colorado-springs-a-good-choice-10-14-01
Title: colorado-springs-a-good-choice-10-14-01
Author: Patrick "Pappy" Napier
Date: Oct 15, 2001
GAME ONE
Flipping HB vs. Caleb Schnarr ( 1656 ) Watto Podracing
Huh, what ? Watto ? This is the first time I have ever played against this type of deck, so I am not so sure what to expect. I figured flip fast, cancel the drains at the Junkyard and Mos Espa, and I easily win with the retrieval. Caleb had other ideas, one of them being Podracing. I have said it before, and I will say it again, podracing is a stupid mechanic. Nothing should cause a 22 Force swing in a game, especially something that was not as pivotal an event in the Star Wars mythology. Sure argue all you want that if Anakin had lost the race, he would have never left Tatooine. If you really fell like that, yarbols to you. At any rate, Caleb wins the race after about four turns, pulling of the big swing. I had It Could Be Worse in hand, but only a couple Force saved, so I lost nine cards. Easily retrieved later, right ? At any rate, that turn I flip my Hidden Base, and Boba Fett and Zuckuss then fly their sips up to start probing and fighting off my starfighters with matching pilots. Caleb probes incorrectly, kills off Ric Olie in his ship, and flies off to probe some more. Order To Engage causes Caleb some damage when he splits his forces, but he finally probes the right base, and his big drains are getting through on the ground. I could not keep up, and Caleb wins big. Full loss by 32.
So istart off the day at 0 ( -32 ), and I am thinking now that I should have stayed home watching football. When R III comes out, there will be no more of that nonsense. I decide to play on, because dropping out would have caused a bye and unsanctioned the event.
GAME TWO
Marilyn Maul v.3.0 vs. Nick Harvey ( 1263 ) DBO
Huh, what ? DBO ? I have played against this deck before, so I kind of have an idea on how to stop this nonsense. On the opening hand draw, I get both of my Jabbas Palace locations in hand. On my turn, I put out my locations and draw, getting Boba Fett in Slave I and a Maul. I know I should have no problem against Nick. He has good ideas, he just does not play as smart as he should, and that will come for him in time. Unfortunately for him, he will not get that time against me. Nick deploys Wedge and Chewie Protector to the Yavin 4 Docking Bay in preparation to get them in ships and into space. On my turn I come down with Dengar With Blaster Carbine, Prince Xizor, and Dr. Evazan & Ponda Baba. I play First Strike, but I have nothing in my Lost Pile to retrieve. That’s OK, Nick still loses one when I initiate. Dengar blasts Wedge and Dr. Evazan does his thing, then I blast Chewie. I do not operate on the wounded Wookie, but instead draw a 4 for destiny. Nick loses Chewie, some ship in the Docking Bay, and about 7 cards. A couple of turns later, Nick deploys Tiree in his ship out at Hoth. Boba Fett flies up in Slave I to pat Tiree a visit. Nick loses Tiree and his ship and a couple more cards. There are a couple more battles, and I now have a single card in my Lost Pile, Grand Moff Tarkin. Nothing else happens the rest of the game except for my Force drains. Full win by 36.
Well, at least I am back in the positives again. Its too bad that it had to come by beating up on poor Nick Harvey. Perhaps in my next game I will be paired up against someone who will be a more challenging opponent . . .
GAME THREE
Marilyn Maul v.3.0 vs. Thomas Harris ( 1587 ) Senate Mains, I think ?
Huh, what ? A senate mains deck in a non-Episode I only event ? OK, this should be interesting. On my turn, I set up the Audience Chamber, deploying Mara Jade with her lightsaber right away. Thomas deploys a system or two and draws up. On my turn I drain for two, and Thomas loses Plea To The Court off of the top, so he will not be canceling any of my drains. Neat. After a few turns I have a pretty significant force at the Audience Chamber, and Maul had taken over the City Outskirts. Emperor Palpatine was chilling in the Lower Passages and Vader was hanging out outside Jabbas Palace. Thomas came down a few times with some mains, and used Senator Palpatine to add my destinies, which were usually a 5, to his power. Even with the tricks of the Senate up his sleeve, Thomas could not hold off the Dark Side mains. Full win by 19.
That puts me up to 4 ( + 23 ). Caleb at this point has a differential of about 107, so in order for me to win, I would need to win my next game by about 43, and have Caleb lose by 42. Not very likely. I should have second place locked down as long as I win the final game.
GAME FOUR
Flipping HB vs. Mike Minillo ( 1379 ) Speed Deal Wookie Breath Rip Off Silliness
Mike started the standard Speed Deal stuff, so I started with Menace Fades. Mike sets up the Dark Deal on his second turn, but by that time I had four systems on the table, and a Desert that I pulled right out with Kirdo III. On the first turn of Dark Deal drains, I played two It Could Be Worses to stop two of the drains, and then eat the rest. Qui-Gon gets deployed to the Desert to put Menace fades into effect on my next turn, and then Flip the Objective. My drains are now far exceeding Mikes and I am retrieving with Kessel Runs. Mike deploys the rest of his troopers to the Desert to kill off Qui-Gon, but by then I have him under control. Caleb by this time has won his game, so all I have to do is win by at least one Force, and I have second place. Instead of draining out Mike, I try to pull off another retrieval. The cards I get into hand are useless, so I pull off one more On The Edge, and drain him out the next turn. Full win by 7
So I end the day at 6 ( + 30 ), with a solid second place. Caleb wins the foil Imperial Arrest Order, and when he draws for the random foil, it goes to none other than yours truly. Everyone whines that I always win the random foil, I pack up my stuff and head home to catch the end of the Seattle / Denver game, in which Seattle romped all over the Broncos. That was alright, but the Dolphins lost a close one to the Jets. I guess it was a good thing I played Star Wars after all.
SLOPS
To podracing, as always !
To me, for losing to a Watto deck.
To Josh Kennedy, for not beating Caleb by 42 and doing his part for me to win. Whats wrong with you, man ? ;)
PROPS
To Brian Montez, for a good event, as always.
To Nick Harvey, for sticking with the game and learning every time he plays. Keep it up, Nick.
To Caleb Schnarr, for winning his first tournament. Good job, Caleb. Next time you wont be so lucky.