Assault on Shantipole— an X-Wing Scenario

Episode V.II

The Assault on Shantipole

THE SECRET WEAPON

Hoth has been destroyed, but the Rebel Alliance has escaped. From a mobile fleet on the galactic rim, the Alliance marshals its forces for the Empire's growing threat. 

    Working feverishly, Alliance engineers have developed a new weapon that can lash back at even the Empire's mightiest cruisers. But traitors are everywhere, and the Empire knows just where to attack to foil the Rebels’ plans...

Yes, it’s time again for a Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures Game battle report. The various Darths and Rebels gathered once again for an evening of battle, this time featuring all four of Fantasy Flight Games’ newest expansion ships: The Imperial Lamda-class Shuttle, the TIE Bomber, the HWK-290 (aka the Moldy Crow from the Dark Forces video game) and the Rebel Alliance B-Wing Tactical Strike Fighter. (Okay, I’m the one who labeled it a “Tactical Strike Fighter,” but that’s basically what it is: A big can of whoopin’ that flies like a slug...)

The Empire plans their assault, under the watchful gaze of Emperor Pawpatine.
(Not his real name.)

The scenario for this evening was another one of my creations, loosely based on a discussion about “weapons deals” scenarios on The Miniatures Page. Rather than a “last man standing” scenario, tonight’s battle would feature a hard-and-fast raid with a single target objective— a “space fighter construction station” located within an asteroid field.

The premise— the Rebels are about to conduct weapons testing of the very first production model B-wing. The Empire has obtained the location of the construction site, and plan to blow it and the B-wing into so much atomized debris.

THE FORCES

REBEL ALLIANCE SHANTIPOLE STATION DEFENSE SQUADRON

Shantipole Station Construction Space Dock (Point cost 10)

Single blaster turret, Range 1-2, 360°, Attack 1.

No shields or evasion capabilities.

8 Hull points.

Special Defense: Immune to energy attacks. Only explosive munitions (torpedoes, missiles and bombs) inflict damage. Only double-damage crits remain face-up; turn all other critical hits face down.

Long Range Perimeter Patrol: 2 A-wings

A-Wing Space Superiority Fighter

Tycho Celchu, Pilot Value 8

May perform actions even when stressed.

Expert Handling Upgrade (can do barrel rolls to remove enemy target locks)

Concussion Missiles

A-Wing Space Superiority Fighter

Arvel Crynyd, Pilot Value 6

Can attack targets while in base contact (ignores collision restrictions)

Concussion Missile

Close Support Patrol: 2 Y-wings and 1 HWK-290 (command & support)

Y-Wing Tactical Strike Fighter Y-9, Gold Squadron Pilot, Pilot Value 2

R5 Astromech (repair critical hits)

Ion Cannon Turret

2 Proton Torpedo loads

Y-Wing Tactical Strike Fighter Y-4, Gold Squadron Pilot, Pilot Value 2

R2 Astromech (treat 1 and 2 white maneuvers as green)

Ion Cannon Turret

2 Proton Torpedo loads

HWK-290 Command and Recon Gunship

Roark Garnet, Pilot Value 4

Assign 1 friendly ship at Range 1-3 as Pilot Value 12

Recon Specialist (assign two focus actions rather than one)

Blaster Turret, Range 1-2, 360°, Attack 3 (“Attack [Focus]” to use)

Pre-Flight Preparation (Station Interior): 1 B-wing

B-Wing Interdictor Tactical Strike Fighter

Ibitsam

May re-roll one attack or defense die when stressed.

Marksmanship Upgrade (change one eye roll to crit, all other eyes to hits)

Sensor Jammer (may change one of an attacker’s hit to an ‘eye’ result).

Autoblaster, Range 1, Attack 3. Normal hits may not be evaded by defense dice.

2 Advanced Proton Torpedoes. Range 1, Attack 5. 3 blanks may be changed to eyes.

IMPERIAL NAVY TACTICAL ASSAULT COMMAND

Primary Assault Group: 2 TIE Bombers and 1 Lambda-class Shuttle (command & support)

TIE Bomber

Major Rhymer, Pilot Value 7

Can increase or decrease secondary weapon range up to Range 3 maximum

Adrenaline Rush Upgrade (treat one red manuever as white, then discard)

2 Cluster Missiles

2 Advanced Proton Torpedoes

Proton Bomb

TIE Bomber

Gamma Squadron Pilot, Pilot Value 4

Assault Missile

Concussion Missile

2 Proton Torpedoes

Proton Bomb

ST-321 Lambda-class Command and Control Shuttle

Colonel Jendon, Pilot Value 6

May assign 1 blue target lock to a friendly ship at Range 1.

ST-321 Title: Can target lock any enemy ship regardless of range.

Modification: Anti-Pursuit Lasers (automatically attack overlapping enemy, one die)

Advanced Sensors: May perform an action before revealing maneuver.

Flight Instructor: Reroll 1 eye result when defending.

Weapons Engineer: May target lock 2 enemy targets simultaneously.

Ion Cannon

Interceptor Assault Support Group: 4 TIE Interceptors

Turr Phennir, Pilot Value 7

May boost or barrel roll after attacking.

Swarm Tactics Upgrade

Avenger Squadron Pilot, Pilot Value 3

Avenger Squadron Pilot, I-11, Pilot Value 3

Avenger Squadron Pilot, I-26, Pilot Value 3

THE SPECIAL RULES

X-Wing has no rules for targets or large, stationary objects like a space dock, so I had to make up my own.

The station, being immobile, does not roll defense dice, unless a shot against it is obstructed, in which case the station gains a single defense die against the obstructed attack. However, the station cannot be damaged by energy weapons fire (blasters, ion cannons, etc.), as it is mostly a large, open framework. Explosive warhead munitions are the only method possible to damage the station— in other words, it can only be attacked with torpedoes, missiles and bombs; nothing else.

The B-wing: The B-wing begins the battle undergoing weapons load-out inside the station. As long as the B-wing remains inside the station, it cannot be attacked, and is not damaged even if the station is. However, if the station is destroyed while the B-wing is inside, the B-wing is destroyed as well.

The B-wing’s entry is randomly determined by the roll of attack dice, beginning before the Activation Phase of the second turn. A single red die is rolled; if the result is a critical hit, the B-wing immediately exists the station and joins the battle. It may maneuver as normal (according to its pilot value, of course). If the roll fails, the Rebel player continues to roll before the Activation Phase of each turn, adding one red die per turn (so 2 dice are rolled on turn three, 3 dice on turn fout, and so forth). If any die rolls a critical hit result, the B-wing may join the fight.

THE ORDERS

Empire Orders (Victory Conditions): Primary Objective: Destroy Shantipole Station.

Secondary Objective: Destroy B-wing.

Rebel Orders: Primary Objective: Protect Shantipole Station. Secondary Objective: Avoid loss of B-wing (but if B-wing can save the station, it should be used to do so).

Note that due to the nature of Shantipole Station, the only Imperial ships capable of achieving the Empire’s victory goals are the two TIE Bombers. If these are destroyed before the station is, the Rebels win and the Empire loses, regardless of what else happens.

THE BATTLEFIELD

Shantipole station lies protected behind an asteroid field that shields the station from the Empire assault force’s entry point. This is placed by the Rebel players, but with restrictions on spacing to allow for passage through the field.

REBEL SET UP

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!!! Bogies approaching! All patrols scramble!

The Rebels get to place the asteroids (I handled this, as I was to be one of the Rebel commanders). We then set up our forces; though I thought splitting the different sides of the station would be a good idea, Commodore Will felt otherwise, so we placed everything just to the left of the station (Rebel left, as viewed in the pictures). I commanded the HWL-290 and the Y-wing patrol. Will took over the two A-wings, and was stand-by commander for the B-wing, should we succeed in flying it out of the station.

Once we were done, the Empire assault began.

THE BATTLE UNFOLDS...

TURN 1: Jockey for Position

The assault begins. (Dum Dum Dum Da Da-dum Da Da-dum.)

The Empire chose to split its forces into three groups (fitting the presence of three players, but not a bad idea). Darth Alexander swooped down in two TIE Interceptors on our extreme left, clear maneuvering to catch the Rebels from behind. Chase Alexander took two more TIE Ints down the center, along with a TIE Bomber flown by Major Rhymer (Pilot 7), while Darth Michael took the center right in the Imperial shuttle and the second TIE Bomber. Both bombers were lined up for straight runs at the station.

Seeing this, we angled immediately towards the two bombers, ignoring the TIE Ints as one ignores gnats (gnats with nasty bites, that is).

The ranges were too great for any shooting in Turn 1, the only offensive actions being Darth Michael establishing two target locks (Weapons Engineer) and passing these to the two bombers (STS-321 ability).

TURN 2: Lots of Light, Little Else

The combatants are in range.

Turn 2 allowed for the possible entry of the B-Wing, but no crit was rolled, so it remained in battle-prep mode. This would become a recurring note.

This turn brought us into fighting range, and the blasters sizzled, but little was done except some shield cooking.

TURN 3: Missiles Away!

Objective target lock acquired. Commence firing!

Turn 3 brought the Gamma Squad TIE Bomber in range of the station, and he fired off an Assault Missile (which also caught one of the Y-wings in its blast), putting the first two hits on the station. Meanwhile, the A-wings doubled down on the second TIE Bomber (Major Rhymer), smacking him around a bit, but not taking him out. Other ships traded shots, but again nothing crucial happened.

Once more the B-wing had failed to enter, but Commodore Will and I were confident that with 5 dice for the launch roll in Turn 4 we’d be bringing some serious firepower into play...

TURN 4: Time for the Boom-Boom

Uh-oh. The station is in trouble! Launch the B-wing! Launch the B-wing! Oh, crud.

... but it was no dice for us. Once again Will failed to use the Force, and the B-wing remained in station. The only firepower brought into play came from Major Rhymer (Darth Chase), who dropped a Photon Bomb to mess with the Y-wing that I had double-backed onto his tail, and the two A-wings. Fortunately, the explosion (which ignores shields!!!!) did only minor critical damage (the Y-wing would take damage on an overlap, and one A-wing had a Stunned Pilot).

Bomb go boom.

But now both TIE Bombers also had the station in LOS and range for missile attacks! Seeing this, Roark Garnet (the HWK-290 pilot) used his special ability to boost one of the Y-wings to a Pilot Value of 12, hoping to take out a bomber before it could shoot. One of the A-wings also was able to pour fire into Major Rhymer’s bomber, and we gave it all we had... ‘Twas too little, too late. Despite solid hits, both bombers survived, and two salvoes of Cluster Missiles slammed into the station— four hits for one, two for the other...

KABLOOEY!

The Darths give the intergalactic sign for "we just nuked some Rebels."

Moral of the Story: Sometimes it’s the Empire that gets to celebrate the big explosion in space.

WRAP UP

Everyone agreed that the scenario was a lot of fun, despite the quick ending. On post assessment, we decided the random launch factor for the B-wing was too random, and discussed shifting the scenario to a load-out vs. launch choice for the Rebels— in other words, the B-wing starts out as a straight ship with no systems upgrades or secondary weapons. At the beginning of each turn the Rebels would have to choose whether to launch the B-wing or not. However, if the B-wing remained in the station, the Rebels would be able to add one upgrade or weapon card to the vessel at the end of each turn (up to its maximum). The result would be a tactical choice, and risk— do the Rebels bring the B-wing out with only a partial weapons load, or risk its destruction with the station?

We also noted that the TIE Bombers had a straight line shot at the Shantipole facility the whole way, having to execute no turns of any sort. I think future versions of the scenario will allow for better blocking placement of the asteroids, to force a choice between delicate maneuvering or attempting a lengthier flank attack on the station.

Finally, it was agreed that the station’s defenses were a putz. Upgrading the laser to Attack 2 seems an option, as well as boosting the station’s hull points to 10 or even 12 (my only concern with the latter options being the possibility of bad attack rolls by the TIE Bombers, and making certain that a single bomber actually has at least a slim chance of destroying the station, just to keep things hairy for the Rebels).

But all in all, we had a great time— and it was noted that this was the first game of X-Wing that we had fought to a conclusion without a single ship lost (well, not counting the B-wing). No one felt that was a drawback, especially as it fit the nature of the scenario. And we all agreed this was a scenario we wanted to try again the next time the Wargamesmongers meet... in S-P-A-A-A-C-E!!!

ABOUT SHANTIPOLE STATION

Shantipole Station, Mk 1. Looks a little too Borg...

Shantipole Station is taken from the Star Wars “Wookiepedia,” where Shantipole is listed as the building site for the B-wing fighter. I decided that a classic “space dock” would be ideal for the scenario I wanted. I scrounged through my son’s closet and found an old K'nex set and fiddled around with the design. At first I created an open cube, but didn’t like the result. Finally, I took my inspiration from the Starfleet construction dock for the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 “refit” in the original Star Trek: The Motion Picture (the Rodenberry film, not the Abrams’ monstrosity). I had planned to paint the resulting model, but my son insisted that the components retain their original color. So we decided that the race who contribute the B-wing to the Rebel Alliance have a cultural aesthetic preferring primary colors, which is reflected in all their space constructs. Ahem.