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Euro Championship 2000

Page history last edited by Bruce Mason 12 years, 6 months ago

 

B5CCG::Black Omega Squadron::tournament reports

Babylon 5 European Championship final, Manchester, September 3rd

Before the final started off, there was a discussion about a possible time limit. With the 7.5 hours long UK final still fresh in memory, the players wanted it timed, but not if a Drakh full mob deck was present. After everybody promised not to play one, the players and Rangers decided that the game would be timed somewhere between 20.30 and 21.00 h, exact time known to the Rangers only. It was an interesting final, but with a remarkable high number of mistakes by all the players.

At 16.30 hours game started with Andrew Watson playing Refa, Steve Gold playing G'Kar (extra card), Sven Burgemeestre starting with Miziri Tal, Ian Richards with Neroon and Richard Willis with Captain Sheridan (extra card).

First turn saw an Euphrates Treaty from the Narn and a Show the Colours from the Minbari, conscripting a First Battle Fleet. OOPF was played by the Centauri, Narn and Humans. Non-Aligned played Rule by the Masses.

Second and third turn saw only a few OOPF conflicts and Legacy's were popping out. The fourth turn saw again a Show the Coulors by Ian which would bring him to 12 influence while the others were still at 6 to 8. The other players mourned and Andrew tried to make deals with Richie, but it wasn't enough. At this point Richie noticed that Andrew again, as in the UK final, had his Courtier lying between his agenda and his ambassador and asked him to change this . Andrew mocked but gave in, muttering: 'You do it a bizar way, the way it is in the rulebook'.

Turn five saw the Centauri Border Raided by the Minbari. Ian revealed Full Mob, the other players sighted, Richie called Ian the non-Drakh Drakh player and Andrew repeated a few times that he had absolutely no problem with this and that it was totally legal. Nevertheless, Ian now with 14 influence was the target for the coming turns.

While repeating that he needed a major Ian initiated a Gunboat targetting the NA. Now the others were seriously working together, but the few fleets and even Eye of the Storm didn't stop Ian from getting to 16 influence, with Andrew at 7, the others at 10. It Stops Here was played on the Gunboat.

Turn seven saw everybody working against Ian, Steve targetting him with a Test Their Mettle, Sven with a Diplomatic Intrusion. Ian himself had an Attack B5. Ian had no defense against everybody working together, got a Be Seeing You for his Attack B5, lost 1 influence and had a blanked agenda for three additional turns, also meaning he had to rotate characters (only his ambassador at this point) again to sponsor stuff.

Turn eight saw War Crimes Trial by the NA and Ian, still confused by the last turn, targetted the NA with a Limited Strike, which fizzled because there was no tension of 3. This turn Ian played For My People and the others muttered 'Rise to Power'.

In turn nine Sven had a Consolidated Position, which Andrew immediately read three times and then was impressed, Richie asked twice during the turn if they were gonna stop it and both times he was reminded that only NA charcters could participate. Ian tried an Establish Base, but under the motto 'when Full Mob comes online again' the others stopped it and got Reverse Adances on his Legacy. Steve had an Impasse which everybody ignored, so he went on to 12 influence. Ian was on 15, Sven on 11, Richie and Andrew on 10.

The Impasse seemed foolish because Full Mob would 'come online' earlier, until Andrew noticed that everybody except Ian had a Hidden Treasury and thought about playing Prey. Ian threatened with a Reverse Advances on Andrew's Legacy. Andrew changed his mind, but Sven, having an Unfounded Rumours, played the Prey. So everybody except Ian gained one.

Now, in turn eleven things really started, with Full Mob online again Ian was the obvious target again, but he pointed that they should watch out for Steve. Steve played Aggressive Action targetting Ian, Andrew Prey and Richie an Officer Exchange. Ian and Sven had no conflict. Now it was time for cheese. First came an Exploration for one influence by Steve which was Kullenbrakked (nice word) by Sven and Steve used his second Hidden Treasury. Then he brought in Na'Mel and killed Andrews Prey. Ian, shouting out 'See, Ian is going to win this turn', played STG and the Liberate/NMTB/Hidden Treasury festival between Steve and Ian started. Steve somehow managed to gain 2 influence from it while Ian gained nothing. When they were done Andrew also had an STG, which remained untouched. Andrew and Richie saw Steve running away from them and thus made him promise to let Ian lose from the Aggressive Action. The discussion leading to this promise took so much time that Neil decided to take control of the game, speeding it up and stopping all the stupid mistakes. Andrew supported the Aggressive Action and Twisted the Knife on it, which wasn't appreciated by Steve and Richie. It got him to 13 influence, with Steve up to 16, Ian back to 14, Sven still on 13 and Richie, winning the Officer Exchange now on 12.

Turn 12 started with Neil determining intrigue, no what was it, ah initiative ! (OK, it was a long weekend and he had already dropped the Ruling God enthousiasm long ago). Andrew played Disruption, Steve Aggressive Action targetting Ian again and Ian had an Annex. No conflicts from Sven and Richie. This turn Andrew saw his chances on the title going down when Sven played a Soul Hunter getting back Na'Mel and negating Disruption. Not much chance for intrigue conflicts anymore, so Andrew played Commerce Raiding followed by two Zathras's to prevent cheesing by others. Sven reacted by also playing a Zathras' (which displeased Neil, rulings would be needed). Just two conflicts left and the table was able to make Steve lose his conflict, giving him also a Reverse Advances on his Legacy, and to bring the Annex to Be Seeing You range. So nobody in winning range, but still Ian didn't trust his fellow players, proven by his words to Richie: 'Technically you're indirectly lying' and played WANI. By the end of the turn Steve was on 16, Andrew and Ian on 14, Sven on 13 and Richie on 12.

In turn 13 Andrew initiated an Infiltrate and Exploit conflict and with the Soul Hunter still in play he would make Steve lose one. Still Sven made him promise not to Twist the Knife. Steve played Don't You Trust me on Sven, Ian had a Carve and Richie an Officer Exchange. Nobody really trusted each other now and 'The early Zathras' catches through' rule was needed. Richie, who was in last place tried to catch up by playing Earth, but saw it replaced with the Roam the Stars by Sven. Ian was planning something, playing For My People and a Media Character followed by a Well Publized during resolution. All conflicts were winning and Ian promised Sven the Carve point if he made Steve lose from Don't You Trust Me. Now Ian was leading with 15 influence, Richie was at 13 and the others all at 14.

Turn 14, and the timed end was getting closer. So, a Rally the People from Sven, an Annex from Ian, another Officer Exchange from Richie and Andrew again I&E to make Ian lose one, while mumbeling something when asked to play no aftermaths. Steve had no conflict, but came up with a Taking Credit on the Annex. He didn't take the Rally, because I didn't look that it would get more than one influence. When however Chosen of God (Pak'ma'ra) and Megalopolis turned up, Steve took out a Non-Aligned Aide with Tu'Pari to stop Sven from getting more than three from the Rally. Meanwhile everybody thought the Annex was in Be Seeing You range, but Steve had put a fleet in early which was forgotten. So, although he got It Stops Here on the Taking Credit he gained two. Ian played Rise to Power to gain two and Andrew did Twist the Knife this time. Richie won his conflict. So while getting close to the time limit, Sven was leading now with 17 influence, Steve and Ian had 16, Andrew 15 and Richie 14.

In turn 15 Andrew opened the game by initiating a psi conflict against WANI, Sven and Steve both played an Officer Exchange, Ian initiated a Gunboat which fizzled because he had already a copy with It Stops Here on his ambassador and Richie had a Rally which fizzled because he had no destiny mark. Messy play in the finals was again confirmed. Andrew played The Eye, but saw his influence gain directly going back, because Steve Eliminated Commerce Raiding. Sven directly played his copy, but Steve played T&G. Now Sven was going for the push playing STG, which was NMTB by Richie. Andrew activated activated his Zathras's, but it was too late. Neil and Phil called time at exactly 5 second after half past eight (yes, that was predictable). Steve gave some victory scream, because he was the only one with a power agenda out (Support of the Mighty) and Andrew had put in Legacy in the WANI conflict. Resolution round had still to be done, but there were only Be Seeing You for Sven's conflict and Well Publicized for Ian. Thus Steve Gold was the first European Champion ending up at 21 power (17 influence), Sven and Ian were tied second on 17 power, Andrew fourth at 15 and Richie in fifth place with 14 power.

Then we headed for the bar with a very happy European Champion and his fellow Bristol players and the always happy (when they see a bar) Welshmen.This time we didn't need the BO wedge and after a few beers, some discussion about the Euro's next year and some early arrangements for Triples we called it a day. It had been a fine weekend, certainly worth to cross the sea for.

Ewout

 

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