hatfield-uk-7-16-2000

Title: hatfield-uk-7-16-2000
Author: Chris "Lt. Cabbage" Moore
Date: Jul 17, 2000

Hello,

I feel I should warn you all that this report is not short. But everyone loves an essay don’t they?

Having been out of the game for a few months due to university finals, post-exam partying, post-results partying, a holiday in Ibiza, graduation and then post-graduation partying, I thought it was time that I went to a tournament again. Leonard Smith’s first tournament at Hatfield provided the perfect opportunity for this. But what decks should I use?

I’ve not really had any time to build decks with the 3rd Anthology cards. I reckon EBO is probably by far and away the best Light Side deck right now, but I wasn’t prepared to take a version to the tourney without a bit of playtesting. Instead I took my Ye Olde Cantina Shuffle deck (version 1.2). An old version can be seen on Decktech, but I’ve tightened it up significantly since (I’ve still got The Bith Shuffle, though :o). I’ve only played mains at a tournament once before, and that was because I didn’t have enough time to build the deck I wanted, so I was quite looking forward to trying out a proper mains deck. The strategy is relatively simple – start Obi’s Hut and Mos Eisley and start doing the Cantina shuffle with one of the three Cantinas in the deck. But, being a mains deck, you have to be prepared to start doing silly stuff :o) This deck has been able to hang with any of the DS decks Nick Rice (my usual opponent) has thrown against it, so I was quite confident that it would do well.

EBO also influenced my choice of Dark Side deck. I had been using some Endor Ops bunk before I went on holiday (btw, Paul Oakenfold – you are the man!). However, EBO would totally outpace that, so I had drawn up a Hunt Down deck with Decree. But, again, I didn’t want to use the deck without playtesting so I took Deal With This v1.2 (which is on Decktech). Although I believe that EBO is more solid than Dark Deal, I was quite fond of my assorted troopers/ numbers/ Dark Deal baby. And someone’s got to use Navy Troopers - it might as well be me :o)

Nick drove us from university to my house on the Saturday. We had a couple of games to remind ourselves how to play – I beat the legendary Ewok deck but his Court deck got the better of my mains. We trundled up to Hatfield on Sunday. When we arrived, the pub’s side room that the tournament was being held at was already bustling. A Magic tourney was already going and a Star Trek one was about to start. For Star Wars there were several unfamiliar faces, but then I haven’t played in a tourney since the Nationals. There were at least four 1800 players there (that’s a good ranking in these parts): Michael Rogers, who came runner-up in the Nationals, Derek Hawkesworth, Mat Allen and Nick. In total there were 12 players, which is a respectable turnout. So, on to the games:


Game 1 – LS vs. Mat Allen (ISB Space with Undercover spies)

Mat’s at most of the tournaments I go to but I don’t think that I’ve actually played him before. He started with Oppressive Enforcement to go alongside Coruscant and the objective, I started with what I always start – the Hut and Mos Eisley. Mat just drew up on the firs turn. On my first turn I played the cards I dream of getting. Ben Kenobi went to the Hut with his Saber, I put down the Cantina and moved Ben over. Mat seemed a bit dismayed at this throughout the game, but it’s quite easy to pull off with my deck. Ben stayed alive all game to give me a fairly regular drain of three. Mat started putting out the odd system and early in the game Igar in Tempest 1 payed a visit to Mos Eisley. I just neutralised that by putting down Boushh while Wedge joined Ben in the Cantina (I had Senses to stop You Are Beaten). Zuckuss and an Outer Rim Scout were sitting at Kiffex so I decided to launch my entire fleet of Lando in Falcon and Gold Leader at them. Melas sat in the Falcon to give me the necessary ability. We both drew 5 for destiny so I cleared away his guys while I lost the Falcon and Melas. This left Gold-top all on his own, but I didn’t fear Lateral Damage owing to the multitude of Alters that I was holding. Mat smacked Gold Leader about a bit with a couple of ships next turn, but I drew another 5 and his forfeit was able to cover all the damage. Having drawn a few cards while occupying Mat in space, it was time to apply some beats to Igar (now joined by DS-61-2). Ben and Wedge shuffled over to Mos Eisley to be joined by Master Luke, Han w/blaster and Orimaarko. Tempest 1 took the pounding it deserved and, although Mat’s forfeit covered the damage, he lost two more due to Ori. At this stage things were looking very healthy for me. However, U-3PO came to the Cantina and so Mat started to pull things back with his space drains, having stacked It Could Be Worse early on. It took me a while to find my anti-spy stuff. Eventually a Sorry About the Mess combined with a tracked Bith Shuffle saw to U-3PO and I was winning the drain race again. An Undercover Outer Rim Scout came down but the B’Omarr Monk at Mos Eisley combined with Obi’s and Anakin’s sabers meant that it was too late. A late-game R-3PO finished Matt off.

FW (+14)


Game 2 – DS vs. Chris Payne (Endor Clouds)

There were only two LS wins in round one and mine was the biggest. I started with the usual This Deal…, West Gallery, Secret Plans and Arrest Order. Chris started with Endor and the Back Door (different). I got most of what I needed fairly quickly, but the huge activation meant that Dark Deal spent most of the game in my force pile. Chris put down a few Ewoks (including Kazak) and an Ithorian at the back door just after I had Twi’leked for There Is No Try. The Strategic Reserves I could have pulled would have been a much better idea. I ate a drain of 4 but fortunately soon drew Strategic Reserves so I could stop his big drain. He started setting up in the clouds of Endor and Dark Deal was still nowhere to be seen. I decided that I had better do something so I spread troopers out over Cloud City, set up Occupation with Fett in Slave 1 and Obsidian 7 at Bespin and inserted 3,720 to 1. Although his lowest destiny character at that time was one destiny 2 guy, I had Raithal out. Chris was afraid to activate everything next turn – a mistake on his part since next turn I put down Bossk in Bus and Dengar in PO at Raithal to boost my numbers total. The rest of the game was basically a case of him draining a couple off my reserve deck in the clouds while I cancelled his big Back Door drain. I was draining for one at about 5 locations and doing Occupation damage. Eventually the numbers hit him for 8 force and by the time I sent a few troopers down to Endor, the game was mine.

FW (+12)


Game 3 – DS vs. Mat Allen (Obi’s Hut start Mains & Toys)

I started my usual stuff, he started Goo Nee Tay :o) Mat Nabruned Ben Kenobi over to Cloud City early on and this made it very difficult to get Dark Deal going. I just put Fett in Slave 1 at Cloud City and deployed Strategic Reserves and There is No try. Mat altered Strategic Reserves after his next drain, hoping that I would put the Elite Stormtrooper used to cancel the drain onto Cloud City. Instead, I just put him in Fett’s cargo hold, where he stayed for the rest of the game! Mat reinforced Ben with Luke w/Saber. I decided that Dark Deal would have to wait, and so I put down Raithal, a few troopers, Occupation and inserted. The troopers all bunched together away from Ben and Luke, while Fett and Obsidian 7 went to Bespin. I think the insert came up next turn, but it was cancelled with Don’t Forget the Droids. Mat deployed a beatdown crew of Han w/gun, Leia w/gun and Orimaarko against my troopers. After he initiated, I used a Trooper Assault to prevent having multiples (I probably shouldn’t have bothered) but then I cancelled the battle with Stunning Leader. We were doing similar damage now but then Mat played Order to Engage when Ben and Luke were at the same site as the troopers. This would cause me serious problems if I couldn’t do something about it, as I couldn’t afford to charge recklessly and leave control of the sites to Mat. Fortunately I drew the Upper Plaza corridor. This was just what I needed, as I was then able to jump my troopers away from his powerful group of characters. Mat sent down Lando w/gun, Wedge and someone else to the Corridor, but Lando was Barriered and so Mat didn’t attack the troopers there. Next turn I deployed several more troopers and attacked. Mat tried to sense the Trooper Assault but failed! (Mat was not pleased, but I had another TA anyway). I outpowered him 41 to 15. Despite Mat having the Bacta Tank out, this battle pretty much finished off his resistance. With the +1 to deploy from Bespin hampering him, I spread out a bit and Occupation killed him off.

FW (+5)


Game 4 – LS vs. Jamie Giberti (Endor Operations with Perimeter Patrol)

I think we both drew up for our first turns, although Ominous Rumours was deployed early. I deployed characters first, putting Obi, his saber (fetched using Gift of the Mentor) and a Monk to Mos Eisley. Jamie put an AT-ST and Ozzel to the Back Door and a lone unique AT-ST to the Endor docking bay. Jumping on the fact that he hadn’t occupied the Bunker yet, I deployed Han w/gun, Tawss and Harc Seff against the lone AT-ST. The other walker’s react was sensed and Jamie took some damage. I had also deployed the Cantina. Battle Order was out but I just paid for the Tatooine drains and used Harc Seff to stop the Back Door drain. He eventually got rid of my characters at the docking bay and he had Bossk in Bus draining at Endor (I never did get a ship out). However, It Could Be Worse was used regularly and I was activating plenty, so the Tatooine drains (now enhanced by Master Luke with Anakin’s Saber) were enough to keep me ahead. Late game I Mechanical Failured the walker at the Back Door, deployed Order to Engage and Nabruned Ben and Luke over. He attacked with the broken AT-ST and Ozzel and Igar. They were both chopped up. Game to me.

FW (+22)


Game 5 – DS vs. Michael Rogers (EBO)

Only myself and Michael were undefeated at this point. He promised to show me just how effective A New Secret Base is, and indeed this was just about the quickest game I’ve ever played. For the first couple of turns I drew what I needed while he deployed Echo sites and Baragwins under the Hoth shield to set up EBO. I put out a lone trooper at four sites and Obsidian 2 and Zuckuss in Mist Hunter to Cloud City. Out came Dark Deal. However, I had underestimated the strength of his fleet. He played a lost Organised Attack to get three X-Wings. Down came six or so X-Wings (one was Barriered) and Incom Corporation. Then came the dreaded X-Wing Cannon. In the ensuing battle, Zuckuss was blown away leaving alone poor old OS-71-2, who was so shocked that he drew a 0 for destiny. I lost 15 cards over the top. Next turn I hit Michael for 11 force in drains and Fett in Slave 1 went to Raithal to help out the 3,720 to 1 that I inserted. Michael was hit for 8 force by the insert but he cancelled Dark Deal, leaving me with no more options. He spread out in space and Surprise Assaulted a couple of my little drains (I lost Boring Conversation in the battle earlier).

FL (-7)


Game 6 – LS vs. Michael Rogers (Ralltiir Operations)

Michael would win the tournament if he beat me in this game. I could overtake Michael if I won by 19 force or more, while Nick Rice could win if he won and Michael lost. I was pretty certain that I wouldn’t beat a ROps deck by 19 force, so I just played to preserve honour. Michael started with Imperial Arrest Order and deployed the Death Star and non-unique sites first turn. I got Obi down to Ralltiir fairly soon, followed shortly by Harc Seff. Assorted walkers went to all the Ralltiir sites and Michael flipped. I played Mechanical Failure on the Dune Walker opposing Obi and Harc (now joined by a forfeit-fodder R-3PO). I attacked and he reacted with Tempest Scout 6. I sensed this, which was a mistake as it left me with one sense for the two piloted walker reacts. So he ended up drawing destiny and Harc and R-3PO bought it. I set up a drain at Mos Eisley with Master Luke and the Monk, leaving Obi to hide in the Ralltiir jungle. Boushh was stopping one of his Ralltiir drains. He put out Battle Order, so I drained sporadically. He eventually put out Kashyyk and a couple of ships. I sent the Gold Leader and Lando in Falcon fleet in with Melas and Wedge. He beat me down but I was left with Melas in the Falcon. The Falcon then ran around a bit, enabling me to flip In the Hands of the Empire a couple of times. The Tatooine drains were keeping me in the game but soon he put down Endor and some more ships as well. It Could Be Worse was helping me but not by enough. Order to Engage was deployed and Han w/gun went to join Obi, but things were still bleak. But then I drew my first Narrow Escape. He attacked Obi and Han, and the attrition took out Obi, but now I could start cheesing about. Han ran in front of a walker. Michael attacked and Han Narrow Escaped to the desert, in front of another AT-ST. OTE kicked in and I started doing some damage. I was now drawing furiously to keep the Narrow Escape cycle going (I have two in the deck). Ben and saber went out with the Cantina, so now I was also getting a tidy drain in. I think that Michael tried several times to search for Imperial Decree, but it was always in his force pile. At one stage I foolishly activated everything. Thus I couldn’t sense the Trample that killed Han. Instead I broke Boushh’s cover and continued the Narrow Escape/ OTE thing with her. That and It Could Be Worse turned the game in my favour. One interesting last note is that Michael deployed Vader w/saber to Mos Eisley in the last few turns. This was the only Vader I saw all day in my games, which is a refreshing change.

FW (+5)

My final points tally was 10(+51)


So, in the end I was unable to overtake Michael. However, Nick sneaked past both of us to claim the tournament. I finished third overall and I should give my ranking a healthy boost. Leonard Smith ran the tournament extremely well while Nick’s Ewok deck went undefeated, proving yet again that they are the boys :o)

Thanks for reading,
Chris