Author Topic: Tim at his Second Nats  (Read 1833 times)

Offline TimMierz

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Tim at his Second Nats
« on: August 15, 2010, 09:00:15 PM »
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So, I went to the Nationals near Boston this year, after not having played since just after Nationals 2008. I stopped playing partially because I was playing so many other good games, partially because there was no playgroup anywhere near where I lived, and partially because certain cards were making the game un-fun (Garden Tomb specifically and pre-block ignore in general - a game is only fun to me when there are interesting decisions to be made). But since Nationals was so close to my new home, I decided to make an appearance pretty much with my old deck and see how it turned out.

On Friday I played Type 1 2-player, with my "classic" Genesis & Rome deck with just a few RoA/TxP cards added in. Here's a game-by-game report:

Game 1: Chris Ericson, 0-5
My first game in 2 years ended in defeat. His kings had an easy time getting through my enhancementless hands, and his SoG on the 3-liner in Hormah which he never activated helped him get a clear victory. Between King Solomon and King Merodach-baladan, he almost always knew my hand, too.

Game 2: Al Baeur, 5-1
He had a pretty standard standalone deck, helping out my Asher and Vitellius, and I was always able to get the enhancements I needed in battle.

Game 3: Drew Wills, 5-4
This possible RLK had a very similar purple offense to Chris E but an Egyptian defense that never really got going. That Lost Souls card has not helped yet - come on, Hormah and Burial! Thanks to Balaam's Disobedience blocking successfully against Unified Kingdom, I came out just ahead.

Game 4: Marti Wormuth, 5-3
I have a bad sense of direction. This game was after lunch, during which I was desperately lost for 45 minutes (stupid Lynnfield streets + stupid Tim = stupid lateness). I ran into the room going up to the table, and learned I could start the game against Marti 15 minutes late, but down 0-3. We sped through this game like no other so we wouldn't time out - we had 12 minutes still on the clock when my hand discard did her in, making her lose 5-3. (She used SoG defensively, and then I Fell it Away.)

Game 5: Kurt Hake, 5-0
Kurt's angel offense with Chamber normally would've done a number on me, partially because he wouldn't draw souls, but his Women as Snares blocking my battle challenge gave me enough redemption fodder to make it through, and with power!

Game 6: Nic Marshall, 4-5
I remember why I hate TGT so much. There's just nothing you can do, especially with Romans who have no protection fortress. My offense didn't have much trouble, but I never even got a chance to block. My 4-game winning streak came to an end. (Nic ended up placing second.)

Game 7: Game Isbell, 2-5
I mainly lost this game due to a lack of souls to rescue. Gabe didn't draw enough for me to get (despite a large amount of Bronze Lavering to keep his defense from getting Simeon'd) and I couldn't keep mine safe enough. I hurt my chances by discarding Rome from the Discarder LS when I really didn't need to. At one point Gabe had no hand at all! Gabe had The Garden Tomb but as far as I remember he never used its ability.

Game 8: Andrew Wester, 5-2
His old-school FBN deck couldn't stand up to the first strike emperors and the constant discarding. A weird battle: RA with Simeon to Jacob to CotH, block Namaan. I play Chains against Captain of the Host, then Lurking to bring in The Entrapping Pharisees. He plays Godspeed for 5/0, and I play Heavy Taxes for the numbers to win the battle! We had a good time, because we got to have battles.

Game 9: Nick Ciardi, 5-3
Nick had a very light Philistine defense (there were tons of Philistine Outposts today) to make way for an Asahel + Teal offense. He did some damage but not enough - he ended with no hand and deck besides some Charioted Heroes, letting me walk in for the win.

So I ended T12P with 6 wins and 3 losses, far better than I expected to do, and I had fun except when Lost Soul draw and The Garden Tomb weren't keeping me from making any decisions.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2010, 08:37:59 PM by ReyZen »
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Offline TimMierz

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Re: Tim at his Second Nats
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2010, 09:00:59 PM »
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Booster Draft was Saturday, and the draft was largely uneventful except that the player next to me, Spencer, got a Roman tin just like I did and so drafted some gray away from me. I still kept my Musicians intact with a lot of white support (keeping Musician's Chamber out) and my Gray defense with a spattering here and there of gold worked out. My star besides Chenaniah ended up being Kings Shamhuth, plus Joshua's Spear and Lahmi's Spear and Ahimelech.

Game 1: Me (5), Chris E (4), Travis (4), Spencer (4)
I think maybe one RA was successfully blocked all game. Spencer was just bleeding souls while everyone else had theirs hidden away in sites that usually only Travis could get into. In the last battle, I attacked Travis with Chenaniah and Jeiel, just as I had been all game, and I was blocked by an orange EC and Two Possessed by Demons... but I was protected. He didn't know when Chenaniah did, and he said I should be "more forthcoming" with my plays, making me feel like cheated him out of the win. He did later apologize and say that he needed to read cards more. I think I mainly won because I went first and the player before me, Spencer, didn't have much of a defense.

Game 2: Me (5), Justin (4), Bill (4), Jacob (3)
Bill drew all his LSs and gave them up before the end of the game, leaving him not having to play defense. Jacob Worship of Milcom'd his Pharisees, but they only entered battle when my Pharisees banded to them. Despite everyone's best efforts, my Covenant Keepers beat Justin's Nergal for my fifth soul.

Game 3: Me (5), Tyler (4), Brad (3), Matt (2)
There was not a single successful block all game, so once again it all came down to soul draw. The final block was with the 10/10 Beast from the Sea, but my Wall of Fire rendered him useless!

Game 4: Bryon (5), Me (4), Kurt (4), Russell (4)
I barely drew any souls all game, so I didn't get to defend much. Kurt had a couple, and my musicians and Shamhuth bands (yay Patriarch Travels x 2!) got past his Babylonian tricks. Russell got his fourth soul by playing Steadfastness of Peter and Bravery of David on his Caleb against Bryon's drafted Emperor Claudius. Kryon attacked Kurt with Reuben for his fifth soul, and Ashpenaz blocked and played Isaac Deceived. Abraham's Servant to Ur negated that and brought the offense to 14, which was too big to block by 1 point with Kurt's very crimson hand. If Kurt used anyone else to block, he'd've blocked successfully and I'd've won. I still got 1/3 point though, and was in the lead at this point with 9 1/3, ahead of Bryon by 1 LS point.

Game 5: Tim (5), Me (4), Kirk (4), Gretel (3)
This was a pretty fun game, but I didn't write notes about it because I was frustrated by the way points worked out at all the other tables - despite being in first before the round, my shared second place finish put me behind two people at over 12 points and Bryon at 10 1/3. I didn't even place! So imagine my surprise when during the awards ceremony, Chris announced that third place had 9.83 points and beat fourth place by 1 LS... what? I went up and got my third place medal and Redemption cash and shook John and Rob's hands... but then there was some hubbub around the scoring table/announcing area. Apparently there was some confusion over the game Bryon was in; many people in that game left before the ceremony, and from what I could tell there was disagreement whether one of Bryon's opponents redeemed 4 souls (making Bryon share the 1 second place point) or 3 (giving Bryon the full point to get ahead of me). Roy called Justin, the player in question, to ask him what his score was, and he said the player got 4 souls, which kept me just ahead of Bryon. Afterwards, Bryon had no hard feelings at all although he was still confident Justin only had 3.

All in all, I was surprised to come out with a medal of any sort but was mainly happy to reconnect with people I haven't seen in a while, especially John M's MA group, and to discuss the new cards and come up with interesting ways to use them. I think I might be returning to the game, as I had such a great time overall when I wasn't getting lost (I really should get a GPS). Thanks to John M for hosting such a fun and well-run tournament, and to all the other judges and leaders who made it run smoothly, even when Sanhedrin didn't work like I thought it would (and they were right about that, I don't know why I thought I could play it on a non-Pharisee and band in Pharisees).

I also got to show off Malta! after Booster Draft was over with Brad & Gretel Coverdale and Marti, and it seemed like all involved had a great time. I'm excited to announce that Chris Bany's Covenant Games will be carrying the game once it's released next month, so I implore you all to get 4 copies of Malta! (I'm sure you have three friends who want it) and get a Book of the Covenant.
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Offline fyero

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Re: Tim at his Second Nats
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2010, 10:52:40 PM »
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yes that was a close game and i was lucky enough to pick up my last win against Tyler Stevens (discarding his highplaces in his abom deck helped a little) to place second
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Offline Arch Angel

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Re: Tim at his Second Nats
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2010, 11:17:39 PM »
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Game 4: Bryon (5), Me (4), Kurt (4), Russell (4)
I barely drew any souls all game, so I didn't get to defend much. Kurt had a couple, and my musicians and Shamhuth bands (yay Patriarch Travels x 2!) got past his Babylonian tricks. Russell got his fourth soul by playing Steadfastness of Peter and Bravery of David on his Caleb against Bryon's drafted Emperor Claudius. Kryon attacked Kurt with Reuben for his fifth soul, and Ashpenaz blocked and played Isaac Deceived. Abraham's Servant to Ur negated that and brought the offense to 14, which was too big to block by 1 point with Kurt's very crimson hand. If Kurt used anyone else to block, he'd've blocked successfully and I'd've won. I still got 1/3 point though, and was in the lead at this point with 9 1/3, ahead of Bryon by 1 LS point.
That was a fun game. If only my defense had set up like it had the last two games, I'd have had no problems. :) Oh, also, that was Centurion at Calvary (with Caleb's Sword) who played my lovely Unlimited pack enhancements on my 4th soul. :)
« Last Edit: August 16, 2010, 10:01:52 PM by Arch Angel »

Offline TimMierz

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Re: Tim at his Second Nats
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2010, 11:54:31 PM »
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That was a fun game. If only my defense had set up like it had the last two games, I'd have had no problems. :) Oh, also, that was Centurion at Calvary (with Caleb's Sword) who played my lovely Limited pack enhancements on my 4th soul. :)

Ah, okay, I knew Caleb was involved somehow, I forgot the details. Still a great way to get a fourth soul!
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Warrior_Monk

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Re: Tim at his Second Nats
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2010, 05:06:49 PM »
+1
Game 8: Andrew Webster, 5-2
His old-school FBN deck couldn't stand up to the first strike emperors and the constant discarding. A weird battle: RA with Simeon to Jacob to CotH, block Namaan. I play Chains against Captain of the Host, then Lurking to bring in The Entrapping Pharisees. He plays Godspeed for 5/0, and I play Heavy Taxes for the numbers to win the battle! We had a good time, because we got to have battles.
it's Wester...

that's why I love FBTN. you actually get intense battles. none of this "The battle is over and you can't do anything about it." or "you can't block." FBTN FTW.

stupid Rome.

 


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