ryloth-regional-august-6-2000
Title: ryloth-regional-august-6-2000
Author: Jeroen "S.T.oma" van den Bosch
Date: Aug 15, 2000
'THE TOURNAMENT STARTS TOMORROW, BE PREPARED'
(Mortal Combat)
Something like that crossed my mind when I realized that I had only one week left before the Ryloth regional. I had just moved and didn't have very little time to think about anything else. I also had very little money left so I didn't had a chance to buy boxes DSII. I had bought a few packs and had been lucky enough to pull a Jedi Luke but with one Luke alone you can't make competitive deck. When I hard that Bjorn would play Star Trek instead of Star Wars at the regional I asked him if I could use his DSII
cards and that was, luckily for me, no problem.
Now I only had to make my decks. I didn't had much time left so I couldn't really sit down to make decks myself. Decktech proved to be the answer. I made for light The Braham Bull's Throne room deck found on Decktech (Alfred 'ThaBraHmaBul' Dong's creation since his stratsection and decklist looked like he knew what he was talking about. It looked like fun to play and his deck used a lot of the new cards. For dark I revised my Ralltiir Operations but had I had more time I would have played something else entirely because everyone would be prepared for Ralltiir. Also I didn't have mobilization points to jumpstart my force activation, so it all depended on how I drew my locations.
Game 1: There Is Still Good In Him - Jeffry Koreman (ranking: 15 rating: 1672)
He plays with the new ls-objective There Is Still Good In Him/I Can Save Him and starts with staging areas, wise advice and Insurrection. I start battle plan, imperial decree and oppressive enforcement. I considered (instead of oppressive enforcement) also Imperial Arrest Order or The Empires New Order because of the elom thread but decide to go with oppressive enforcement to guard my effects and interrupts that are not immune to Alter.
When he drops the first elom to Ralltiir I regret the decision and the empire's new order never comes out. Maybe because I never flip for long with my objective and I don't have a Twillek Advisor because normally you don't really need it when you can search for your cards. Except for those cases when flipping is as hard as it was now. He quickly activates tons of force but I drew Kashhyyk an Coruscant in my opening hand and getting sites is no problem. So I'm not too crippled with my old-fashion twixlocations in this game.
He takes the initiative when he deploys an Elom and an Ithorian to my swamp. I smile because I have ECC IG-88 in my hand. I deploy him to the swamp and initiate a battle. I target the Elom and draw a two thus capturing the Elom. I rather have low battledestiny then not being able to capture one of his characters because I want IG-88 to stay and him not being able to draw battledestiny and already having three more power is just too good. So I'm glad it worked. To top it of I draw a four and he has to lose five cards. A good begin for me.
He has only one starship in his deck and he when he deploys Captain Han in the premiere Falcon to Ralltiir I have Zuckus In Mist Hunter to take care of the tread, I go uncontested in space the rest of the game. Endor I lost from my hand in an early drain but Kashhyyk provides a good draining spot and fulfills battle order for the rest of the game.
He moves Luke to Ralltiir via the docking bay and with a few Eloms he reinforces. He has two sites covered now with a lot of Eloms and on one site Obi leads the pack and on the other Luke is handling the flow of things. Jeffry is also new to this objective because he ignores the thread of Luke being captured. I deploy an imperial, immediately seize Luke, deploy some more and battle which costs him dearly. I move away but he does flip his objective. I'm way ahead and drain for four but I have to lose two every turn now and lose some more from one or two drains on Ralltiir. He can't drain (fortunately for me) on all sites he has because of battle plan.
I deploy Vader to Luke's site to get rid of the annoying two-force loss a turn (something I didn't want to do because this Vader I play isn't immune to Uncontrollable Fury but if I lose two from the objective or from fury matters little at this point). But here's where it goes wrong. I haven't playtested with the new cards and don't take the time to read the cards that are new to me. The ls objective let's you stack a card under I feel the conflict if you, as a lightside player, win a battle or duel but doesn't allow you to initiate a duel. But we play it like this: Every turn we 'duel' (=draw a destiny). If I draw higher nothing happens, if he 'wins' I stack a card under I feel the conflict. This way I lose three cards (with already one card stacked under I feel the conflict) So even as his lifeforce depletes I face the tread of him turning vader and an instant win. He has,
before he would attempt to cross Vader, a destiny of twelve so a three will be enough to let Jeffry win the game. Last turn he drew a one where a five would be enough to
turn Vader and that was one hell of a scare. But then he moves (to my asthonisment) to Vaders site with a lot of Eloms, I initate a battle the next turn, pray he doesn't draw a zero (he doesn't) and I forfeit Vader. Now I'm again stuck with the two force loss but I drain it out and with four cards in reserve I win.
HL: Lots of interaction and Excitment.
LL: playing the cards all wrong
FW: 2 +4 (2 +4)
Game 2: Expand the empire on Tatooine: Jabba's Palace - Rob Bosman (ranking: 203 rating: 1408)
He deploys expand the empire as his starting effect and I just smile. I play Throne room so I get to go first and I have Boush and an Alter in my first hand. I deploy Boush and hope for a lucky destiny draw. I know him (played him once or twice) and he is not one to play SAC. So maybe that's why I get sloppy and don't play Wise Advice before I play Alter. He Senses my Alter and I have to put my Alter in my lost pile. Later I found out he plays someone elses deck.
He soon has Dr. Evazan and Ghalid (force drain +1) and Mara with her lightsaber on the Audiance chamber. He forgets the force drain +1 from Ghalid so I lose two from his drains two turns while I put out the Bacta tank and draw. Next turn I deploy EPP Obi at the audiance chamber. He has some more power there then me but with the Bacta tank out I'm not afraid of Dr. Evezan since Obi is my only character and the battle would be immediatly stopped when Obi would get operated. Mara misses however and I hit Ghalid so he has to forfeit Dr. Evezan and Ghalid while I send Obi to the Bacta tank. In his next turn he deploys Boelo, later followed by Jabba and I deem it too riskey to pay another visit to the Audiance chamber and send Boush in to stop the drains.
I have drawn lots of good cards. I have Jedi Luke and his lightsaber in my hand. I deploy luke on Tatooine: Jabba'
s Palace and start draining there for three while his only drain is canceled. Things are looking good for me. He deploys Vader which I rebel Barrier. Some sense and Alters later (I grapple his Sense) I play Rebel Barrier for the second time and prevent Lord Vader to fight. I deploy Obi to back luke up in my turn and but he get's clashed so I don't fight. In his turn he disarms luke and he initiates a battle. I forfeit Luke to get rid of disarmed. I deploy Luke a few turns later. He has mow taken his characters to the farm where he drains for three. I drain for two but when we continue in this style I win since his life-force is somewhat lower then mine. Then Time is called. I explain to the TD that it only will take three turns to drain him out and we get five minutes extra.
Well, I would have drained him out but he deploys the emperor and all his characters move to Luke's site. No drains anymore, now it's just battling in order to clear the board and hopefully end this game in time. With the bacta tank out I come out victorious. When all his characters are gone I drain him to death and he is nice enough not to stall.
HL: My LS deck wins! A nice game with lot's of interaction.
LL: Nearly timing out.
FW: 2 + 12 (4 +16)
game 3: Set your course for Alderaan Tie's - Ronald Rullens (ranking: 29 rating: 1570)
Maarten always says I'm really lucky and this game I am (yet again). Is that the Tantive IV that I have in my opening hand? I also hold a nudji and with the force I get from Alderaan and the DS docking bay I can deploy in my first turn two Nudjis and the Tantive IV to the Death Star. Roland doesn't look too happy about this and just draws. In my second turn I drain for three and deploy Boush to the Tantive. I have to reinforce the Death Star but I also know my ships and characters will be useless there if Come Here You Big Coward comes out. For most starfighters it won't matter since they can go via the Alderaan system to most planets he puts out but my Capitols will be stranded. As I give the turn to him he Twilleks for an effect. When I imagine what that effect could be (Come here...) I Sense so his Twillek goes to the used pile anyway with Oppressive Enforcement out but no Come here... this time.
In his second turn Ronald deploys Kessel and only much later in the game he deploys Endor and Kasshyyk. He plays Tie Interceptors which only cost 2 to deploy and they provide good beatdownpotential with there (base)power of three.We drain hence and forth. I have the big drain on the death star and he has only one drain in Kessel. Later he deploys Endor and starts draining there.
I have my admirals orders in my hand and decide to deploy it, rather then waiting to 'converse' his admiral's order the time it comes out. First I want to hold of any beatdown and I want Ronald to draw lot's of cards with his already depleting life-force in search for his cards. His power three ties are now merely power 1 ties but he finally finds his admirals orders and decides my presence on the Death Star has taken long enough. He deploys and attacks with just three Ties with a X-wing laser cannon. He converts my admirals orders and targets the falcon. He misses and doesn't realize it until I remind him of Captain Han's gametext which adds two to maneuver. So I draw to battledestinies and forfeit something while he has to forfeit two ties since I sense his All power to weapons. The next turn he does hit the Falcon (in his second draw) but next turn I deploy home one which he barrieres to back the Tantive up. Ronald battles next turn and tells me Home One doesn't participate but I say Imperial Barrier is no You are beaten and just says this turn instead of next turn.
In the meantime I have deployed premiere Obi to the docking bay to fulfill battle plan. I get to verify his deck when he can't find a docking bay and see no characters so I let Obi stay there alone for the rest of the game. He deploys a few ties to cancel the drain but just loses some ties instead of life-force a few turns until U-3PO turns up. I have the battleground site but do not yet have a battleground system. I deploy Wedge in Red5 to Endor when I find my admirals order once again and battle him. He loses some. He finally finds Wakeelmui but only retrieves once or twice. Now I can drain without paying and it turns into a drain race when Kashhyyk comes out. I have a very big hand, I have drawn too much in search for spaceships and must my manage my life-force with care. I can't deploy too much and it comes to a close finish. He battles me some on Endor and only Red5 without a pilot stays. Then Ronald looks at the table, and starts calculating. I do my math too and he can drain me out although I could drain for more I can't pay for battle plan next turn. That is something he doesn't see (Or I have it wrong) cause he just looks at the table and says. I guess you have won,
HL: My most exciting match in this tournament. Lot's of interaction.
LL: Not really winning.
FW: 2 +4 (6 +20)
game 4: There is still good in him Elom beatdown - Maarten Rossou (rating: 1747 ranking: 9)
I'm still surprised I won my first three games while I have played so little but now it will surely come to an end. Maarten is a very good player (he proved that a week later by reaching the finals in Brussels against Martin Akesson) and I know I have very little chance.
We played a quick game we never finished the day before and he knows what to expect from my Ralltiir deck. He has seen my deck a thousand times. I never played Maarten with this deck and am unfamiliar with it. He has lots of Eloms and Ithorians and a few mains to give me a hard time. Luke is generating force on Endor Docking bay with Staging Areas out and Ben Kenobi is doing the same on the Tatooine docking bay. He activates like mad, helped by me because I deploy the Endor and the Kasshyyk system. I needed the force but I'm helping him maybe even more then I'm helping me.
He just gives me a good beatdown and when I learn what to should do against a deck like that (a first turn capture would be nice to stop him from activating too much) I'm already on the losing side. He has to pay for Battle Order but that's no problem for him and I can't get my Imperial Decree working.
In the end he retrieves six with Na Shada Wind Chimes and I draw up to end this pain.
HL: Well, at least Maarten got another win
LL: Everything
FL: 0 -20 (6 -0)
game 5: RalOps - Jeroen van Beers (ranking: 19 rating: 1634)
This is a game I know I can win. Although he plays a difficult objective I stand a good chance. His first turn he deploys the DSII-docking bay and deploys an AT-ST pilot. I have Blount, Taws Khaa and Enhanced Obi in my opening hand but no locations. I deploy a Nudji and draw till 12 to search for a location. I can't find one however and the next turn Igar joins the AT-ST-pilot. I start to save force to deploy Obi and Blount to give him (hopefully) a good beating. I have enough force for Obi and Blount and have Your insight serves me well in my hand. I search for a Nudji knowing it isn't in there but I want to look if Battle Plan is. Then I can deploy both of them and battle for free. No such luck. The nest turn he moves to Ralltiir and I must pay more for my characters to deploy.
Mara backups the imperials with her saber and I decide Taws Khaa and Obi need to pay a visit to Ralltiir. I deploy the Bacta Tank. I just know Jeroen has an Alter in his hand so I want to tempt him to use him since the tank goes to my used pile anyway and there are no characters on. He doesn't take the bait. I deploy and battle and miss the AT-ST Pilot! He forfeits and I forfeit Taws. He Alters the Bacta Tank and Taws is lost. Jedi Luke joins the party and some more characters while he also deploys more and more. I never seem to hit anything with my sabers and we both forfeit but he comes out top since he has more activation and more characters.
My last characters I have lying on the table are Premiere Obi and edi Luke. They have good immunity but he comes down with Vader and the Emperor and some more so I have to forfeit both or lose a lot of cards. I choose to lose Obi and six more. One of those cards from the top is Battle Plan. With opnly Luke out he flips. I delpy Han and the Falcon to Luke site (a docking bay) and they take off. I never drain that game because I haven't got a batttlegroundsystem in there and I never get a character down long enough to flip him back.
He drains a lot with lightsabers and Overseeing it Personally which I alter once but it doesn't matter and he get's an easy win with twenty or so
HL: I didn't make any real mistakes
LL: Not playing well enough, this sucks
game 6 Profit - Ronald Rullens (ranking: 29 rating: 1570)
My Ralltiir has never lost from a profit deck and I'm not intending to lose now. But I know it is rather weak against those decks that flip their first turn and spread out quickly. He doesn't start Insurrection so I have to be wary for Nabrun Leids with all his mains. I start Battle Plan, Imperial Decree and Oppressive Enforcement. I considered Imperial Arrest Order but when my first trample get sensed later in the game I knew I made the right decision.
He deploys Master Luke first turn and draws. I have Hoth Ice Plains in my first hand and when I search and deploy the swamp from reserve I know the Dagobah: Cave is in my force pile so I draw too. In his second turn he just draws and doesn't flip. He does flip next turn but he has given me one turn more to set up my defenses. In his turn he flips and the continual forceless begins for me. Just when it would really begin to hurt I fulfill Imperial Decree, having searched frantically for spaceships and defensive effects. I now control Kasshyyk and Ralltiir. So I don't only fulfill Imperial Decree but I can also drain for free with Battle Plan out while Ronald has to pay for each drain. That is, if he could drain. With the minus one of the objective and his drainmodifiers that get canceled his drains are just not happening. He now occupies two Tatooine Sites with his mains so I lose two force a turn.
He deploys Projection of a Skywalker on one site and Boush on another. I have concentrated on two sites since I have the feeling there are still some more mains to come. I'm only draining on Kashhyyk so we do equal damage. When I deploy Endor and move there I drain for four. He deploys Orrimaarko to the same site as Boush and initiates a battle. He forgets to break Boush her cover but that was his intention so they both battle. Orrimaarko has to go to the lost pile and Boush runs off to another site and he makes me lose for three the next turn. I have deployed much and although I have the upperhand my life-force depletes almost as quick as his .
But in the end I drain for five against his forceloss of three and I win by two in another intense game.
HL: Intense game, I come out victorious
LL: Some minor arguments about when he wants to do stuff in a phase that is already passed.
PROPS:
- Bjorn for letting me borrow the new cards and for becoming the European Champion for Star Trek.
- The guy who sold me General Calrissan and all those other cards for 5 guilders a piece!
- Maarten for getting second a week later at the European Championships
SLOPS:
- People who @#$% on the Ryloth listserver
- Maarten for not getting first