Welcome to the sixth instalment of our X-Wing Campaign. If you're new to this campaign, please have a quick look through the home page on this blog where you'll not only find the previous episodes but the campaign rules too!
Current Renown: Empire 4, Rebels 3
Current Systems Held: Empire 4, Rebels 2
The Galaxy Map
On Turn 6, the Rebels, still reeling from the Death Star's destruction of Dantooine, make a desperate bid to free Tatooine. Unbeknownst to them, if they are successful, a young farm boy who is strong with the force, Luke Skywalker, will join their cause! In addition, a victory will allow the Rebels to inspire an Imperial-held world to rise up and free themselves of oppression! There is much to be gained...if they can defeat the Imperial blockade in orbit around the desert world.
An Imperial Star Destroyer in orbit around Tatooine - unaware that the Rebel fleet are about to strike!
On the periphery of the battle, a Rebel U-Wing and 3 X-Wings engage Imperial forces...
U-Wing Build
X-Wing Build (x3)
The Imperials have a Decimator and two TIE Advanced Fighters.
Decimator Build
TIE Advanced Build (x2)
Turn 1: Making hard 3 banking turns, the X-Wings take up position behind the U-Wing. The Imperials move cautiously forward.
End of Turn 1
Turn 2: The U-Wing evades all incoming fire! The U-Wing and X-Wings have no such problems against the lumbering (and badly positioned) Decimator, not only stripping its shields but dealing out a whopping 7 damage including 2 crits which rob the ship of its next attack and reduce its weapon power by 1!
Decimator - Decimated!
End of Turn 2
The Imperials finally start landing some hits with an X-Wing being stripped of its shields and integrated astromech - but the Decimator takes another 2 damage and a TIE Advanced loses its shields and suffers a console fire!
End of Turn 3
Turn 4: Another X-Wing is stripped of its shields and it too loses its integrated astromech - but the Rebel force is yet to suffer a loss.
End of Turn 4
Turn 5: All shots go astray except for the Decimator being taken to the brink - one more hit will end it! In an act of self-preservation, Oicunn tries to flee the battle!
End of Turn 5
Turn 6: The U-Wing pursues Captain Oicunn!
Oicunn in retreat!
And opens fire!
"For Dantooine!"
Filled with fury over the destruction of Dantooine, the U-Wing mercilessly destroys Oicunn's Decimator!
"That's one down! Finish the job Cavern Angels!"
Meanwhile, buoyed by their success, an X-Wing finds a TIE Advanced in its crosshairs!
"I see him!"
And - whomff - the TIE Advanced is annihilated!
End of Turn 6
Turn 7: The Rebels struggle to deal with the last TIE as both sides only exchange a single hit.
End of Turn 7
Turn 8: The TIE Advanced suffers another hit!
End of Turn 8
Turn 9: The TIE Advanced closes in on another X-Wing but is unable to destroy it...
"Blast it Angel 29! Where are you?"
...and finally the TIE Advanced is shot down too!
"Right behind you boss!"
Job done for the Rebels...
End of Turn 9
...and a resounding victory for the Rebellion...
Tatooine belongs to the Rebellion!
...who are now boosted by a certain farm boy joining their ranks!
The Force is strong with this one!
With 3 wins on their turn under the belt, the Rebellion scores a Major Faction Victory! On Endor, the Duloks, Yuzzum and Ewoks rise up and throw out their Imperial oppressors!
And across Endor there is much celebration!
The Rebels take Tatooine and unlock Luke Skywalker (top centre) while Endor becomes permanently neutral (bottom right)! Also, the Empire may no longer call upon the services of Captain Oicunn...
Current Renown: Rebels 4, Empire 4
Systems Held: Rebels 3, Empire 3
The Galaxy Map at the End of Episode VI
Can the Empire recover from this huge setback? Find out in Episode VII - coming soon!
On Turn 5 of the Campaign, the Empire moves to take control of the Forest Moon of Endor, The Emperor has plans to set up a shield generator on the moon to protect the planned second (and larger) Death Star. In addition, the Imperials have the chance to unlock Rear Admiral Chiraneau and, by winning a third consecutive battle on their turn of play, score a Faction Major Victory! Once again they encounter Rebel forces who seek to prevent their plan to take control of the galaxy!
The Galaxy Map
IX-3244-A is a moon whose landscape is dominated by forests, mountains and savannahs, notable for being home to Duloks, Yuzzum and Ewoks, none of whom are of interest to the Empire other than as target practice.
Endor
Despite their shocking defeat over Hoth, Lord Vader decides the best way to motivate his forces is by sending the same squadrons who were decimated over Hoth back into battle. They must redeem themselves or die...either by the Rebels' hands or his. A TIE Phantom and TIE Defender once again provide the backbone to a force headed up by TIE Fighters.
The Rebels meanwhile call upon the services of a Rebel Sympathiser and two Green Squadron A-Wing Pilots. This time around, the Rebels have the added bonus of acting before the Imperials!
A-Wing x2
Turn 1: Using its decloaking action as a boost forward, the Phantom powers ahead of the TIE swarm and engages in a long range exchange with the A-Wings! Neither side manages to land any hits however.
End of Turn 1
Turn 2: The Phantom once again decloaks forward and perfectly judges a very tight K-Turn. One of the A-Wings is directly in its sights! One TIE fighter takes two damage and the Defender finds its shields stripped!
The TIE Phantom opens fire on the A-Wing...
Eliminate the Rebel Scum!
And destroys it with a single volley! Somehow the remaining A-Wing manages to thread the eye of a needle, evading the TIE swam's hail of incoming fire!
End of Turn 2
Turn 3: The YT-1300 tries to provide the remaining A-Wing cover, managing to strip the Phantom's shields but failing to land any damage. The Phantom unleashes another deadly volley, stripping the A-Wing's shields and landing a critical hit - minor explosion! The Rebel player rolls for additional damage - and rolls a hit! Another A-Wing obliterated by the deadly Phantom!
The Phantom unleashes hell on the A-Wing!
The remaining TIE swarm, having performed K-Turns, fill the vacuum with deadly laser fire, stripping the YT-1300's shields!
End of Turn 3
Turn 4: Having suffered stress the previous turn, the YT-1300 moves cautiously forward with the TIE swarm in close pursuit! Its dual-laser cannon target the Phantom behind it...
The YT-1300 trains its laser cannon upon the Phantom!
And annihilate the deadly fighter!
We're not out of this yet!
But the TIE swarm have the Rebel freighter in their sights!
I can't shake 'em!
They unleash a deadly hail of laser fire!
We have you now!
The freighter is blown apart and the TIE pilots return to a nearby Star Destroyer, relieved to have avenged the humiliation suffered by their fellow squadron members over Hoth - and to have avoided Lord Vader's wrath...
...and Rear Admiral Chiraneau is unlocked for the Empire taking Endor!
Rear Admiral Chiraneau
Most importantly, the Empire have won three consecutive victories on their own campaign turns. This marks a Faction Major Victory! The technological terror known as the Death Star is revealed as it drops out of hyperspace in orbit around Dantooine. The horror that follows sends shockwaves across the galaxy...
The Empire has struck back!
The Empire have taken Endor!
The Empire's flag now flies over Endor - and Chiraneau is unlocked (bottom right)! Meanwhile, Dantooine is no longer controlled by either faction as it has been destroyed by the Empire (extreme lower left)!
Current Renown: Imperial 4, Rebels 3
Systems Held: Imperial 4, Rebels 2
Galaxy Map at the End of Episode V
As their gaze turns to Tatooine, can the Rebels respond by unlocking their own hero - the legendary Luke Skywalker - and instigate an uprising on an Imperial world? The stakes couldn't be higher for the next battle! Find out what happens in Episode VI - coming soon!
On Turn 4 of the Campaign, looking to establish another base on the opposite side of the galaxy, the Rebels close in on Hoth. The frozen planet seems perfect for a hidden base of operations...except that an Imperial fleet stands in their way! As all wings move to attack position, a brutal encounter unfolds...
Located in Anoat Sector of the galaxy, the most notable aspect of this desolate icy wasteland is that there isn't enough life on it to fill a space cruiser.
Hoth
The Imperials can field Pilots with Pilot Skill of 3 or less while the Rebels have access to Pilots of Pilot Skill 1 or 2.
The Rebels are fielding YT-2400 with Tactical Jammer and 3 Cavern Angels Zealot X-Wings!
YT-2400 + X-Wing Build (x3)
The Empire seeks to capitalise on their advantage over the Rebels and sends a squadron of the finest pilots they currently have available to dominate the encounter against the relatively inexperienced Rebels. Once again they call upon the TIE Defender - an Onyx Squadron Pilot this time - and three Obsidian Squadron Pilots who will pack in to a tight formation. Completing their force is the latest addition to the Imperial war machine - the deadly TIE Phantom...will the Rebels be able to take down this elusive fighter?
Turn 1: Both sides cautiously approach one another but are out of range of one another.
End of Turn 1
Turn 2: The YT-2400 cuts across the Imperial line, resulting in two TIEs including the Defender losing actions as they bump into one another. Of greater concern is that their fire is split between the YT-2400 and one of the X-Wings, with each only losing a few shields. The Rebels meanwhile hit the cloaked Phantom with everything they have! Note: I didn't place the counter but did use the additional 2 defence dice.
The YT-2400 disrupts the TIE formation!
The X-Wings strip the Phantom's shields and inflict a point of damage! But the YT-2400 has yet to fire...
The YT-2400 fires at the TIE Phantom at point blank range!
...and its cannon obliterate the fighter!
End of Turn 2
Turn 3: The Imperial formation is in a mess and they can't land any shots on the elusive enemy fighters! Meanwhile, the Defender's shields are stripped and it suffers damage!
As both an X-Wing and TIE perform K-Turns in close proximity to one another, the X-Wing takes a TIE out with a single shot!
Just like shooting womp rats back home!
End of Turn 3
Turn 4: Their line diminished and one of their fighters unable to fire, the Imperials succeed only in destroying an astromech! The X-Wing returns fire upon the crippled Defender...
An X-Wing has the TIE Defender in its sights!
...and it too is vaporised! With only two TIEs left, the Imperials are on the ropes!
End of Turn 4
Turn 5: Another X-Wing and TIE go head to head...
Head to Head!
And another clean kill for the Rebels!
Whoa! That got him!
The X-Wing presses on!
Only one TIE remains! Apologies for the lack of image for end of Turn 5. I may have been too despairing at this stage to remember to take the overview shot!
Turn 6: The last remaining TIE fighter hobbles on, perhaps hoping for mercy but as the Rebel ships circle, it is clear they have none!
Defiant to the end!
And, despite destroying another astromech, it too is annihilated!
End of Turn 6
A thumping victory for the Rebels! They never lost a single ship! The Empire's failure is complete!
Rebel Victory!
Hearing of their success, Mon Mothma orders the secret construction of Echo Base on Hoth! Word is sent out across the galaxy of the Imperial humiliation and pilots flock to the Rebel cause. There is hope!
The Rebel flag flies over Hoth!
Current Renown: Imperial 3, Rebels 3
Systems Held: Imperial 3, Rebels 3
The Galaxy Map at the end of Episode IV
Note: The current Renown means both factions can field Pilots of PS3 or lower next encounter.
The next 2 battles will be highly significant as both sides have a chance to unlock a Pilot and win a Faction Major Victory - Empire will be first though!
