Alrighty the 1st Annual Bloomilk Championship was in Bellevue, Washington this last saturday and it was a blast! 28 people showed up and Shinja was on hand to promote it! Thanks to him, Omnus, and Cybit for hosting and judging!
The event was won by me, with a modified Slow Cannon I call
Slow-er Cannon:
Luke's Snowspeeder 45
Han Solo, Smuggler 27
Lobot 27
Princess Leia 20
General Rieekan 14
General Dodonna 9
Obi Wan, FS 8
150, 7 activations
Reinforcements from Lobot as well (used 4 different sets of them in 6 matches so hey...not really a 'preferred' just depended on the matchup).
The map I played on was the Taris Undercity. I know that Teth Monastery is usually the map that is played with this type of squad but I wanted to try it out on Teth since it would throw a screwball to many people who have never seen it or played on it. Needless to say it worked! It is roughly the same strategy as the Juno version by with Obi it is specifically tailored to the map since it is designed to be able to survive shots at range instead of hiding behind walls like on Teth. It may not be the most original squad but the twist of Obi on Taris instead of Juno on Teth is a fun debate to have as to which is better.
The beauty of it is playing the Speeder on the Sewer side and Mobiling out to the 3x3 gap in the wall on the right side of the Sewers to shoot opposing figures in Gambit or just LOS in general. I usually set Obi up right behind the Speeder so he was within 4 of the back area and the 3x3 area. The tactic I believe was pioneered by Tim in the Chicago Regional.
I inserted Obi FS instead of Juno due to the breakdown of the Map. Most enemy squads would be staying on their half of the map and therefore I would have a rough time getting Juno in position (and keeping her alive as well) when the map was as open as it is. Also, Obi FS is a great addition considering many Speeder vs. Speeder matchups all come down the rolls if both players have equal skill, and with the extra FPs AND Mettle on the rerolls Luke's SS took very little damage, the most came on a Grip from Vader Unleashed when I stuck the Speeder out for bait.
Anywho, that's the squad and the map, and the reasoning for the map/squad.
First round I faced MAINEiac from California:
Jango Fett BH
Vader Unleashed
Palpy on Throne
Filler
I won map roll and he took the sewer side. Due to being outactivated severely and not knowing the map I was able to kill Jango by the end of round 2. It it didn't help that rolled badly as well, only hitting one shot with Jango on Han which was Evaded and then Vader missed a LS Throw 5 shot needing a 5 and hit the other, which Han yet again Evaded. I was mostly just Han putting 30 and 40 damage on Vader after Dark Armor after that. The Speeder chased down and KOed Palpy after that.
Game 2 vs. Chris Graff:
Vader Unleashed
Palpy on Throne
Disciple of Ragnos
Nightsister Witch
Ozzel
Filler
I won map yet again and he set up Palpy in Gambit on the Room side and I took the sewers. I was able to KO an Ugo and put 40 on Palps after he missed two Evades. He won Init and got a Grip off on the Speeder. I moved an Ugo into Gambit and based Palpy with it. He just spun Palpy to keep the FPs and I positioned a Mouse exactly 6 away from where my Speeder was going to land I put the final 90 on the Emporer with it KOing him. After that Vader didn't have much to do except try to Grip and Ugo and with a Leia shot and Speeder reactivation later he was down a few more activations. It ended on time but all he had left was Vader and the Witch and I believe a few Ugos after I shot a few Dignitaries with Dodonna/Leia.
Game 3 vs Velox from:
Lord Vader
Thrawn
Ozzel
Mas
Lobot
He brought in I believe 11 activations total so maybe 2 Grans and Ugos/Mice.
He won map and we played on Muunilist. I was a little apprehensive about the matchup but I pulled in 6 figures with my Lobot and outactivated him enough to make a real dent in his activations.
After a few rounds 2 Grans and Lobot were dead with Vader having to run around various rooms trying to get in position to do things. The numerous doors were an issue for LV on that side and the Speeder took advantage pretty easily getting LOS to activations as well as Han gettings shots on Grans/Ugos.
Overall by round 4 it was just the Commanders and LV and it was mop up from then on.
Game 4 vs Robobytes:
Luke's SS
Han Smuggler
Lobot
Princess Leia
Rieekan
Dodonna
Juno
150
He pulled in a BG, 2 ugos and a Mouse I believe. I pulled in an Ugo Tech, 2 Mice, and two Ugos.
We played on Taris, which combined with my activation lead and his unfamiliarity with the map I was able to take my Sewer side and he set up in the fenced area.
Essentially I let him go first and after a won init and was able to run my Speeder into Gambit and get the early lead. He opened up the Fenced door with Juno and got a few shots on the Speeder which I evaded one and missed the other so I took 10. I then ran up after all the activations were over (he locked the door with Lobot) and opened the Door with my Lobot and I ran up and KOed his Juno taking me to an 18 point lead. After that it a lot of posturing after I KOed an Ugo.
I won the match, it was tense and he didn't know what to do since he could get LOS to anything and I held the 3 activation lead.
So I got a first round bye in the playoffs because we did it as a 6 man playoff where the two undefeateds got a bye and the other 4 duked it out.
My first playoff match was vs Jack (don't know his screenname on bloomilk):
YoBuck
Rex
Panaka
Jar Jar
R2 Astromech
Mas
Camaasi
Ugo
150
He won map and we played on Starship map (the hard map).
I took the left side (protected gambit side). I set up where the Speeder was in immediate LOS but I kept my Commanders behind it and then made a wall of figures:
AAASSS
AAASSS
AAASSS
COBWW
WW
S=Speeder
C=Camaasi
O=Obi
B=Bodyguard
A=Other figures
W=Generator Wall
So first turn Jack opens the door with the Camaasi and proceeds to quad the Speeder missing all the shots to my Speeder. YoBuck then charged in and smacked the BG twice after the Speeder had mobiled out to smack Rex with a Leia reactivation to kill him. I shot a few times on YoBuck missing with Han needing anything but a 1 after combining fire with Dodonna.
After that however it was downhill for him. I managed to pick off Jar Jar with a few Speeder twins and his failed saves and YoBuck fell shortly after amidst the firepower.
Overall Jack didn't roll well and he didn't any sleep the night before since he works nights, would love to play the game vs him again when he is fully lucid! ;)
So...Championship match vs Guitarded!!!
He played:
Luke RC
Han Smuggler
2xBothan
Crix
ERC
Rieekan
Dodonna
Ugos
10 activations
I won map yet again which was a screwball for my opponent again since he hadn't ever seen the map before. He set up first so I actually set up farther down the Sewer than normal to try to pick off his Bothan round 1 which I ended up being able to do.
After that it was a mess of his high rolls (I believe he got off 8 attacks with the ERC vs the Speeder w/ Cunning [I just want to preface that with yes I actually stuck the speeder out front with the BG and Obi adjacent to absorb hits] and hit I believe 6 of them) and I evaded all the damage, burning 2 of the Renewal/Mettle FPs to do it.
I shot his ERC with Han, he Evaded. He shot I believe the speeder with Han and missed. It was back and forth. Finally I set up in the room on the left side of the Sewers with the BG and Obi still adjacent and he Levitated Crix out for a shot on the speeder with Cunning which missed. I then shot Crix with the Speeder 4 times and once with Han, all were evaded.
Next round I was able to put 40 on Crix with the Speeder (2 failed Evades) and finished him off with a Han Shot.
After that he conceeded.
So...I went 6-0 and won the Bloomilk Championship!
It was a blast to play the Speeder on Taris in a competitive environment when I didn't think it would be. I chock the win up to the map more than just the squad because people have seen Slow Cannon all day long but few have played it on Taris due to it's crazy angles and slow style of play.
Overall it was fun! Got a case of Force Unleashed for a prize and an Uggie promo to boot!
Thanks again to Shinja for the sight and for all who attended to make it such a fun event!