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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:56 pm 
Really Cool Alien from a Cantina
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thereisnotry wrote:
I think this mindset or perspective is going on behind comments like these:
--"[I know I'm probably not going to win.] But can't we just play for fun, rather than always having to go for the gold?" ...or...
--"Can't we just play non-tourney squads [so that I'll at least have a chance to win]?"


That's an excellent point. I'm sure this issue comes up all the time in MTG; I certainly know that it does in Star Wars CCG.

The huge difference is that thousands of people play MTG every day; they have a huge and thriving player base. If there is a subset of players that feels marginalized or put-upon, or even just decides that they can have more fun doing something else, it isn't a great loss to the player base. SWCCG and SWM, on the other hand, need every player they can get, so people getting frustrated or feeling marginalized is a pretty big deal that we have to address.

One thing that helps here in Atlanta is that most of the time we rotate squads frequently. Practicing for regionals or Gencon is different, but most of the year we try all kinds of different stuff. Daniel will never play lancer, and I will hardly ever play Rebels, but there's a lot of variety across the group. We don't do that deliberately to try and "make it easier" for less skilled players to win - in fact, part of the fun is playing something that you know isn't great and finding ways to win anyway. But it still creates more variance in what you might call "average opponent difficulty." And all of us have had the embarrassing experience of bringing in a squad we thought was good, only to watch it get rolled by everyone (Master Thon, I'm looking at you).

On the other hand, I won the Owensboro regional with a squad that I originally threw together from the pieces I had in my car from a 500 point epic game the week before. It turned out to be surprisingly good! Playing different stuff gives you a better feel about how to beat likely opponents, exposes you to rules and situations that you aren't familiar with (strafe, Bombad Gungan, draw fire, bodyguards), and helps you figure out what you actually like to play. In other words, it makes you better at minis. I kind of have to wonder about someone who only wants to play one squad, or thinks that only that squad wins, or something like that. Do they just not have the pieces to build anything else? Is there some way to encourage them to branch out without banning pieces left and right?

So this is kind of rambling, but I would suggest having a tacit agreement, especially among the better players, to try a lot of different squads, including ones that aren't top-tier. Hopefully that will inspire some of the weaker players to do the same - maybe they'll see something they like! - and even if not, at least the game will be different from "your rock beat my scissors because all I ever play is scissors even though I know you always play rock this game sucks". Drafting is also a lot of fun and mixes things up because some of the tactics that constitute the largest skill differences, like knowing how to use override and scrub pieces to maximum advantage, get diminished or vanish entirely. We have had a lot of fun with the Cube format that Daniel mentioned earlier, and building your own is as easy as taking a whole bunch of pieces, putting the cards in sleeves, and passing them around. All the virtual scrubs that have been coming out are perfect for it.

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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:04 pm 
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jedispyder wrote:
Back when we still played in Cincy (granted this is over 2 and a half years ago before the V-Sets), we would alternate games or themes each week. Some of the ideas we used were:
"No Unique" (obviously no Uniques)
"Beast Master" (squad has to have at least 3 Savage pieces or have Savage characters take up a third of your squad points)
"Lead the Charge" (one Unique commander and grunts)
"Pure Faction" (all 1 faction, no Fringe and no Affinity)
"Relative's Day" (pick at least 2 characters that do not follow faction rules and pick a single faction to fill the rest of the squad)
"Movie Only" (characters only featured in the movies, you can make it only for a single movie, single era, or mixed)


This is a good option that has worked for our group. Each event doesn't overly restrict what figures players can use, but it switches things up so that players won't bring the same squad every week. That variety should keep it fun. If you don't see enough options there, check out the Dejarik tablel at www.SWMiniverse.com and check out our podcast where we let you know how the events went.

And instead of splitting into two play groups, what about alternating events?
. 200 points regular
. alternate format
. 200 points regular
. alternate format
Players can get their competitive games and fun games.

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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:28 pm 
Imperial Dignitaries
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Chargers wrote:
jedispyder wrote:
Back when we still played in Cincy (granted this is over 2 and a half years ago before the V-Sets), we would alternate games or themes each week. Some of the ideas we used were:
"No Unique" (obviously no Uniques)
"Beast Master" (squad has to have at least 3 Savage pieces or have Savage characters take up a third of your squad points)
"Lead the Charge" (one Unique commander and grunts)
"Pure Faction" (all 1 faction, no Fringe and no Affinity)
"Relative's Day" (pick at least 2 characters that do not follow faction rules and pick a single faction to fill the rest of the squad)
"Movie Only" (characters only featured in the movies, you can make it only for a single movie, single era, or mixed)


This is a good option that has worked for our group. Each event doesn't overly restrict what figures players can use, but it switches things up so that players won't bring the same squad every week. That variety should keep it fun. If you don't see enough options there, check out the Dejarik tablel at http://www.SWMiniverse.com and check out our podcast where we let you know how the events went.

And instead of splitting into two play groups, what about alternating events?
. 200 points regular
. alternate format
. 200 points regular
. alternate format
Players can get their competitive games and fun games.

Yes, I think it's very wise to keep the groups together. The alternating events idea is what I'd want to do...and I'm a hardcore competitive player!

In fact, all of the above options sound really good to me. I just wish I had a local playgroup! :)

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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:32 pm 
Major Tierce
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You could also start getting into scenario play. This does require one player to be the "judge" or scenario operator. We have done lots of cool ones (where you bring your own squads) over the years. Last man standing booster style, Clones of Vader, attack on the NR Jedi Acadamy, Jedi vs Sith, done some hoth battles and my favorite endor battles as well.

Just all depends on what direction the players want to go and if they are willing (and someone is willing) to lead them on the journey.

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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:43 pm 
One of The Ones
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thereisnotry wrote:
Yes, I think it's very wise to keep the groups together. The alternating events idea is what I'd want to do...and I'm a hardcore competitive player!

In fact, all of the above options sound really good to me. I just wish I had a local playgroup! :)

Ditto, I've been without a local group for close to 2 years now. My son is getting old enough that I will have a bit more free time before long to try and dredge up some players around here, but I sure wish the old group had hung in there.

And as urbanjedi mentioned, scenario play is pretty cool too :)


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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:47 pm 
Black Sun Thug
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Swinefeld how far south in Illinois are you? ill be goin to SIU carbondale and such maybe we can get it spurned back to life lol


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 Post subject: Re: SWM's for fun.
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:55 pm 
One of The Ones
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AcheronFate wrote:
Swinefeld how far south in Illinois are you? ill be goin to SIU carbondale and such maybe we can get it spurned back to life lol


Ah, serendipity. I'm in Carbondale 8-)


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