Round 1
Alex Gyhlesten (Euralye & friends) -> Robert Doktorow (Weenie Presence) -> Me -> Ola ? (Blood Brothers Kiev Circle bloat and bleed)
This game I never really had a chance. I was bled heavily, Pentexed and Mind Numbed to death. Alex had a terrible crypt draw (his first 6 vampires were 4xEuralye and 2xKieth Moody) and he didn't get Heidelberg Castle. Ola put some pressure on him as well. Robert had his back free and got an easy table sweep.
Robert Gw 4Vp
Round 2
Daniel ? (Tzimisce toolbox) -> Isak Bjärmark Esbjörnsson (Girls will find..) -> Tomas ? (Giovanni powerbleed) -> Me -> Jonas ? (Some kind of Brujah Celerity combat)
Also a quick game for me but this time some of my destiny was in my own hands. Tomas was early scared of Isak and he tried to deal with me deflecting bleeds to him. This was a really difficult moment for me because I had no Deflections in my hand. Of course I couldn't out that but on the same time pretending to be willing to accept the deal in a near future could be my only rescue of being bled out by his four vampires. I told him I would like to see how the game turned out for a while before making my decision and I got an easy round. I tried desperately to cycle cards because a single deflection would probably have given me my first vp as Jonas didn't do anything and started to go low on pool. However I saw no Deflection and in the following round I was bled out. Tomas then drew very few bleed cards and he couldn't oust Jonas before Isak ousted him and then Isak had an easy drive home.
Isak Gw 4Vp
Tomas 1Vp
Round 3
Me -> Ralf Lammert (Legacy of Pander) -> Magnus ? (!Salubri wall) -> Randal Rudstam (Ani/Pro tap&bleed&block) Mikael Grane (War Ghouls)
Ralf got a good start being the only voter on the table. Magnus was low on pool and it was a critical moment where I decided to go all out against Ralf. He played three Telepathic Misdirecions in that round and Magnus was defenately withing ousting range. I played a Delaying Tactics on Ralf's Kine Resources Contested the following turn but he then outed his first Conservative Agitation and the first Victory Point was his. The War Ghouls kept rushing me but my famed Arcadian only went to torpor once because I drew all Fae Contortions at the right moments and he didn't play any manoeuvres. I actually killed two War Ghouls with Earth Swords and Target Vitals to my predator's great surprise and annoyance. Randal played very good and he blocked almost everything Ralf did. Mikael did his best rushing and bleeding my but I survived his rushes and deflected his bleeds to Ralf and when my library got near to the end I managed to oust Ralf. Randal then got Codex of the Edenic Groundskeepers (a card he borrowed from me before the tournament) and with Heidelberg Castle he could easily bleed out both Mikael and me. I made a mistake not destroying the codex with the Anarch Troublemaker while I could but I doubt that it should have had any impact on the results.
Randal Gw 3Vp
Me 1Vp
Ralf 1Vp
Even with a pretty quick and powerful deck that I played I didn't manage to succeed with my goals. There is nothing really wrong about my deck although I'm going to change some minor things in it. The two Taste of Vitae is going to be another Deflection and another Conditioning. I never used the tastes in the tournament and there is room for more bounce and bleed. The real problem is that this deck is not quick enough when facing many other destructive and quicker decks. It also has problems facing wall decks and if it contained more stealth I would maybe have had a chance of a game win in the last game. Perhaps there is room for a Shadow Play or two in the deck. Since I also was almost out of cards in the last game it maybe should go up to around 80. I will modify the deck slightly and keep it and try again.
I feel I learned some during the tournament and hopefully I will be able to bring that knowledge with me and become a better player. In the first round I couldn't do anything but not many first preys of a good weenie presence deck can. In the second round I should probably have been able to talk the table into letting me survive long enough to oust my prey. The third game's mistake together with my library being ousted made it an impossible task at the end.
Even if I was ousted very early in the two first games I had a fun tournament and hopefully I will return stronger next time.
Great report Stefan.
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