huntsville-al-closed-environment
Title: huntsville-al-closed-environment
Author: Steven "Sir Yoda" Lewis
Date: Dec 14, 2000
Before I begin, please be aware that this is a sanctioned , 4-game CLOSED ENVIRONMENT tournament. So if you are uninterested in this format, dont bother to read. For the rest of you who may not know, a "closed environment" tournament is a sanctioned Decipher event in which only cards from the Endor and Death Star II expansions are legal (including any cards found in the pre-constructed Death Star II sealed decks).
Its about 1am Friday night and Im online talking to Clint about decks and other stuff when he says, "Hey Steve, you need to go play the closed tournament in Huntsville tomorrow," to which I respond, "Uh no." You see I had tried to construct closed decks a few weeks ago and had come up with some less-than-stellar concoctions (specifically a LS starship deck and a DS Royal Guard deck) and wasnt about to go risking precious rating points in a format I had NEVER played in before. But then I started thinking about what I was going to do Saturday, and I came to the conclusion that it was either sit around and pick my nose or go to Huntsville! So the trip was on.
But now came the arduous task of building decks. I have never played anyone with closed environment decks before (let alone a tournament) so I had little idea what to prepare for (and Decktech is conspicuously silent concerning closed environment tech). So for the sake of avoiding anything too complicated for my first closed experience, I came up with two basic decks. My LS started Endor and 3 Effects (the objectives are both too risky, IMHO), and my DS started Endor Ops with lots of guys and ships.
So I left Nashville 2-hours early for the 1.5 hour drive to Huntsville, but little did I realize that I had gotten on the wrong interstate until I was about 10 minutes out of town, which meant I had to turn around and go the other way for another 10 minutes. But the place I got off to turn around was under construction and you couldnt get back on the interstate! Arrrgghhh! SO I drove around for about 15 minutes looking for an interstate to get on and finally got going the right way, but now I had about 1.3 hours to get there, so I calmly set the cruise at 90 and drove like a champ. The Mello Yello started slowly building up in my bladder and the quarter-tank of gas I started with was dropping fast. Soon enough the gas light came on and I was struggling to hold my "functions" until I got to Huntsville, but to no avail. I finally gave in and stopped to piss and refuel. Time was now critical. I was about 30 minutes outside of Huntsville with 10 minutes to get there before the start time. So I calmly got back in my car and set the cruise at 100. I swear my life flashed repeatedly before my eyes as I weaved in and out of lanes with no reservation for life or limb. And much to my dismay, despite my heroic efforts, I arrived at the tournament 10 minutes after the start time. My hopes were dashed as I sulked into the gaming room, hoping only for a bye. Come to find out, however, the Star Trek tournament was going overtime so the Star Wars hadnt started yet. And I ended up sitting around about an hour waiting for pairings Oh well
GAME 1: My LS jizz VS. Clay Wilburns DS BHBM.
Basically his deck was every chicken walker in the game buddied up with Emperor, Vader, and all the dignitaries. So I proceeded as usual, deploy Lando and Falcon to Endor and drain while building my hand up and looking for locations. He gets out two Endor sites and some walkers and Emperor w/OIP and is outdraining me by leaps and bounds. So I get desperate and drop Han, Madine, and random.scouts to one of his sites and drop Battle Plan. By now I have a few piloted Mon Cal cruisers at a couple systems draining like champs with Launching The Ass. So he gives his best efforts to eliminating the posse, but finds that the scrub scouts are more forfeitful than they look, and I survive at the sites while maintaining impressive drains in space. He is now losing about 6 to my drains and 1 to his objective, and I am losing about 2-4 to his drains, and he is paying for them. Come to find out he had no starships in his deck, so victory was inevitable.
FW 2 (+18)
After the game, I discover that every single LS deck won the first game (and I thought LS was disadvantaged in closed!), so I was stuck playing a defeated player in game 2 after hearing everyone affirm the fact that DS is a pile in closed. So I begin to sweat, dreading my next opponent.
GAME 2: My DS jizz VS. Michael Vaughns LS Endor-start.
Since Michael started Endor, I converted it with my objective, meaning that he essentially got no starting location (woohoo!). My first turn, I drop the Emperor to the Endor:DB and pull Carida and D*2:DB from my deck. He then deploys FOUR locations from his HAND and one Dresilian Commando to one of his sites and draws up the rest of his force. I scratch my head and activate 15 Force and stare blank-faced at the brave little Dresilian. Nonetheless I proceed by deploying Perimeter Patrol and about 4 guys in front of the Dresilian (all the while fearing some magnanimously amazing maneuver) and initiate battle. I draw a four for destiny and he loses the Dresilian and like 8 Force. Then the Emperor moves in with the Perimeter Patrol and gets a Force Lightning while the 4 Imps spread to drain. His turn he deploys an ability=2 Mon Cal cruiser for 10 Force to Endor (with no pilots) and draws up. So I drop Baron Fel in Saber 1 and the Flagship Excutor and beat it up for 18 Force or so. Then I drain him out and win by 28.
FW 4 (+46)
I feel sorry for the guy so I give him a few play tips and wish him luck, and sure enough he gets the Battle Order FOIL at the end of the tournament (worth $30-$40) after a random draw, so more power to him.
GAME 3: My LS jizz VS. Andy McClures DS BHBM Speeder Bikes.
Now for those of you who have read my Birmingham Grandslam TR, you know that nothing strikes fear so deeply into my heart than the likes of Andy McClure. Going into this tournament, I was 1-2 vs. him in sanctioned play, and regardless of my best efforts, I had been bested by him more disproportionately than I would like. So we begin the game and he starts deploying guys and bikes all over his Endor sites while little Lando is parked at the system jerking off. Before long he is draining me for four and activating about 20 Force while I am draining for 1 and activating about 6 Force. So I am in trouble. Luckily I draw Acquaris and move Lando there for more force (also deploying Chirpas Hut and Sullust the same turn). He drops Search and Destroy (ouch!) and Aratek Corp (ouch! ouch!). Next turn I drop Rebel Landing site (despite my fears of being drained there) and a few scrubbish guys (Nien Nunb, Daughter, and random.scout) to protect against S&D. He starts deploying and moving guys in front of me with his bikes and I realize the desperation of my situation. If I attack him, he reacts with more bikes. If I run, he follows me with his bikes (using Aratek), so I am in trouble. Nevertheless I take a risk and spread some ships to various systems (largely unprotected) and deploy more scrubbish guys to the site along with Battle Plan. He is now paying to drain and he must fight me off the site to win, so several battles ensue (along with various Im-playing-with-biker-scouts-so-Ill-add-all-these-battle-destinies interrupts). Eventually, my forces dwindle and it comes down to one turn where I drain him down to 5 cards in his reserve. He can now afford only to drain at one site while I can afford to drain at 3 systems, so I end up winning by 8 because of Battle Plan (and once again I find out that my opponent had NO ships in his deck).
FW 6 (+54)
GAME 4: My DS jizz VS. Andy McClures LS TIGIH scouts.
Oddly enough, every single player in the tournament ended up playing the same person they had played in GAME 3, so it was Andy and I all over again (regardless of my recent victory, I am slightly nervous yet again). I drop Emp first turn to the Endor:DB. Andy searches for a docking bay first turn and doesnt find one so I get to verify once again, he has no starships (whats with this city; does nobody have any ships in their decks?). So Luke moves over and surrenders to Palpy while Tempest Scout 1 and Janus and other guys start joining him at the DB, draining for two. I finally get Vader down, who picks up his boy, and Chiraneau comes flying into Endor with his Chimaera, so Im draining for 5. Meanwhile, Andy busts out Gen. Solo on a speeder bike (?) with some other scrubbish scouts and drains at some other site. We sit there and nibble at eachother with our drains until I have finally amassed Vader, Emperor, Janus, Sim, TS1, Tempest 1, Igar, and Col. Jendon at the docking bay. So I come to my senses and branch out to block some drains and drain for more (after deploying Battle Order, which wrecks him the rest of the game). Despite his efforts, Andy cant handle my drain of 10 so I win by 9 or so (I way overdeployed).
FW 8 (+63)
And so for my efforts I receive a FOIL Battle Plan and all the players in the tournament (thats right, every single one of us) go to Schlotskys for some grub. After dinner, Andy and I play an open game (i.e. a regular, non-closed game) as follows:
SCHLOTSKYS GAME: My Chadra-Fan beats VS. Andy McClures Huntdown
My opening Hand I get a dream draw (Obis Hut, You Will Take Me , Kabe, Order To Engage, and 4 Chadras!). Andy drops DLOTS first turn to my desert (why dont I play with sandwhirl!?) and draws. I deploy Tessek and Kabe. He drains and draws (all the while Im losing tons to Visage). I then deploy all 4 Chadras (leaving me only two cards in hand) and attack Vader (who misses his choke). He draws a 6 for destiny (lucky punk) and forfeits Vader. He then deploys another Vader (this time with a blade) and cuts down the rest of my Chadras. So now I have 2 cards in my hand, about 14 in my lost pile, and all Andy has lost is DLOTS and his starting interrupt. So I draw cards for a while and jerk off while Vader drains for bunches and I lose to Visage. Eventually I cancel Visage with a Bothan and a Chadra (big mistake). Mara comes a-Elissing along and Snipers the Chadra (thats right, I dont have any of my THREE Its A Traps), deploys another Visage, and wrecks the Bothan for about 8 cards or so. So I eventually lose the rest of my pitiful deck and Andy wins by about 40.
FL 0 (-confidence in my Chadra deck)
Afterwards, with my fear of Andy McClure renewed at Scholtskys, I head back to Nashville.
PROPS:
Jim Colson for trading me Lord Vader and EPP Obi for that useless ICSD foil from Deciphercon.
Andys little brother for trading me Star Wars cards for all of my remaining Young Jedi crap.
The Huntsville crew for showing up without any starships whatsoever.
Andy McClure for finally losing to me in sanctioned play.
Battle Plan and Battle Order for winning me every single game.
The brave little Dresilian Commando.
SLOPS:
The Star Trek punks who took an hour to finish their sealed deck tournament.
Me for almost pissing all over myself trying to get to the tourney on time.
My enormous Pontiac Bonneville for guzzling gas.
I hope you enjoyed the read,
Steven I Finally Got First Place Lewis