blast-from-the-past-modesto-2-2

Title: blast-from-the-past-modesto-2-2
Author: Clayton "TheDohMan" Atkin
Date: Feb 5, 2002

Now this is a pretty cool idea. Mike "Carl" Hardy announced over our Alderaan listserv that he was interested in running a tournament in which only cards from Premier and A New Hope would be allowed. Well, he got good enough responce, so he decided to run it in my own back yard. Modesto, California.

I got to tell you, building the decks for this tournament brought back a lot of memories of the good old days. (editors note: You will be reading a lot of references pertaining to "old days, old school, and old timers," that is just slang for those of us who’s greatest memories of this game are probobly behide us) The naustalgia was thick. It was an absolute blast playing with cards that I hadn’t played with, or had played against me in approximately 5 years. (Demotion anybody? How about the good old Tatooine Utility Belt?) As you can tell, I was eager to play in this one. (For any Old Schoolers who want to see the decks, I’ll list them under the tournament report)

I built a couple of good old mains decks to play. With my only guideline being that I wasn’t going to play with Scanning Crews, Revolutions, or Beggars. I was going to battle, and I was going to enjoy myself. If somebody else wanted to play that "jank," it was all good....I was prepared for it.

The Tuesday before the tournament, Kevin Shannon calls me from his base in SoCal.(GO JOE!!!) Ends up he was getting 4 days leave and he was also going to play. Too Cool. I didn’t get a chance to see him the last time he was up here. So we talked BFTP decks (Blast From the Past) and what we were planning on taking. Skipping ahead to Saturday morning, Kev calls and wakes me from a deep sleep. Sounds like he was partying a little to hard during leave, and didn’t get a chance to make his decks. For anybody who doesn’t already know this.....this is typical Kevin Shannon. He is notorious for building a deck just as the first pairings are being announced. So, I did what we’d done a few times before. I read him my decks, card for card, for him to build. Knowing full well that he’d add his own "flava" on the drive down.

I get to Kriers about a half an hour early just in case anybody needs help with decks or cards. Mike Guirtin (or Imperial Mike for all you "old timers) was already there waiting. Mike quit playing at around the time DSII came out, but he was always a great player and an avid tournament director. Ends up he still subscribes to the Alderaan listserv, and was also looking forward to pulling out some old decks.

The tournament gets started a little late because traffic on the freeway was horendous, and our trusty Tournament Director got caught up in it.
Decks:
Dark Side: Vaders Hate
Light Side: Obi’s Love

Game 1: Dark vs. Imperial Mike’s Revo/Beggar Mains

Just the type of deck that I expected to play against. I start with the Imperial Holotable since it is immune to Revolution. First turn, I deploy the Death Star War Room and draw. No Vaders in sight. But I did draw one of my Evaders. Early on, he attempts to Revo my War room, but he did so before he deployed anybody who could sence....that cost him. I got out my drain locations after that, and once Vader hit the table (at about the 4th turn) the revo’s and beggars didn’t pose as any problem. That was about the same time he deployed Tantive IV to Kessel. An uncontested drain of 3 for the entire game as I decided to play with ZERO ships. I was still outdraining him on the ground, until Obi and Luke paid a visit to Vader, Tarkin, Mosep and Evazion. Gift of the Mentor (sence...Grappling Hook...Alter...DAMN!!) and The Force is Strong with this One. 5 destinies later I was wiped out, and of course, I missed my swing on Obi. Good thing I had replacements in my hand. With Oota Goota Solo? in my hand, I spread out to the other locations and Mosep drained him to death. Full Win by 12

Score 2(+12)
The Good: This was fun. Starting with only 1 card on the table.....now that was weird.
The Bad: Kessel drain for almost the entire game.
The Ugly: Grappling hook..........ouch.

Game 2: Light vs. Kevin Shannon’s Vader Hate

Kev and I could never finish a game in under 59 minutes. This would not be an exception. First couple of turn, were just putting out some locations, and I’m just waiting for him to do something. Vader comes down all by himself, with no stick, to his Moisture farm. With 3 sences in my hand, I’m not to nervous about deploying Obi...so I go for it. Obi, Tatooine Utility Belt, and his saber. I battle, swing and miss, and I think I make him lose a card. I move Obi over to the Cantina. Not taking any chances that Tarkin and a lightsaber are comming. He activates, drains, and draws it all up. He’s still looking. I drain for 3, Nebrun over, deploy Luke and battle (no Gift dangit). Once again, I swing and miss. I think Obi had a little too much sauce in the Cantina. So, instead of forfeiting Vader, he loses 6 overflow. I forfeit Luke, and move Obi back into the Cantina where he remained uncontested for the rest of the game. Good thing......Tarkin and stick come down next turn, but he doesn’t move in. He knows my decks, and knew there was a good chance that I’d have a DisArmed. (which I did) So we trade drains for 3 for a couple of turns. I finally draw Kessel and put Tantive IV out there. He either has to start spreading out or the game will be over. He does. Tarkin and Feltipern Trevagg move into my hut, and I think it was Djas at the Jundland Wastes. I finally draw a Mos Eisley and deploy Boshek to the Cantina with Obi. I’m gonna do some shuffling Were counting cards, and I figure I’ve got to stop one of his drains of 3 at least 2 times to come out on top. Wedge and Han make an appearance at the Hut. I don’t battle....I’m just looking to slow down the drain. Vader can’t Elis over because Kev knows I’m holding Quite a Merc. We cat and mouse for postion for a few turns, and eventually, it was the Kessel drain that finished him off. Full Win by 2

Score 4(+14)
The Good: The game actually took about 70 minutes. But Hardy let us finish it. I said "hey, it’s just like old times...you know Kev and I can’t finish a game in under an hour."
The Bad: Not being able to get rid of Vader in those first 2 battles. It was obvious Kev didn’t have a Vader in hand or else he would have just forfeited the first one instead of losing 6.
The Ugly: Nothing Ugly about it. When Kev and hook up, it’s always fun.

Game 3: Dark vs Eric Shannon’s Revo Mains

Eric is not to be taken lightly. This is Kevins little brother, and he was one of the top junior players a few years back. He knows the cards from that era and can play them as well as anybody. Case in point. In game 2, he beat Shawn Ely by 30something. Shawn is the guy I beat to win states in 2000. ’Nuff said. He starts Obi’s Hut. First turn he activates for 4, puts out his Cantina, and drops Boshek and Kal’Fal. I eat that drain for a couple of turns and save some force. He see’s this, and moves back to the Hut. I come down with Labria, Vader and Stick, and Tarkin. He loses a crapload and I’m pretty much in control from there on. Obi makes an appearance only to get quickly circled. Only damage he does is from a game long Kessel drain. Full win by 15

Score 6(+29)
The Good: Hey...a game that took less than 50 minutes
The Bad: I almost tossed Labria to a force drain
The Ugly: Kessel drains

Game 4: Light vs Eric Shannons Vader Hate

Pretty much the same deck as Kevins, but they couldn’t find an Imperial Holotable for him. So he started with the Death Star. This game was over with really quick. 2nd turn Tantive IV to the Death Star, followed by a 3rd turn Luke in Red 6 to Kessel, with Mantillian Savrip out decided this one. Obi played damage control on the ground while the drain for 6 each turn just ate him up. Full win by 25

Score 8(+54)
The Good: Eric is almost as fun to play against as Kevin is. I’m sure with some hard work, and proper training, he can be as sick....errrr...hillarious as his brother is.
The Bad: Where.........?
The Ugly: This was over with so quickly, that we played another game while we waited for everyone else to finish.

I ended up winning the tournament, while Kevin took 2nd. This was a fun environment to play. A few of us talked to Hardy about running an event that included Hoth. So it looks like were going to try it.

Props:
Kevin and Eric for the laughs
Shawn Ely for showing me his autographed Mantillian Savrip. Signed by me at states 2 years ago
Hardy: for running this cool event
Feldman: Just for being the master. who cares if you couldn’t make it. (though it would have been a blast)
Imperial Mike: Just seeing that you are still alive was cool

Slops:
Feldman: for making a prior commitment and not making it to an event that you would have loved.
Eric Fields: For saying you were comming, and cheezing out
Kyle Ishimara and Paul McKelvey: See "Eric Fields"

Hope you enjoyed the read. Decklists are below for anyone who is interested.

Clayton Atkin

Dark Deck: Vaders Hate

Locations
Imperial Holotable (starting)
Tat: Cantina x2
Tat: Mos Eisley x2
Tat: Jundland Wastes x2
Tat: Moisture Farm x2
Death Star
Death Star War Room

Characters
Darth Vader x4
Grand Moff Tarkin x3
Dr. Evazan x3
Mosep x2
Wuher
Djas Puhr
Dannik Jerriko
Feltipern Trevagg
Lt. Pol Tredium
Labria

Weapons
Darth Vaders Lightsaber x3

Interupts
Sence x7
Alter x5
The Circle is Now Complete x2
Elis Helrot x2
Sniper x2
Evader x2
Monnok x2
Oota Goota Solo?

Effects
DisArmed x2
Pressence of the Force x2
Expand the Empire

Light Deck: Obi’s Love

Locations
Obi’s Hut (starting)
Tat: Mos Eisley x2
Tat: Cantina x2
Tat: Lars Moisture Farm
Yavin IV: Massassi Ruins
Yavin IV: Massassi War Room
Kessel

Characters
Obi Wan Kenobi x5
Luke Skywalker x2
Han Solo x2
Chewbacca
Leia Organa
BoShek
R2-D2
Kal’Falnl C’ndros
Wedge Antilles
Jek Porkins
Figrin D’an

Weapons
Obi-Wan’s lightsaber x3

Ships
Millennium Falcon
Tantive IV
Red 6

Interupts
Sence x7
Alter x3
Gift of the Mentor x2
Sorry about the Mess x2
Nebrun Leids x2
Out of Commission x2
Quite a Mercenary
Grimtaash

Effects
Mantellian Savrip x2
DisArmed x2
What’re you trying to Push on Us x2

Devices
Tatooine Utility Belt x2