Ashur´s EC experience 2013 part 3: FCQ

I was a bit tired after playing two days and thought that I would be nice to qualify for next years EC now, not having to think about that bit for a whole year. Also, with the new rules for qualifying, 1 game win would be enough. So I took my old Kindred Spirits deck again, the same deck I used at the LCQ. A somewhat boring deck, I agree, but my mood was not on top this morning, so it had to do.

If I recall correctly, the only change I made was switching the extra Uncle George for a extra Midget. Midget rocks!

As in my earlier reports from the EC, the arrows in the graphics below shows the general amount of pressure a Methuselah put on his or her prey – yellow is “not much”, orange is “some” and red is “a lot”.

Table 1:

 

 

Difficulty for me: 3/5. Looked kind of nice, with two soft target in front of me and the Warghouls crosstable. Thought I´d get at least 2 vps here. But nooooo.

My performance: 2/5. Had the worst crypt draw with only 1 vamp with superior Dementation. Didn´t draw enough Kindred Spirits either.

The other players: Jonas (obf-bleed with black hand tech) put hard pressure on Carlo at once, forcing him to go backwards. Carlo made some deal with Tomas, not to rush him and not to block his Governs. So of course Tomas won this. Robert was too crippled by me (sorry Robert) to be able to do anything constructive, apart from some Sensory Deps on Tomas when they didn´t matter.

Lesson to learn: The Kindred Spirits deck is a real one-trick pony. When it fizzles you don´t have much leverage to use to get help.

Tomas: 4 vp

Jonas: 1 vp

 
Table 2:

Difficulty for me: 4/5. Bleeding on Nana & ani-weenies is never easy.

My performance: 2/5. The whole table ganged up against the Nana player here, so even though I was rushed a lot I should have been able to oust him. But he played well and balanced the table.

The other players: Brian regreted he didn´t Amaranth his predators first minion (Fish) when he had the opportunity early on. Later he tried to mastermind our defense against Nana, but it didn´t work out. Christofer misunderstood a deal we had at one time (Swede-to-Swede in English!), it might have worked otherwise.

Lesson to learn: Hate Nana and her ugly Tablets! Not even the whole table working together could stop here. I still don´t understand what kind of playtesting Ashur Tablets went through.

Nana-player: 3 vp

Christofer: 1 vp

Table 3:

Difficulty for me: 1/5. Looked totally winable. Then Maris Steck turned up.

My performance: 3/5. The deck did it´s thing and I didn´t mess stuff up. But it wasn´t enough.

The other players: I think Danilo played the same deck as he played in the finals of Nations Cup two days earlier, but this time Huitzilopoctli didn´t show up. Emiliano must have used 8+ blood on his Maris to prevent me from ousting him, but I did eventually. Jussi played a group 4-5 midcap crypt, so we didn´t contest. He played larger vamps, with AUS for bounce, which served him well. Jonas played the same deck as at table 1 of course, putting a lot of pressure on Emiliano, who played some kind of Maris+Lutz Derange deck – really no fun for me because of Maris ability and him stealing my Tony with Malkavian Dementia and Villeining him for 6.

Lesson to learn: Never leave home without a Fear of Mekhet. Otherwise not much. A fun table with no Nana, no Aus-weenie and no Warghouls :)

Me: 1 vp

Jussi: 4 vp

The EC was won by Hugh Angseesing, congrats! You can read a transcript of the finals here.

I´ve had a little dip in my interest of Vtes the last six months or so, and that made it´s mark this weekend. I hope Danse Macabre makes the game more fun for me now, so that I will be more excited for tournament play in 2014!