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Zions Finest is a Star Wars: Shatterpoint podcast focusing on the competitive aspects of Atomic Mass Games' Star Wars skirmish game. The podcast focuses on macro and micro strategy, meta analysis, list-building, and other topics relevant to improving your gameplay. We have a ton of fun playing and discussing the game and know that you will enjoy participating in our community. Please join us on the Slack! We have a ton of fun discussing Shatterpoint and other topics and would love to have yo ...
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DON'T SAY WE NEVER GAVE YOU NOTHIN. In this episode, Kenny is joined by his brother Aman who drops some serious knowledge with respect to the Mama Dooku list, with a particular focus at breaking down the fundamentals and talking about piloting the list in a thickening meta. Aman, as always, has excellent insights and you will love his commentary he…
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It's Episode 48. It's the week before the ZiFi Invi., and that means that it's time for sweaty tryhard episodes talking about meta archetypes and where they fit for competitive tournaments. In this episode, Matt is joined by none other than Jesse Eakin from Hello There to talk about their mutual masochism: their love of the Republic. Jesse is bona …
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Hello and welcome to a mid-week bonus episode of Zions Finest! In this episode, Kenny is joined by Dan (RedWolf) to talk about the Batch, listbuilding, play patterns, and matchups. Dan has been running the Batch a ton recently (and went 4-0 at a well-attended local tournament) and has some great insights. We will have two episodes releasing next we…
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Welcome to Episode 47! In this episode, Scott, Matt, and Kenny talk about preparing for the ZiFi Invi, with some thoughts on the meta, they're lists that they're prepping with to prepare for the sweaty try-hards (who are, spoiler, themselves), and how they think matchups play out. They close with a discussion of tournament etiquette, with a specifi…
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I apologize! Curtis and I recorded an episode discussing the Batch (which it turns out is the Good Batch), but there was something weird with his audio file and it was too late to rerecord. So accept this short apology and interregnum while we wait for the next episode and the RELEASE OF THE MANDO!!! We love you! Join the Slack!…
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In this episode, Kenny and Sam talk about the Mama Dooku list. Why is it so strong? What is it trying to do? This is (probably) part one of this discussion, because we did not really talk about meaningful tech against the list (we're working on that), but you will enjoy the discussion. JOIN THE SLACK!…
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Whew boy, sorry for that super long title but it was not possible to shorten it. In this episode, Kenny, Scott, and JK talk about different approaches to list-building, with Kenny taking a particular emphasis on how he thinks about list-building around a single unit (Luke, and now Mando). Join the Slack!…
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SCHOOL IS IN SESSION NERDS! In this episode, Matt and Sam give another great discussion about thinking about damage vs. repositioning vs. a blend of the two in list-building and play style. They talk about understanding your win condition, your opponent's win condition, and how that should affect your strategic decisions in the game. This one is a …
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Welcome to Episode 42! The Adepticon Episode (or the first of the Adepticon episodes!)! In this episode, Kenny and Scott are joined by the brothers from Chatterpoint, an excellent Star Wars: Shatterpoint podcast, to discuss the results from Adepticon and give a snapshot of the meta, what did well, what made the cut, creative lists, and general matc…
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Adepticon was bereft of our bubbly personalities, but that didn't stop us from having fun at the second best Shatterpoint tournament hosted this last weekend. In this episode, Kenny and Curtis talk about the tournament and the lists they ran, with a particular focus on analyzing the matchups, play patterns, and key points of the games (don't worry,…
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What do you do when all the cool kids are going to Adepticon and you can't go? You make believe that you too are cool and discuss what Star Wars: Shatterpoint (TM) plastic toys you would bring of course! In this episode, Kenny, Sam, and Scott discuss the premier lists that they would have brought to Adepticon and give meta and other analysis and pr…
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IT HAPPENED! Sam was able to record an episode with Vince and we suffered no technical mishaps!!! Vince drops a serious knowledge bomb regarding thinking about "dead draws" and how to build and play around optimizing for the cards in your deck and assessing whether or not units should be brought in the first place. It is excellent. JOIN THE SLACK! …
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Hello and welcome to Episode 38 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Kenny, JK, and Scott discuss recent games with Luke and Vader-2 and talk about the spoilers for Moff Gideon and the strengths of his card. (Spoiler, we think he's gonna be real good.) Rate and review the podcast! Join the Slack! We love you all!…
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Hopefully not the dystopian future of Huxley amirite. In this shorter episode (we'll tell you why when we start), Kenny and Sam give quick thoughts on minimal plays of Luke and Plo, and then give more substantial thoughts on revisiting Barriss, Sabe, and Snips in the context of the new units that have dropped. Thank you for listening! Join the Slac…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 36! In this episode, Kenny and Matt discuss the meta as it prepares to turn over and a whole swath of new units (and hopefully new archetypes) storm onto the scene.They discuss the top (and bottom) of the primaries at this point in the game's life cycle, why Dooku has such staying power, and how that is informed by a re…
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Welcome to Episode 35! In this episode, Sam and Scott discuss different ways to categorize units (tanks, supports, snipers, etc.). They talk about how this informs your listbuilding, why you should always include certain classes of units (control), and how they think various units do and don't measure up to what they're intended to do. Thank you fo…
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Lies. Tell me the odds. Right now. In this episode, Matt Bronson joins the brothers to discuss math in Shatterpoint and to provide some useful heuristics for calculating the odds of the majority of attacks that you will make in Shatterpoint. Check out his article on Math in Shatterpoint. From there, you can find links to his other excellent article…
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In Episode 33, Kenny, Matt, and Scott talk about reassessments to various units, including Lumi, Anakin, Bo, GI, and Barriss. We talk about what we got wrong about the unit in our initial takes, where we think they fit, and try to give additional context for listbuilding in the face of a soon-to-be widening meta-game. Join the Slack! Check out Full…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 30 of Zions Finest!In this episode, Scott, Sam, and Kenny discuss recent games and lists that they have been playing, talk about Leia (Boushh), Stormtroopers, and General Leia, and then give thoughts on running a successful tournament.Thank you for listening! Rate and review the podcast and join the Slack!…
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Yes that is a reference to this song from Frank Sinatra. You're welcome. In this episode, Scott and Kenny briefly discuss the highs and the lows from LVO, what went well and what didn't, and what to expect in the future. Check out Chatterpoint! A new Star Wars Shatterpoint podcast from some dudes in B.C.! Even if they're wrong about their support t…
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OR WHATEVER WE WILL TAKE WHATEVER KIND OF TOURNAMENT! The boys are heading to LVO, and this episode is a discussion of the premier list that they would take if it was (and maybe is?) a premier event. Matt runs an Anakin core Republic list, Scott runs a Vader core good stuff list, and Kenny runs a Dooku core tech-stuff list. We had some mic issues t…
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Join us at your leisure for a fireside chat hosted by JK in which he queries Scott and Kenny on the future of Shatterpoint in 2024. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?! WILL SPECTRE CELL BREAK THE GAME?! HEAVEN HELP US!!! We love you all. Join the Slack.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS!!! In this episode, Kenny discusses the problem and possibilities of building communities for Shatterpoint. This is an episode for you to enjoy while sipping your hot chocolate next to your hearth in this holiday season. If you listen all the way to the end, (starting around the 56:00 minute mark) you will be treat…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 27 of Zion's Finest! This episode is a list-building and play strategy episode for the Separatist Alliance. It is especially geared toward newer players, but there is absolutely deeper discussions for those of you that are more experienced with the faction. Announcements: We are set up for LVO. There will be a night of …
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Hello and welcome to Episode 26 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Matt and Kenny discuss what they undervalued, overvalued, and simply got wrong about the game when they first started playing. They also (briefly) discuss nerfs, buffs, etc. that they think necessary to ensure the long-term health of the game. Announcements: Cody is hosting a tourn…
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Playing Shatterpoint well is hard. Painting Shatterpoint figures well is even harder. In this episode, Scott and JK rank by ease-of-pop the figures currently released in Shatterpoint. Thee ranking is not based on which figures are the "best," or most dynamic models, but rather the intersection of ease of painting with quality of model. Even if you'…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 24! In this episode, Kenny, Scott, Matt, and Curtis discuss conditions and strategize about assessing their potential value and when you should go for conditions vs. damage. It's more strategy focused and generally muses upon coordinated fire, leveraging conditions for maximum value, and other such things. If you're in …
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (To those of you celebrating in the United States or celebrating outside these states. For everyone else, eat a turkey sandwich in my honor or something.) We gathered round the board after playing multiple games to do some list breakdowns and talk about what we most enjoyed about Shatterpoint at this stage in the game's evolutio…
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In Episode 23, Kenny, Sam, and Scott give a brief overview of a recent tournament and discuss results and what we think it (might) mean for the meta. They then pivot to an overview of Sabotage Showdown and how it plays differently from Shifting Priorities. JOIN THE SLACK! Have a great week.
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Vader GG is good. Some would say too good. (Me. I say it's too good.) But let's say you are wanting to square off against it, or prepare for it at a premier event. What can you do? What can men do against such hate?! NEVER FEAR! Sam and I have played with and against Vader GG and have thoughts on how you can approach listbuilding into Vader GG and …
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Hello and welcome to Episode 20 of the Zion's Finest! In this episode, we complete our tier-list and discuss the currently-released supporting units. There is a general consensus around most things, but some interesting fights and discussions regarding units' strengths and weaknesses. I would highly encourage you to watch it on Youtube so that you …
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Welcome to Episode 19! In this episode, Kenny and Matt discuss results from a recent premier tournament and break down different approaches to building a premier list. Their discussion is wide-ranging, but there is a lot of good stuff here to mull over as we start participating in premier events. Join the Slack! Fill out the Google Form so you can …
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Hello and welcome to Episode 18 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, the brothers take a break from the competitive grind (prior to immediately getting back on the grind) to discuss the hobby aspect of this game that we all love. Specifically, Scott leads a discussion as to how to develop and maximize your skill and time with respect to painting mini…
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IT'S A BONUS EPISODE! JUST ONE THOUGH! DON'T GET ANY IDEAS!Matt, Sam, and I went on a bit of a tangent (Matt's fault [okay it was mine]) and while it was ultimately cut from the masterpiece that was Episode 16, Matt suggested that we release it as a bonus episode. You're welcome! Have a good week! Rate and review the podcast! Do it! Join the Slack!…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 17 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, we rank the currently-released Secondaries from Jango (spoiler alert) to opposite-of-Jango. It's a lot of fun and I think largely uncontroversial (except for you Cody bros for whom there is no help). We love you all. Thanks for listening! Argue with us on the Slack! Watch this on Yo…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 16 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, we do the deepest dive possible in these preliminary times on Jedi Knight Luke and Plo Koon. We talk about their strengths and where we think they will fit--especially Plo Koon, who's faction is more of a known commodity at this point. We are also releasing this episode on Youtube a…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 15! This is a bit of a new spin for us. Instead of approaching a particular topic or strategy in the game, we decided to yell at each other about the tiers (S-D) to which each of the currently-released primaries belongs. For those of you listening to us before, we will not have too many surprises here, but we try to thi…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 14 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Sam and Ben Varnum (new to the cast) discuss a recent tournament in which Ben participated and how Ben was able to win struggles two and three in matches and how to negotiate the sharing of time in a tournament setting. Ben also discusses how he plotted his distribution of lists to …
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Hello and welcome to Episode 13 of Zions Finest! This one is a doozy and I apologize for the length but it was genuinely difficult to get Matt to shut up when he started going. Mattistyping, more like Mattistalkingandwontshutup amirite?! Just kidding. Matt did awesome laying out what we think is a solid framework for parsing how to attack Struggles…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 12 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Sam and Scott discuss Momentum and how to conceptualize it for purposes of control and tempo. Anakin serves as the unit highlight for this principal, and they do an excellent job talking about how to think through what you should be doing on your turn to give you a competitive advan…
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Who wants to play an oppressively strong list that just chokes the life out of the opposition? Who wants to play a list that has the best offense, solid durability, incredible control, and awesome mobility? Well, here's the list: Vader / Obi-2 / Magnas Grievous / Jango / Flex (5th Brother/Super Commandos, but lots of options) Scott and I discuss wh…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 10 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, JK and I give our hot takes on Momma Talzin and Mace after sparring with those boxes, as well as discussing the power level of active abilities on combat trees for all the extant figures. Spoiler alert: Momma is good. Mace is also good--but in a very straightforward way (at least on…
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Shatterpoint takes the traditional maxim that you should never bring a knife to a gun fight and turns it on its head. You best not bring a gun to this knife fight, as the current meta and spread of objectives heavily favors units that are able to scrum, get on objectives, push people off of objectives, and swing at those poor suckers dumb enough to…
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Why is Maul an incredible primary unit despite being the only figure I have really seen get removed in a game? Because he does what he does for free! (Kind of, not really, but kind of.) In this episode, Sam leads a discussion as to the strategy of economy, and we all discuss how to leverage the resources you have in the game (force points, health a…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 7 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Matt and JK discuss Jango Fett and how he highlights important issues to think about with terrain. They discuss terrain and its importance to a dynamic and challenging game as well as the importance of building a list that can be flexible when facing different arrangements of terrain…
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Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 6! With the game out for almost two months, the TTS league long underway, and the store tournament season kicking off, Sam and I discuss the shape of the meta, whether Grievous is too good, whether the Seps are too good, and whether Anakin is too bad (he's not, but we don't think he's found his place). It's a f…
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I enjoy random walks as much as any econ PhD out of the University of Chicago, but how am I supposed to handle the inability to control my Shatterpoint deck and dice variance?!?!?! (Like many of you, I am also still reeling from Fama sharing the Nobel Prize with Hansen and Shiller. What a wild world we live in.) In this episode, Matt leads a discus…
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Welcome to Episode 4 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Samuel Sweeten leads a discussion as to how you should be thinking about combat trees and what the units in your list are trying to do. He discusses raw damage, control, consistency, and tempo with incredible insight and I hope it helps you reassess how you are piloting your lists. Kenny Brown…
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Hello and welcome to Episode 3 of Zion's Finest! In this episode, Kenny Brown, Sam Sweeten, and Scott Nielsen provide some general breakdowns and analysis of three figures with whom they have been getting the most reps. Kenny discusses Ahsoka (Jedi No More), Sam discusses Kalani, and Scott discusses Anakin. They also discuss the economy of Shatterp…
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Hello and welcome Episode 2 of the Zions Finest podcast! We are thrilled to have you join us! In this episode, Sam Sweeten and Matthew Richards discuss positioning and how to leverage movement and repositioning for maximum advantage in your Shatterpoint games. They also discuss the strategy and tempo of movement in offense and defense generally, an…
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