detroit-mi-4-28-01state-championships

Title: detroit-mi-4-28-01state-championships
Author: Ed "eddiehectic" Rebman
Date: Apr 29, 2001

Michigan State Championship tourney report:

Well, the night before the tourney some big time drama goes down in my room. (for those of you that heard the story, the drama is continuing as I write this, she is blaming it on him.) Anyway, I get up at 7 am to shower after a quality night of less than 2 hours of sleep. Im not too worried about it because I can never sleep before big tournaments. Chris calls and tells me he will be a little late, we have plenty of time so I sit down to watch some TV. This cartoon on MTV comes on and they are talking about turning to the Dark side. However, this guy says he can still both be on the light side and the dark side. Another character says “Just like Lando Calrissian”, just then Chris walks in. I find this a very good sign, considering I have been given a new nickname as EL’s own Lando.
So we leave for the tourney and Im big pimpin in Chris’s passenger seat. After a quick stop for delicious McD’s breakfast we are off to Detroit. We had a few minutes to spare, which was good since we ran in to some serious construction and got there just on time. I race through my deck lists and the tourney begins.
Im playing this version of Obi’s Hutt mains that I worked on with CrazyHerm, and an ISB space deck.

Game 1, my LS vs. Sundeep’s (sorry about the spelling) Rallops
Well I start Obis hut and signal for Ounee Ta. First turns are standard. He gets some sights out and I get a few twixes and put Ben and a monk at JP. I draw a huge hand with no fear of monnok due to the SAC in my hand. He puts down snoova with ax and an At-st with pilot. I drop DTF Lando, Luke, Han, Liea, Tawas, Chewie, and a hnemthe. Battle, shoot snoova and draw a bunch of battle destiny. He takes 19 over the top and I drain him out. Ounee Ta is a killer. FW +31.

Game 2, my DS vs. Jeremiah’s Jedi testing #s
I start YCHF cause I don’t know what he is up to and Im used to seeing odd stuff. It proved to be the difference. I get hit with AFA like 4 times when Im setting up. I put out some fortified star destroyers at sullust with a POTF and some walkers on ex: DB with a POTF to satisfy battle plan. While Im doing this he is slowly getting a huge hand, putting stuff back with yoda stew. Finally he puts down JK Luke and lessub to train and I finally figure out what he is doing. He retrieves an AFA and puts out wars not make one great. At this point I have 8 force left to his 20-30. I leave one card in reserve so he cannot insert and activate one per turn, use it to drain at sullust (wars not make one great) for 3 and say go. I do this for about 20 turns and he has no other way to do damage. FW + 6, thank God for YCHF.

Game 3, my LS vs. Court
I drool when he starts court without OE/TINT. I convert his AC with careful planning. First turn he puts out Lin Me, plays double back to get boba out of his deck and deploy him for free. I put out some twixs and Goo and draw up. Next turn he does not have the backup he needs so he moves them to the dungeon. I play put Ben with stick and Luke with stick in the AC. He puts Djas down and skum, which I alter. Then moves Boba and Lin back in front of my boys. He plays masterful move to get his ghhk but I sense it. I drop Lando, Han, Liea and chewie. Battle, exclude Djas, sense his Hidden weapons, hit boba and lin. He takes 29 over the top. FW +35.

Game 4, my DS vs. Jason Ogden’s TRM.
I set up in space, he sets up at some DB’s. He signals for I hope she is alright and leaves tawas at one of his battlegrounds. I drop a walker and an ORS and battle. I draw a 2 for destiny. Had it been a 3 I hope she is all right would have been gone, oh well. He takes 4 off the top and beats up my guys next turn. I am draining for about 5 a turn in space but it is not enough. By the time I find Chinearu menace fades is in effect with Home one, which I didn’t have much left to fight it with. I get drained out and loose by 1 card. FL –1. Stupid destiny 2.

Game 5, my LS vs. Paul’s ISB.
The best game of star wars I have ever played. He gets control of Yavin and Hoth Systems and plays battle deployment with walkers on hoth and yavin DBs. I chase his smaller force of walkers around with Luke, Han and Liea. I SATM 5D6 and drain for a couple on Tat with Ben and some monks. He drops another 5D6 and I am loosing the drain race. I nabrun Ben and Lando over to Hoth and battle there with DTF a couple times. (in my last game it was ruled that characters in walkers do not occupy a site for purposes of I hope shes all right, so I put out the card and do the same to Paul) this hits him for a couple of very important force and I eventually drain him out. Landing claw helps me a ton with battle plan. FW +7. It wasn’t till after the game that we realize the ruling was bad. I feel sorry for Paul, especially after the way his timed loss was the game before.

Game 6, my DS vs. TIGIH ewoks.
I realize that all I have to do is win and Ill get into the final duel. I see TIGIH and get fairly confident. When he put out the ewoks I know Im in a drain race. I am draining for 4 at endor and sullust with POTF and Chinearu. There were some minor battles with my walkers on endor which he won. But 5D6 limited his drains and I was retrieving ISB agents all game so I finally win the drain race. FW +12.

At this point I am burned out. 6 games of SW in a row is a lot for me, at the same time Im really nervous because I have never been this high in a major tourney before. Im in 2nd place at this point at 10(+90). Joe Giannetti is in first place with no loses. The final duel starts:

Game 1, my DS vs. Joe’s WYS
For the 4th time today I don’t draw merrejk, piett or an IC in my opening hand. I draw some cards on my first turn. His first turn he grimtasshes lostt. I loose 2 Ghhk/TRWEU (2 in the deck) and 2 ORS (3 in the deck). I put out merrejk and draw some cards, however I make the huge mistake of drawing 13, and I get grimtasshed used. I watch myself loose 5 of the cards that I need to win against WYS. I play pretty flustered for the rest of the game. He also puts out I hope shes all right as I cannot recover, being drained for 5 a turn plus IHSAR. I manage some minor drains at Tatooine, but there is nothing I could do. FL by huge.

Game 2, my LS vs. Joe’s HD dueling
Well, this is the worst possible match up for my deck and I think I have to win by 27 to win. I put out some twixes and draw up. My hand is looking good. Next turn Ill drop Ben with stick and a Hnemthe and Goo, which will make it real hard to deploy lord Vader. Too late…He puts down big daddy with stick 2nd turn. About 4th turn I put Ben with stick, liea, chewie, lando and a hnemehte in front of Vader and Ponda/Dr. E. He snipers Ben, puts out IGGY and Guri and battles. Captures Lando, hits liea. I loose everyone, he looses Guri. Well, that sucked. He gets Mara out and is draining for 7. I do get to mock him when Gold Leader in Gold 1 attaches the landing claw to bossk in the HT. Stupid capital ship. There is one more small battle where Ben gets You are beaten and I lose big. Bummer.

Overall it was a great tourney. Well run (except for the one bad ruling) with some decent prize support. I had a good time. Props to Paul, for taking two shady loses in stride. Joe Gaus for helping out with the running of the tourney. Chris for driving. Brian for sitting in Chris’s front seat for me on the way back. All the great players of Michigan for showing up and putting on a great event. Slops to my roommates Girl friend for keeping me up all night. My own dumb @#$% for drawing 13 cards. The construction outside of garden city (hold it in EL next year baby!).