death-star-ii-clifton-park-ny
Title: death-star-ii-clifton-park-ny
Author: Andy "RexBanner7" Klema
Date: Jun 25, 2000
The drive goes pretty uneventful, and we get there with about half an hour to spare. People are showing up late though, and the pairings take awhile so we end up waiting around for about an extra 45 minutes. I don't mind though. I play some friendly games and learn that I can't play odds for the life of me (at least they'll be dead in a couple of weeks). Anyway, the pairings and alignments are given out, and I get matched up with someone from Maryland (sorry, I'm terrible with names) and I'm the dark side.
We open up the packs and starters and learn pretty quickly the power that is going to be in these games. The LS gets General Solo and Chewbacca of Kashyyyk and the DS gets Tempest 1 and Tempest Scout 3 FIXED! That is insane! Anyway, knowing full well that ground pound might easily be the theme of the day, I decide to stick mostly to space. I pull some good ships and their matching pilots (most of them come fixed in the preconstructeds), and also the Thunderflare, which is key in sealed deck. 9 Power for 7 Deploy? Nice. I also get Moff Jerrejod, Freeze, a couple Blasters, and some Elite Squadron Stormtroopers, so I've got a choice ground force. I get The Emperor's Power too, but I can't use it at all. The new starting interrupt really helps (start with 3 effects that deploy on table, are always immune to Alter, and have no deploy cost), and I've got my deck made. I'm not going to post it here because I've already disassembled it, but do you really want to see a sealed deck anyway? So here we go...
Game 1: Vs Guy From Maryland
Again, sorry about not remembering names. I start Kessel and that new starting interrupt to get Battle Order, Combat Response (the effect that lets you pull matching pilots and ships), and Inconsequential Losses (which lets you forfeit weapons off of starships or characters for a value of 3 forfeit. they then go to the used pile. great way to track intruder missiles!). He starts the LS version of IL, the LS version of CR, and some effect that kills my activation at the Endor system (evil card!). I set up at Kessel first turn with a pilot on his ship, but since I'm not activating for the Endor he put down, and because of my Battle Order, I don't drain most of the time. I try to draw for my systems, but I can't get any, and I'm stuck activating about 6 force for most of the game. He challenges me in space, and actually beats me off it because I only have 1 Victory Class out and because he has massive amounts of fodder, and I have no starship weapons. He chases me around for awhile, then takes over the Sullust that I put down for a nice drain of 2. Much later, he puts down the Back Door and some scrubs. I never drew my sites, and I've been pitching my ground stuff to drains, so I don't put up much of a fight. He doesn't have to pay for Battle Order anymore, and he just drains me out.
FL by 16
0 (-16)
Not the way I wanted to start the tourney, but I'm not terribly worried. I learn my lesson and don't start Battle Order anymore, because with all the matching pilots, my deck is lightning fast. On to the next game.
Game 2: Vs Dustin Beruta (sp?)
The only name I remembered all day. Who knew? Anyway, I start the same stuff, and I believe he starts Endor system and using Careful Planning to get Endor: Hidden Forest Trail. I set up at Kessel on first turn once again, and I draw to get some much needed systems. I start to set up in space, but he challenges me for awhile so I don't always get my drains in. I eventually start to beat him off of certain systems, but he is still holding one of them. We're both getting low on force, but that ends up being good for me. In one of our space battles, I draw my Dark Manuevers for destiny. That's game. I start tracking the thing for every battle, and I wipe out his space force at the remaining system, and then drain him out.
FW by 13
2 (-3)
I really don't know why, but I always have terrible diff in sealed deck. I'm somewhat new to it, so maybe I just need practice. I do know that trackable destinies are god cards, and mine just helped me to win a game.
Game 3: Vs Local Kid
Very cool kid, but I don't remember his name. I know that he plays with the Terwilligers and Sokols, so I figure that he knows what he's doing. For some reason, I can't remember what he started, but I started my usual stuff. Set up first turn at Kessel again, and keep that drain for awhile. He puts out his Endor: Hidden Forest Trail, and I put down my Ancient Forest for the activation. I get Lieutenant Grond on Tempest 1 down to his Hidden Forest Trail somewhat quickly, and start the drain for two. He comes down with Chewie and random scrubs. He draws low for destiny though, and I draw decent so he loses a character and I lose 2 from my hand. Next turn I come down with a Tempest Scout and some other scrubs. Battle, kill everyone but Chewie while I lose an Elite Squadron. All this time, he's trying to mess with me in space, but I have Piett on the Thunderflare and Jerrejod on a Victor Class, plus all my matching pilots and ships, so I can hold the systems that I want to hold. I finally get rid of Chewie on the ground, drop the Back Door, drop Battle Order, and set up on the Back Door as well as the HFT. He can't compete in either space or ground, and my drains of 6-7 do him in.
FW by 15
4 (+12)
Well, I win, but again with pretty bad diff. Fortunately, there isn't a single DS unbeaten, except for Johnny Chu who has a true tie (if that isn't irony, I don't know what is). So I still have a shot at placing high if I can win my last game by a decent amount.
Game 4: Vs Decipher Representative (I believe)
The pairings for this round were messed up for a while because of software errors, but once it got under way, I had to face a Decipher representative. Suits me fine. He starts Chief Chipa's Hut (lucky SOB), and the effects that lets you forfeit weapons. I do my normal stuff. Set up at Kessel first turn for the 4th time today, and put down some systems for activation. I quickly establish superiority in space, even though he does try to mess with me consistantly. I see General Solo go off the top to a drain, so I throw some random scrubs down to my Ancient Forest to satisfy the Battle Plan he deployed. He throws down an Admirals Orders that makes his warriers deploy minus and forfeit plus, comes down with a bunch of people, and initiates. He out powers me by 7, but he draws a 0 for destiny and I draw one of my Intruder Missiles. "Well, that couldn't have gone any worse" he says, and he was probably right. I don't have any walkers handy, but I throw down some scrubs and battle. I can't hit anyone, but I draw a 6 for destiny. He loses some more people, he counter attacks with a guy with a gun, battles, hits my guy with the gun, and draws a 6. I also draw a 6. He forfeits the guy and the gun, and I do likewise. Next turn I beat him off of the ground, and move to the Back Door that I just deployed. I'm draining at Endor, Kessel, and the Back Door while he is fighting me for Sullust. I just keep battling up there with tracked Intruder Missiles, all while draining. He goes down somewhat quickly after that.
FW by 23
6 (+35)
Well, I end up coming in 5th for DS, one spot away from getting glass. The guy I lost to came in second for LS, so I don't feel too bad. Cody came in 17th for DS despite pulling Lord Vader! Oh well, it was his first Sealed Deck, and I'd say he did pretty good. Johnny Chu was the top DS, and he ended up winning the final duel against Aaron Moore, the top LS, by 7. Congrats to John, and to everyone there. It was a blast. I look forward to seeing some of you at Kashyyyk regionals, and even more of you at worlds.