(Tournament report and TWD) Belgian ECQ, Brussels 4/5/2008
Emiliano Imeroni
Here is the report of the Belgian European Championship Qualifier,
which took place in Brussels on Sunday, May 4th.
16 players gather at the Outpost shop, which provides once again an
ideal location. Methuselahs from Belgium and four other countries have
come to dispute the first Belgian ECQ title since 2004. Every player
receives at least one Lords of the Night booster and a set of 11
promos, and more prizes and qualification T-shirts are awarded to
finalists.
The old Belgian glories are all unfortunately in torpor, so the local
delegation is made up of players of good will but little tournament
experience: the final ends up being a Dutch/German affair.
But let us proceed with order!
* The players *
Ed Trollope (Germany), Tzimisce wall with Raptors
Emile Bosman (Netherlands), Giovanni Khazar's Diary allies
Jeroen van Oort (Netherlands), dom/for bleed with Sticks and Target
Vitals
Jörg Alten (Germany), Gangrel Renegade Garou
Laurent Sweert (Belgium), Tzimisce intercept/rush with Horrid Forms
Luc-Olivier Lambermont (Belgium), Giovanni fortitude rush starring
Lorrie
Maciek Bernart (Polish from the UK), Ventrue old school with g3/4
vampires
Michael Heyder (Germany), Tremere/!Tremere necromancy Shambling Hordes
Olivier Mailleux (Belgium), Follower of Set Temptation toolbox
Paul Wiggers (Netherlands), weenie Animalism with Camera Phones
Pierre Tran-Van (France), Eurobrujah with Beast support
Remko van Hierden (Netherlands), !Ventrue with Rico Loco and Bombs
Roel De Coninck (Belgium), Hektor and Armin rush and politics
Ruben Maddens (Belgium), Tremere/!Tremere toolbox
Simon Eisen (Germany), Eurobrujah with Assault Rifles
Sven Helmer (German from the UK), aus/obf Black Hand with Marijava
Thuggees
* Round 1 *
Table 1
Ed (Tzimisce wall) -> Paul (weenie ani) -> Michael (Tremere Shambling
Hordes) -> Roel (Hektor)
The game starts with Ed playing Smiling Jack on turn 1 (it will get
removed by Hektor when there are 3 counters on it). Roel's Hektor
starts quite strongly and hammers Ed with votes, until an anti-Priscus
coalition is formed and Hektor receives the coup de grace by
Rötschreck. After that, Paul's star rises and he manages to oust
everyone in order with his horde of animalism weenies.
Results: Paul 4 VP + GW
Table 2
Jeroen (dom/for bleed) -> Remko (Rico Loco) -> Laurent (Tzimisce
toolbox) -> Pierre (Eurobrujah + Beast)
Jeroen starts by bleeding Remko heavily, until Pierre starts killing
his minions one by one, giving Rico Loco and friends the time to
breathe and regroup, also thanks to the amazing card flow of Remko's
deck. Remko tries to keep Jeroen alive while he ousts Laurent. Jeroen
is ousted soon afterwards, then Remko wins the final duel, also thanks
to the fact that Pierre has exhausted his library.
Results: Remko 3 VP + GW, Pierre 1 VP
Table 3
Olivier (FoS toolbox) -> Ruben (Tremere toolbox) -> Simon (Eurobrujah
Assault Rifle) -> Sven (aus/obf Black Hand)
I do not remember many details here. Ruben snatches his only VP of the
day managing to kill his Eurobrujah prey. Olivier distributes
Temptations back and forth, but can't resist Sven's overwhelming
numbers, so that the Black Hand ends up taking the table.
Results: Sven 3 VP + GW, Ruben 1 VP
Table 4
Jörg (Gangrel Garou) -> Emile (Khazar's Diary) -> Maciek (Ventrue g3/4
old school) -> Luc-Olivier (Giovanni for)
Weird table. Jörg has an amazingly fast start with permanents,
locations and werewolfs, getting basically all his pack of masters out
by turn 4. Maciek also begins very offensively with bleeds, votes and
a Hostile Takeover, and ousts the Giovanni before they can set up any
defense. After an all-killing Ancilla Empowerment gets neutralized,
the table balance starts to shift towards the Gangrel. Maciek thinks
he has no chances against his prey's werewolves and basically decides
to hand his own VP to his predator (Emile is happily surprised) and
give Jörg a less "full" game win.
Results: Jörg 2 VP + GW, Emile 1 VP, Maciek 1 VP
* Round 2 *
Table 1
Pierre (Eurobrujah + Beast) -> Ed (Tzimisce wall) -> Emile (Khazar's
Diary) -> Simon (Eurobrujah Assault Rifle)
Simon has Volker with an Assault Rifle and makes Pierre's minions'
lives quite difficult, despite some help coming from Emile. Ed saves
Pierre's life with an Eagle's Sight, but the result is that Emile gets
his two preys in succession. However Ed has put a Smiling Jack in
play, stays at two pool for ages thanks to The Rack and 2 Vessels, and
when Jack reaches six counters there is not much that Emile can do to
avoid getting ousted.
Results: Ed 2 VP, Emile 2 VP
Table 2
Sven (aus/obf Black Hand) -> Jeroen (dom/for bleed) -> Paul (weenie
ani) -> Maciek (Ventrue g3/4 old school)
The first of Jeroen's two sweeps of the day, but I cannot add details
because I have not followed this table much. Anyone wants to expand?
Results: Jeroen 4 VP + GW
Table 3
Luc-Olivier (Giovanni for) -> Olivier (FoS toolbox) -> Remko (Rico
Loco) -> Michael (Tremere Shambling Hordes)
This table is the "fair of unfaithful vampires". Luc-Olivier's only
two Graverobbings hit play at once, stealing two of Olivier's Setites.
Olivier does not hesitate in playing his own part and stealing
vampires continuously with Temptations. There is a lot of fighting
between Michael and Remko, and the latter is weakened until he has to
capitulate to Olivier. At that point the Hordes start taking control
of the table and Michael gets the game win.
Results: Michael 3 VP + GW, Olivier 1 VP
Table 4
Roel (Hektor) -> Jörg (Gangrel Garou) -> Ruben (Tremere toolbox) ->
Laurent (Tzimisce toolbox)
This table results in total domination by Jörg and his Garous, which
nobody is able to contrast. A quick and smooth sweep for the Gangrel
player.
Results: Jörg 4 VP + GW
* Round 3 *
Ed has to leave after the second round (a problem concerning keys,
rental cars and girlfriend...), so the remaining 15 players are
rearranged in three tables of five.
Table 1
Ruben (Tremere toolbox) -> Luc-Olivier (Giovanni for) -> Maciek
(Ventrue g3/4 old school) -> Pierre (Eurobrujah + Beast) -> Paul
(weenie ani)
One of the most exciting tables, and the only Belgian victory of the
day. Maciek starts strong as usual, and puts Pierre in very bad
conditions with Parity Shift and Kines. However, the turn before
Pierre's probable death, Ignazio Giovanni and Lorrie Dunsirn's
surgical rushes, immediately followed by a Dragonbound, annihilate all
of the Ventrue's thrust, and Luc-Olivier gets his first VP of the day
thanks to Fame + Dragonbound. Paul in the meanwhile can build up
freely and gets rid of his prey without too much difficulty. Pierre
tries to convince Luc-Olivier to leave him alone for a while to face
Paul's menace, and Paul is finally ousted. In the subsequent duel,
Pierre plays with confidence, but fortitude helps the Giovanni and the
Brujah's final attack is hampered by a Direct Intervention on a
crucial Conditioning.
Results: Luc-Olivier 3 VP + GW, Pierre 1 VP, Paul 1 VP
Table 2
Laurent (Tzimisce toolbox) -> Michael (Tremere Shambling Hordes) ->
Simon (Eurobrujah Assault Rifle) -> Jörg (Gangrel Garou) -> Jeroen
(dom/for bleed)
Jeroen sweeps again, this time a 5-player table, and ensures his entry
in the final as first seed. He keeps Jörg's Garous at bay with a wise
use of Target Vitals (as if Assault Rifles were not enough...), and
manages to kill all his preys in succession.
Results: Jeroen 5 VP + GW
Table 3
Remko (Rico Loco) -> Roel (Hektor) -> Olivier (FoS toolbox) -> Sven
(aus/obf Black Hand) -> Emile (Khazar's Diary)
A very "locked down" table. Olivier, his own vampires progressively
killed by Hektor, puts plenty of Temptations in play but he does not
use them until the very end, when there is not enough time to put them
to good use. The clock rings when the table is just about to collapse,
and the half VPs are exactly what Sven and Remko need to access the
final.
Results: everyone 0.5 VP
* Final *
After choosing the seating, the order of play is:
Sven (aus/obf Black Hand) -> Remko (Rico Loco) -> Paul (weenie ani) ->
Jörg (Gangrel Garou) -> Jeroen (dom/for bleed)
I really took a lot of notes during the final, but honestly the slow
and boring pace does not make for a good report. Jeroen chooses his
position certain to be able to keep the Garous in check, as he has
done in round 3, but has not forecast Remko's horrible moment (no
intercept locations, no Rico Loco, all crucial masters Washed or
"Vesseled") that gives Sven an almost free ride (he keeps the edge for
turns and turns). Paul attacks Jörg many times, with the only result
of impacting on his apparently endless series of Earth Melds. The odds
are not in favor of fortitude players, and both of them get ousted in
the last 45 minutes. Paul would probably follow soon, but the two
hours are over and the victory goes to Jörg, who is seeded higher than
Sven.
Results: Jörg 1.5 VP, Sven 1.5 VP, Paul 0.5 VP
* Final standings and qualified players *
1 Jörg Alten 2 GW 6 VP + 1.5 VP final
2 Sven Helmer 1 GW 3.5 VP + 1.5 VP final
2 Paul Wiggers 1 GW 5 VP + 0.5 VP final
2 Jeroen van Oort 2 GW 9 VP + 0 VP final
2 Remko van Hierden 1 GW 3.5 VP + 0 VP final
6 Michael Heyder 1 GW 3 VP
7 Luc-Olivier Lambermont 1 GW 3 VP
8 Emile Bosman 3.5 VP
9 Pierre Tran-Van 2 VP
10 Ed Trollope 2 VP
11 Olivier Mailleux 1.5 VP
12 Ruben Maddens 1 VP
13 Maciek Bernart 1 VP
14 Roel De Coninck 0.5 VP
15 Laurent Sweert 0 VP
16 Simon Eisen 0 VP
The five finalists have qualified for the continental championship.
* Tournament winning deck *
Tournament: Belgian ECQ 2008
Place and date: Brussels, May 4 2008
Number of players: 16
Winner: Jörg Alten
Deck Name: Shape and Gnaw 3.0 (Post-LotN)
Description:
Modified variant with cards from Lords of the Night
Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 3 max: 6 average: 4.17
------------------------------------------------------------
3x Camille Devereux, 5 FOR PRO ani Gangrel:1
3x Chandler Hungerfor 3 PRO Gangrel:2
2x Mirembe Kabbada 5 PRO SER ani Gangrel:2
1x Badger 6 FOR PRO ani pot Gangrel:1
1x Ramona 4 for pro Gangrel:2
1x Anastasia Grey 3 ani pro Gangrel:1
1x Ricki Van Demsi 3 for pro Gangrel:1
Library [65 cards]
------------------------------------------------------------
Action [1]
1x Army of Rats
Action Modifier [4]
4x Earth Control
Action Modifier/Combat [1]
1x Rapid Change
Ally [6]
6x Renegade Garou
Combat [18]
1x Body Flare
1x Boxed In
10x Earth Meld
5x Form of Mist
1x Weighted Walking Stick
Event [2]
1x Dragonbound
1x Narrow Minds
Master [17]
1x Channel 10
2x Direct Intervention
2x Ecoterrorists
1x Fame
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Liquidation
1x Powerbase: Chicago
2x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Sudden Reversal
1x Therbold Realty
1x WMRH Talk Radio
1x Wall Street Night, Financial Newspaper
2x Wash
Reaction [12]
2x Delaying Tactics
2x Instinctive Reaction
1x Keep it Simple
2x On the Qui Vive
3x Sonar
2x Wake with Evening's Freshness
Retainer [4]
1x Mr. Winthrop
3x Raven Spy
* Quotes of the day *
"It is such a good card, you should play more!"
- Jeroen, referring to many a card in his opponents' decks
"Let him learn the hard way"
- Pierre, referring to Laurent's Caliban "deflecting" a superior
Govern with Telepathic Misdirection and ending up in torpor in the
resulting combat.
* Parting words *
A nice and lively tournament, with many offensive decks and a level of
combat quite unheard of in a European qualifier. Just two tables ended
at the time limit (unfortunately one of them being the final) and just
two tables ended without a game win in the preliminary rounds.
Fame was by far the most commonly played card, I think I have seen it
played basically at every table, and often multiple times! Also, many
players were notably playing several copies of Wash. Finally,
remarkable looks appeared on people's faces at Remko's play of his two
copies of Botched Move (?!?).
Thanks to everyone for showing up and helping me run a smooth event. I
hope you all had fun! Thanks to Pierre and Luc-Olivier for their
reports as well, which I have "vampirized" in order to write mine.
It was great to see old and new faces and I hope to meet many of you
again in the following months, possibly in Prague!
Ciao,
Emiliano
------
Wandering Player - Prince of Brussels
XZealot
> A nice and lively tournament, with many offensive decks and a level of
> combat quite unheard of in a European qualifier. Just two tables ended
> at the time limit (unfortunately one of them being the final) and just
> two tables ended without a game win in the preliminary rounds.
Congratulations on a great tournament. I have one question. What
there a reason that you couldn't have an un-timed finals?
Comments Welcome,
Norman S. Brown, Jr
XZealot
Archon of the Swamp
Emiliano Imeroni
> > A nice and lively tournament, with many offensive decks and a level of
> > combat quite unheard of in a European qualifier. Just two tables ended
> > at the time limit (unfortunately one of them being the final) and just
> > two tables ended without a game win in the preliminary rounds.
>
> Congratulations on a great tournament. I have one question. What
> there a reason that you couldn't have an un-timed finals?
Hi Norman,
Thanks! I can see mainly two reasons for having timed finals:
1 (objective): People have time constraints (and have to catch trains
at a certain hours - this was true at this ECQ for instance)
2 (subjective): I like the idea that the final is played under the
same conditions of the preliminary rounds, including the time limit.
This is of course just my personal opinion, though.
Ciao!
Emiliano
XZealot
wrote:
Emiliano,
I think that it is very considerate to plan a finals so that players
can catch trains and plan other activities on the same day as the
Finals.
On the other hand, having a tournament winner be determined by a time-
out after all your players have spent time, money and energy to chunk
down 6+ hours of their life to make it to the final. Don't you think
that it is only fair to those players in the finals to have the time
to stage a comeback to win from a losing position? Aren't the
greatest stories of history all about the guy whom everyone said
didn't have a chance but emerged victorious anyway. David and
Goliath, Crazy Horse and General Custer, and Joan of Arc and Henry V.
All the glory of these great epics that are denied in timed finals
because once you get the upperhand, all you have to do is play for
time.
Think about that.
Kevin M.
By that logic, we should do the preliminary rounds without a time limit,
right?
Or, perhaps, since tournaments already take quite a long time, having some
kind of time limit is reasonable. :)
Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas
"Know your enemy, and know yourself; in one-thousand battles
you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*
"Contentment... Complacency... Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier
XZealot
There is obviously only one way to solve this dispute....in a game of
JOL!
Frederick Scott
news:6e8a232c-aa96-49f2...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> On May 10, 11:35 am, Emiliano Imeroni <emiliano.imer...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> Thanks! I can see mainly two reasons for having timed finals:
>> 1 (objective): People have time constraints (and have to catch trains
>> at a certain hours - this was true at this ECQ for instance)
>> 2 (subjective): I like the idea that the final is played under the
>> same conditions of the preliminary rounds, including the time limit.
>> This is of course just my personal opinion, though.
>
> can catch trains and plan other activities on the same day as the
> Finals.
> On the other hand, having a tournament winner be determined by a time-
> out after all your players have spent time, money and energy to chunk
> down 6+ hours of their life to make it to the final. Don't you think
> that it is only fair to those players in the finals to have the time
> to stage a comeback to win from a losing position?
I agree with Emiliano. Finals should be played under the same rules
as the prelimiary rounds. Otherwise, you can get weirdness like, "my
deck plays well in the preliminary rounds but not as well in the finals",
or the opposite, "if I can get to the finals, my deck improves". That,
to me is sill. Although timed Jyhad is an unfortunate expediant, having
accepted it, I think the fairness issues work the other way: it's fairest
to keep the rules consistent. It's not like you a one hour football game
in in the regular season and suddenly play a one and a half hour Super
Bowl back "it is only fair to those teams in the finals to have the time
to stage a comeback to win from a losing position". Same game, same
rules.
Fred
havenf...@gmail.com
> as the prelimiary rounds. Otherwise, you can get weirdness like, "my
> deck plays well in the preliminary rounds but not as well in the finals",
> or the opposite, "if I can get to the finals, my deck improves". That,
> to me is sill. Although timed Jyhad is an unfortunate expediant, having
> accepted it, I think the fairness issues work the other way: it's fairest
> to keep the rules consistent. It's not like you a one hour football game
> in in the regular season and suddenly play a one and a half hour Super
> Bowl back "it is only fair to those teams in the finals to have the time
> to stage a comeback to win from a losing position". Same game, same
> rules.
>
> Fred
And still in Super Bowl if the game is tied at the end there will be
overtime.
It´s not who scored more points in the regular season.
And in hockey you play 60 min games in regular season and depending on
league 5 min overtime if tied.
Playoffs you play 60 min game and if the game is tied you play
overtime until either team scores.
Teemu
Kevin M.
> And still in Super Bowl if the game is tied at the end there will be
> overtime.
> And in hockey you play 60 min games in regular season and depending
> on league 5 min overtime if tied.
> Playoffs you play 60 min game and if the game is tied you play
> overtime until either team scores.
So you agree that the finals should have the same time limit as the
preliminary rounds, and you want to make some kind of tie-breaker, as in
these sports?
Such as Victory Points? ;)
havenf...@gmail.com
> So you agree that the finals should have the same time limit as the
> preliminary rounds, and you want to make some kind of tie-breaker, as in
> these sports?
>
> Such as Victory Points? ;)
>
> Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas
> "Know your enemy, and know yourself; in one-thousand battles
> you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*
> "Contentment... Complacency... Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier
In sports there are NO tiebreakers from the past rounds (in the
finals).
Victory Points are tiebreakers, but only when game ends with last man
on the table
and nobody got the most Final Victory Points, because the game knows
no overtime or sudden death.
I think the game should last as long as somebody has the GW.
Teemu
Frederick Scott
news:a519d155-4565-45f1...@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> > I agree with Emiliano. Finals should be played under the same rules
> > as the prelimiary rounds. Otherwise, you can get weirdness like, "my
> > deck plays well in the preliminary rounds but not as well in the finals",
> > or the opposite, "if I can get to the finals, my deck improves". That,
> > to me is sill. Although timed Jyhad is an unfortunate expediant, having
> > accepted it, I think the fairness issues work the other way: it's fairest
> > to keep the rules consistent. It's not like you a one hour football game
> > in in the regular season and suddenly play a one and a half hour Super
> > Bowl back "it is only fair to those teams in the finals to have the time
> > to stage a comeback to win from a losing position". Same game, same
> > rules.
>
> overtime.
Sure. So what? I'm confused what the connection is suppose to be.
They only play overtime if the score is tied. They don't just unconditionally
add 15 more minutes to the game _just in case_ the score still happens to be
tied after 60 minutes, which would seem to be the analagous notion.
On the other hand, if the standings are tied in the regular season, they
resort who one the head-to-head competition, division games, conference games
and so forth. So it's not like the NFL doesn't understand the concept of
what a tie-breaker is.
Fred
havenf...@gmail.com
> They only play overtime if the score is tied. They don't just unconditionally
> add 15 more minutes to the game _just in case_ the score still happens to be
> tied after 60 minutes, which would seem to be the analagous notion.
>
> On the other hand, if the standings are tied in the regular season, they
> resort who one the head-to-head competition, division games, conference games
> and so forth. So it's not like the NFL doesn't understand the concept of
> what a tie-breaker is.
>
> Fred
The main thing is that they until somebody wins THE game.
They don´t look at the standings from the regular season.
It´s same there that the team with best ranking in the regular season
is, gets the homeadvantage.
In Vtes it should be only that the player with highest ranking gets to
choose his seat last.
He should not get even more help from the vp:s he scored earlier, same
that in sports.
Thats why the "overtime" should be added to the final time from the
start, it´s hard to add more time
in the middle of a game, that would be interesting ;)
There has been threads about this before. We have used longer times in
finals, and it have been a great decision.
It´s just what the players in the area decide, hopefully it has been
that where you play. And not just your choice.
Best regards,
Teemu
Frederick Scott
> > Sure. So what? I'm confused what the connection is suppose to be.
> > They only play overtime if the score is tied. They don't just unconditionally
> > add 15 more minutes to the game _just in case_ the score still happens to be
> > tied after 60 minutes, which would seem to be the analagous notion.
> >
> > On the other hand, if the standings are tied in the regular season, they
> > resort who one the head-to-head competition, division games, conference games
> > and so forth. So it's not like the NFL doesn't understand the concept of
> > what a tie-breaker is.
>
> They don´t look at the standings from the regular season.
Well, sure. But Norm wasn't talking about that. He was talking about simply
lengthening the finals unconditionally, with no regard to whether anyone was
"winning" after the standard amount of time was up or not. And using the same
tie-break mechanism you're complaining about now at the end of the longer time.
So I don't see what the one has to do with the other.
> Thats why the "overtime" should be added to the final time from the start,
I'm sorry, that's not "overtime". That's just longer time. It doesn't fix
the problem you're complaining about.
Fred
havenf...@gmail.com
> lengthening the finals unconditionally, with no regard to whether anyone was
> "winning" after the standard amount of time was up or not. And using the same
> tie-break mechanism you're complaining about now at the end of the longer time.
> So I don't see what the one has to do with the other.
> the problem you're complaining about.
>
> Fred
Having longer time limit in the finals have fixed the problem of
finals timing out.
And thus victory points from the earlier rounds only gives you an
advantage to the finals
by letting you to choose your seat. So the extra time works sort of
like overtime, it´s just added
pregame. And that is the only way rules allow you to do at the moment,
and the only thing that fixes
the time out problem in the final.
Teemu
Frederick Scott
<havenf...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:3d1ac9b4-aedf-4c49...@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> > Well, sure. But Norm wasn't talking about that. He was talking about simply
> > lengthening the finals unconditionally, with no regard to whether anyone was
> > "winning" after the standard amount of time was up or not. And using the same
> > tie-break mechanism you're complaining about now at the end of the longer time.
> > So I don't see what the one has to do with the other.
> > I'm sorry, that's not "overtime". That's just longer time. It doesn't fix
> > the problem you're complaining about.
>
> finals timing out.
Who said? I disagree that it does a vast majority of the time. It might, in
theory. But most of the games, either the game wouldn't have timed out in the
shorter period or it times out despite the longer period.
A lot of the time, finals time out because no one does anything except negotiate
in the hopes of getting someone else to do something. So nothing happens until
5 minutes or so before time is up, when the negoitiations change only because
time is about to be up. So the different time period makes no difference at all,
except wasting more of everyone's time.
> So the extra time works sort of like overtime,
No it doesn't.
Fred
Oortje
> Congratulations on a great tournament. I have one question. What
> there a reason that you couldn't have an un-timed finals?
I have got a few arguments for that
1: your changing the rules of the game
2: I had to work on monday, and I was back home at 00:30
3: Slowdecks are given an unfair advantage.
4: Public transportation.
5: Is'nt 2 hours for one game not long enough?
> Jeroen van Oort (Netherlands), dom/for bleed with Sticks and Target
> Vitals
always very strange to see people mentioning Target Vitals as part of
a deck titel, if you only play 3 copies of it, while I played 10 Soaks
and 8 indomitabilities. lol.
> Table 2
> Sven (aus/obf Black Hand) -> Jeroen (dom/for bleed) -> Paul (weenie
> ani) -> Maciek (Ventrue g3/4 old school)
> The first of Jeroen's two sweeps of the day, but I cannot add details
> because I have not followed this table much. Anyone wants to expand?
The Ventue put a lot of pressure on the blackhand/thuggee deck. I got
the normal ratio of fortitude to prevent the carrion crows of my prey.
Since my predator wasn't able to put out many minions plus the fact
that I didnt block any of his bleeds, made his deck go very slow. This
gave me the oppertunity to put a lot of pressure on my prey. Once I
had my prey low I ousted him with a daring the dawn. By then I had I
think 5 minions v.s. 2 minions of my new prey. I played a far mastery
on a ravenspy in torpor, it was on a vampire stolen with a hostile
takeover. This proved to be very usefull against some votes. It didnt
took long before the ventrue fell. The last prey still didn't had a
thuggee in play so I ousted him too with a daring the dawn.
I agree on your final report. Remko wasted my possible gamewin. He had
a bad draw and that gave an almost free VP to my prey.
Final words: Very good location!! I hope to see everybody again on ECQ
in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Greetz,
Oortje