Skirmishes in the Dark : 09-04-2010

9th April, in the year 2010, G1's place. The first of our VTES "out-of-PI-store" outing, and many thanks to G1 and Rachel's hospitality. The turn out was excellent too (I forgot to count the total number of Methuselahs present, but seeing we have 2 tables of 5 and still a couple of Methuselahs floating around watching Heroes or playing pool (or eating etc etc) I think the number is probably around 12-15. I only managed to get 2 games before I have to leave early. Work is, well, not exactly on very good terms with VTES. Anyway. Randomized seating for Game 1. Ben Chia's Brujah vote, bleeding Khris's Malgorzata, bleeding Ben Sum's Assamite Black Hands, bleeding My Nu Guns in Town, bleeding BK's PRE weenie bleeds. This is the first time I'm playing a True Brujah one vampire does it all deck. I was pretty lucky to have it to work the way it did, received quite a bit of help from Ben since he required my assistance in controlling BK. In the end I didn't do a very good job. I only managed to influenced Nu the Pillar onto the table by turn 3, immediately supported by Francisco. An early Vessel and Perfectionist on Nu set him up to defend and attack. Francisco also successfully started an Anima Gathering on Nu, providing him with the Intercepts that he needed to fight. My prey by then had reduced Ben's pool to about 6 or 8, and had about 6 vampires on table. I was lucky to have PRE as a discipline and managed to steal Mary Johnson from him. She was to become one of my heaviest bleeder in the game - perhaps I should include her in the crypt. An interesting intermission in the game was the rootbeer that was quietly standing at the side of the deck - it was completely frozen and started to melt as there was probably ice around it. My deck was wet and I think that was the end of the my Nicholas Chang. I did reacted in time to save my other vampires but they had to be left out of the sleeve to dry for a bit. Coming back, my predator had Djuhah and Ihzim on table, with Djuhah an Abbot and equipped with a .44. I had a lot of luck drawing into my Assault Rifles and AK-47s, but didn't draw any Kiss of Lachesis, so I was at quite a bit of disadvantage in terms of combat here. I told Ben that I was going to pay for a Dreams of the Sphinx, when he already had one that had been used once. Bann reminded him to use the Dreams, utilize the House of Sorrow that he already had, and managed to maximize his Dreams. After a while, Ben's Black Hands were pretty ready to come my way, with a Watch Tower, a Market Square, and a WMRH all on the table. He actually managed to block my Vaticination. And of course, with Domain of Evernight and Outside the Hourglass, I promptly sent Djuhah to torpor. At this point Nu had quite a lot of cards on him, a Clotho's Gift amongst them. Although his attempt to diablerize Djuhah was blocked by Izhim the first time, Nu Majesty-ed and then successfully ate Djuhah, gaining 3 blood and the .44. Ben pretty much gave up at this point. Meanwhile Nu wasn't having much luck against BK's vampires. Entering combat with BK, and attempted to shoot out those little ones was thwarted by Glancing Blow! Ah, no Kiss, or Nu wouldn't had to make do with tiny .44s. Ben Chia, despite waiting out to call a Reins of Power before I had my first vampire out, struggled to survive BK's multiple bleeds (which included Fiendish Tongues and Computer Hacking, supported by Pentex Loves You), eventually succumbed to BK's consistent bleeding. But BK was also down to 6 pool. I kept up the pressure and bled with Mary and Nu (which by then was enhanced with Heart of the City) and ousted BK. Meanwhile, Khris's KRCs and heacy bleeds also managed to remove Ben Sum from the game. I was fighting one on one with Khris then. With Mirror Walk and Plasmic Form, Malgorzata and Mistress Fanchon did get some actions through. But by then Nu was truly set up - He had a Guardian Angel on him, with +2 Intercept given by the Anima Gathering, had a Feeding Razor, 2 Clotho's Gift, a Homunculus, a .44 from Djuhah and kissed an AK-47, and was also responsible for a Hourglass of the Mind with 2 counters. On table I also had a KRCG. After a few failed actions, and my high bleeds with the Heart and Iron Glare. Khris gave up. Final VP Count Me - 3 VPs plus GW BK - 1 VP Khris - 1 VP Randomized seating for Game 2 Jeff's Pussy Cat Gargoyles, bleeding BK's Salubri, bleeding Keith's Giovanni Daggers, bleeding Khris's Tremere bruise bleed, bleeding My Fortitude Weenies Unite. Another game that I got pretty lucky. My predator was having quite some issues against the power bleeds from Keith's Giovanni, while my prey took a while to set up. I influenced Rosemarie as my first vampire and slapped an Ablative Skin on her, and she started bleeding. A lucky block sent the Biothaumaturgic Experimented Keith Moody with an Ivory Bow to torpor as I indomitability enough times to remove Keith's ability to take those damages. After that little battle Khris left me pretty much alone for the majority of the game. Meanwhile, Jeff's little Tremere managed to send almost every one of my 1-bleed to BK, whom of course use Glare and or other bleed reducing cards to reduce them to nothing. I had quite a lot of minions by then and did successfully cause some damage. I eventually had about 5 vampires, all with superior FOR, but they pretty much all bleed for 1 only. An early Tension in the Ranks played by Khris allowed me to cause some damage to my prey. I was lucky to have fought Cedric when he blocked my bleed and I Dawn Operationed it, sending him to torpor while absorbing the damage with FOR cards. That slowed down Jeff a little. But he eventually recovered and managed to employ his first Rock Cat. At this point I had few combat cards in hand, and 2 out of my 4 vampires were 3 cap or below. A Rock Cat with a Garrote then managed to burn one of my 2-cap vampire. Khris slapped a Fame on Rosemarie, and by then I went into the defensive, almost doing nothing every round, in preparation for the Rock Cat's attacks. Jeff over extended himself a little, and employed a Vegabond Mystic and another Rockcat (he used Soul of the Earth, so it wasn't that expensive) He was to have 3 Rock Cats eventually, but did not actually had much chance to use them as I soon bled him successfully (with some Deflections to move some bleeds from my predator to him). I managed to oust Jeff with many "bleed for 1". With Jeff out of the way I then proceed to burn the 2 Lord of Serenity on Saulot. Without that bloating mechanism BK was soon ousted by my multi-bleeds too. By then Khris had been ousted by Keith and it went into a lengthy one on one bleeding skirmish. I drew into enough Conditionings to force Keith to give up. Final VP Count Me - 4 VPs plus GW Keith - 1 VP (o.o)