Coruscant Regional, 8/9/98, Neutral Ground, NY, NY
After a long consideration of what decks to take to regionals, I went with my old light deck that I'd been playing and a new Hoth/Clods dark deck that looked promising. My light deck was a mixed space and ground deck, relied heavily on the Savrip and featured a number of aliens.
With this decided, I gathered up 2 of my friends (Jay and Justin) and we headed off at about 10:00 am on our trek into NY from NJ to make it to the regional which started at 1:00. Justin and I had gotten together to make his decks 2 nights prior, Jay had ignored my offer to help and had made his own creations to try ut at regionals.
We ran into many familiar faces, including 2 Neutral Ground regulars (Dan and Matt) in the McDonalds that we always ate at on the way from the train station to the store. More familiar faces from tournaments in NJ were seen once we entered the store which was good to see.
On to the games!
1st game: my DS vs Joe Young's LS:Yavin/Haven/OSD ships deck A very bad matchup for me. I failed to get an early Tie Scout to cancel his haven and didn't see a ground site for most of the game. So we fought it out in space w/ both of us getting little generation. However I was deploying high deploy star destroyers and he was throwing out free deploying Gold Squad. Y-wings! I got Vader and Tarkin on the Avenger, and the Executor out, but he had out more power, and I had no way to cancel his Haven. Capt. Han in the clouds was a pain! our game was going to time out, but I picked up my cards to give him the full win he deserved. I lost by 14.
2nd game: my LS vs. James MacDonalds(?) DS: Tie deck He started w/ Kashyyk and had a tie there first turn. A turn later 2 more systems and 2 more ties. None of my 7 starships showed up, so I went fishing and finally found a Vette, Tantie 4, and GL in G1. My space fleet smashed his Ties so he tried to invade my Cantina. Obi and some friends made him regret that. His ground troops ran around Tatooine from Obi and Boshek held down the Cantina. I was draining for 10/turn and he had little he could do about it at that piont. I win by 31.
3rd game: my DS vs. Rob Nieves LS Mains & Toys This was a deck I thought I could beat, however the only location I saw in the first 3 turns was my extra Hoth! Later I found both of my Defensive Perimeters which were quickly invaded by Luke and Obi. Capt. Han in the Falcon had found his way to my Hoth system. Vader bit the dust twice at the Def. Perimeter and took 2 Obi-wans w/ him, unfortunately he had many more and as soon as one died another followed. 2 clouds finally came out but Capt. Han just took those over. I lost by 31 against a deck I was prepared to beat.
4th game: my LS vs. ?? DS Tie deck His deck was fun, he even collapsed my Cantina w/ Proton Bombs. Once again I saw 0 starships and when I finally found them it wass way too late. Luke out dueled Vader and Tarkin at the Lower Corridor thanks to a sabre and savrip, but his huge uncontested space drains were too much. My starships showed up too late, I lost by 15 or so.
5th game: my LS vs. ?? Scuam and villany deck Another deck I thought I could beat. He got out Miyoom, but Momaw and a friend took care of her. Luke ran around JP but had to run from Fett and Dengar's Riot Gun. Both my Obi's hid the whole game, I lost Kiffex to a Mosep Drain. He retrieved like 30 force with Scum and Villany and I lost by 40. Ouch.
6th game: my DS vs. same guy's LS: CC force retrival deck A shot at revenge and it was sweet. My opening hand: Vader, Def. Perimeter, Wampa Cave, 2 clouds, Obsidian Squad Tie, etc. This was how my DS deck was supposed to work. I got out a miner, 3 clouds, and a Blizzard Walker at the Perimeter. He had obi draining for 1 on CC. I was draining for 9/turn. Princess Leia tried to invade my Wampa Cave but met w/ a Wampa and eventually Vader Tarkin and Needa. I There'll Be Hell To Payed his Off the Edge which ended his chances. I won by 25 or so.
5th game: my LS vs. ?? Scuam and villany deck Another deck I thought I could beat. He got out Miyoom, but Momaw and a friend took care of her. Luke ran around JP but had to run from Fett and Dengar's Riot Gun. Both my Obi's hid the whole game, I lost Kiffex to a Mosep Drain. He retrieved like 30 force with Scum and Villany and I lost by 40. Ouch.
6th game: my DS vs. same guy's LS: CC force retrival deck A shot at revenge and it was sweet. My opening hand: Vader, Def. Perimeter, Wampa Cave, 2 clouds, Obsidian Squad Tie, etc. This was how my DS deck was supposed to work. I got out a miner, 3 clouds, and a Blizzard Walker at the Perimeter. He had obi draining for 1 on CC. I was draining for 9/turn. Princess Leia tried to invade my Wampa Cave but met w/ a Wampa and eventually Vader Tarkin and Needa. I There'll Be Hell To Payed his Off the Edge which ended his chances. I won by 25 or so.
I went 2-4, my worst tournament performance in a year and a half, but I had some fun. My friend Justin whose 3rd tournament it was finsihed 4-2 and in 14th place. He yelled at me when his Anti-JP light deck got trounced by a Hoth/Clouds deck, then thanked me when it proceeded to trounce 2 JP decks :). His dark side faired well too, especially impressive against the increased competition he faced from being playing with the Big Boys.
We left before the finals but wished Dennis (another Neutral Ground regular) good luck in the finals, as well as his opponent Matt. We hit Bennigans on the way home and got some good "eats" to make up for the Microwaveable food options at the Neutral Ground (Jay even survived the dreaded micrwaveable Cheeseburger, eeew). A good time was had by all and we look forward to future regional opportunities.
Mike Dalton