Preferred Canon, Miniature Edition

I am a big fan of the Galactic Civil War era of Star Wars and I am a stickler for my preferred aesthetics.

Over the last few months I have been culling my growing FFG Star Wars miniatures herd, weeding out those ships which annoyed me in one way or another.

It all started on the X-Wing side, I would say, with my purchase of the VCX-100, Ghost. It was so big! And so different. I have always thought that ship looks like a crude flying brick (and that's being generous). I like Hera a lot. I am OK with Kanan. The rest of the crew (especially Chopper) annoy me. The show started to bug me, too. I quit watching after season 2. I like Darth Maul...but he was cut in half. I don't care for retconned stories about B-wing origins, etc. Don't get me started with Wedge Antilles. Or the size of the A-wing. Or which capital ships Vader might be able to kill single-handedly.

At any rate, this humongous, lumpy brute of a ship never felt like one of the gang, sitting on my shelf beside the Falcon and Outrider. So I sold it. While I was at it, I also sold the Agent Kallus crew card that came with the otherwise awesome Imperial Gozanti-class Assault Carrier. For a clean sweep of Rebels material, I also sent the Inquisitor packing in his TIE Advanced Prototype. The solar panels are on the insides of the wings, for cripe's sake.

Then I turned my attention to the K-wing (a vessel of dubious heritage from 16 years after the Civil War period). Gone. Along with it went the Imperial monstrosity the TIE Punisher. Too weird looking.

My purge went to not buying some expansions, as well as selling those I mention. I am not interested in the Quad Jumper, the Protectorate Starfighter, the Upsilon-class shuttle (Kylo fleeping Ren doesn't actually fly his own shuttle, does he?), the Shadowcaster, the E-wing, or Sabine's TIE. Reasons: Rebels, Episode VII, or anachronisms (the E-wing is a New Republic era starfighter; also of dubious design lineage, in my mind). While I skip the ships, I use eBay extensively to get the cards and components I like from the sets I avoid, like the stuff from The Force Awakens core set (damage decks, upgrades, even maneuver templates, etc), astromechs, Smuggling Compartment, Rigged Cargo Chute, Burnout SLAM, BoShek, etc. The rest of my fleet cannot be expected to miss out on goodies packaged with some odious vessels, can it?

I am open to the Auzituck Gunship (who doesn't like Wookiees?) and the TIE Aggressor when they come out. Not the Scurrg H-6.

I have been similarly active on the Armada side, as well. Ships I have sold after owning for awhile (both due to "look and feel" issues) are the Rebel Assault Frigate Mk. II and the Imperial Gladiator-class Star Destroyer (from the 1980's cartoon Droids, no less!). What's next, FFG, Itchy, Lumpy, and Bea Arthur singing about Life Day?

I have not purchased (and will not) the flotillas. I don't like the idea of having a single mini represent the Falcon by itself, but a group of Gozanti-class cruisers has to stick together for some awful reason. Add in the incessant complaints people have about their rules and I say "No, thank you."

I wanted to get the Pelta-class frigate, in theory, but I don't care for both the strong Rebels tie-in and the strange rules wherein a small fry of a ship like that gets some kind of unique bonus ability to command a fleet. What? The admirals riding on the largest ships can't pull off the tricks of the low-lifes on a converted medical frigate from the Clone Wars? No.

Also not interested in Rebel Fighter Squadrons II, with E-wings, Ghosts, and Shadowcasters.

I have not purchased The Corellian Conflict campaign expansion yet, either. Not sure about that one. Almost wanted it just for the Rogue Squadron X-wing squadron card...but then I realized that most of the good pilots from Rogue Squadron already have their own squadron cards. Odd.

I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming Hammerhead Corvette two-pack and the Imperial Light Carrier. Even though the Light Carrier has a strong Rebels vibe, I like the theoretical ability to carry more non-hyperdrive-equipped squadrons into combat. I am working on home brew rules for Carriers. It seems too thematic to not worry about where the TIEs come from when the fighting begins.

I very much expect to see, and soon (and will definitely purchase), Admiral Raddus and his MC-75, Profundity. I hope they do the right thing and mount it on a large base.

Meet the Fleet, part 25

   

   

   

The other wonderful release tied directly to Rogue One: the Incom UT-60D U-wing. I quite like this ship. The wings even sweep back! Two things about this make me a bit sad: first, no K-2SO crew card (or pilot card!). Second, no Chirrut Îmwe crew card. They must be coming in a future expansion! We can't have Cassian Andor and Baze Malbus languishing without their partners in crime, can we? No. We cannot.

I do wish this vehicle had been the start of an integration into a ground combat add-on game. This is a strike team insertion vessel, built to be just like a military transport helicopter. Like the UH-60 Blackhawk, perhaps?

A handsome vessel at any rate.

Meet the Fleet, part 24

   

   

Heroes of the Resistance. Of course FFG could make me buy a second Millennium Falcon. Poe Dameron's orange and black Black One is pretty cool, too. Forget for a minute that Poe's call sign is "Black One" and he leads Blue and Red Squadrons.

One interesting note is that this is apparently a brand-new sculpt for the Falcon, not just change in the dish. You can tell the difference, if you look very closely. I like the mini, I like Rey and Finn. Fine, I'll buy a second Falcon.

Frankly, I'd buy a third, if they could think of a reason to sell me another.

Meet the Fleet, part 23

   

   

Two of the iconic TIE Strikers, as seen in Rogue One. I like the look of these craft; but FFG missed the boat in not making it a two seat light bomber, like the excellent Rogue One Ultimate Visual Guide describes. The wings even move up and down, to aid in atmospheric flight.

Meet the Fleet, part 22

   

   

The newest member in the Epic Play Club: the Scum & Villainy C-ROC Gozanti-class cruiser. A nice looking (appropriately Scum-y) ship. One of the best parts is that this vessel comes with the Jabba the Hutt crew card. Nice!

This vessel came with an alternate re-paint M-3A Scyk Interceptor. These two are the 96th and 97th ships in my fleet!