Live Blog: X-Wing on Endor – Scenario In The Works
Today we have decided to run a live blog as we set about creating an X-Wing scenario which will take the epic space game down into the atmosphere of Endor. It's all a work in progress, so be sure to check back through the day to see how we get on with our cool Star Wars game.
Blogging At This Event:
Kicking off the project!
Stats and Special Rules - First Iterations Under Way (Post Suggestions In Here!)
Killian (Being the most experienced of our X-Wing Players) has sat down to start working out what additional stats and special rules we may need for the scenario to function correctly.
When you bring things like AT-AT's / AT-ST's and Turrents and Shield Generators into play, there is a clear possibility for things to get too complex, too quickly - KISS is the order of the day here so expect a number of iterations as we nail this (most important) aspect of the project.
Digging out the fantastic 4Ground trees...
So we need trees, a lot of trees we have both K&M and the beautiful 4Ground trees (check them out here http://www.4ground.co.uk/deciduous-woodland)
The 4Ground ones will make an awesome substitute for the Giant Redwoods we saw in Return of the Jedi - no idea if we can get Ewoks to scale though!
Play Mats and Foliage planting
In attempts to re-create the new Star Wars Battlefront Game releasing this November, we delve into comparing different Play Mats from Frontline F.A.T. mats and go back in history to look into the box of some old Star Wars At-At and At-St models from 1995 published by Lucas Arts including tiny Snow Speeders!
Building The Imperial Base
We move onto building the Imperial Base using various models from many Star Wars ranges that we've collected over the years. One of the defensive options we have included here is the Space Station Lasers from Battlefront which gives us some amazing Anti-Air turrets.
Check out Warren inventively crafting some docking stations for the AT-ATs too plus we have Ion Cannons at the ready to deter any pesky bombing raids.
The Power generators are built from Secret Weapon and Quantum Gothic kits, dismantled to make our own re-purposed barracks to hold the troops and TIE Fighter landing pads.
The turbo shafts are built from excess sprues that we have lying around the studio. You'll have to use your own ingenuity to craft something similar at home!
Micro Arts Studio buildings act as a landing pad for the Lambda Shuttles and perhaps more AT-AT docking ports. Do you think we need some more of those?
Critical Mass Games also provide some beautiful tanks with dozer blades to get through the forests.
Finally we get to the landscaping. Lloyd begins growing his own forest by adding some trees to provide a lot of obstacles across the battlefield to crash into and dodge around.
What do you think so far?
Painting AT-ATs With John
John loves spray painting the Star Wars AT-ATs in the studio. We begin with grey primer and watered down dark tones from Army Painter with two coats overall.
Stick around for another update soon where we'll get some shrubberies on the Battlefront!
Dry brushing the At-Ats for battle
We've moved on to the dry brushing phase of the At-At's and other bits of terrain!
Dry Brush Result
We're finishing up with the dry brushing of the Star Wars models and architecture, when we get interrupted by a surprise...
Architecture and Model Tone Painting
John brings back the Army Painter Strong Tone to warm up the pallet of the buildings and architecture of the Star War At-At's, ready for the battlefront!
Set Up and Height Challenges
We begin to set up the board completely with all the models painted in the previous episodes, discussing our challenges of playing the game with different size models from 1 stem to 4 stems high.
Developing the Scenario Rules
We have our table set up, our models prepared and ready for battle on our attempt to replicate the Star Wars Battlefront atmosphere of ground level dog fight show downs. Lloyd and Killian get down to strategize the best scenario and rules for play.
Inspired by Star Wars Battlefront, We Take X-Wing to Endor
So we couldn't end the day without making a montage video full of JJ Abrams lens flares, Enjoy 🙂
Looking at his hand positions, those trees are going to become a pain in the backside very quickly. What’s the battle plan gents?
I’m thinking to treat trees like asteroids, you can fly through them but you cannot take actions and you have to roll a red dice for potential damage however unlike asteroids if you finish movement on a tree BOOM, ship destroyed.
I was thinking more the logistics of playing the game, if this is another salute jolly, there’s going to be loads of kids playing on the table like last year mate
Why do I get the sneaky feeling you didn’t watch the intro vid 😉
Bugger, I’m guessing that was in the bit I skipped 😀
lol 🙂
Yeah if it’s any good, we’ll battle report this – but it’s not heading to salute 🙂
We may end up having to group and base trees onto area terrain ‘blobs’ but considering it’s not for Joe public, I would prefer to avoid that if possible 🙂
could simulate troops as fighter bases that can move at speed 1 in any direction of it’s base and use all soft and hard turns, as well as being able to run forward 2. and give them statlines of possibly Attack 0, Defense 3, Health 5, shields 0, to represent a 5 man platoon with small arms which would require them to get within range 1 to have any chance of doing any damage. then for AT-ATs use large ship bases, and give them, all speed 1s, and all speed 2s with speed 1s being red and forward 1 being… Read more »
Good thinking though perhaps a bit complicated for this battle given that the focus will be on the fighters. I’m thinking of keeping the AT-ST’s as able to do all movement 1 maneuvers and only a 2 forward maneuver, with 2 Attack, 1 Evade, 0 Shield and Hull 4. They are there to disrupt the attacking fighters and with occasional maneuvers The AT-AT’s will be allot slower with only 1 forward and 1 bank maneuvers, 3 Attack, 0 Evade, 3 Shield and Hull 8. They are large blocking units for area denial but not necessarily targets for attack. We have… Read more »
Switch your deflector screens to double front!
“Stay on Target!”
Warren, you basically described the plot of Shattered Empire Issue #1
How micro-management is the game going to get? Is the decision ships, walkers, done? Are there going to be ground troops involved so the overall commander needs to think: The troops need to assault the base to set off an explosion (for example), so the X-Wings need to take out the walkers and other ships, the Y-Wings need to soften the defences by bombing them as the bombs wont damage the core rooms underground? Or is that too complex for the game you have in mind?
Following on from my question: According to the Fantasy-flight website: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2013/8/20/assemble-the-fleet/ (The box titled “A question of scale”) there are two ships that have been build outside to 1:270 scale format. The closest you can easily get to this in mainstream wargaming is approx 6mm. Hope this helps for any laser defenses and if you decide to add infantry.
6mm figures for units of Rebel fighters on foot. Maybe 2mm figures for units of Ewoks (maybe thats a bit too small, but hey… easy to paint). Base the infantry on either small or medium bases for Flames of War and give them a movement value of say 1.
I suggest to take a look or even play the old Rogue Squadron games for Gamecube, they have a lot of surface battles very interesting. The second one I think even have the Endor Battle, but not with star fighters.
Looks like lots of fun , but where are you going to find 1/270 scale AT-ATs , Storm Troopers and Ewoks ? Would GHQ tanks be scaled close enough and do they have figures ?
lego AT-AT http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/drdavewatford/DrDaveWatford-Lego/4492-Mini-AT-AT/img_2775.jpg
and if that isn’t small enough there is always http://imperialholocron.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Lego-9509-Advent-Calendar-Day-10-AT-AT.jpg
Running something at Adepticon would be great but I am going to be too busy trying to win some games.
hey boys – looking for a mouse pad mat for realm of life for Age of Sigmar. What is the deep cut mat name you’ve chosen? Is it swamp? Looking for an ancient forest vibe and the darker look works for me.
Maybe consider the rules from D&D attack wing game as it has x-wing rules with ground units.
Look more AT-ATs for John to paint!
John loves painting At-At’s, don’t let him make you think otherwise!
It was as if one voice cried out in terror and was slowly… drowned…. under grey paint….
that’s no moon its a tin of grey primer.
this gives me idea of creating ‘steroids from foam/sponge ! easy to transport and paint. superb thx BOW
Lovely! But Warren, learn to live with 6×4, its the standard xD
I’ve been waiting bloody years for X-Wing on BoW! Huzzah!
Nice looking table layout.
Since X-Wing is scaled at 1:270, any 1:300 or 1:285 wargaming infantry might be useable as proxys for troops.
Just as an odd thought here, but perhaps this kind of game could use 2 6’x4′ sections in a T-Shape. The one on the end being the base, and the other being the approach to it, in many ways taking a bit from Star Fox with the shift to all range mode after the initial attack. You could say that there’s a theater shield such as was used on Hoth, requiring a low approach, utilizing the swamp mat…use the rivers as a low approach that’s largely clear of the biggest trees. Take a few TIEs, and have them on patrol,… Read more »
@warzan If you read the newest Star Wars comic, Shattered Empire I think is the title, they actually show the rebels assaulting the Empire base on the other side of the Moon. It has Solo and Chewei riding in a troop transport to help capture Intel. Issue 2 or 3 just came out so it won’t be hard to pickup and read for ideas.
Ordered on the back of your recommendation! 😉
This came as a surprise. Or did I miss some news?
The progress is looking great. And it’s very funny to see Warren get ever more enthusiastic.
I hope those x-wings aren’t flying as low as Warren….
Brilliant content again. Bloody love x-wing!
Question: what’s making the Rebels attack through the trees instead of coming straight down from space? A force field? A camo generator? If the fighters can fly over a clump of trees, they can fly over the forest. Remember: fast, flying things and redwood-sized trees do NOT mix well.
I’d assume a LOT of AA fire…probably with a shield generator…the old canon had the Hoth one recovered from the Imperials…same with the Ion Cannon
Plus, bulldozers would be used to clear up the dead ewoks. For clearing trees (and ewoks), giant buzz saws on the front of the tractors would be better ( you have to have some 40K chain sword and axe bits you could use). Think the trucks in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.
All in all, good use (and thinking outside the box) for the terrain pieces, but, hopefully, the shading on the buildings, etc. looks better in person. The camera makes them look rather flat gray from a distance.
Do you have any clear bases? They would let the AT-STs match the table mat better without have to tie them to one terrain type. Get a desert map for tatooine or Mol Calamari with an ocean map. You already have some small scale Hoth terrain.
Thank you for posting this blog of working out both the rules and the terrain. It’s given me some real good ideas for a large-scale X-wing game at my local store!