st-cloud-mn-9-23-00
Title: st-cloud-mn-9-23-00
Author: Peter "jeeps" Jacobson
Date: Sep 28, 2000
Where: St. Cloud, MN
Java Z Coffee... STOP THE PRESSES!!!!... Due to pot-head management, the Java Z failed to deliver. Here’s more on that story and the rest of the news...
Traveling to Japan for over a month this summer and having a teaching job keeps me fairly busy and incapable of getting away for any quality playing time. On top of this, I have recently joined the ranks of directing my own tournament in the Rochester, MN area making my own time to play virtually nonexistent. With that said, I meet and confer with my wife, and find that this weekend worked out for the both of us to "get away" (I find it humorous that my idea of "getting away" is playing in a Star Wars tournament... but I am sure this falls on sympathetic ears!).
Anyway, as I was saying, I haven’t had much experience playing in the competitive environment of tournament play, so I was eager to "get it on." I headed up to St. Cloud eager to bash some skulls. I show up early get in on the war stories Star Wars seems to supply. We stand outside the Java Z, the current location for the central MN SWCCG scene. This is at least the 6th tournament this place has hosted so one would think that they would be expecting us. As it is, their short term (and while we’re at it- LONG term) memory is as durable as a three week old kitten’s. They actually expect, after Dion schedules in advance, someone to call the night before to "remind" them to open the store on time. Er... okay. So, after 6 tournaments with little problems of delays, the "reminder" call wasn’t made... no big whoop, right? I mean they’re a business that might actually want 20+ people buying up their juice and pizza, right? Well, not only don’t they open the store for the 10:30 am start time, they fail to open the store AT ALL. On top of this, there’s no prize support (except a trophy), because Decipher has been close to three tournaments behind with their distribution to Dion (while mine have been coming like clockwork). Furthermore, the store that has been selling Dion DS2 for $70 a box was suspiciously having a store wide 75% off sale as well as having NO Star Wars in stock. This leads us to believe that they are closing shop. SO while we stand in the freezing 40+ degree (Not Celsius, mind you) temp for 1.5 hours, we collectively decide (20 players) to move to the St. Cloud State University campus. So like refugees, we make the walk (others like me, mooched a ride- thanks to Mike Raveling with his leather HEATED seats- my tush never felt to warm) to the campus. Of course we didn’t reserve a room, but rather "squatted" out our territory in the Atwood Center commons. So after an hour and half delay, the games begin.
I have been playing Endor Ops for months making variations. My most recent change was to take out the flip components and just go for Ominous Rumors to do my damage on drains. I start with Imp. Arrest Order, Oppressive Enforcement, and Combat Readiness. I use a balance of space (Chimera, Dreadnoughts, and Saber TIE with matching pilots) with the Dark Jedi Masters, Dark Jedi Sith Lords, Grand Moffs, Admirals, and Generals as ground support.
For Light, I go with a rather innocuous start with Obi’s hut as my sole starting location, and using Heading For The Medical Frigate to start Wise Advice, Squad. Assignments, and Insurrection. I get my docking bays to allow me to get to the popular hot spots around the galaxy, while my Red Squadron, Tala, and Green Squadron boys work upstairs. It doesn’t give much force to the DS early, and that helps me set up.
I knew that RalOps would be making its last breath this weekend, but I didn’t realize that this would be all that I saw... I was ready for it.
Game One: My Darkside Vs Charles ???’s LS Profit Elom beat down.
Charles is relatively new to the game, perhaps playing for a year. He’s not a newbee by any means. He came with the right attitude and decks... he was just lacking sleep. He mentioned this a few times after he forgot key force drains. Anyway, we set up. He asks if I want to deploy any aliens to the Audience Chamber. I think about it (I only have Mara in here, but I am confident that I will grab a few characters in my starting hand) so I play her. This may not have been the best thing to do, but whatever. Luckily I draw the Emperor into my starting hand. With this, I deploy a 0/1 Docking bay (look for Mara’s saber and Force lightening), throw down the docking bay, deploy the Emp, get Mara’s saber, fetch Force Lightening and wait to see what happens at the chamber. I draw Lord Vader into hand (things are looking okay). He activates, deploys the Cantina and Mos Eisley (Cantina Shuffle). He then drops Master Luke, Anakin’s Saber on Luke and about 4 Eloms to the audience camber. He battles, tries to send Mara back, I swing and hit Luke, he swings and hits the Emperor, but I draw big destiny and he doesn’t. I lose the Boss while he loses Luke and a few Eloms. Mara was immune to his draw. I lose off the top plus the cards I drew as destiny. My next turn I don’t have the cards to keep the Audience Chamber, so I move to the Palace to set up some drains. I draw into hand Tarkin and Vader’s Saber to go with my Vader, so I am set. On his Next turn, he rescues Han, deploys Boussh to Mara’s location and breaks cover. A few turns go by. He forgets to force drain. He forgets to use the objective. I don’t say anything. He then deploys a few Eloms to the AC and a few to go with Leia and battles. He wins the battle, but draws poorly. I keep Mara and lose off the top. I miss Leia with stick. He moves her to the Audience chamber with han. Now it’s my turn. I could go for the few Eloms at the Palace site or I could go for Han and a few Eloms at the AC. Hmmm... well, I deploy, errantly, to the Palace. I realize that I could take on Han and the Eloms with Lord Vader and Tarkin, so I ask if I could deploy to the AC instead. He lets me and that cost him the game. He draws Ben Kenobi for the third time a Battle Destiny and I draw enough to kill Han and draw good destiny. I win the battle against the suped up Eloms and it’s a drain race. I win by 22.
2(+22)
Highs: A great interactive game. I thought I was going to be jumped by his Eloms, but I kept my composure.
Lows: Making the deploy mistake, being able to take it back, and then, making him pay... there’s always a feeling of guilt with that happens.
Game 2: My LS Vs. Josh Kohman’s RalOps Space Deck
I have only beat Josh once in tournament play. I didn’t think I could do it again. He’s a great player. Anyway, I know that I need to get Jedi Luke and Ben over to Ralthir ASAP to keep him from flipping. Well, with 3 lukes and 3 Bens, I should get one with relative ease by the second turn. Nope. Third turn? Nope. Well, needless to say he gets his objective flipped with little problems for me. I did get Tycho at Ralthir in Green 3, but he smashed him into oblivion. I do get Luke and Ben moved over, but he gets the Admiral’s Orders out that hits me for one for every site occupied with a General or Commander. I have Honor of A Jedi out & Order to engage out, but he occupies 3 battlegrounds and Alters Order... (sigh) so I get ticked down to 0 after about 45 minutes of me just annoying his Star Destroyers and making his walkers move away from Ben and Luke. I lose by 16.
Aside: Luckily, this was the last time I lose to Ralthir in this tournament.
2(+6)
Highs: Playing Josh relatively well.
Lows: Not getting the cards I needed soon enough.
Game 3 My LS v. Mr. Oleary’s RalOps (GASP!).
I have played Oleary before and he bet me handily... I thought I was in for yet another sloshing. After Kohman, I figured I was toast... but luck was on my side. I had feared another Space beat down, so when I got my Luke in my opening hand and his stick, I also used Squadron Assignments to get Tycho out and deploy him to the Sullust that was deployed by my opponent. I figured I could wait to stop him from flipping once I got Cracken in space too. Anyway, I get Luke at the Endor Docking Bay for cheap and wait for Ben to coordinate his swatch to move from tatooine. I also get Ben the next turn after he deployed a few more <> sites to Ralthir. I make my move and send both Ben and Luke to Ralthir. I also get Tycho and Cracken over to Ralthir. After this, Oleary never flipped. He did drop 4-LOM and disarmed Luke on two different occasions. I figured he was going to ground me to a pulp. What I didn’t realize is that he had NO space to combat mine. He also didn’t have much SAC, so my Mantellian and Order to Engage took him out. He had me down to 6 force remaining my life force, but what I thought was a definite victory for him, turned out to be one for me. In three turns I Ordered and drained him from 25 to O. It was the best game I had ever played. With all the interrupt action and movement, I was wiped after this. I won by 6.
4 (+12)
Game 4 My DS v. Scott Poster’s MWYHL Insert Asteroids screamer.
Okay, he starts mind what you have learned and uses the Signal to start with Anger, Fear, Aggression. Well that’s fine and dandy, but I am not sure that if I draw my starting hand and pop the insert that it should actually hurt me. Well, I did draw my hand and the insert did pop. We ask Dion for clarification. He says that he has to look it up. We wait, but there’s no definite ruling in the CRD or the glossary, so I just say, I’ll take the 4 and go. Dion clarifies that if he finds out that it doesn’t hurt me, there’s nothing that can be done. I agree and we continue.
No sooner do I finish deploying, losing the 4 force and drawing does Dion come over. We discuss what constitutes the technical "start" of a game. Is it after locations are deployed? Is is after starting hands are deployed? Reason being, if the game hasn’t started, do inserts actually do damage. We haven’t had any clear feedback on this, so if anyone can clarify, I would be greatly appreciative. Anyway, on to the game. I get the Emp, his shuttle, and Vader in starting hand. I deploy the Emp to Endor inside the shuttle for free and draw. I need to wait until I can get a nice size force to take out Master Luke and Yoda on Dagobah. Anyway, he keeps shoving inserts into my deck, I keep popping them and losing. He cancels force drains with Rebel Fleet using A-wings. He then starts throwing down Asteroid sectors to Dagobah... and asteroid sanctuary... well, this is just great. The funny thing is, he’s not completing test 1, so my modifiers aren’t being canceled... yet. I start sending Saber Squadron TIEs, Dreadnoughts, and the Chimera to the Asteroid sector. I eventually get a brute squad down at Dagobah and take out Luke and Yoda, but he’s killing me in space with drains, Sanctuary, and a few tracked asteroid sectors (yeah, all my sabers, dreads, and SD’s were wiped out) for destiny... it’s a long game that is taken up mostly by rules discussions... it ends with a time loss on my part. I had 6 force to his 24, so I lose in a non-interactive snore-fest.
4 (-12).
Highs: Not much. He is canceling my drains with Rebel Fleet.
Lows: Inserts with a training deck. Non-interactive. Not getting to Dagobah soon enough to take out Yoda and Luke. Asteroid Sanctuary and not having any protection (ORS would have been helpful!).
Game 5 My DS v. Billy ??? There Is Good In Him X-wing/Snowspeeder swarm
Well, the next pairings are called out and I have to wait for my opponent to come to the game area. He went out to play a side game, but didn’t realize the time, so after about 10 minutes after Dion told the rest of the crew to begin, I am sitting and waiting. When he came back there was a mix up. Mr. Graham Neal, the almighty MASTER of all things CCG (I have to put that shot in there... you know, to see if he’s reading this!) and my opponent accidentally played the wrong allegiances last game, so even after I waited, everyone had to pull up their game and start over.. so no harm done for me. I get paired up with Billy, who has been playing for over a year and he’s been faithfully coming to the tournaments, so his skill level has really improved. Any, Billy had to "pee" leaving me to wait for him. While he does this, I noticed that he is starting with Maneuvering Flaps, Insurrection, and Mobilization Points... whoops... he thought that because Luke started on the table, he should be able to start with Man. Flaps... I clarify upon his arrival and I let him start with, um... Wise Advice, I believe. We begin. He immediately comments on my DS deck... he says "You played this deck last year. I remember you beat up on my friend and he told me all about it." Cool. I have a reputation. YAY. Anyway, this game is hazy but I know that we battled in space. I got out Baron Soonthir Fel and his wing man, the Major to my Sullust. I can’t get Ominous Rumors going because Luke is at the Chirpa’s Hut. I draw and find the Emperor and his Shuttle (man with only one Emp, I have seen him in every game so far!). I get the Shuttle down to Endor with the Emperor. I debate placing him on Endor and grabbing Luke, but since I don’t have Vader in hand yet, the force loss would not be helpful. So I put the Emp and his shuttle at Endor with a Dreadnought for protection. I also put down an Admiral’s Orders (the one that adds to immunity to attrition for (.) starfighters... Fighters Coming In?). Billy then tries to take on my Sabers with 4 x-wings.. He deploys Incom Engineering on the Yavin 4 DB and drops some sandspeeders and snowspeeders. He battles me at Sullust. I have an 9 power, two destiny draws and ships that are immune to attrition <6 to his 12 and one draw. Well, he draws a 4 and I draw a combined 11. I wipe out all of his X-wings and lose nothing. He loses a few things off the top. I start clearing him with regular drains of two at Endor, Sullust, Kyshyyk, and Kiffex. It’s too much and I drain him out and win by 24.
Highs: Finding out I have a reputation... a small one, but nonetheless, a reputation. A good win.
Lows: The slow start.
Game 6: My LS v. Robert Parker’s Spaceport RALOPS!!!!!! again... sheez!
ASIDE: Parker is the same age and experience as Billy (about 8th grade). He has been playing for little over a year and he really has promise and great potential. Please read his tournament report on this same event. He is an EXCELLENT writer and really put on a good game.
I get matched up with Parker and we exchange pleasantries. He’s a really well rounded kid for his age. Anyway, he starts to my surprise RalOps... three times for me today. Well, I don’t know what to expect. This was close from start to finish. I get out Wise Advice, Insurrection, Staging Areas, and Obi’s hut. He pulled the usual, except for YCHF switching for decree. He gets Mara down quickly to back up his Biker Scouts. He was draining for 3, while I pulled DBs and deployed Tawss Khaa to Ralthir. I also have "The Family" (Leia/gun and Annie’s saber, Luke with his stick, and Uncle Ben and with another great hand, you guessed it, his stick) in my hand. So I deploy Ben & Leia to the Tatooine DB, Luke to Endor . I was draining for 1 early to his 3 with Rops flipped. I then let him get his "any card from reserve deck" while look for the <> DB to plop at Ralthir and make a synchronized transit of my guys, using LS spaceport DB since he wasn’t giving me one at Ralthir. I also put out Order to Engage. On his turn, Choke vader came down to join Mara, a scout and bike and 1, and battled. I tried to Choke Tawss, and draw Empy for success. I fire back, miss Vader. Mara hits leia, and I hit vader on the second try. We draw and I won by a couple. Igar came down on Tempest and there were more battles, with me slowly getting my forces killed. He had got Onith and Barquin out and was trying to use them every chance he got, but I kept drawing huge hands and only won Barquin a little over half the time. I’m draining for 3, he 4, there’s about 6 min. left. Here’s where the 6th game jitters took into effect.. He has 2 scouts running around evading luke and Ben and a lone orrimarko, while draining for as much as he can. He got Janus down to DB 94 and moved over to Obi’s hut for a drain of 3. This is where I forgot to read my cards. I should have only lost one force for those drains because I had Honor of the Jedi out. Well, regardless, we’re dead even. Instead of moving the scouts over to occupy Ben and Luke’s site, he left them so my jedi got a drain of 3 instead of no drain, and his forfeit of 11 minimum would have covered, the loss. Well, I didn’t see a problem with that, so I try to alter my Order since I would be getting more damage from drains. I did this because (second mistake) I thought Wise Advice read "whenever your cards are canceled by sense or alter" and not "whenever opponent cancels your cards with sense or alter" I sensed and saw my error. I caught this when I saw Mike Raveling inspecting the card a little closely. This caused me to check it and I caught myself. I realize that I will drain him out, so I ask if I can take it back, but he sees that by leaving it there, he could take back his moves, only to get slaughtered in battle between Orrimaarko and Janus or lose to Order to Engage, so he doesn’t say much.. he sort of says "sure." I don’t make him lose to OTE by moving and I thought that was fair. It was really hard to communicate my honesty in trying to play fairly. I thought that I would have been cheating allowing myself to recycle my cards back into my deck. As it was, he He transited over Onith and D’an to Endor DB for a drain of 1. In all this chaos, Dion calls time and we count cards. I have 4. Parker has 3. I win by the narrowest of margins.
Highs: getting a win, but questionably. There too many errors on my part.
Lows: Not seeing that Honor would have kept me in the game and perhaps given me the win, making it unnecessary to try to Alter for "scraps." Having a timed win.
Well the winner of this event is Mike Raveling. Second was Gram Neal. Third, Josh Wittenen...4th Josh Kohman (I think) Scott Poster took 5th (maybe?) and I finish 4-2 with a 6th place finish (or was it 7th? I am not exactly sure...). I am happy with my decks and the way I played. I look forward to the next tournament whenever (or wherever) that may be.
Epilogue: I am thinking about running a regular old constructed tournament in Rochester, MN on November 5th (the first Saturday, I believe). If you can come, check deciphers web site or D-mail me with your thoughts. Thanks for reading.