This article will be one of a series of articles geared toward helping newer players get ready for their first large tournament. The topics we cover will include: general tournament preparation, the pros and cons of net listing vs. taking a homebrewed list, how to stress test a home-brewed list to see if it’s tournament ready, a guide to community resources, and a guide to turn zero considerations.

In a recent survey we conducted, we got a lot of feedback expressing frustrations with the amount of time X-Wing required to set up and tear down. During a conversion on our podcast, The Midwest Scrubcast, our guest suggested that the issue might lie in a difference between the mostly casual player and the competitive player. In response to those concerns, I wanted to share some ideas that more competitive players I know use to speed up their setup and teardown time.

At the end of the day, organization is key. The easier it is to find all of your game components, the quicker you will be able to get them on the table. You will need an investment of time (and maybe a little money) on the front end to get your system going, but once you do, it’ll serve you well.

Cards:

I prefer to use binders to keep my cards in, but I’ve also seen card divider sets to help keep organized.

I personally organized my pilot cards separate from the upgrade cards, and have them organized by faction, with ships in alphabetical order, then each ship’s pilots by initiative. Upgrades I organized by type in alphabetical order, individual items by alphabetical order within type. It doesn’t particularly matter the exact method you use to organize the cards, only that it makes sense to you.

For casual games, print lists out. That way you still have the visual reference, but don’t have to take the time to get the cards out and put them away afterwards. In some settings, a printed out list might not be appropriate, but in most it should be perfectly acceptable. I know for some people, having the cards out and arrayed is part of the fun of the game, but when the time and effort of getting the cards out might keep you from getting a game in, a printed list might be a worthwhile compromise.

Another possible solution is to have a couple of lists pre-built and stored in your binder in separate clear binder sleeves. That will allow you to get the cards prepped in downtime at home, then just grab a couple of sheets out of your binder, plop them down on the table, and your list is good to go.

Templates and Components:

The simplest and best solutions for templates are likely a template tray system from someone like District Foundry or Highbridge Design on Etsy. But those solutions do cost more money, which isn’t always so feasible. I’ve also seen some more “DIY” solutions like a sewn template holder or Lego template holder. And even simpler and cheaper than that, some people just keep and transport their templates in zip lock plastic bags.

If you have access to a 3D printer (or someone else who has one), that may be another way to create custom organization solutions. We’ve seen these two Thingiverse designs put to good use locally, and there are other interesting options out there if you do a little searching.

For any game, whether casual or competitive, having all of the components that your list would need readily available in a single container of some kind makes things easier. Whether it’s a full District Foundry lunchbox kit, a system of zip lock bags, a tackle box, or some other container, make sure it is compartmentalized so that you can easily find the correct tokens. Some people will go to the trouble, especially for tournaments, of pulling out only the exact shields and tokens that they will need for their specific list before they leave the house. If that’s too much of a pain, it shouldn’t be hard to find enough room for at least a few of every type of token, with a sufficient number of shields and target locks.

Ship Storage:

Largely, Plano tackle boxes seem to be the most popular choice. They are relatively cheap, and very customizable. I know people will also use Feldherr storage boxes, but haven’t seen nearly as many of them running around. Either way, if you can find a storage solution that will allow you to store the ships you use most often while keeping them on their bases with the cardboard still attached, you can cut down on setup and teardown time there. Just be sure that everything is secure and as safe as can be from snapping accidents (and stored away from heat and direct sunlight of course).

Hopefully there are some ideas in there that might be helpful for all you X-Wing players that are looking to speed up your setup and teardown times. And in case you are looking for some extra components to help you stay organized, here are some third party shops that make X-Wing related products:

District Foundry. Template trays, damage deck holders, bomb dropping templates, and card dividers.

Curled Paw Creatives. Templates, tokens, bombs, arc indicators, and ship markers.

Highbridge Designs. Templates, template trays, tokens, ship overlays, S-Foil indicators, and damage deck holders.

Buy The Same Token. Tokens, ship markers, damage decks, and templates.

Cog O Two. Tokens, templates, template trays, damage deck holders, and trophies.

Art of War Studios. Templates and tokens.

QualiGeeks. Tokens, templates, template trays, damage deck holders, dial covers.

Scruffy Looking Laser Brain. Templates, boxes, tokens, ship markers, arc indicators, damage decks.

Kraken Skulls. Templates.

Broken Egg Games. Templates and tokens.

Recreator Studios. Tokens and template caddy.

New Artifact Designs. Ship markers, tournament trays, and damage deck holders.

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!

If you enjoy our content, like and follow us on the Midwest Scrub Facebook Page to keep up with the latest. Click on the events tab for info on tournaments and events around the St. Louis area. To support us even further, head to our Patreon page.

For other Arch Alliance content, check out Arch Alliance’s YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Biophysical’s Starfighter Mafia blog. If you are in the St. Louis area or coming to visit, reach out to Arch Alliance X-Wing on Facebook to find out where we are playing on any given night.