Anastasia Kalashnikova (Ashbey) Tournament Report - 2E - Delphic Expanse Regional 2013-04-14 - 10:00 AM Imperial Space Marines Introduction Well, initially I planned to play at Regional with my new Voyager deck, which I exetensevly tested last 2 months and which brought me to 2 place in our playgroup last online tournament. But, alas, the package with all the main crew was stopped at Russian border (along with 500 tons of other packages from abroad). I think Chakotays are still there, destroying events in desperate attempt to unstop the package... Anyway, I reverted back to my mirror starfleet deck, which brought me to 3rd place at last-year regional: guys with cool uniforms, crazy attributes, able to complete any mission with any four guys - but with several major flaws... Round 1 kate gorbova MW (+20) Kate had very strong deck. I mean it: it was upgraded version of the Cadet deck, which had won last-year regional. But Kate played it only once or twice before, so for her it was more like learning session, than competitive game. But she was very quick learner. It all seemed like easy walk in the beginning, but turned out to become hard struggle with bloody massacre of brave Imperial MACO, trying to secure strategic base, and cadets, forcing their way through 40-pointers like Luther Sloan through butter... I mean through Occupational Hazards and Rogue Borg Ambush. Mirror Ezri Dax changed sides 3 times and finally Kate killed her for "whoring"... My last attempt, which could give me Full win, was stopped by Acccelerated Aging. The first Major Flaw checked. Round 2 Juri Ross ML (-20) I played against Juri several years ago at Russian Star trek convention. It was my first Star trek CCG experience and real agonizing encounter: I hardly managed to score any points in 5 or 6 games. So I was ready to bet big money (you know, all these fancy little pieces of paper... nothing common with Nick Korotya) on Ross's victory at this year regional. I was afraid of him... but obviously he had unlucky draw - so when I went for automated repair station, only one cascade virus had been played. Solved it (despite insurrection), went to Retrive Materiel, failed first attempt with significant overcome - and still no sign of dreadful Maquis menace... And then he played Biogenic Weapon... Secured Strategic Base in 1 attempt, shuffled biogenic weapon, went for full win - and got 2nd Insurrection (another Major Flaw checked) and 2nd Biogenic weapon. It was the end: all my attempts to destroy sphere network or biogenic weapon was effectively stopped or prevented. Meanwhile, Yuri managed to complete planet mission and won some engagements for modified win. Fun and exciting game! Round 3 Dyonis Rakhl FW (+30) I love to play against Dyonis - for his non-Munchkin playstyle and honorable attitude. He played some kind of Klingon Riker Sword, but I managed to hold him at Investigate Alien probe for several turns. Meanwhile my deck worked perfectly - all missions were completed in 2 attempts each and with 4-personnel teams in last attempt - just as I intended. There were no any single TCS in whole regional - so, surprisingly, third Major flaw was not checked. He didnt played any events or interrupts except single copy of surprise party: I shuffled it three times, but it always went on top of the deck. When the time was almost out I went for last mission with 4 guys and 33 cunning. He gave me SI - and for 5 minutes calculated all their attribute bonuses, trying to find any way to stop terran dominance. No chance - T'Pol (or, as I call her, female Spock) effectively replaced treacherous Hoshi as captain's woman. So, long live Emperor Johnathan I The Klingon Slayer. PREVIEW: WILL MIGHTY TERRAN EMPIRE BE ABLE TO SUPRESS SOONG-TYPE ANDROIDS UPRISING? WILL SACRIFICATION OF LAL MAKE EMPRESS TPOL CRY? WILL TERRAN MERCHANTS GET ENOUGH AQUSITION SKILL TO TRADE STARSHIP DEFIANT TO GREAT NAGUS FOR FULL WIN AND DELPHIC EXPANCE CHAMPIONSHIP? YOU ARE DOOMED - THE CLOSING PART OF THE REPORT IS COMING! Round 4 Nastya Ryzhikova FW (+70) We played against Nastya at our first Regional, and back then we both played the same affiliations (she played the very same deck). It was very close game last year, and giving her fantastic performance at current Regional, I was really nervous. Top 2 cards of my draw deck apeared to be watchdogs, and this was the only game, where I had watch dog played and more than 2 events in my core at the same time. She was pretty fast and managed to complete space mission before I did. She did that in 2 attempts, forcing her way through moral choice, reflections, SI taking out Data, Lore placed on Hard time and Gomtuu shock wave, which was solved after desperate sacrification of Lal, which gave Android brothers 2nd Diplomcy and more than enough integrity. And then AK-47 started to shoot... I solved 3 missions in 2 turns. Automated repair station - 4 guys on 3 dilemmas and Standard Punishment. Retrieve materiel - Nastya give me Stupify+Rogue Borg ambush, but I solved it with Dvela destroying 2 copies of Preeminent Precision (say goodbye to Phoenix), I downloaded and placed into play 3rd copy of Trellium-D. Despite of that, when I went for Destroy Sphere Network with 12 personnel, she gave me Breaking the Ice... Hail to Empress TPol The Cruel Dismantler of Androids! And then Nastya's husband came, longing for retaliation... and for PROFIT! Round 5 Oleg Ryzhikov FL (-40)