Heroes of the Aturi Cluster (Bantha Squadron - Nobody Home)

DaMoonRulz

HEROES OF THE ATURI CLUSTER

Is a cooperative Rebel campaign for X-Wing Miniatures in which you start off as a pilot in an X-Wing or Y-Wing, operating a Squadron with your friends to advance the Rebel Agenda in the Aturi Cluster. Your character advances in pilot skill by earning XP during missions. It's free to download from the website linked (in the Heroes header) and it contains all the rules. Right now we're just going to be doing a starter mission to see how well it goes as a PBP. I'll be using Vassal on my end, but I'll need 3 heroes to step forwards ( @Fuselage has a reserved spot because that's Brother Privilege) and fight against the dastardly Imperials and a bumbling GM.

To Start with you can either take an X-Wing or a Y-Wing.

If you take an X-Wing
You have 5xp to spend between the choices of Astromech, Torpedo, and Modification. The cost of these items in XP is equal to the Squadron Point cost while playing a normal game.

If you take a Y-Wing
You have 8xp to spend between the choices of Astromech, Turret (BTL-A4 upgrade is free if you wish to take it), Two slots for either torpedo or bomb, or a modification.

Because this is only going to be one engagement I won't go into further detail, but I highly recommend players read through the rules in case this goes well and becomes a full campaign. I'll leave the sign-up open until Saturday at around 1300 eastern and I'll choose 3 random contestants.

ROSTER
HERE

Back Ups
@MegaMek



Uncle Moon Wants YOU!

Farangu

This looks super cool.

I can't sign up, but will be watching with great interest.

Grunt's Ghosts

Sure, I can play. I wish I wasn't Rebel scum, but one day they'll do an Imperial game.

Fuselage

One item that I'm hazy on is how much upgrades cost to purchase. Is it a direct XP-to-Point cost? If so, I'll go with a BTL-A4 Y-Wing with 8XP.

2 - Flechette Torpedoes

3 - Dorsal Turret

3 - R5-D8

Chrysis

I'm keen to try this out. Given we have a Y-Wing, I'll take an X-Wing. How are we handling unique upgrades and recently previewed content (I.E. Guidance Chips)?

3 - Stealth Device

2 - BB-8

DaMoonRulz

For this Uniques will be unique. There's an unlimited unique option but meh. I'm fine with previewed content.

Grunt's Ghosts

I'm going to have to go with the X-Wing due to lack of any rebel ships. (Again, when they get an Imperial campaign made, I'll have ANY ship wanted for that!)

5xp isn't a lot but I'll go with survivability and take R2-D2:

Question: In a full game, does any unused xp stay with you when upgrading for later missions?

Albino Bunny

If there's still a slot open I'd be up to play the test match.

DaMoonRulz

@Grunt's Ghosts Yes, you can bank XP. You also keep track of your xp earned during a mission because if you have to eject there are rolls you can get on the ejection table that reduce your earned xp for that mission by half.

Elvenshae

Sign me up!

Fuselage

What's the benefit of taking a HWK in this anyway? I love the ship but if you can just get in a B-Wing with an automatic crew slot, why get a crow other than reliance on a turret?

Also I wish they had scum abilities available, be a mercenary for either side.

Elvenshae

HWK has a turret; B-Wing does not.

Chrysis

Given that unspent xp can be banked and uniques are unique I'll drop BB-8 down to a regular R2. Also avoids the nightmare of trying to use his ability in a PBP.

DaMoonRulz

@Chrysis well keep in mind this is just a single battle to see how well it functions in a pbp setting. Because you're acting as a squad you can tell each other what youre planning and once you post in the thread with your maneuver and action and everyone has their plan locked in, I'll do them one at a time.

I didnt see in the rules how to determine who goes first when everyone is at an equal pilot skill, so you'll be numbered 1-4 (1 will be squad leader) so I will let you guys decide whether to go 1-4 or 4-1. Or, if you feel like.being wingmen pairings, 1/4 then 2/3 or.vice versa.

Sorry about all the periods, my wife's samsung galaxy keyboard is dumb and I hate it.

Chrysis

I know, but may as well play as if it's going to continue. Wouldn't be a proper test otherwise.

The problem with BB-8 is that it's another step. Presumably the turn follows the same rough outline as normal: planning, activation, combat. BB-8 is another decision that has to be made after some ships move, which works fine in person but gets awkward PBP. Given it's a reposition ability, using it is very much dependant on the possibly final positions of other ships.

DaMoonRulz

Ok, signup is closed, and we'll go with a 5 man squad. So now you guys need to come up with a Squad name, and name a Squad Leader

Fuselage

I'm naming my character Fork Borkins. That's my input.

DaMoonRulz

Not sure if editing an OP will give notifications, so

ROSTER
1. @Fuselage
2. @Grunt's Ghosts
3. @Chrysis
4. @Albino Bunny
5. @Elvenshae

Fuselage

What do you think about basing our leader off the greatest Vassal tactician of the group? Still looking for the last vassal tournament post in the X-Wing thread.

The real question is if we should have a cool name that could be used later if @DaMoonRulz makes this a certified campaign or is we assume this'll be a one-off.

In that spirit, what do you think about being called The Replacements or Test Squadron?


Those are bad names and don't include puns. Somebody please come up with anything better.

Grunt's Ghosts

In the tradition of Penny Arcade, we can only have one name: Wrathful Avengers of Naboo's Greatest!

Or WANG.

DaMoonRulz

You'll be setting up in the Red Area for this mission

Albino Bunny

All the fun rebel ships are unlocks, boo :P

Regardless I'll play Ori Averrod, information officer for the Aturi Cluster's Rebels and not too shabby in her beat up Y-wing.

Y-Wing: R-7 Astromech, Blaster Turret, Bomb Loadout, Ion Bombs.

What, you thought I wasn't going to bring bombs?

EDIT: To make the load out less dumb now I think about it:

Y-Wing, Bomb loadout, Extra Munitions, Seismic Charges, Blaster Turret

Fuselage

I'll take the far left corner and face straight forward. The odds of me keeping someone in my sights is greatest from that position.

DaMoonRulz

@Elvenshae What ship and mods will you be taking?

Grunt's Ghosts

I'll take just right of that bottom asteroid facing up.

Elvenshae

42nd Starfighter Squadron (Training), the "Blue Banthas"

Arrol Fylann, codeslicer out of [mumbles]

Flying a Y-Wing (R2 Astromech, Ion Turret, Bomb Loadout, Ion Bomb)

I'll start on Fuselage's wing, back in an echelon right formation.

DaMoonRulz

Who's got dibs on Squad Leader?

Chrysis

I'll start just to the left of the centre bottom asteroid, in position to clear it flying straight up. I nominate @Elvenshae for squad leader based on nothing in particular. We've got 3 Y-wings and 2 X-wings, so it's obviously a bomber squadron with fighter support.

Fuselage

I'm good with @Elvenshae for the sake of having some kind of "reward" for putting together tournaments.

Albino Bunny

I'll deploy in formation with the other Y wings. On fuselages other side. Ready to bomb some imperials off the star map.

DaMoonRulz

All right, the squad order is:

@Elvenshae - Bantha One
@Albino Bunny - Bantha Two
@Fuselage - Bantha Three
@Chrysis - Bantha Four
@Grunt's Ghosts - Bantha Five

The squad will activate from 5-1 and fire 1-5. When I get home around noon I'll update the map (Map in OP if you haven't noticed) and begin the first activation round

Elvenshae

I plan on taking a nice, leisurely flight up the left side of the map, to give the enemy a chance to run into the asteroid field a bit. That'll make ion shots a little more useful in breaking up the formation and making things run into floating damage.

Since I'm back and right of @Fuselage and activate after him, we should plan our turn in carefully so that he takes the broader turn and I take a shallower one, to avoid running into each other.

Fuselage

My plan is to move forward 1 once or twice until the TIEs are in the asteroid field, then I'll bank right towards them for the longest firing solution. This should keep me clear of you, @Elvenshae, and hopefully not hose @Grunt's Ghosts who would not be happy if isolated against ten eyeballs.

DaMoonRulz

Also, feel free to treat this as an RP opportunity if you so choose, but it is not required at all

Fuselage

Immediately after attending the mission briefing, Bork Forkins returns to his bunk with the excuse that he needed to polish his astromech droid. What first began as an exploration in cleanliness aboard the carrier had become quite the addiction. Between PT, mess, and briefings Fork Borkins would take to his bunk at every opportunity. Often he would mutter about the loneliness of space or a new crewmember aboard the ship on his way to his quarters, but R5-D8 never seemed cleaner for the obsessive behavior.

Truly, Pork Dorkins was an enigma.

DaMoonRulz

@Fuselage is out of the game.

Albino Bunny

My plan is to stay in formation with Bantha One so we can drop coordinated ordnance. All we need is one good bomb set up and both my bombs can land easily in theory. Presume my first turn move order is in formation with Elvenshae and to focus.

No fancy flying for Information Officers, just calm, planned explosions.

Also I guess 'OOC' stuff as most my posts here are going to be lazily IC for Ori:

If this becomes a fully fledged thing where do people see their builds going?

I, other than obviously trying to beg Damoon for my K-wing, would probably go full on Support HWK or into a T-70/A-wing, either way thematically I'll probably have a stealth device

DaMoonRulz

Welcome to the Outer Rim, pilots. Our convoy is currently en route to a hidden Rebel Base in the Parmel Sector, and you'll be on escort duty until we arrive.

We've picked up a group of enemy signals in the nearby asteroid field; likely an Imperial patrol. Intercept those ships, and keep them away from the convoy until we can execute a hyperspace jump to ensure our base remains hidden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uKIeamPi2Y

As you make your way toward the last known signal, suddenly your sensors light up, revealing a handful of TIEs screaming towards you!

They begin filtering their way through the field, preparing to evade, minus the pilot that had to barrel roll to avoid an asteroid strike


ACTIVATION ORDER
1. @Grunt's Ghosts
2. @Chrysis
3. @Fuselage
4. @Albino Bunny
5. @Elvenshae

Gimme your move and your action and I'll complete them to the best of my ability. Try to put in contingencies in the case of something like a barrel roll near an asteroid

Fuselage

Since I'm on point in the strafing run, will you guys want me to slight right 2 or 3 for you? Knowing the AI, the enemy should target me first which is what we want.

I think I want to get Engine Upgrade, then Autothrusters and either stay in the Y-Wing or get into a B-Wing with C-3PO, Luke, or some other crewmember. I want to be the tankiest little tank I can be.

Which...if I'm trying to take all the Aggro, do you think I'm making a mistake to BTL when I don't have an unhinged astromech to keep me maneuverable?

Albino Bunny

@DaMoonRulz

Question sir! How do all of the Ghosts fit in Grunt's cockpit?

DaMoonRulz

That's not for me to answer!