Game One:
Me (Harbinger toolbox)> Andy (Guruhi ANI)> Ian (Assamites)
This was my first ever game playing Harbingers and it went pretty well, except that I proxied some Spiritual Intervention and forgot to put anything in the sleeve indicating what it was (I used Soul Burn). My first move in the game was to block an undirected action by Andy. Fish gave Unre a beating, bringing her down to about 4. Ian then tried to get a WoNR, which I also blocked. On my turn, I villeined Unre down to one and Giant's Blooded her back to health. Unre called a 3/1 KRC and stayed there. At some point she got a bowl and it was fairly early on. My next recruits were Billy and some aus for !Ventrue dude. Animalism wasn't kind to my minions. Ian wasn't playing very aggressively, so I got to build up a bit with Abbots, hunting, etc. There was a fair amount of fighting to go around, but nothing as bad as what Unre took in the beginning of the game. I eventually used Trochomancy to hurt Andy's pool. This made us generate an edge and only half an hour into the game! Another Harbiner came to join the party and I gave everyone AUS who didn't have it. When andy was low on pool, I snuck in a couple bleeds and ousted him. Ian conceded shortly afterwards.
Game Two:
Me (!Tor toolbox)> Jeff (Blur + Well-Aimed Car + TargetX)> Andy (Cavalier Malks)> Gerentt (New Brujah)> Ian (!Malks with Potence)
This was an interesting game to say the least. I thought I was doing well by throwing out a couple mind numbs, enchanting down and landing a bleed or two. Then Enkidu showed up and decapitated Lachlan, the Noddist. I was slowed down some, but focused on keeping away from Ian (who was busy getting really buff dudes and defending) and sneaking by Jeff. I got another couple cheap minions and eventually ousted Jeff.
Andy was in bad shape after having a really good start. Gerentt beat down some of his minions and Jeff might have done something to him (maybe?). I took my time and bled a little, blocked a little, etc. I told Andy that I wouldn't block much of his actions unless he Con Booned. I was playing a delicate balancing game between keeping Gerentt alive, having Ian and Gerentt fight, and chipping away at Andy. Gerentt tried to Giant's Blood an empty Dmitra. No dice, I suddened it. Why? Any would be dead soon and I didn't want her free to take a rush action + others in the same turn. Andy did a thing or two and I used some wakes/intercept to get ready to oust him. I Eagle Sight blocked something threatening that Gerentt was about to do (another Parity Shift?), bounced Ian and ousted Andy.
Funny thing, Andy saw he was dead, so he went to get his laptop or something. Gerentt went to get food, which left Jeff to play both Andy and Gerentt. They were both on the ropes, so it wasn't like they had anything to do other than defend. Andy had 1-2 untapped guys and a couple wakes, so he was no easy oust. Jeff brought out Karen (the prince), which brought him down to just a few pool. I thought that was kind of strange, but then he proceeded to pull out a handful of wakes and Psyches to keep Karen fighting until she was empty. I still ousted him, but it was painful. I believe Ian conceded.
Game Three: "Bring the Pain"
Me (Lawfirm)> Jeff (Enkidu deck above)> Gerentt (Toreador toolbox)> Ian (Unacceptably Pander)> Andy (Guruhi ANI above)
Jeff played his deck again and it worked better, or at least as much as you can expect that deck to "work." I was playing a lawfirm deck. It was like playing pinball. Jeff was my prey, Andy was my predator. Andy showed some blocking power in the form of permacept + Animalism while Jeff back-rushed or blocked with Andy's help constantly. Oh, and Andy Deep Song rushed me a few times, too. I don't know if I got any action through except one govern at DOM. It got to the point where I was digging for a Daring the Dawn just to get anything through. Gerentt wasn't rescuing me and suggested that he might vote against me. Being that I was in spite mode by this point, I played Framing an Ancient Grudge on his prince cross-table. My last act with my last ready minion was to call a Charming Lobby to play Ancilla Empowerment. The vote would have killed me and Ian, crippled Jeff and left Andy in a good spot. Jeff blocked. He played nice, I played Freak Drive and played just plain Ancilla Empowerment. Andy blocked. At this point I was down to 2-3 pool, Andy had about 5 minions, I had no more cards to cycle to draw a govern + conditioning + daring the dawn combo, so I transferred out. I left before the game was over to get stuff ready for this week. Part of me wanted Andy to win because that's what happens when you destroy someone's minions and leave them with no pressure, but then he did block the easy GW vote card, so I'm not sure he deserved it. Two out of three ain't bad.
Actually I did win it. I didn't block that vote out of spite though. Ousting Ian would have gotten rid of a wallish predator for me and I was already set up to oust you and turn the corner.
ReplyDeleteAs it ended up I beat up my own minions against Enkidu then Gerrentt ousted Ian, and then Jeff by boosting a bleed into me when I had him Major Booned. I think Gerentt thought I was his best match-up in a head to head but by that point I had brought out Eze the Demon Prince and he killed himself when he tried to bleed with a Famed minion getting blocked with my third wake of the turn.