austin-tx-8-4-01-double-tr
Title: austin-tx-8-4-01-double-tr
Author: Justin "hoostino" Warren
Date: Aug 7, 2001
Game descriptions from the Fort Worth tourney will be short and sweet, as my memories of game details have deteriorated quite a bit as time has progressed. I also didn’t record differential. Please excuse the lack.
Van, I mean, Jeremy and I had been keeping our heads in the game (even though our interest waned a bit after Tatooine) and decided to venture to Fort Worth for another six-game local. I wasn’t content with anything other than QMC for Light Side, mainly because it hadn’t lost a sanctioned game for me. Dark Side was a different tune. Since the release of Tatooine, I had been terrorizing local events with Hunt Down Podracing. But, I began to believe that local players were starting to realize (as I did) that the deck CAN be beaten rather easily with a few key cards and the right matchup. Thus, I anticipated my deck would be meta’d against, so I decided I needed something new. It was about a week after the Brangus Podracing decks hit the Net, and I had adequate time to build the deck, and adjust it to my taste. I actually got a game of playtesting in with it (very unusual for Jeremy and I), and I liked its deadly recurrence abilities. I also expected that no one there would be able to decipher the deck’s mechanics in time to find a chink in its armor. So, I was ready to roll. I can’t seem to recall exactly what Jeremy played, but I’m sure it was something I whipped up for him. I think it was the Speed Deal/Bewil/Trooper deck for Dark, and probably QMC for Light.
Game 1
QMC vs. a local’s pile
Sorry, but I didn’t catch this fellow’s name. He started just a single location with no starting interrupt or anything. I believe it was the Meditation Chamber. I start QMC stuff and the normal Insight, Keeping The Empire Out, and SquadAss. From there, I simply established tempo with a couple of beatdowns on his wimps. I flip, drain, and retrieve. All he really had was a large base of mixed characters that ranged from mains to junky guys like Ardan. This dude was obviously not an experienced player, but I did what I had to and took a full win by a fairly large margin (in the 30’s somewhere, I believe).
Game 2
Brangus Racing vs. Michael Sneed (1900’s at the time) WYS
We both started the Podracing stuff. He tries to get his deck running fast by deploying to the Cantina quickly. The race goes back and forth for the first couple of turns, as we exchange blows with A Step Backward and Podracer Collision. I don’t think Brangus hit the table before the race finished, so I never recurred the Collisions. But, I won the race regardless. I discover he is playing Odds (Freighter Captain deck), but I am as well (I added a couple copies of Tech Mor to my deck), so the inserts never gel for either of us. He is able to deal a good stream of damage through draining, but Brangus finally makes an appearance and I manage to get Maul into space, which cripples him. He is forced into a bad move that allows me to cancel his Celebration (with Maul), which pretty much capped the game. My constant flow of damage is enough to deplete him, and I win in comfortable fashion; by around 17 if I remember correctly.
Game 3
Brangus Racing vs. Jeremy Losee (1803) QMC
Before this game, Jeremy was 0-6 against me in tourney games. We both knew the Brangus deck would roll QMC, but Jeremy slapped on a smile and handcuffed his hands to his ankles anyway. What a sport. I took control after winning the Podrace with a couple of beatdowns thanks to the recycling EPP Vader and I Have You Now. The QMC just couldn’t keep up with Brangus engine, I took a fairly easy win, by a differential I can’t remember. 15 to 20 maybe. I simply can’t recall much at all about this game really.
Here, my usual lack of sleep begins to give me a nasty headache. I am beginning to feel burned out after only 3 games! Whatever.
Game 4
QMC vs. John Sneed (1961) BHBM
I didn’t pack Don’t Do That Again. John starts Mobilization Points. I didn’t pack any SAC counters. John plays heavy SAC. I haven’t lost to anyone but John in 7 months. Hmmmm, bad things amok. I start quickly with characters to my Cloud City sites, while he puts out Empy and Vader at separate docking bays to generate massive amounts of cards. He is generating much more than me, and is able to amass a greater hand. I initially doubt that John would be playing with SAC, but he demonstrated otherwise when he Sensed a key Path that allowed Pucmir to get bent over for 10 overflow. Well, that put a large hamper in my plans. Since he was using so damn many Senses, I just began tossing my Edges to drains. So, my only hope in this game would be Celebration. I have the Bespin system pretty much locked with the Super Falcon and Dash and Melas in the Outrider. I think he tried to circumvent Battle Plan by deploying something to Carida. Either that, or I just foolishly decided I needed the extra drain of one. Regardless, I spread out like a mope, and Lateral Damage pulls my pants down and costs me Celebration. That was essentially the game, as I lost control of space and my deck spiraled into oblivion thanks to my own sloppiness. He polishes me off rather easily, handing me a full loss by about 17. Sanctioned record in 2001 against non-John Sneed players: 32-3. Sanctioned record in 2001 against John Sneed: 1-2 (although I went 2-1 against him in the State finals).
Jeremy and I decide to drop after this game so we can make it home before evening-time (2+ hour drive) despite having only one loss each. We both had to be up early, and I didn’t really want to totally lose my only day off. The headache didn’t give me any encouragement, either. John pretty much had the tourney in the bank anyway, I think, as his diff was pretty damn high and I wasn’t going to play him in Game 5. Darn.
Okay, now to the tournament I actually remember. :)
Well, after the unsuccessful trip to Fort Worth, I decided it was worth skipping a defensive driving course (jizzy ticket!) to go to another Austin tourney directed by Chris Gregg. Six games per usual.
After Fort Worth, I sort of just put my cards away for a while. I started thinking about decks again when Coruscant was spoiled online, but wasn’t really concerning myself with pre-Tatooine stuff anymore. That quickly changed when I discovered I had an upcoming Saturday off and notice an upcoming event at Junior’s. Jeremy tells me he’s going to go, which convinces me to make the trip as well. I still had the Brangus deck built, and was still very happy with it. But my attraction to QMC had finally worn off. I wanted something more solid. Particularly, something that didn’t get bent by SAC or other random crap I have to prepare for with effects. I noticed WYS was still as powerful as it had ever been, and it naturally can handle a wide array of decktypes. So, I dug up my old WYS Raider deck, which never lost in sanctioned play for me. I watered down the Raiders and Crafts, and molded the deck to combat the current environment. I also made a lot of changes to the Brangus deck, and added a few meta cards that would prove most useful.
For Jeremy, I have a rather small selection this week. For LS, I have an EBO Racing deck, but he doesn’t really like it. He has enough Raiders to play WYS, so he eventually decides on that. For DS, it’s either a scrubbish Maul deck or a carbon copy of my Brangus Racing. Or, my "retired" Hunt Down Racing, which he still has built for the most part. He decides on Hunt Down the morning of the event.
No huge traffic delays this time, so we arrive in just over an hour. As usual, I immediately hit the restroom, and am reminded of the poor facilities at Junior’s Comics. Almost as dirty as the one in Waco. Yet, Jeremy’s lavatory remains Mr. Clean’s mortal enemy.
Game 1
WYS vs. Andrew Espinola (1423) BHBM
Andrew is a younger player that frequents the Austin locals, but he’s never run into me before. He starts BHBM stuff, IAO, Mob Points, and Battle Order, I believe. It takes me forever to find a freakin’ Patrol Craft, but I flip in a reasonable amount of time anyway. I set up with Raiders on the ground and devote myself sparsely in space. He attacks some smugglers at my Docking Bay 94, but a Fallen Portal from the Lost Pile makes Tarkin and Xizor disappear like Alicia Silverstone. Lord Vader is now alone, and can’t handle the multiple destiny defensive from my scrubs. I give him Luke shortly after he re-deploys the Dark Lord, and allow his Objective to deliver him more pain. I continue draining for massive amounts at the Cantina, Kessel, and docking bays with my AO. He can’t really do much but lose cards, and I win without any hassle.
Full Win by 27
2 (+27)
Game 2
Brangus Racing vs. Jeremy Losee (1803) WYS
He is packing A Step Backwards, but I opt to still start the Box and just save Force for my grabbers. He starts his usual Insurrection, SquadAss, and Insight. He tries to establish drains quickly, while I amass a large hand. But, I just can’t find any ships or my Control & Set For Stun, so his Kessel drain is putting pressure on me. He gets more ships out, and moves over my Death Star after I brilliantly toss CHYBC. His drains are burying a lot of cards, and A Step Backward is continually delaying my retrieval, despite being grabbed early (he played three). I can’t do much at all but slap the Much Anger/ROC combo on his Jedi Luke, which begins to sting him quite a bit. My lost pile is huge, and unless I draw a high race destiny next turn, I’ll get drained out. But, I do draw high, and finally prevail in the Podrace. The eleven cards I get back buy me enough time to plink him down with my puny drains and direct damage with Much Anger In Him. A recurring Fear drops his Life Force down the exact amount I drain him for next turn, giving me a narrow victory.
Full Win by 11
4 (+38)
Game 3
Brangus Racing vs. Joseph Amaya (1774) HB Podracing Baragwins
Joe is also packing Racing interrupts, and I suspect he’s using an array of big mains (Joe always uses mains). However, Joe quickly discovers Brangus’ ability to recycle Podracer Collision after he cancels my first one with Too Close For Comfort. After removing most of his high race destinies, I sit back and draw. I win the race with ease a turn or two later, and the 22-card swing gives me a huge advantage. I do the standard Brangus stuff, like hit and run with Zuckuss and what not. A lost Monnok takes a huge portion of Joe’s forces out, as I net pairs of EPP Lukes, Hans, and something else. Joe can only drop his Qui-Gon to the Podrace Arena in an attempt to cause some form of damage. I eventually am able to hack the Jedi with EPP Vader, but Joe deploys a second copy of him on top of my Empy sitting at the Hoth War Room. Joe battles, and draws a zero for battle destiny, while I flip a Masterful Move to make him lose four cards in damage. I eliminate Qui-Gon again when Maul joins Palpy next turn, and Joe’s deck is pretty much exhausted.
Full Win by 22
6 (+60)
Game 4
WYS vs. Jacob Taylor (1526) ISB Space
I hate ISB Space. Yet, someone always uses it here in Austin. In fact, it was huge in the first post-Tatooine Austin local, and I had continued to see it in the following weeks. Thus, I did include anti-Big Blue in my WYS, because ISB is problematic for WYS anyway. Jacob, a fellow DeckTecher (Armaedes), starts IAO, Mob Points, and SSPFT I believe. I deploy smugglers early and sack Insight for Staging Areas to concoct a consistent stream of abundant activation. I verify his deck early when his last docking bay eludes him, and don’t see the Masterful Move/Monnok package, so I am comfortable in drawing a large hand, which I do. I soon flip and begin draining. He sets up the Executor with a few pilots at Sullust, and Zuckuss and Dengar at a neighboring system. I have an X-Wing Cannon in hand, along with Wedge and Ship. So, I drop him on top of the bounty hunter ships, and Captain Han and the Falcon quickly follow. I initiate and shoot down Zuckuss. After the smoke clears, the power difference is about 20, but he plays Ghhhk to remain in the game. I move over to Tatooine and establish Celebration, as Menace Fades is shutting down Chiraneau. He responds with that prissy mope Maul to Tatooine, canceling my Celebration. So, I have no retrieval and will have to beat him another way. I move Melas up to the system from a docking bay to suspend Maul’s text, and regain the upper hand in space. We exchange drains, but his two undercover spies (Arica and U-3PO) hinder my offensive, forcing me to engage him. I decide to attempt to remove his Walker and ORS from the table, so Battle Order will shift into my favor and shut him down. I move Luke and a Raider/Craft over and he runs next turn to one of my docking bays, where I have Mirax waiting, I think. I deploy a Raider from hand, and battle with tracked destiny, removing his Walker. I lose the Raider to the Bacta Tank, and move Mirax into the Cantina. He retorts with a pair of ORS on top of Mirax, but doesn’t save a card for destiny, so I only take one point in battle damage. We each are rather low on cards now. Next turn, I drain for a couple more, and pick the Raider up from the Tank, and deploy it to the Cantina to join Mirax. I still have a Wind Chimes tracked, so I battle and eliminate both of his agents, and he no longer satisfies Battle Order. He has only two cards remaining, so he draws up on his following turn.
Full Win by 8
8 (+68)
Game 5
WYS vs. Jeremy Losee (1803) Hunt Down Podracing
The Hunt Down has won its first two games by huge margins, as usual. At this point, it’s up to 12-0 in tournament play, although I finally took out the Numbers package and added some more characters. Of course, I didn’t figure I’d encounter a dedicated DS Racing deck, and didn’t know what Jeremy was playing until that morning, so I took the Racing interrupts out of my WYS the night prior (Jeremy left them in his because he knew I was playing Brangus...bastard!). He draws nothing but like sixes, and since I wasn’t using A Step Backward, I went ahead and took out my Anakin’s Racer. Whoops. So, I am drawing crap and prepare to have my rear widened in a few turns. His damn Visage is causing me to lose all sorts of cards that I don’t want to, like the Outrider and the Falcon. Damn. When the race ends on like turn four, the game is essentially already done, because I just can’t stop Visage. I hide Luke in Patrol Craft to un-flip his Objective, but Jeremy still enforces Visage each turn because he knows it will thin my deck and inevitably give him the win. I retrieve with Celebration, but he is holding the Cantina (first-turn Palpy) and draining for two there. That, and Visage are just too much, and he withstands my drains to hold on for a full win, his first against me in eight tries. I applaud Jeremy, because his win will give hope to the likes of Van and those that just can’t beat the guy they ride to tourneys with. There is hope for you. Don’t give up. You can do it!
Full Loss by 11
8 (+57)
Game 6
Brangus Racing vs. Aaron Pawlik (1736) HB Flip
HB Flip is rather popular in the Austin area, and the Brangus deck can have problems with spread-and-drain decks that can circumvent Battle Order. So, I was packing Security Precautions, which also increases activation (helpful when WYS flips) and is a 5 destiny. He doesn’t do much of anything for the first few turns, because he concedes the race and knows I’ll just retrieve whatever damage he does early. He throws out systems, and eventually flips. He is packing Hyper Escapes, so he spreads out a bit, while I decide which systems to probe. I believe his Base to be either Kashyyyk or Endor, and connect on my second probe, causing him to lose nine to Security Precautions. But, he deploys Jedi Luke and Qui-Gon, both armed with Sabers, to my Podrace Arena. Since he is now immune to Battle Order, he spreads in space. I can’t really get much damage going, and Brangus isn’t working very well due to an Out Of Commission that nailed one of docking bays after I stupidly exchanged it for the only card in my lost pile. The lack of a docking bay would prevent me from creating a lockdown on his drains with Brangus/Control, so I have to take it like a champ. I continue dealing small amounts of damage here and there, but just can’t get all the cards for the Much Anger/ROC combo. His drains are wearing me down, until I finally draw up ROC, and slap the combo on his Luke. This curries favor back to me, and I continually block his highest drain in space with Zuckuss/Maul. After I get fairly low on cards, I attempt a beatdown on his Dash with Bossk and Lateral Damage, but the one card in his hand is indeed a Hyper Escape. His drain of seven next turn takes me down to two cards, but Much Anger In Him takes out his remaining Life Force.
Full Win by 2
10 (+59)
Jeremy is victorious again in game six, and finally wins a tourney here in Texas, beating me on differential. Jeremy’s hard work of watching me build his decks finally paid off. Way to go, man! :) Seriously, Jeremy is coming into his own, and I knew he would eventually take me down after months of Van impersonations. I place second, and get a foily Twi’Lek. Yay. My rating will go up maybe 10 points total for both events. How gay is that?
Thus concludes Hoostino’s summer of fun. I probably won’t play for a while, maybe in two events before DCon.
Props:
Jeremy, for finally beating me.
Jeremy, for winning Austin.
John Sneed, for again beating me.
Dark Side Podracing, for being the best damn mechanic in the game.
Michael Sneed, for not getting upset when I refused to allow him to insert Odds during his move phase. I hate being anal like that, but I just couldn’t let that slide from a player of Michael’s caliber.
Aaron, for almost beating the Brangus deck.
Jacob Taylor, for the close game and the kind words.
The Hunt Down Podracing deck, for again managing to not lose. Jeremy even beat a HB Flip deck by a large margin.
Slops:
Me, for getting sloppy with my deckbuilding.
Jeremy, for his wise cracks about my mother. It doesn’t bother me though, because his mom is under my desk as I type.
Me, for playing like a chimp against Aaron.
Jeremy’s mom is done now, as am I.
Darwin bless. Hoostino out.