european-continentals
Title: european-continentals
Author: Martin "Mart" Akesson
Date: Aug 16, 2000
Thursday evening I arrive in Leuven (hometown of Stella Artois) where my good friend Maarten Logghe lives. He had offered me to stay at his place during the weekend, and I am very grateful. As soon as we enter his apartment we start to test our decks. I brought 4 decks, and I tested them all. At Friday morning the Belgian grand slam is held, like a pre-tourney for the continentals. I decide to go for a hidden base deck based on the new falcon, undercovers and lots of cool interrupts. For dark I choose a bring him before me deck with heavy drain potential, and heavy sac. I considered this grand slam as an opportunity to check what other decks that were played, and then meta against them for the continentals. We go to sleep at 2-3 something, and get up at 9 to get to the convention in time. At the convention I see lots of friendly faces, and there were players from parts of Europe I did not think had any active players at all. The Germans arrive late, claiming they didn’t couldn’t find their way to the convention. I didn’t believe them until later that day. One other Swede, Tony Petersson, also arrived that morning, so now I was not the only Swede. The time for the grand slam was set to 11 am, but as usually, it didn’t start until like half past 12 or something. I do not remember much from this tournament, maybe because I was tired, maybe because it was very bad air in there or maybe because of the strange lemon-beer served there.
No memories of game 1 and 2, just know that I won them with like 15 differential in booth games.
Game 3 is against Nick Rice’s ewok deck. I deploy Emperor to throneroom first turn, he deploys lots of ewoks to the chirpa hut. Next turn I deploy lord vader with his saber and move him over to the hut. He deploys more ewoks, Chewie and battle me. I get someone with the saber, and add one destiny with emperors power. Still, I loose the battle with 8 cards I think, but since I have no more Vader in hand I loose 8 force. Next turn I battle some of his characters away, and he has to move the ewoks away, where Mara Jade attacks them. I start to drain with Mara and Vader, and he is not able to attack me again. He gives me Luke I think, but he couldn’t handle the drains, and lost by 10 or something.
Game 4 was against a mains deck on tatooine. This game consisted of constant drains on tatooine. His activation was low, and since I started bad feeling have I, I got my things out faster. He didn’t have any protection against Elis Helrot in the deck, and that is why I won in the end. Still, it was no big win.
Game 5 against Matt Allens strike team deck. First turn he gets Madine and Kensaric to the landing site. He is very low in activation, and I choose not to deploy locations that would give him any force. It took me a while to get vader to the landing site, because of Kensaric, and my low activation. We battle there for a while, and then he deploys Carlson and moves them away. I drain, and he looses to your destiny, and to my drain. Then he deploy the bunker, and despite my attempts to kill his guys there, he eventually blows it away, making me loose 8. I deploy Zuckuss in mist hunter to Endor to get around battle plan. Zuckuss stays for remeinder of the game. He deploys jedi Luke to some site, unaware of me having always thinking with your stomach in my hand. Luke gets lost, and he has to loose to my your destiny. That is game. FW + 9.
Game 6 is to Matt Allen again. This time he plays his bring him before me against my hidden base. He deploys his guys to endor, but everywhere he is I manage to put down an undercover spy, or a projection of a skywalker. I give him farmboy Luke and he starts dueling at the throneroom. Since he occupies 3 battlegrounds, honour is worthless, but thanks to the high destinies in my deck I win most of the duels. Some battles occur in space, and I follow his ships, trying to make him loose to order to engage. I didn’t flip until all his ships were gone, and then I could drain him out in space. Close game, FW +4 I think.
I end up at first place and pick the LS sheet, now I got booth the light and the dark one!
Maarten Logghe was playing at a tennis tournament that evening, so I went with the Germans to their hotel for some games. It took us about one hour to get there, and we were sitting 4 persons in the back seat in Markus Wuests car… well, I didn’t sit, I more likely stood up. We had some not-too-good fast food, and then I played some games with Bastian. Tony and me left them at half past one, and headed for the train-station. Halfway there we decided to take a cab, since there would probably not be any trains anyway.
Saturday. I sleep until 12, since I was not allowed to play in the first day of the continentals. I arrive at the convention at aprox 2. Then I just hanged around, talked to the players and played some games with Alex Tennet and the French guys that were also qualified. We went back home early and had supper at a Chinese restaurant. During the day I decided to play a fast profit deck for dark side, mainly because it was good against raltiir ops which seemed to be quite popular. I saw many there is good in him decks, and many space decks.. so it had to be raltiir ops for me as well – solid as ever.
the decks:
Light deck
deck name: dodge this!
Objective:
You can either profit by this/Or be destroyed!
characters:
Han with heavy blaster pistol X3
Ben Kenobi X3
Master Luke X3
Luke Skywalker, jedi knight
Leia with blaster rifle X2
Lando with blaster pistol
Chewie with blaster rifle
Wedge Antilles
Melas
Taws Khaa
starships:
Home One
Locations:
Tatooine: Mos Eisley X2
Tatooine: Cantina X2
Tatooine: Jabbas Palace
Jabbas Palace: Audience Chamber
Hoth: Echo Docking Bay
Home One: Docking Bay
Weapons:
Obi-Wans Lightsaber
Anakins Lightsaber
Effects:
Bacta tank
Order to engage
Beggar
What are you trying to push on us X2
Your insights serves you well
Insurrection
Wise Advice
Interrupts:
Heading for the medical frigate
I know
Tunnel vision X3
Rebel barrier
Keep your eyes open
The bith shuffle
Dodge X3
Control X3
Sense X3
Gift of the mentor X2
Nabrun Leids
Lost in the wilderness
Narrow escape
Weapon leviatation
Dark deck
Deck name: Martins Lek
Objective:
Raltiir Operations/ In the hands of the empire
Characters:
Sim Aloo
Janus Greejatus
Colonel Davod Jon
AT/ST Pilot X3
Admiral Ozzel
Officer Evax
Navy Trooper Vesden
Mara Jade, The Emperors Hand
Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith
Lord Vader
IG-88 with Riot Gun
DS-181-3
DS-61-2
Lieutenant Cabbel
Lieutenant Arnet
Vehicles:
Tempest Scout 1
Tempest Scout 2
Tempest Scout 3
Tempest Scout 5
Blizzard Scout 1
Starships:
Dengar in Punishing One
Boba Fett in Slave 1
Zuckuss in Mist Hunter
Bossk in Hounds Tooth
Devastator
Vaders Personal Shuttle
Locations:
Raltiir
Dessert
Spaceport: Docking Bay
Jungle
Swamp
Carida
Coruscant
Death Star II: Docking Bay
Executor: Docking Bay
Hoth: Ice Plains
Hoth: Wampa Cave
Effects:
Imperial Arrest Order
Mobilization Points
Oppressive Enforcement
Imperial Decree
Search and Destroy
There will be hell to pay X2
Battle Order
First Strike
Bad Feeling Have I
Interrupts:
Alter X3
Trample X2
Imperial Barrier
Dark Maneuvers
Masterful Move
Monnok
Prepared Defenses
The first game I was paired against Lars Grasedyck, Germany. I play Dark side.
This was a very friendly game, and Lars was a funny guy to play against. He played the new Luke objective, and then space. I had a pretty bad starting hand, with colonel Davod Jon and Vader as only characters. As I only activate 3 force my first turn, I cannot put any guy to his docking bay the first turn, so I deploy some locations and draw. The next turn I activate more, so I put vader to endor, and some other imperials to raltiir. Turn 3 I flip, and after that it was not much he could do. I captured ben with IG88 and eventually also outbattled his falcon in space. FW by 25-30 something.
Game 2 against Tero Suminen, Finnland
He starts set your course for alderaan, and deploys mara jade and boba fett to my audience chamber. I had quite a crappy hand, but luke and leia soon hit the audence chamber. we batteled there for sometime, and I drew very good destinys, and he did not… He monnoks me for 2 ben kenobis, but eventually I free Han. He plays with dangerous times, so I have to play in an unexpected way all the time to avoid his monnoks. I once get a beatdown for 8 cards-something, and profit damage hurt him quite bad, along with my drains. I win by 20 something.
Game 3 against Bastian Winkelhaus, Germany
This is a game I have wanted to play for a long time. I have never played against Bastian in a tournament, so this should be interesting. He plays raltiir ops, and starts with no aliens at audience chamber. I get a good draw, so in my turn I search for a docking bay, play tunnel vision for master luke, play gift of the mentor for obis lightsaber, deploy ben to audience chamber, and luke to jabbas palace and then free Han. He didn’t flip in his turn, so I hit him for 5 force in my next turn. In his third turn he flipps with lone AT-ST pilots at 2 sites and a walker with pilot at the third. He makes some attempts to kill Han, but I have play cards such as I know and narrow escape to keep him alive. I put down the cantina and mos eisley, and luke drains there, and profit damage hurts him. I deploy beggar, and battle him at raltiir, but only make him loose a few cards. Lando, chewie and melas later came to raltiir. He once managed to kill Han, but I had another in my hand. My deck was to fast for him, and since he didn’t know what cards I played it was hard for him to play against it. FW by 15 something.
Game 4 is against a Belgian guy, sorry I don’t remember your name.
I think he was playing luke-objective, and that I deployed a guy to landing platform the first turn. The rest of the deck his deck was space oriented, with superfalcon. My constant drain of 3 + search and destroy hurts him bad. I attack his falcon with practically every ship in my deck + tracked destines, and we booth loose lots to attrition. My presence in space allows me to avoid battle plan, but his falcon comes back. This time I let him battle, to avoid punch it. I once again kill the falcon, but this time he has not got enough force to get it out again, and I drain him for too much. FW +15 something
Game 5 against Martin Falke. Another game Ive wanted to play for a long time. I play dark side against his Luke objective with scouts, on the edge, fallen portal, mains, and everything you can imagine in it. I get a good draw once, and deploy one guy to his dockingbay, one guy to my own docking bay + coruscant. He activates 3 in his turn, and moves Luke to my guy. I deploy vader, and some sites to raltiir, move Vader over and flip with 2 other ability 4-guys. Here the game ends. He is low in activation, and I activate plenty. I search for first strike, and search and destroy. I take out everything he deploys, and IG-88 manages to capture Leia. There is nothing he can do, and I win by 19.
Game 6 against same Belgian guy as I played in game 4. The deal is that I am the only undefeated player left with 10 +102. I will make it to the final if I do don’t loose with more than 13, and even if I do there is a good chance I will reach the final. He starts ISB. in his turn he deploy some sites and draw. I rescue Han, and put Luke at jabbas palace. In his turn he deploys 2 undercover spies, and draws. I activate, and draw. Next turn I put down Mos Eisley with Leia there. He undercovers. Next turn I signal for cantina, and move Luke to Mos Eisley. He deploys Vader and tries to kill of someone, but I dodge. He also deploys star destroyers and Chinareu to kashyyk, and another star destroyer to Sullust. we just drain for some turns, and my control saves lots of cards for me. Eventually I deploy home one with Chewie and Melas. He battles, I move away with keep your eyes open. Then I manage to clear one of his systems, and I still make him loose cards from profit, and from drains. FW by 15.
So I take one of the seats in the final. My opponent was Maarten Rossou from the Netherlands. We had four judges by our table from different countries. We flip a card to see who goes first with what deck. I start with my profit deck. Once I see his objective I think I am going to loose – Hunt down…with dueling… and I don’t even have honor of the jedi in the deck. He deploys Mara Jade to the audience chamber. I get a fair draw with Master Luke and Ben Kenobi, but as I only activate 5 force I decide not to deploy them yet. He deploys Vader in his turn. Next turn I deploy Ben and Master Luke. When I initiate he plays you are beaten on Ben. I sense, he alters - I sense, he alters.. great! he also hits Luke, and I have to loose like 8 cards. In my turn I move Ben to JP and draw. We both loose to Visage for some time. He deploys dark forest with presence of the force and emperor there. I see my only chance of winning, so I play gift of the mentor for Anakins saber, recirculate some destinies and tunnel for Luke the Jedi. I deploy beggar and use all his force for Luke, Lando, Taws and Chewie. He search for force lightning. I attack, and Chewie dies to force lightning. I hit the emperor. He plays I have you know. We booth draw destiny – I draw 5, he draws 12. He has to loose 4 cards I think, and I have to loose everything but Taws khaa. In his turn he deploys Tarkin to Vader, move them to JP, and elis over to the dark forest. I deploy Melas as Cover for Taws, and move Ben to the audience chamber. He battles Melas and Taws, but they cover most of the battle damage. In my turn I deploy Master Luke to the A.C, and battle. Something strange happens: as a just-initiated action he plays you are beaten, and the judges agree (!!) – before the weapons segment, so I can not target Mara with Obis saber. So instead of having to loose Mara and three cards, he only have to loose Mara Jade to attrition. Secret plans is on table, so I don’t free Han yet. We booth loose to Visage, and he drains me for three at the dark forest. I loose by 13, which would have been 10 with the correct ruling.
Second game. He plays there is still good in him. In my turn, I get one guy to his docking bay, and one guy to one of my own. In his turn he deploys some site and move Luke to my guy. I deploy Vader, move him to raltiir and flip, and loose 4 to AFA. He activates 3, plays signal, but finds nothing but a projection of a Skywalker. My turn, I activate, search for some walker to keep raltiir safe and draw. Search and destroy was one of my perhaps 12 cards in reserve deck, so I activate 3 in my next turn and search my reserve deck, but no search and destroy there. I draw one card and there it is. He makes some attempts to get around the effect by putting characters at his dockingbays, but I kill them. He deploys falcon to my Carida, but I had no reason to attack it, and he played no more AFA during the entire game. I drained him out and won a safe victory by 19 force.
So once again I manage to reach the world championships. I had actually started to find a way to finance the trip there, since last year was really awesome. Now I don’t have too, and in October I will defend the Swedish honor with Jesper Larsson, the Swedish regional qualifier who beat me in the regional final by three force.
Big thanks to:
-Maarten Logghe, for a place to stay, for playtesting, for the beer and for being such a good friend.
-Erik Hanson, Emil Magnusson, Patrek Wallgren and Tony Petersson for letting me borrow your cards and for playtesting.
-Jesper Larsson for convincing me of playing profit.
-Markus Wuest, Martin Falke, Bastian Winkelhaus and Sören Kaiser for taking care of me that Friday.
-Extra thanks to Markus Wuest for the beer and the other stuff.
-Paul Feldman, Yannik Lapointe, Stuart Jones, Charles Herren, Frank Lamantia and Dominic for sharing their decks and ideas with me.
-The tournament directors for tournaments run real smooth.
-Everyone else who made this a great weekend.
Team non americans +1, me, Koen Meijsen, Paul Feldman and Yannik Lapointe from deciphercon-99 are all qualified for worlds again!! See you all at deciphercon!
/Martin Akesson