The aftermath...

Erik has written about his RopeCon experience!
I am home from Ropecon and it has been a great trip! Thanks to the swedes and fins making the trip and the competition awesome. Special big up to our gracious host with the amazing comic book collection who let us stay there. I’ll definately be going next year too.

So here’s a few thoughts of the V:TES experience. I picked the deck I’ve had most success with and played the most in the Stockholm league. It’s pretty much a standard dom/tha bleed deck with a few added allies and Grooming the Protege. I managed to win the second round table barely. I got into heads-up with a kiasyd bleed deck and it could really have gone either way. That win plus one vp from the first table got me into 18th place which gave me a t-shirt. Awesome!

I must say that I was pretty nervous having to play while speaking english. Specially when I was playing two tables as the only swede but I quickly got relaxed because the finnish people were really kind. There were hardly any missunderstandings due to language as far as I remember.

I saw a lot of interesting decks but I was a bit surprised by the lack of rush combat. I saw a few such decks but I thought there would be more. There were a lot of famous archetypes with funny quirks which made me really happy to see. Finland has really good players even though some may not play as often as our group in Stockholm.

All in all a great trip with V:tes, sauna, beer and amazing company. Ropecon was a great way for me to play outside of Stockholm for the first time and I can really recommend it. The cosplayers was cool to watch as well.

See you at the EC!!!

Tapio: Viha ja ravio metsän sydämestä

Randyman writing! I also came home from the Swedish ECQ yesterday, with the same train as Ashur even :-P. But unlike him I’m not gonna write about the event but rather about the deck I played and have done the last month or so.

After a great deal of research I found the name for the deck. I got good help from Tom, Niina, and Marko.

Tapio: Viha ja ravio metsän sydämestä

Tapio is the name of my Finnish boss at a job I work at. And when I asked him to translate the rest of the sentence he just said, well thats me! Viha ja ravio metsän sydämestä means hatred and wrath from the deep forests. A fitting name for a good but hard boss!

Anders Löf originated the idea of using an abundant amount of Pentex(TM) Subversion for fast pentex on predator and then using them for rushes. It was from what I had seen him play I made my version that differs quite a lot.

Here it goes. And the latest version after a month of tweeking and two tournaments

Deck Name: Tapio: Viha ja ravio metsän sydämestä

Author: Randyman

Crypt (12 cards; Capacity min=1 max=9 avg=6.25)

===============================================

4x  Aksinya Daclau   9  cel tha ANI FOR PRE PRO  !Gangrel:4

1x  Beetleman        4  obf ANI                  Nosferatu:4

1x  Lillian          3  ani pro                  Gangrel:5

1x  Stick            3  ANI                      !Nosferatu:4

4x  Talbot           7  for ANI NEC PRO          Gangrel:5

1x  Walker Grimes    1  ani                      Caitiff:5

Library (74 cards)

==================

Master (20)

1x Dark Influences

1x Erciyes Fragments, The

2x Fame

1x Giant's Blood

1x Guardian Angel

1x Lilith's Blessing

6x Pentex(TM) Subversion

3x Sudden Reversal

4x Villein

//There are a lot of masters for rushing and bouncing with. the latest additions being the fames and guardian angel which have been most useful

Event (1)

1x Dragonbound

Action (5)

5x Deep Song

Retainer (3)

3x Raven Spy

Reaction (17)

3x Cats' Guidance

2x Delaying Tactics

1x Guard Dogs

1x Lost in Translation

2x On the Qui Vive

1x Rat's Warning

7x Sense the Savage Way

// Run a lot of reaction cards as a part of the deck in comparison to girls will find aids or Anders version

Combat (28)

11x Aid from Bats

2x Canine Horde

11x Carrion Crows

1x Claws of the Dead

3x Taste of Vitae

//Many times I wanted to remove the claws but i is a maneuver and could be used to kill tye cooper and ponticulus

The deck is fun but hard to play, every decision is important as is every action is also. But that is what you get when not running dominate :-P

If you want to try it do it and you can also do a more girlish version with Nana and ashur tablets, the way Anders runs it, but then I recommend to cut a lot of reactions.

//Randyman

Obvious but useful thought

In games having exact knowledge of what your strategy is and what resources you have is essential to maximize your play. Therefore knowing exactly what you have in your ash heap, your hand, and your library is too good not practice.

Evolving or mastering this is a very good way of becoming a better player. And if you do currently can't have an exact card count of your library and ash heap, start your training by trying to remember your hand and playing (as in planning your turn, reacting and acting) with your cards put down.

//

Randyman

All Stockholm tournaments 2008-2012

This is a brave attempt to summarize all tournaments held in Stockholm, Sweden, the past four years. Unfortunatelly some information is missing – if you know more, please let us know!

If the list of the finalists are with >-signs, that is the actual seating order.

Obedience Stockholm, March 15th 2008, 17 players
Finalists: Vasilis P > Ivan M-R > Henrik I > Robert D > Magnus E
Winner: Ivan M-R with Amarvati+Mata Hari breed-boon

Strained Vitae Supply Stockholm, May 10th 2008, 8 players
Finalists: Robert R > Michael H > Erik T > Henrik K > Jonas H
Winner: Jonas H (5 vp) with [unknown deck]

The Death of My Conscience Stockholm, September 30th 2008, 13 players
Finalists: Henrik K > Magnus K > Erik T > Jens J > Randal R
Winner: Randal R (3 vp) “Princes with obfuscate” Malk-Nos-vote

Confusion Stockholm, September 30th 2008, 14 players
Finalists: Robert D, Alex T, Magnus K, Vassilis P, Tomas W
Winner: Magnus K (5 vp) with ”Pander vote”

Dolphin Black Stockholm, December 6th 2008, 13 players
Finalists: Jonas H, Randal R, Tomas W, Wiktor B, Jonas S
Winner: Jonas H (3 vp) with [unknown deck]

Deny Stockholm, February 28th 2009, 14 players
Finalists: Robert D (1 vp), Randal R, Robert R, Jonas H (1 vp), Erik G (3 vp)
Winner: Erik G with “Blood of the Rabbat” Setite-sb w Rabbat bloat

Improvised Flamethrower Stockholm, March 21th 2009, 10 players
Finalists: Viktor W, Patrik N, Erik T, Alexander B (2 vp), Tomas W (1 vp)
Winner: Erik T (2 vp) with “Punmatra Lutzonance” Malkavian vote

Abandoning the Flesh Stockholm, May 2nd 2009, 10 players
Finalists: Caroline H, Robert D, Jonas H (1 vp), Ivan M-R, Henrik K
Winner: Henrik K (4 vp) with “Who needs Deep Song?” dom-ani-weenies

Stolen Police Cruiser Stockholm, June 21st 2009, 12 players
Finalists: Jonas H, Randal R, Robert D (1 vp), Ivan M-R, Magnus K
Winner: Ivan M-R (4 vp) with ”Goratix Jailhouse” Goratrix wall w aus-weenies

100 kr för köttfärsen, August 22 2010, 12 players
Finalist: Unknown.
Winner: Jonatan Sjöberg with “Lasse Royaltys” Lasombra vote

Sire's Index Finger Stockholm, September 13th 2009, 8 players
Finalists: Robert D (2 vp), Tomas W, Micael L, Alex T, Henrik K
Winner: Tomas W (3 vp) with [unknown deck]

Wormwood Stockholm, September 26th 2009, 9 players
Finalists: Erik L, Henrik K, Isak B-E, Ivan M-R, Pio W
Winner: Erik L (best ranking, final timed out with no ousts) with [unknown deck]

Truth of a Thousand Lies Stockholm, 17 October 2009, 8 players
Finalists: Daniel R, Daniel H, Robert D, Henrik K, Tomas W
Winner: Unknown.

Massai Blood Milk Stockholm, May 2 2010, 10 players
Finalists: Jens J (0,5 vp), Patrik N (1 vp), Kristofer Å (0,5 vp), Robert D, Henrik K
Winner: Henrik K (1,5 vp) with [unknown deck]

Break the Code Stockholm, May 22 2010, 16 players
Finalists: Alexander B (Vignes powerbleed, 1 vp) > Jens J (Dom-Obf sb, 1 vp) > Daniel T (Lawfirm) > Isak B-E (Kiasyd sb) > Caroline H
Winner: Caroline H (3 vp) with “Fransisco wanted to be a papa” Lasombra breed-bloat

Perpetual Care Stockholm, Oct 10 2010, 15 players
Finalists: Amalia M (1 vp) > Johan F (1 vp) > Daniel H > Pio W > Caroline H
Winner: Caroline H (3 vp) with “I want to build a block deck, too” AUS-ANI-FOR-wall

Fee Stake: Stockholm, December 26 2010, 10 players
Winner: Tomas Wallmur “Henry's Influence” anarch toolbox

Framing of an Ancient Grudge Stockholm, Apr 17 2011, 8 players
Finalists: Ivan M-R (0,5 vp), Marcus B (0,5 vp), Henrik K, Fredrik F (0,5 vp), Tomas W (0,5)
Winner: Henrik K (1,5 vp)

Poison the Well of Life Stockholm, Oct 29 2011, 19 players
Finalists: Daniel T (1 vp), Michael H (1 vp), Alexander B, Marcus B, Jens J
Winner: Marcus B (3 vp) with "Yet another Imbued deck winning a tournament" (Ventrue toolbox)

Total War Stockholm, February 25 2012, 18 players
Finalists: Alexander B (1,5 vp), Isak E-B (0,5 vp), Jens J (0,5 vp), Erik M (0,5 vp), Jonas H
Winner: Alexander B (1.5 vp) with “Geezers will find powerbleed”

Loki's Gift Stockholm, March 24th 2012, 13 players
Finalists: Jens J > Alexander B (Geezers sb) > Magnus K (Dragonbreath-breed) > Michael H (Khazars) > Robert D (Girls will find aids, 2 vp)
Winner: Jens J (3 vp) with “Govern down” dom-obf-sb

Never respect thine elders

We all have them. Every single playgroup have a player, or a few players, that play more, are better, and will most likely have a bigger chance of winning the current game then others on the table. In Stockholm we are blessed with quite a few very good players. The majority of the players have been playing forever and the newer ones are doing very good. But still there are games where that player is more likely to win.

And then there are the players who not only have been playing forever, but also have been playing together forever. Based on years and years of earlier experience playing with these people one has a tendency to play slightly different, talking different, and to some extent acting different when one of the others is someone you have been playing with since 1994. I would like to call this a form of respect, or fear or admiration, which might give that player an advantage against the others.

The combination of the above is something that I believe is a big reason that some of the players around the world keep on winning game after game after game.

One example is me, Randal Rudstam. I have been playing for a very long time, not 1994 but still, and I’m a pretty good player. The years I lack with the really old players I make up with the fact that I have been demoing this game to a lot of beginners and teaching them how to play. This gives me a advantage – people are evolving and sees me less and less as an authority figure, but it is still there and I can see it once in a while.

Another example is a man named Erik Torstensson. He a very good friend of mine and a very, very good player – some would say he is the best player having won two of the biggest international turnaments there are. His extensive playing and years of tournament wins gives him a very special position when sitting down at a table of V:tES. He has a lot of respect of the Swedish V:tES community, and that and the fact that he is a immensely good player grants him a lot of gamewins.

In my case I can´t really complain much – one does like to win right? – but I have on several occasions been irritated, not at Erik himself, but at games where Erik has been, in my opinion, handed the win by others that could have gone for the oust or not taken that deal which gave Erik the game. But as with Erik I can see how others that I play with could be less happy with me at a table and a player or two who respects me a little too much.

The lesson of the day is that past experiences and accomplishments, teaching the game to other included, is no reason to assume a player currently is playing at his or her best. This game is a lot about being up to date with meta and slaking, i.e not playing for a while, does lessen your skill.

I try to never assume a player will be better than me or treat him or her any differently just because I know the player has done well in the past.

/Randyman