[RedDwarf]

After a few technical issues, I've finally managed to connect to the Internet, so I can start posting updates...

Biermeister

Last night we had the Biermeister. Six players, two from Denmark, two from the Netherlands and two home grown players. Will wouldn't let me play, otherwise we would have had seven players...

I just sat there watching. I should have taken notes, but I was sulking.

While we're waiting for the results to be entered, he is what I remember...

Soren was undefeated after four rounds, playing a Klingon deck. Will came second, and Peter third. Those Danes know how to drink!

Auwerd had an interesting strategy. He planned to lose (using Up the Ante), so that his opponents would be forced to drink more beer. This shall hereafter be known as the "Up the Ante stratagem" and is likely to result in WBA rule change...

[RedDwarf]

Second Edition Continental Championships

We have 12 players:
6 English
2 Danish
2 German (included one adopted American)
1 Czech
1 Dutch

I'll post deck lists tomorrow, but the affiliations being played:

1
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
1

edit: I misread a deck list. The TNG deck is actually a TNG / Klingon deck.

After the first round; Soren, Stuart, Vlad, Steve, Will, Thomas & Tyler all have 3 victory points (earned byes mean there are more winners than losers)

[RedDwarf]

Round 3 is underway.

Thomas, Steve and Vlad have 6 points, Soren had a modified win in the first round and is just behind them with 5 victory points.

So far, three of the English players have lost both of their games. I'm hanging my head in shame.

Best of all, we are only 30 minutes behind schedule at the moment.

[Iron Mike]

Is the Thomas you mention Thomas Schneider, honorary Sydney player?

If so, then may he go well!

[RedDwarf]

Is the Thomas you mention Thomas Schneider, honorary Sydney player?

Yes, it is indeed that Thomas.

The standings after three games:

9 Vlad
8 Soren
7 Steve, Peter, Tyler, Auwerd, Thomas
5 Stuart, Nick, Will
3 Danny, Doug

You'll now notice that the last five players are English. They are really pleased to now be playing each other. At least some of them will get a win this round

Round 4 is now underway.

[ZodoJats]

Go Vlad Go!

[Helmp]

Go Auwerd Go! From all the fans in the Netherlands!

[RedDwarf]

You'll now notice that the last five players are English. They are really pleased to now be playing each other. At least some of them will get a win this round

Typical! I write this, and then Nick and Will tie. Nick completes a mission and is winning 80-75. He then chooses to lose 5 points to destroy A Few Minor Difficulties before discovering that he can't fly his ship. Then I called time.

Round 4 is over. While I compute the pairings, everyone else is taking a quick lunch break.

current standings:
11 Vlad
10 Peter, Tyler, Thomas
9 Soren
8 Auwerd, Steve
7 Nick, Will
6 Doug, Stuart
4 Danny

[LORE]

What affiliations are the top 3 guys (so far) playing?

[RedDwarf]

What affiliations are the top 3 guys (so far) playing?

The top 3 decks are , &

The bottom 3 decks are , &

In round 5, Doug completed a mission and then shortly after Power Shifted all the points away. That's how you lose 100-0 in style!

Vlad has asked me to pass on his greetings to his girlfriend who should be tracking his progress through these forums. :waves:

In round 6, Vlad is playing Tyler for the (probable) honour of taking the first seed tomorrow. Having traveled from Denmark together, Peter and Soren are also playing. Meanwhile the English players at the bottom are just happy when they draw a ship. Where is the facepalm emoticon when you need it?

[RedDwarf]

Round 6 is over. Vlad beat Tyler and now has 17 victory points (yes, thats right. Vlad had a modified win in the fourth round. It turns out that he is not invincible after all.) Thomas is just behind him though, with 16 points. Both are hoping their final round opponents beat them.

Current standings:

1 Vladimir Vrbata
2 Thomas Schneider
3 Tyler Fultz
4 Soren Ramme Nielsen
5 Auwerd Bijker
6 Stuart Motley
7 Steve Upton
8 Peter H. Møller
9 Nicholas Yankovec
10 William Hoskin
11 Doug Hughes
12 Daniel Giddings

The final round is now underway. I've decided that the top 64 will qualify for day two tomorrow. This will mean that each player will receive a couple of byes tomorrow, but the bracket should look really good

[nagisteve]

I discovered today that I am only capable of beating other english players. Give me a foreign opponent and I got nothing. Tomorrow should be interesting!!

[jjh]

Congrats to the Top 12. May all your dilemmas hit tomorrow.

[Big Borg]

I discovered today that I am only capable of beating other english players. Give me a foreign opponent and I got nothing. Tomorrow should be interesting!!

That is interesting. What seems to be the differences in playing style between the Brits and
other players?

[RedDwarf]

Sorry for the delay. After the final round, we had an impromptu Infinite Diversity Draft.

but, first things first... the day two bracket looks like this:

Vlad vs Auwerd
Soren vs Peter
Tyler vs Sturart
Thomas vs Steve

Thomas ended up losing his final game, while Vlad won so Vlad fiished three points clear. Thomas was second, courtesy of a victory over Tyler (who finished third), while the two Danes, Soren and Peter, finished fourth and fifth respectivly.

I'll be adding today's decklists while they are playing tomorrow.

Infinite Diversity Draft

Eight players. One pub.

Due to a small mistake on my part, there were three Dominion War draft packs and five Classic TNG packs. Still, we made it work. I thought I had it made when I drafted two copies of Conflict, a Surprise Amity and Uninvited. Unfortunately, my mission selection wasn't great. Dumb Klingons and Cunning missions don't mix well. Also, It isn't wise to play the U.S.S. Dauntless when you only have one command icon personnel in play.

In my first game, Will played Jem'Hadar Entrenchment (adding 2 Leadership to my mission) on a mission that already required 2 Leadership. Unfortunately, just before that, I had discarded personnel totalling 5 leadership, and would have to draw through my entire deck so that I could shuffle them back in. When time was called we were tied at 35 points each. I wanted to use Surprise Amity to stop his multiple attempts at his second mission, but would have to lose 5 points so that I could play it. I used Conflict to do just that, and then had a last gasp 14-personnel attempt at Transport Crash Survivors. Will stopped a few personnel, but through a sheer fluke I still had 16 different skills at the end. Modified Win.

In game two, I played Thomas. I downloladed my cheap 4-cost ship not noting that it only had 7 Range. That prevented me from being able to fly to and from my Planet mission in the same turn. Considering I went to attempt it without the mission skills, I'm amazed the game was close at all. Fortunatetly, my interrupts managed to stall Thomas for a couple of turns, and I was able to catch up. I even had a chance to win the game. Thomas had completed Track Survivors earlier in the game and scored the additional 5 points for not having a perosnnel with an attribute above 6. I thought I could complete Transport Crash Survivors for 30 points and then do the same at my copy of the mission. Unfortunately, my dumb Klingons were too strong! I had to send one along on the attempt (to prevent Transport Crash Survivors triggering), and consequently finished with 65 points. I had burnt all my interrupts on the previous turn, so Thomas auto-completed his second mission for the win. Full Loss.

I played Auwerd in round three. He was playing three 30 point missions, and using Raise the Stakes to score an additional 5 points with each mission. Despite my Conflicts, I just couldnt stop enough personnel with my dilemmas, and Auwerd eased through his missions with ease - including a 4 personnel completion after I stopped a bunch of personnel with In-Development. Full Loss.

In the End, Stuart was undefeated and won the tournament.

Roll on day two (as I type, starting in 8 hours)