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WC1999 PaulSheward

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

B5CCG::Black Omega Squadron::tournament reports

World Championships 1999

By Paul Sheward

OK, for what its worth, here's my two penneth about the world championship. 

 

Saturday - The Qualifier 

Germans, lots and lots of Germans. 
A bizarre twist of fate saw 3 of the 5 of us, Richie, Ty, Cliff, James and myself all playing Centauri which meant that at least one of us wasn't going to qualify.

My first round game saw me up against the eventual winner on the day Thomas Reil playing a Human Diplomacy deck and one of the Aussies with a pretty straightforward Minbari Military deck using Neroon. At one point I had the game one and offered my 'card', i.e. the co-op points to Thomas in exchange for non-interference in my game winning conflict. Him being German I thought it'd be a pretty safe bet. However, Thomas declined my offer as he had the game winning cards in his hand and proceeded to use them. A total nightmare. From 1st to 3rd. Ah well, a wasted journey I thought. Particularly when I found out that 3 of the other Centauri players including Cliff and Marcel had both won their opening games.

Round 2

This saw me up agains Collin Bergermeistre, revenge is a dish best served cold, playing a Non-Aligned Military deck. Unfortunately both the Narns and Minbari were also playing military so he was in for a tough time. The Narn player moved out into what appeared to be an unassailable lead and with gloom mounting I made a deal which would see me get the co-op points in the event that he won. However, WANI hit and the Narn deck stalled, wot no conflicts. Slowely but surely I clawed myself back into the game then, joy of joys, the Human player gets of an Impasse. I'm on 18 influence, the narn are on 19 and I have the Euphrates Treaty in my hand and Centauri Prime in play for the win. Got ya! I'm thinking. Onto the next turn 'Conflicts' N/A - No, Human - No, Minbari - No, Centauri - Yes, Narn - No.. 
'TIME' Kevin shouts. Arghhhhhh !! Its there, on the table, the game winning card, but it hasn't been revealed. 'Sorry its not in play, so it doesn't resolve.' rules Kevin. So I have to settle for joint 2nd and the co-ops. 
16.5 points from 2 games. Things are looking black. Ty's had a similar sort of day so we retreat to the bar and say the word 'Bollocks!' a lot.

Round 3

Ok, must win this to stand any chance at all. Who's sat at the table but Carsten Zircler, the 'other' finalist from Antwerp. But he's looking glum. He's had a really bad day!  Odd thing is, I don't remember an awful lot about this game. In fact, nothing at all. Dunno if it was nerves or what, but it all seems a complete blank.  Anyway, I managed to get the win leaving me on 32.5 points for the 3 games. Not enough I thought.  I was wrong. Cliff had had a bad final round and dropped back. Marcel had 35 points and as far as we could work out, nobody else was close. 

Kevin then confirmed it, I'd made it through !

Need beer !!!!!!

 

Sunday - The World Championship

Germans playing tag team B5. 
The day started with lots of chipper Germans having a rapid bout of the glums when Kev announced that each player would play a different deck in each of the 3 rounds.  Oh how their little faces fell !! :)  First off I get Non-Aligned!

Round 1

Two Germans, Harri from Finland and the same Aussie I played in the first round the previous day. A tight game It came down to a Steve Gold like manoeuver which got me the win. Tied on 18 power with Harri and no WANI in play there are two Impasses in play, one mine one belonging to the Humans. After hitting  Revenge and a bit of Non-Aligned Defence in Depth we're both on 21 power but my Impasse is going to get me 2 and the win. At this point the other players agree that if they stop my Impasse then Harri and I are tied and the game will go on. So this is what they do. Unfortunately, the Human players Impasses is suppported and then ignored so it goes through and I have the Diplomatic Intrusion in my hand which takes out Harri's Revenge and relegates him from joint 1st to 4th.  It was a shame to have to do that to him as he was a friendly bloke and a good player. He'll have another chance I'm sure.

Round 2

25 players, 5 Brits.... and now three of us on the same table. 

Me (Centauri), Richie and Steve together with Dave from the USA and Steve the Aussie champ! 
Basically this game went down to case of having to either trust Richie whilst he was busy shagging me senseless, after getting bored with James [makes a change from Ty then -BM-] obviously, or having my head explode. I chose the latter. Trust Richie... you must be joking !!! <wink>  Steve Gold's win saw me get a hard fought second with the co-op points. I know, sounds unbelievable doesn't it, Steve giving me co-ops, but its true!!! Even the little pixies saw it [didn't realise that James was watching -BM]!!

A win and a second + co-ops, so I'm in with a shout of the final !

Round 3

Oh no, not again..... 

Me, Hadyn, Steve G, Steve the Aussie and a sad wee German who is disturbed to find that he and I are both playing Narn. Can 'Anne Franke' [it's called Anne Franke cos it never leaves the attic in case we beat it up -BM-] do the German in a dual race punch-up.  You bet...  Out of the blocks like a startled rabbit. Before the other Narn deck knows what's happening, Ko-Dath, Narn and 4 fleets have hit the table. Anne Franke is rolling and there is little anyone can do to stop her. Steve G gets a reciprocal dose of co-op points and I get the win. Next stop the final.

The Final

OK, so its Antwerp but reversed, me and 4 Germans. 

2nd overall meant I would get 2nd choice of race, but Marco had 3 wins and chose Narn as his first pick. So Anne Franke wouldn't get a chance to show her stuff in the final.

So it would have to be the non-aligned. Going with the Minbari option, for entertainment value, the deck relies on a decent draw, something I was destined not to get.  Dave from the US will be producing a detailed report of the final, so I'll leave that to him. Suffice it to say that I was playing catch-up from early on and with the distinct lack of interactiveness from the Germans, it was always going to be an uphill struggle. Funny thing is, after getting a bunch of crap in my first half-dozen draws I just sort of chilled out and enjoyed the game as there wasn't an awful lot I could do about it. Tapping ["rotating" damn, haven't I taught you anything :-) -BM-]  Delenn with Hedronn certainly gave me and the assembled spectators a chuckle :)  Anyway, last in the World Final, but hey, I got there and that was far further than I was expecting after the 1st game on Saturday.

Thanks to all the lads for there support of the weekend and since, you know who you are. Thanks to Collin for the drink and to Thomas, probably the best German player I've met. And thanks to Kevin for running a great tournament, we'll see you next year.

TTFN

Paul S. 

 

 

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