no change on my side:

'Misfit Squadron' (125 points)

Hwk-290 w/Jan Ors (25)

  - Squad Leader (2)

  - Ion Cannon Turret (5)

  - Chewbacca (4)

A-Wing w/Gemmer Sojan (22)

  - Chardaan Refit (-2)

  - A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

  - Outmaneuver (3)

A-Wing w/Prototype Pilot (17)

  - Chardaan Refit (-2)

  - Stealth Device (3)

A-Wing w/Prototype Pilot (17)

  - Chardaan Refit (-2)

  - Stealth Device (3)

Z-95 w/Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

  - Proton Rockets (3)

Z-95 w/Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

  - Proton Rockets (3)

However, there were a few on his side.  Gone were the two Tie Interceptors along with Vader in the Tie Advanced.  Instead, you had a point heavy Tie Defender and a point heavy Tie Bomber.  Both are solid vessels but I think what gave me an edge last game allowed me to prevail in this match as well.  It's a rare thing to see a Rebel vs Imperial X-Wind Miniatures match were the Rebels outnumber the Imperials!

The Tie Defender was ultimately put down by the three A-Wings in short measure and while the target was a difficult one, three vs one just whittled down his defenses.  The extreme maneuverability of the A-Wings bolstered by the Stealth Device (or Gemmer's ability) kept them safe.  The other major threat on the board was effectively neutered by the Hawk's Ion Cannon which slowed its effectiveness till the A-Wings dealt with the Tie Defender.  The pair of Z-95's and Tie Fighters mostly exchanged shots with little effectiveness.

When both the Defender went down and the Bomber pretty much followed, my opponent conceded victory.  The Misfits managed to avoid all damage by the time the Tie Defender was taken out.

It was another Rebel Victory!

As it turns out, it wasn't a clean victory.  There was something we weren't doing exactly right as far as the ion cannon was concerned which the latest tournament FAQ addresses.  A minor detail but relevant nonetheless.  It would not have affected the outcome of this particular match but it could be a factor in future matches.  I'm still unsure how I can ct it down to be 'tourney legal' as a 100 point build but I want to.  The most obvious cut would be the Hwk-290 though it is a fantastic (and undervalued) resource and support ship.  However, doing that would cut my build to below a 100 points.  If I did that, I might be tempted to swap out a Z-95 for a Y-Wing but the costs for that Y-Wing could spiral out of control depending on what I do with it.  I could go the other direction and just add another Z-95 to the mix as well though I still would need to tweak things just a few points down to achieve this.

Much to think about and play out with these misfits.

M