Over the past couple of weeks the world seems to have been turned on its head. Two weeks ago, I was hoping that Adepticon wouldn’t be cancelled. Now a good chunk of the country is on lockdown. Organized play events are all cancelled through June, and we are supposed to stay far away from each other to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This obviously doesn’t mix well with the ethos of the X-Wing community. We are a group of people who love to gather in large groups, to shake hands, to fist-bump and high-five, to help each other out, mark ships, and complete maneuvers for each other. But all that is right out the window. A pandemic is upon us, and we are all finding ourselves with more free time on our hands than we are perhaps used to. And the very things that make this game so wonderful to play are the very aspects that now prevent it from being a consideration to fill that time.

So what are we to do if we are to be responsible human beings? Some people are lucky enough to live with other X-Wing players and can still easily put ships on the table, but I’m not one of those lucky souls. So, I’m turning to X-Wing simulators.

I am aware of three different options: the Tabletop Simulator (TTS) X-Wing Unified 2.0 mod, Vassal, and Fly Casual. I’ve used all three, but am spending most of my time on TTS.

Vassal probably has the largest following of the three in the X-Wing community with many tournaments and leagues underneath its belt, and if you want to get in games against some of the biggest names in X-Wing, that’s probably the place to go. There is a high learning curve at the start, stacked on top of installing Vassal and the proper X-Wing Module, but it is well supported and probably has the largest player base to get a game with. There are a few Youtube guides up that can get you started and also show you how to play.

Fly Casual is a wonderful tool, but it doesn’t have an option to play online. It says thatthe online option is coming, but for some quick games against an A.I., it’s an excellent choice. It is also useful for games on the go, as it can be played on both Android and iOS phones.

Then there’s TTS. It’s the only one of the three that costs any money, which I can see as a potential turnoff, but in my experience it’s well worth the $10 I spent on it. Once you purchase Tabletop Simulator, the modules for a wide variety of tabletop and board games, including X-Wing 2nd Edition, will be available for free in the community workshop – so that $10 gets you access to all kinds of virtual options if you have gaming interests beyond X-Wing. It can be a bit confusing to figure out the download process, but with a guide, it isn’t too bad. And here is a link to the Discord server for help setting up and finding games.

I’m not going to go into depth about the pluses and minuses of each program, because what is best is largely based on personal preference. What I will say, is that all three options are worth checking out, and I would especially like to encourage everyone to look into Vassal or TTS (no offense meant to Fly Casual), if only because of the capability they provide to still get some form of the social aspect of X-Wing mixed in with the game-play mechanics. Arch Alliance members are talking about organizing a TTS league over the next few weeks. I encourage you to do the same in your community. Use Discord voice channels to add another dimension to your game-play. Connect with long distance X-Wing friends. Organize virtual tournaments. Play “Jank Tank” games with people you’ve never met.

I got a game in on TTS just the other day with Nick Sperry of 312 Squadron 4 hours away in Chicago, and it was a blast. Many gas clouds were hit (TIE Reapers move WAY too fast) and much fun was had. While none of these options are perfect surrogates, they can be an excellent alternative to time spent at the table, and can still give us a semblance of the camaraderie found at X-Wing nights.

For more Midwest Scrub content, you can also find us on our podcast: The Midwest Scrubcast. A more conversational take on X-Wing topics, featuring all the same scrubs, but in your ears!

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For other Arch Alliance content, check out Arch Alliance’s YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Biophysical’s Starfighter Mafia blog. Since we’re all stuck indoors right now, you’re welcome to reach out to Arch Alliance X-Wing on Facebook if you want to find a virtual game!