icemans-dcon-2000-report
Title: icemans-dcon-2000-report
Author: Mike "Iceman" Fitzgerald
Date: Oct 9, 2000
Prologue- Well I hadn’t done much playtesting for the biggest tournament of the year. I was up in Maryland for the funeral of my grandfather and it put cards in perspective. I was looking forward to finally getting to see Shannon Baksa ( Mara Jade ) in person , meeting lots of players , and doing good at SWCCG.
I’m traveling with Dan Blackford and Lee Edwards again and it takes about 2 and a half hours get up to Kissimmee/Orlando. It was kinda hard to follow the MapQuest directions and I took a wrong turn here and there. Kissimmee is huge , its like a mini-Vegas and the roads were under construction so driving around was dangerous and aggravating. We get into the Travelodge and are greeted by a Roach crawling along the floor ( signifigance later ). Hmm... everything else looks okay. We fight over decks
and I tell Lee to use YOps and Lambda Shuttles , Dan to use Scouts and Mains and SAC , and myself Throne Room and Mains and SAC. Lee actually ended up using A New Secret Base Deck instead of the YOps otherwise we stayed the same.
Decks-
Throne Room - A lot like Matt’s ROp Killer. I cut down the number of Eloms to 3 for more astenic characters like Yoxgit , Tawss , H’nemthes , Oola , etc. Seemed okay.
Mains and SAC / Anti-Profit start - I wanted to kill Profit and figured I could do okay versus other decks.
Game 1 : DS v. Jeff Field (California) HB Misc. Deck (+1900s)
I had lots of trouble this game focusing because the
tournament started like 3 hours later then scheduled , I knew we wouldn’t be on time but figured maybe a half an hour late. I get Vader and his Stick down to the Audience Chamber very quickly. He started Do or Do Not , Wise Advice , and Insight. He deployed Rebel Fleet to stop my early drains of 2 which I should’ve Altered but I was a bit shy about losing the 3 , having it go to Used , and then him using one of his 2-3 extra Signals to make me look like a dummy. He flips and hits me for 3 at Kessel a lot. Neither Security Precautions or Search and Destroy make an appearance when I really needed them. Search and Destroy Finally popped up and made it close. I pulled off Tatooine Occupation for a turn or two after Dengar had helped me have total battle destinies of +10 twice in a row. Lose by 5. Record : 0 (-5)
Highs : Really good destinies for space battles.
Lows : Losing , playing stupid.
Game 2 : LS v. Tim Leung (California) BHBM (+1700s?)
When I was on the listserve I use to enjoy reading
TReports from Tim because he used crazy decks like Sabaac and during Drazin times he used Interrogation Array and weird stuff like that so its cool. The danger in facing people like this is that they’ll usually chose fun decks over more "established" decks and ignore the meta , coming up with something you’d never expect. He starts BHBM and I take some relief because I honestly can’t think of anything weird that would run off of this deck. Not much happens this game. I stack as many characters as I can at the Tatooine Docking Bay and drain there for 2. He Monnoked
out 2 EPP Lukes and 2 Cpn Hans so for me to even pose a space challenge I’d have to get Captain Han back so I used the Op killer to retrieve a Cpn Han. I manage to out SAC him and Barrier on Vader at my Tatooine Location means Vader gets hurt really badly and gives me a win by 17. Record : 2 (+12)
Highs : Winning and meeting Tim who is a cool guy.
Lows : Monnok on 2 Cpn Hans with only like a 9 card hand.
Game 3 : DS v. California guy’s EBO ( think name was Royce or Jason or something...sorry if your reading this )
I GET A GOD HAND ! Waittasecond. Let me rephrase that. I get a God Hand unless they aren’t gonna interact with me. Choke Vader , Vader’s Lightsaber , Tarkin , Monnok x2 , Alter x2 , and Insignificant Rebellion. Problem is that EBO doesn’t like to interact with you except in space. He started Wise Advice , Insurrection , and Staging Areas. First turn he Signals for A New Secret Base and his deck gets going like a rocket. He flips quickly and drops Haven on Hoth. He’s deploying Mon Calamari Star Cruisers at Haven with a bunch of guys and uses Launching the Assault. He’s got like a million power , 2 Destinies , and a drain of 3/4 all rolled into one. I’m draining for 2 and 2 but its all in vain. I get out Search and Destroy for awhile but I can’t spread out to Fight and eventually lose.
Only one meaningless battle at the end. Lose by 15 I think.
Record : 2 (-3)
Highs : Absolutely none , this sucked. It felt like moving cards more then playing a game.
Lows : This game wasn’t even fun.
Game 4 : LS v. Gary Mohnsen (Yavin 4 I think) BHBM (1800s?)
This game was pretty brutal. He draws +20 cards while I stack guys at the Tatooine Docking Bay. He Circles Ben Kenobi at a really critical time ( I played 4 Senses that turn + I had Ben’s Stick in my hand ) so I’m F*****. I decide to ram SuperFalcon up his @#$% and find slight humor after watching him put a zillion guys in front of the Falcon. I pitch Ben’s and EPP Lukes as my goofs on the ground run around. Weird sensation of the day was
caused by this game , he grappled my Shocking Information which means he probably read my decks and stuff because I’ve played Shocking Information a majority of the time for like the past 2-3 years and I’ve only had that grappled once , and that was in a non-tournament game. Oh well. Lose by 15. Record : 2 (-18)
Highs : Nothing this sucked.
Lows : Superman got Circled.
Little notes here : Right now I’m 1-3 and I’m not very happy since this has basically sucked up my whole day. One more loss and I don’t make Day 2 so I decide that if I lose again I’ll drop but if I win I’ll keep going.
Game 5 : LS v. Bob Caton (Philadelphia) BHBM (1700s?)
Order to Engage won this game for me. I put a zillion guys in front of the Emperor at the <> Docking Bay on Rendili. Ben Kenobi and EPP Luke are among them. He uses cool stuff like Musicians to back up Emperor and retrieves with Rystall. Heh , if there is any deck I’ve learned more about then Mains and Toys it is musicians. I know the weak points and destroy his forces pretty efficiently. I stack about 3-6 cards this game with I Feel The Conflict and hit him with Order to Engage for about the Same amount. I’ve pretty much got him shut down on the ground and he can’t dent my differential so that’s game.
Win by 27. Record : 4 (+9)
Highs : Winning.
Lows : This deck needs a little more work.
Game 6 : DS v. Ian Powell (Canada) MWYHL
Hmm...MWYHL was one of those decks that I was hoping I could just kinda edge a win out against. I start my normal Tatooine/JP start and draw. MONEY ! I get Emperor out early to start the drain fest and deploy my savior , Broken Concentration. BConcentration keeps him from completing any tests throughout the whole game and that obviously cripples his deck. I get Mara , Saber , and Boelo at the AChamber and insert drains. I wait quite some time to setup in space and he deploys Blount and his Tala to
Tatooine. I use BC to bounce his Force back ( Was that for barrier ;) and beat him down stacking more cards to
Insignificant Rebellion. I think I stacked about 3-4 this game. He tries to play On the Edge with a tracked Star Destroyer ( which BTW he actually played when I deployed the Executor ). I Sense and draw Zuckuss in Mist Hunter so it is cancelled and that pretty much completes the scene for this game. Win by 26. Record : 6 (+35)
Highs : Broken Concentration , If I used it for 1999 Dag Regionals I would’ve been in those Dagobah Finals...I learned my lesson.
Lows : Not much.
Game 7 : DS v. Mike Hawley (Boston) HB Denial
He has the Strike Planning , Insurrection, SAreas start to get Calrissian. I start my stuff and get all my locations out on turn 1. He tries to Revo Tatooine and we have a few SAC fights throughout the game. He has Harc Seff who I have to kill and I eventually do. We’ve got major mojo running around on Tatooine and going head to head. I hit him with damage here and there and winning the SAC wars helped a lot. The final blow is when Vader and Mara hit Ben Kenobi and Super Luke while Evazan quickly executes them both and from then on the ground and the game is mine. Win by 13. Record : 8 (+48)
Highs : If the tournament ends right now/then (1:30AM) I get into Day 2 of Worlds holding for life onto the 38th slot by 1 Diff.
Lows : The tournament doesn’t end after 7 games.
Game 8 : LS v. Matt Sokol ( New York ) BHBM
Well , well, well. The winner of this game goes onto D2 of Worlds and the Loser is done. You know who wins. I see BHBMe for the 4th time which means that I’ve played it everygame today which is a bit frustrating. I tell him before the game that either way I’m happy because if I win I go onto Day 2 and if I lose I can get lots of sleep. Basically I load up at the Tatooine Docking Bay and drain. He drains at the Throne Room with Mara and her Saber for 3. He also sets up a ship up at Rendili and guys at my Hoth Docking Bay. So he drains me for 6 to my 2. I’m trying to get Battle Plan or Honor of the Jedi into my hand. I drop SuperFalcon on Chimaera and DS-61-X and beat it 20 to 12 so he loses both of them and stacks one. If Battle Plan pops up right now I probably win , if I use Legendary Starfighter I win , if I find Honor of the Jedi I win.
None of those 3 scenarios happen and it gets down to the nitty gritty. Tawss and an Elom fight a walker at the Downtown Plaza and eventually I’m down to 1 card in hand and 3 in my reserve deck. He deploy Hoth War Room , Much Anger In Him , Responsibility of Command ( on Ben ) , and Evazan in front of Ben and his friends. This move kinda puzzled me because if I’m holding an Alter he just gave me the win ( because I’ll retrieve a force for DTF , hit Evazan , knock Evazan up for +14 Force , and a stack). For some reason I didn’t keep an Alter I think I had a Sense though. That’s the breaks; I take the loss and
don’t feel too bad. Loss by 7.
Record : 8 (+41)
Highs : Hmmm...losing to the Eventual World Champion has a
certain redeeming quality.
Lows : I would’ve rather had Honor so we would’ve had major
battles at Tatooine : Docking Bay.
So its like 2:30 AM but I can finally get back to the hotel and sleep after going to Dennys and having a Chicken Sandwich with Chocolate Milk which is the best.
Tournament Observations-
-I never ran into a deck that my decks were built for so I had a tough time doing anything but minimizing the differential.
-Echo Base Operations with A New Secret Base was widespread.
-Bring Him Before Me was played a lot ;) but is much more preferable then playing HDADTJedi or say...Ralltiir Ops 4 times in a day.
-People like to draw big hands...you must punish them.
-Everydeck you play should have I Feel The Conflict/Insignificant Rebellion and Aim High/Secret Plans unless your playing a really degenerate deck.
That’s about all the ’technical’ SWCCG stuff I think I have. I’m not sure if I want to write a Highlander/Kibitzing TReport but if anybody wants me to I will ( there is some good info in them ). So with that
said you must be wondering what I’m gonna write about next...heh.
Well I said earlier that I looked forward to meeting Shannon Baksa. After Day One I was pretty much convinced that most of my joy would revolve around the time slots of the "Celebrity" guests. Michonne Bauriage , Shannon Baksa , and Mark Tuttle. WTF ? Why is Mark Tuttle listed as a Celebrity Guest ? I thought it was funny that he was listed
between them in the DecipherCon Book. Ah well whatever. I especially enjoyed the Question and Answer session with Michonne and Shannon. This session was spiced up by Neal Razi and Gabe Alonso. For the record Shannon had changed into a nice white top that just had straps in the back and was rather...compromising. I wonder if I can say this,
ah well...Shannon Baksa has beautiful breasts. The dissapointing thing was during the T&A , er... I mean Q&A ; I felt she kinda exuded a weird vibe to me through her answers. Anybody else get that vibe ? Then on the other hand we have Michonne. I enjoyed Michonne (Aurra Sing) very much. It was funny because both Michonne and Shannon walked in while we were in the scheduled room , but we didn’t
know it was that time so these two very hot chicks appear in a SWCCG room which is probably the most unexpected thing to happen but we understand when the autograph seekers ( apparently THEY can still target ability > 2 ) follow. I was a bit intimidated at first by the two but eventually got around to seeing them and seeing if they had
anything special. I waited until I saw this guy with a picture of Michonne that was pretty cool. I looked at it and went up there to find it. She had the Aurra Sing Box Set thing , Aurra Sing Comics , a big binder of pictures , and a little binder of pictures. I asked her if the big binder was just full of Aurra pictures ( which it was).
Blah. Mike doesn’t give a **** about Aurra Sing , having her play that part is a waste of her talent. AH , but the little binder is more promising , modeling pictures ... JACKPOT !!! With my inconsistant internet access I’m having withdrawls from not seeing 10 pics a day. I slide over there and start looking through the binder of pics ,
they weren’t too bad , weren’t too good. But there was definately one that was worth having (you have to pay $10 for a pic with sig). I ask her if she has any of those but she doesn’t she only has one picture from modeling which is decent but the pic I want is much much better. She says that she’ll try to make copies at a Kinko’s or something for me so I go off satisfied. I gotta laugh because I’m
probably one of maybe 5 people to actually look at those modeling pictures ; as American Beauty reminds you , " look closer". I came back the following day to ask if she made copies and they were the first thing people would see so I she took my advice :) That was very flattering. See , even Aurra Sing knows I’ve got good taste. I’ll scan the picture as soon as I find a scanner. The only dissapointment with Michonne was that when I had her sign the modeling pictures I tried to let her break out for a second and told her to write whatever pops into her head but to try not to make it generic. I didn’t want " Best Wishes , blah blah blah"
I wanted something unique. I told her to come up with a quote of whatever she wanted and write down the first thing that popped in her head no matter how stupid etc. she came up with "Babe Fett" heh. I guess I’d better be more specific next time. As for Shannon Baksa I had her sign 2 Maras like this , one was " Have a Nice Day" and the other said " Thanx for playing ". If I didn’t say it before ,
Michonne has a nice body.
*Thumbs Up*
#Daniel Blackford- picking on Bruce H’nemthe , being a performance comedian.
#Lee Edwards- Making the funniest joke I’ve ever heard to come out of his mouth. Hugh Shelton was forced to sleep on the floor and he said something like " good night , Papa Roach " hahahha I’m still laughing.
#Neal Razi/David Akers/John Arendt- Being cool guys to hang around during the multiple breaks
#Michonne Baurice- Very cute , Very nice , should’ve gotten an email address , free pic , or something.
#Shannon Baksa- She’s got a hot body , she knows she’s got a hot body,she knows how to use her hot body...sounds good to me.
#The crazy wheelchair lady crossing a busy street- Her wheelchair was slow enough that I could get a picture of it !
#Andy Klema-Buying Fight Club poster from me and being cool.
#Yannick Lapointe- Playing great throughout the whole Con. I felt sorry for you when you lost that last game. I think I’m gonna have the visual feed burnt into my brain for quite some time to come.
#Matt Sokol- Almost had you in Game 8 of Day 1. Great performance to go through all three days and become World Champion , that’s awesome.
#Bastian Winkelhaus/Martin Akesson/Foreigners in general- It was fun to hear the exotic accents and interpret the different playstyles of other countries.
#Good Looking chicks running around DCon-Decipher wouldn’t get so much negative feedback if all they had in customer service and registering for the tournaments were women , the better looking the better.
#All the People I took Candid shots of at DCon- thanks.
#Kibitzing- Oh the things I could do in this format...
#Highlander- very cool , I love it.
*Thumbs Down*
#The neighbors at my hotel- They were loud , too loud.
#DecipherCon Registration- Way too @#$%ing slow. It took me like two hours to register , that’s insane.
#Krispy Kreme- For not being open.
#DecipherCon playing- I didn’t feel hunger pains , I ran on little sleep , I felt like an addict/I probably looked like one too.
#Stolen Cards- Those people who stole from Lee Edwards and
Alex Tennet.
Quote(s) of the Weekend-
"I need Young Jedi locations. <following Bruce H’nemthe> Because someone wouldn’t let us play in a tournament that we were 20 minutes early for." ( Daniel Blackford )
"Do you ever have any weird experiences with any of the Con people because sometimes they seem to be a little weird ?" ( Neal Razi )
"Its a little cold in here" ( Shannon Baksa )
"Set your course for hell" ( Bastian Winkelhaus )
D’Akturak