Mission to the Forest Moon of Endor

With restrictions easing, my daughter, her partner and my three grandchildren made their first visit to Snapcase Hall, Much-Piddling in nearly two years. In the case of my youngest granddaughter, it was her first visit, being born during lock-down last year. My eldest granddaughter Eva (aged 7) loves Star Wars and so I decided to set up a surprise game for her. I used X-Wing Miniatures models with the Fistful of Lead Starfighters! rules. James of OSHIROmodels made the two buildings which were to form the centre-point of the game, an Imperial outpost with landing pad and the all-important shield generator complex to protect the incomplete second Death Star in orbit around the Forest Moon of Endor.

The scenario was that the Imperial base on Endor had an SLD-26 planetary shield generator which emitted a repulsor-lift field to keep the Death Star in a stationary orbit around the moon of Endor.

I simplified the rules a little and made each player's character an ace, supported by three ships. The Rebel objective was to destroy the SLD-26 shield generator. The Rebels could only fly between the giant trees and not over them.

There were four players, my granddaughter, Master Jedi Eva Skywalker,

with a squadron consisting of three X-Wings and a K-Wing bomber. The K-Wing was the only ship armed with bombs.

Eva's dad was on her side playing as Poe, in an A-Wing, supported by another A-Wing and two B-Wings.

I, as Darth Grampie flew a TIE Defender with three TIE Fighters in support. My daughter playing as Howlrunner had a TIE Interceptor and three TIE Fighters.

I painted some scenery to make a bigger base, but of course it was not as lovely as OSHIROmodels work. Some photos of the set-up here.

The Rebels were briefed that the Imperial ships would not take off from the base until the first shots were fired, thus sounding the base alarm. The rebels started manoeuvring through the trees and came across two AT-STs which they duly dispatched. This alerted Darth Grampie as he felt a disturbance in the Force! Imperial forces take off to investigate.

Unbelievably, Darth Grampie is shot down by Eva Skywalker before he's even had a chance to shoot at anything!

Meanwhile, on the Rebel's right flank, a B-Wing is taken out as Poe scores a direct hit on the AT-ST.

All Imperial forces are now airborne (apart from Darth Grampie, who is trying to extricate himself from the crashed TIE Defender).

From the Rebels point of view, the A-Wings and remaining B-Wing separate. The X-Wings stick together but the K-Wing is looking for an easy route through.

Howlrunner in her distinctive red Interceptor are now in range and looking for trouble!

Hard to believe, but Howlrunner, the other Imperial ace is also shot down without firing a shot!

The TIEs get revenge for Darth Grampie by downing an X-Wing,

and then a second one.

Poe is shot down by more TIEs, swarming towards the K-Wing.

Meanwhile, Jedi Master Eva downs two TIE Fighters and evades a third in the race to get to the generator.

Eva Skywalker then gets a direct hit on the generator.

The K-Wing performs a 'do-or-die' manoeuvre through the trees to evade the TIEs.

The TIEs execute a 90 degree turn to port, miss all their shots and then, out of manoeuvring space, they crash head-long into a giant Endorian tree!

One of the B-Wings has also penetrated the defence and scores another hit on the SLD-26 planetary shield generator.

...and now the K-Wing has a chance to drop it's ordinance on the generator too,

but before it locks in the target, the B-Wing and Eva in the X-Wing score another hit apiece and the generator is destroyed! A Rebel victory!

The destruction of the shield means that the Rebel Fleet in orbit around Endor can now attack the Death Star directly.

We had a great game, non-stop carnage!