bristol-connecticut-8-22-99
Title: bristol-connecticut-8-22-99
Author: Andy "RexBanner7" Klema
Date: Aug 23, 1999
This Regional Preliminary was being held at Omni Comics and Cards in Bristol, CT, which is where I usually play, as was being run by Charlie Hoffman, an all around nice guy (He is going to tape SummerSlam for me:) . It is about a 45 minute drive from my house, and me and 3 friends made the trip. For decks, I was playing a ASP deck with rigged destinies for Light Side (This deck is somewhat secret since it is my own creation and it did quite well. If enough people ask me, I might post a decklist, but odds are you won't care), and a Endor deck (non-objective) based around Lieutenent Grond. When we showed up, it looked like we might get 24 or more, but we ended up getting 18 so only the top 2 went on.
Game 1: DS vs Rob Amenta's Bothuwi Ops/Speeders
I played in 3 excellent games this day, and this was the first. Rob is a great kid, and we ended up talking almost as much as playing. I got out a site first turn for more activation, and drew up, getting both Commander Igar and Tempest 1 : ) He drew up again, and on my next turn I put General Tagge and 2 Stormtroopers down at the Forest Clearing so I could start draining. He saw that I could actually drain, so he tried to set up quick so that he could give that -1 to my drains. Next turn, I put down Igar and T1, 2 Stormies, Sergeant Elesk, Biker Scout Trooper, and Lieutenent Grond, and beat up on a Operative and a Speeder. He had to lose both of them plus 12 others. From there, I was in control for the most part. He got rid of that force, but I landed another one somewhere else and cut down on his draining. He still flipped the objective, but I was draining for 6 a turn, and he was draining for 4, 2 of which Strategic Reserves blocked. In the end I drained him out.
Full Win by 8
2 (+8)
Game 2: LS vs Matt Dalton's Endor Operations
Well, what can I say. I helped him with his deck, so I knew almost everything about it. He knew mine too, but that didn't change the fact that my deck rips through Speeder Bikes like a tissue at a snot party (gotta love the Simpsons).
Full win by 36
4 (+44)
Game 3: DS vs James ???'s Anoat Operatives
I thought that I would be in for a real challenge, since this kid beat one of my friends and was doing better than me. It turns out that he was only decent, and it didn't matter anyway. I got a god draw, with Vader, 3 Stormies, Trooper Assault, Elis Helrot, Ghhhk, and two sites. I set up at the Forest Clearing, but he had Bargaining Table out so my drains weren't getting through. I Elised Vader and the Troopers over to an Operative and some Rebel, dropped 2 Biker Scouts, and battled. He lost both cards plus 15. Next turn, Elised over to Luke + an Operative, dropped Tempest 1 and Igar, battled. He lost both and about 12. One of those times, he had Quite a Mercenary, but he accidentally saved one instead of two. Darn. Next turn same thing to Obi's site, and beat him by about 15 again. By then he only had a few cards left and nothing to do, so my drains finished him off.
Full Win by 29
6 (+73)
At this point I was in first with someone hot on my tail, but no one else near us. One of my friends, Cody, had lost one game, and both of the other ones ( the afforementioned Matt, and another friend Ben) had lost two, so only Cody still had a shot.
Game 4: LS vs Greg West's Endor Operations
I knew this game would be tough because 1. Greg is ranked #10 in the region, 2. I know him, and he is a very creative and resourceful player, and 3. He knew how my deck worked and it's main strength is surprise (rigged 7's come in a close second, but you get the idea). Anyway, he lost early to my insert cards and some force drains, but he got through it and flipped his objective. I knew I was in trouble now because I cancel force drains to buy me some time, so I would have to act quickly. I put Luke in the Falcon (Chewie and Han were killed by Debris Zone. Debris Zone?? WTF???), rigged a 7, took out a dreadnaught up at Endor, which cancelled Establish Secret Base (I think) but I knew I had no shot at cancelling the other effect. I tried to drain him out up at Endor (I knew it would take awhile), but he kept trampling my characters, so I couldn't set up my mass retrievel. I could have gotten 21 force back at one point if not for trample. Oh well. Excellent game, but my first lose of the day.
Full Loss by 7
6 (+67)
Game 5: DS vs Greg West's T-16 Deck
Don't laugh, this is a great deck. It can react and overpower better than speeder bikes, and I think it can drain better too. Anyway, I was still in second, but I didn't want to play Greg again. Oh well. It started off with me draining on Endor and setting up Perimeter Patrol, as well as cancelling his drains, but when he revolved Obi's Partyhouse, I knew I was going to have to fight. I brought down Vader, Stormies, Bikers, and Grond, and battled. I cleared the site, but lost Grond due to Obi's Saber. Drained like usual on my turn and took his drain of two off the top of my reserve deck. Grond, and... Grond. MF!!! Well, I knew it was going to be hard to clear sites away now, and I didn't have much of a ground force left, and he called my bluff and put Han, Leia, and a T-16 down at the Back Door. He couldn't battle because of Perimeter Patrol (Thank God), and I ran like a little school girl. Next turn he set up Tatooine Celebration and Battle Plan. I knew right then I was dead. I couldn't cancel Tatooine Celebration or avoid Battle Plan because I had already lost the Bus. I couldn't draw to get a non-unique, or move to stop his drains, because I was paying through the nose for mine. I got off an Abyssin, but it was only for 5 so it didn't matter much.
Full Loss by 7... again
6 (+60)
To show you how far ahead after 3 rounds I was, I had only dropped to third after losing 2 times in a row! But I still wasn't qualified yet. Barring a sudden death (His), Greg was in, but I had to win by a lot, and hope Greg won his last game.
Game 6: LS vs Ted Skomars's Speeder Bikes (Non-Objective)
I really didn't want to play Ted because he is such a nice kid and he didn't stand a chance. His speeder bike deck is the nastiest I have seen, but remember the earlier Simpson's quote.
Full Win by 32
8 (+82)
Well, I had done my part, and hopefully Greg would do his. I watched that game to the end because mine was over so quickly. At last, Greg won a timed game (he would have won anyway) and I think you know what that means!
So I qualified for my first regional in my first, and only try! I was very happy because I wasn't expecting this (I thought someone would be able to counter my light side), and, after all it was the first time I ever qualified for a regional. Greg also is going, so I might be giving him a ride up there. Thanks to anybody who is still reading, to Charlie for such a great tournament, and to Greg for doing what he needed to do ; ) See you other New Englanders at the Kashyyyk Regional.