Skirmishes in the Dark : 08-06-2010

8th June, in the year 2010, Paradigm Infinitum.

The first Vtes night after SporeCon, and despite all the Day Operations that everyone had played during then, more than 2 tables worth of Methuselahs turned up, including some new blood-thirsty Methuselahs (whom are graciously taken in by Dzaki, who no doubt is greedily trying to recruit these new forces into his side and aid him in future battles) and some very old ones whom we've almost forgotten about the taste of their ancient blood.

I only managed to get one game, spending a little bit of my time playing a little Race for the Galaxy. Shame on me.

Randomized Seating of the only game I had.

Keith's Cyclists deck, bleeding

(The new player whom name I didn't get - hereafter known as X for the time being)'s !Tremere, bleeding

My Cryptic Mission, bleeding

Ryhan playing my Forest of Blood, bleeding

BK playing Keith's weenie combat.

I had quite an advantage with the fact that my predator was a relatively new player with a new deck, and my prey was playing with one of my creation which I inherently understood. Still, didn't do much for me - a testament to Ryhan and X's playing standard.

The game started off with BK sending his forces to attack Keith pretty aggressively. He was perhaps brought back a little by the Society of Leopold, which I slapped on Ryhan's first vampire but was moved to BK's first weenie. BK's weenie, despite sending one of Keith's into torpor, was himself torpored and without blood, and thus was the first victim of the Society.

An early Path of Paradox aided Ryhan's defense against my Cryptic Missions. 2 consecutive Edge of Illusions targetting my 4 vampires did a lot in preventing my attacks against him, and effective blocks from both sides successfully send 2 of my vampires into torpor.

Meanwhile, X was doing very very well in blocking (somehow stealth-deprived) Nosferatus from bleeding/horseshoeing his vampires. Meanwhile, Keith suffered from a Famed vampire being repeatedly sent into torpor until he asked for the help of X to diablerize the torpored vampire.

At this point, a very timely Week of Nightmares allowed Ryhan to take advantage of BK's opening and ousted him, and with Keith left with 4 pool, he looked ready to take another VP. However, with Leech and Horseshoe on one side, and Cryptic Mission on the other, coupled with Week of Nightmare's restrictions in hunting, he was quickly shut down and was to spend the rest of his game looking good and hunting from each other.

Eventually I managed to oust him, but Keith's Horseshoes had reduced my minions to a pathetic situation. X was finally ousted by Keith, and the large number of Couriers that he had ensured my demise.

Final VP count -

Keith - 3 VPs plus GW

Me - 1 VP

Ryhan - 1 VP

(o.o)