terryville-ct-8-19-00
Title: terryville-ct-8-19-00
Author: Andrew "Gadget" Ledwith
Date: Aug 21, 2000
My decks are a lot like last week's decks, but with a few changes.
LS - Hidden Base, w/o Squad Assignments, but I added in 2 Hyper Escapes
DS - Old Skool with New Principal (get it, Skool, Principal, heh heh), uses SYCFA for higher activation in the early going
So I get there and there's 16 people including me, not as many as last week, but still a strong field.
Game 1 - My DS vs Ted Skonars' Hidden Base Sqassins
This game seems very uneventful to me. So he starts to take out systems and I manage to get out Fondor on turn 3. I use MPoints to pull out Executor. I draw up for a while, putting pilots on the Executor and blocking drains with Star Destroyers. He only puts out 4 systems and flips. I kill YCHForever to get out Security Precautions. I deploy 1 ship to 2 of his systems and probe. I also probe at the system my Executor it at. Nope. His base is at the one system I didn't deploy to (of course). I move all my ships to the one system that has yet to be probed. Next turn I probe and make him lose 7 force. After that we mass all our ships at Kashyyyk and just battle battle battle. I don't really know the order of the battles, but I had Bus, Vader and Tarkin (add 1 cancel 1) and he had Cap Han, DS2 Wedge, and Red 8 w/ pilot (add 1 cancel 1). At one point he played Life Debt, and managed to take out 3 pilots and a SD. I Lateral Damaged Home One with a whole bunch of foos on it, which shot him in the foot the rest of the game, since he couldn't move it to the Death Star (where LD was played). Next battle he played Power Pivot targeting the Executor and managed to even the power back out again. But after that it was all downhill for him, since he never got another Power Pivot. He soon had to lose both Cap Han and the Red 8 duo, so now I was in complete control of the battling scene. However he never ran away. He just continued to fight (not even a Draw Their Fire to make it worth while), and eventually he just ran out of steem.
FW by 17
Record: 2(+17)
Highlights: Honestly, there really weren't any. It was as if the whole game the same things just happening over and over. I mean I won, and that's good, but it wasn't a fun game to play.
Lowlights: Having to play another one of these almost generic Sqassins decks.
Game 2 - My LS vs Jay Farrel's Old Skool deck
So he starts 5th marker. I get a fairly good space hand, but get almost nothing for ground. He puts out Mos Eisely, DVDLOTS, his saber, and 2 other forgetable guys. This is kinda crappy, since I can't drop enough there to block the drain AND survive. I get all my systems out by turn 5 and set up some good ships in space. He drops PotF on Mos Eisely. I try to play Clash to cancel, but he senses. I decide that I have to flip cause I'm gonna lose force out the wazoo if I don't. He has a unique ability-2 Star Destroyer (forget which) with an ability-2 dink on it, and he's draining for 2 at that location. I bring my fleet over to block the drain and drop OTE. He Alters it, but it goes back into my deck with Wise Advice. He drops some more ships at another location and runs away, but not before he probes at each location. In 2 turns he manages to find my HB, so the drain of 3 is back open. I find OTE again, and hit him up for 6 force before he Alters it again. I drop UFury on Vader, but he plays YAB to cancel it. I manage to find OTE a third time, and when he tries to Alter it he draws a 6, so he still has to lose 3 force. His drains have reduced my force to a minimum, so he spreads his fleet out all over the place. I follow as best I can, but I can't block them all since I can't move to them all. He drains me out.
FL by 17
Record: 2(+0)
Highlights: Managing to find OTE over and over. Making a good trade with the guy after the game.
Lowlights: Getting everything canceled all over the place. This game showed me how much I need Do Or Do Not in my LS deck.
Game 3 - My DS vs Frank Conaci's Profit deck
Okay, so as soon as he starts this Obj I know that I'm screwed. I have no real way to counter Profit, I just have to hope that I can get off good drains and have enough on the ground to at least come to a standstill. I put DS-61-2 on TS1 in the Death Star Docking Bay to get extra activation, and also put out Fondor. I didn't start any aliens, so he releases EPP Han with Jedi Luke on his first turn. He also drops Luke's Saber, so he's getting a drain of 3 at the AC. I got lucky and pulled U-3PO in my opening draw, so I drop him to the AC. He had deployed the Tatooine Docking Bay his first turn, so I dropped Tempest 1 w/ Igar there and transit TS1 and DS-61-2 there. Now he's got a problem. I've got a formidable presence on Tatooine (much to my surprise) and he's only got 2 characters that aren't draining and are only making me lose 1 a turn. He drops ECC Chewie to the AC and moves Luke out to JP. I follow with U-3PO. He also put out the Tatooine system and used Squassins to deploy Gold Squad 1 w/ Lando there. On my turn I pull Executor with MPoints and put Admiral Piett and Admiral Chimaneau to Tatooine. I play Lateral Damage on Falcon and battle. I manage to draw a 4 (thank God for Blizzard Scout 1), so has to lose Lando, and opts to lose the Falcon as well. He gets his drain of 1 and Profit of 2, and draws up. I drain for 1 and 3, and then drop Chimmera, Devastator, and Ozzel to Fondor to get more drains. He deploys Independence with Akbar there. He pulls out the Mon Cal dude who's got that ZiMH text. He battles. I draw a 2, he draws like a 5. I don't put 1 and 1 together with the destiny thing. I conclude that the reason he doesn't lose anything from there is because he is immune to attrition < 5 (which he is), so on my next turn I dropped another SD of sorts and battle. I draw a tracked 6, and I exclaim my joy. He's like, so? It's canceled. Now I get it, and I'm kinda mad, but I just say the hell with it. I lose 1 SD, and move the Executor over. He runs as expected. Down on the ground, I move U-3PO back into the AC and move the Tempest garrison to JP. He doesn't decide to battle at first, so my drains are for 2 at JP when I'm there, further hurting him. He finally just moves Han, Luke and Chewie to the AC where my Tempests are. I drop Commander Merrejk to TS1 using Piett's text, and battle. I have to lose him to attrition. He has to lose Chewie and Han. His Obj flips and things finish up quickly after that, although it is still a close one.
FW by 7
Record: 4(+7)
Highlights: Beating Profit. Having an answer for pretty much everything he did.
Lowlights: Winning by such a low differential, and the destiny thing was also annoying.
Game 4 - My LS vs Andy Klema's Ominour Rumors deck
I had never lost to an Endor Ops deck, and I didn't intend to start here. This game may seem a little confusing to you (or at least it does to me). I was told that Andy was one of the top players here, so I knew I was in for a rough game. I get a good opening hand. The first few turns seem to fly right on by. He deploys Rumors on turn 1, and Ephant Mon to the Bunker on his second turn. He sets up a drain of 4 at Y4. I let that slide once, and then I meet him up there. I get all my systems out by turn 4. He's get out another space force to Kiffex. My ships aren't coming up, so I decide to flip. He starts to probe, and after canceling his drains for 2 turns he probes my HB. By now I have all the stuff I need to block him well in space. He drops 2 pretty good ship masses and starts to set up drains. I have Han, Chewie and Leia in space, but decide to break them up in case ZiMH shows his ugly face. I drop OTE, and move Leia on a 'vette and a Gold Y-wing to meet him at Kiffex. The rest go to Mon Cal. He drops a Lateral Damage on the 'vette that Leia's on and battles. I lose Leia, he loses some 2-2 dude. Next turn I deploy Haven to Y4, deploy some other stuff and move the Y-wing there. He moves his forces there. I don't move this time. Instead I just deploy a couple of pilots and let him go. Now he's looking over the situation and decides he can't battle, so he moves his ships at Y4 to Kiffex and his ships at Mon Cal to Sullust. He loses 3 to OTE. I follow. This goes on for many many turns. He's not getting any drains, and I'm getting drains of 1 and 1 (sometimes 2 and 1 if I'm at Kiffex). He's constantly losing 3 to OTE. He drops Mara Jade w/ saber to the Endor Docking Bay in an attempt to get some drains in. I don't let him. I drop EPP Luke. I battle. I draw two 5s with the saber. His saber misses. We clear the site, and he has to lose a couple after. I think he deploys a little bit into space, and decides that he can win a battle. He had been tracking a 6, and he draws it. I draw a 5. I think he chose to lose a pilot, I think I lost Colonel Cracken and Harc Seff. He has to lose 3 since he doesn't battle at the other system. He has to lose the tracked 6, so I'm pretty sure that's the end of him. He puts all his ships together, as do I. We just battle each other for a couple of turns, and eventually he loses too many of those battles.
FW by 13
Record: 6(+20)
Highlights: Plenty of strategy in this game. Had to think a few more moves ahead than usual.
Lowlights: OTE is the most frustrating card in the game bar none.
Game 5 - My DS vs Jeff Brentson's Profit deck
As I said before, Profit can kill me without a fight. I tell him I'm not starting with any aliens. He asks me if I said if I'm not starting any or if I said that I didn't have any. I tell him I'm just not starting any, and leave it at that. He starts The Signal and pulls Bargaining Table. I start out pretty well, and play Twi'lek to get out Empire's New Order (guess he got his answer about the aliens, huh). I also pull Executor DB and Death Star War Room as usual. I draw up and get Piett, Chiraneau, and Merrejk. Awesome. I deploy Merrejk to the Executor Docking Bay. I use him to pull Fondor. I use MPoints to pull Executor. I deploy the Executor. I drop Piett for 2, and move Merrejk for 1. I have to wait with Chiraneau. (Note: You may wonder why I didn't just leave Merrejk at the Docking Bay and deploy Chiraneau to the Executor, waiting to deploy Piett until next turn. Well, last tournament Ozzel was at the Executor DB when along came a Bothan Spy. I got pounded. Since I already know he's using non-unique aliens, via the Bargaining Table, I decide not to risk it.) He releases Han with an Elom. I drop U-3PO there, and put out Chiraneau. I pick up the rest. He deploys Master Luke to JP, and uses Gift Of The Mentor to fish for Anikan's saber. I don't have any force saved up, so I can't move U-3PO to block the heavier drain of 2. I pull out Kashyyyk with Merrejk, and drop Visage, the unique Vic, and a pilot there. I save force so I can move U-3PO. He deploys a Monk to JP, and I move there to block the drain of 3. I pull out Kessel with Merrejk, and drop Chimmera there with a 2-2 on it. I'm not getting drains of 3, 2, and 2. He's draining for 1, and making me lose 2 to Profit. Not bad. But then he puts out Obi's Hut. He puts out another Monk, and deploys Boussh (undercover so I can't modify his drains) and someone else there (may have been an Elom). He also puts a Bothan Spy to the Death Star War Room, along with an Elom. I decide to pay him a visit there, and try to retrieve some force with Empire's New Order. I drop EPP Vader and DS-61-2 there. I battle, but then he's like, whoa there, and Rebel Barriers Vader. Damn. So I move DS-61-2 to the Docking Bay like I planned to after the battle (although it would have been Vader since attrition would have taken out DS-61-2) so I can drain for free at the systems next turn. He moves his two dudes to the Docking Bay and Nabruns them to one of the Tatooine sites. Argh! He moves Luke into the AC. Now he's getting drains of 2 and 2, and is getting Profit damage of 3. I've deployed entirely too much to space, anticipating more systems. But I can't find them when I search for them, and lose them to drains. I'm too far in the hole to go after him on Tatooine, and he drains me out for a big win.
FL by 19
Record: 6(+1)
Highlights: None. A boring-as-hell game.
Lowlights: Just about everything. The last thing he says to me is, "Sorry." Sorry? Sorry?!
Game 6 - My LS vs John Mullarkey's Establish Secret Base deck
Only once had I seen one of these decks win. I knew by what he started that he was probably playing ESBase (Perimeter Patrol). My draw is a good space hand, plus a Luke and UFury. First turn he drops Security Precautions. Uh oh. I hadn't had to deal with that today. On his second turn he drops Lord Vader to the Bunker. Doh! Stupid UFury immunity. I lose it to a drain, and he just smiles. On his next drain he loses a DVDLOTS. (I find out later that that was the only Lord Vader in his deck, and no way to get rid of UFury off of the other versions. Just my luck.) I get rolling with a drain at Endor, since he can't deploy ESBase while I control the system. I also get a good force at Y4 with Haven there. He ignores me in space, and sets up three drain-2 sites. I decide to flip, since he'll have to pay 9 force to drain for a mere 2. This works for a few turns. I manage to get some aliens into my hand, and save them for later instead of deploying them to space (immune to Permeter Patrol). I spread my Y4 stuff to Kiffex, including EPP Luke and EPP Han. He's not scared. I deploys ZiMH and Dengex there. Doh! He battles. I don't get a destiny since I'm an idiot and put Luke and Han on a regular 'vette instead of Tantive IV. His destiny takes out Han. I do some switching around and manage to get a Red X-wing, Tantive IV, Luke, and Colonel Cracken to Kiffex. (In retrospect, Cracken should have been orbiting Endor, making him lose 1 for every scout he deployed, but I forgot about that text.) I drop OTE and let him go. He now doesn't have to pay to drain. He's draining for 4 (2 at Docking Bay with Vader & saber, 2 at one other drain-2 location), but it would have been twice as much w/o HB. He battles at Kiffex. I lose Cracken. He loses Dengex. I deploy a Gold Y-wing to Haven for free and move it over. He loses 3 to OTE and moves away. I block his drain. He deploys Mara with Saber, but it doesn't help his draining potential since I just block that drain. I put down Harc Seff, Melas, and Tawss Khaa to his weakest Endor site. He deploys Dengar with Gun. Barrier. Then he deploys some 2-2 dink. Barrier. He moves stronger people there to meet me (Vader, Tarkin, etc). I move away to block a drain. We move around down there for a while. I deploy Chewie and EPP Obi to the Liberty at the Endor system and shuttle them down. We continue to shuffle around on Endor. We're both down on force. I have 4 left. I activate it all. I drain him and he now has 3 left. I have to use 3 to block his ZiMH drain of 2 at Dantooine. That leaves me with 1. He leave it active and tell him to got. He drains me. I cancel two with HB, I use 1 force to cancel 1 force loss with Harc Seff, and lose that very card to the other half of that drain, and lose 2 more. I'm down to 1. He battles me on Endor. I draw destiny. 5. He forgets to cancel it with Vader/Tarkin. I lose someone there. He tells me to go, and I drain him out.
FW by 1
Record: 8(+2)
Highlights: Winning. Harc Seff is a machine! He never probed, even with SecPrec out.
Lowlights: Finishing up with horrible differential.
So, Steve Brentson won the tournament, which from what I hear is no surprise. He had 10 win points, but I don't know what he was playing. There were six people tied with 8 win points, and since my diff was crap I end up getting 7th. I get 1 pack of DS2 for my trouble, and pull the Onyx 1 pilot, whatever his name is. I had a good time. I'd hardly call winning 4 out of 6 games a failure, since only 1 person there managed to do better than that. I'm pretty satisfied with the tournament scene up here, except for the fact that people play Profit =P. I'm not doing all that bad. Over the first 2 tournaments I've got 8 wins, 3 loses, 1 timed win, not too bad at all. There's yet another tournament this coming weekend that I'm thinking of attending. First prize is an Emperor Palpetine. If I go, I'll tell you all about it. After that, the bane of my existance (school, not Profit) begins yet again, so the amount of tournaments I go to may go down. Until then, I've got some deck tweaking to do if I expect to win that Palpetine...