Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Jandra, the Negator - ($1)
Float ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger: Jandra, the Negator (3/3)
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
*
Buildings:
Base HP: 18
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Disc: 3
Gold:
Gold: 1
Workers: 6
Thoughts
Had the choice between Jandra and the Imp. I'm going with Jandra for her overpower ability and because I might be able to set up my own Zane play next turn and maybe steal some levels. I'm not very familiar with the Finesse starters, so I'm hoping I don't overlook an obvious play or ploy.
Drakk was going in the SL position, but a Wither/Messenger play might give up 2 free levels and no DMG done by me. So I’ll spend $1 and block with the Jav. Going down on cards early. I must keep in mind that giving Technician draws to my opponent while only holding four cards myself is counterintuitive to winning the game. My initial thoughts on this matchup- his Codex is almost a mirror. Finesse has better Tech 1 units than Sickness. I can see a Tech 1 Finesse haste plan nicely transitioning into a Tech 2 Blood haste plan. Then possibly some Tech 3 Gunships. I haven’t looked at zhavier’s previous games. My last two competitors barely complied with the information my overpaid, underworked scouting unit supplied me. Of course, I’ve played three games in three different ways during the tourney myself. Going off script seems to be the script. I’m Teching my usual GPT, but am going with a cheap blocker for the second card. My future will be full of Fencers, I’m sure. Final note- I’m going with Drakk instead of Orpal out of the gate. I want to put some early pressure on him, and Drakk seems the more likely of those two to accomplish the task.
Skeleton Javelineer
Sacrifice the Weak
Gunpoint Taxman
Crypt Crawler
Crashbarrow
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Drakk to Midband - ($3)
Jandra Frenzily kills Turtle, taking 1 DMG in return. 1 Ovrpwr DMG kills Messenger. You get $1
Thieving Imp arrives- you discard - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Thieving Imp (2/2+1)
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Drakk L4 (2/3)
Lookout:
In Play:
Jandra, the Negator (3/1)
Buildings:
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Disc: 5
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 8
Thoughts
Self-explanatory turn. I’m just keeping up with the Jones’. Looks like he’s going for chump blockers just like I was going to do. I probably should have Teched two Tech 2 units; I decided to go with 1 Tech 1 unit as well. Just in case something happens to my Tech 2 building. Also, it’s the Crypt Crawler, so it’s got Sparkashot, which I highly value if I going to be facing a ton of cheap little units. I hope he doesn’t top deck two Fencers.
I could go down two different paths at this juncture. I can clear the board and build my Tech 2, or I can put out a host of chump blockers and build my Tech 2. I suppose not constructing the building would be option number 3. I’m going with the first option for two reasons. Evil Zane will be off the board along with the ability to cast Surprise Attack (or Maximum Anarchy) which both mitigate a small hand size. More importantly, this plan keeps five cards cycling in my hand. Looking over Anarchy’s cards, the Sanatorium is another way to mitigate a small hand size. While playing this game, I’ve seen a Sanatorium on the board exactly once. Which happens to be the same number of times I’ve seen a Rickety Mine.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Tap mine, HEADS! - ($11)
Max Drakk - ($4)
Older Brother, gains haste - ($2)
Timely Mesenger - ($1)
Break your tech 2 in a frenzy
Worker - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 0, draw 2
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Drakk 3/4
Lookout:
In Play:
Rickety Mine 3
Older Brother 2/2, haste
Timely Messenger 1/1
Buildings:
Base HP: 19
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Anarchy)
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 2
Deck: 4
Disc: 4
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
Thoughts
Everyone underestimates the rickety mine, admittedly, its a total and complete gamble, but getting heads twice? yea thats a game breaker. Only thing I have to worry about here is bloodlust, and its probably fine, because it shouldnt be enough to break my tech 2 and whatever it is that kils drakk will be dead.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
Rebuild Tech 2
Thieving Imp- you discard - ($5)
Gunpoint Taxman - ($3)
Build a Tower - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Gunpoint Taxman (3/3+1)
Elite: Thieving Imp (3/2)
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Tower 4
Buildings:
Base HP: 16
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Blood)
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 7
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 10
Thoughts
I'm worried about his sneaky, invisible units more than his little frenzied units. What you can't see can hurt you. Actually, I'm worried about his Gunships. The Tech 3 building may come online next turn. I don't see any way to stop the Gunships beyond trying to keep him at one or two cards in hand. Maybe the turn he draws them I'll have broken his Tech 3. Not much else I can do. I'll have to use Zane to move one of his guys out of the Tech spot next turn. I don't want to increase his draw by even one. The Imp stealing a card helps out. This is going to be close, but I may still have a chance.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Rickety Mine, finally Explodes, but at least i get 3g - ($12)
Older Brother dies on Gunpoint Taxman, now at 1 hp
Max Zane, shoves Gunpoint to Tech, we both get a card - ($5)
Messenger kills Imp
Zane and Drakk break Tech 2
Steam Tank, gains haste, breaks your tech 1, base to 12 - ($2)
Worker - ($1)
Float ($1)
Discard 0, draw 2
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Drakk 3/3
Zane 4/3
Steam Tank 3/5, haste
Buildings:
Base HP: 17
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Anarchy)
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 2
Deck: 1
Disc: 10
Gold:
Gold: 1
Workers: 10
Thoughts
So, break his tech 2 again, and get my tech 3 up? Oh, or get a card… tough call… I’m going for the card. Nice! Now, block or break more tech buildings… i’m mildly concerned about kidnapping, so blocking isn’t really an answer. I’ll just break everything.
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
Rebuild Tech 1
Zane Midbands and trades with your Zane - ($5)
Orpal - ($3)
STW on Steam Tank - ($1)
Float ($1)
Discard 4, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Orpal L1 (1/3+1)
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Tower 4
Buildings:
Base HP: 12
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Blood)
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 1
Disc: 7
Gold:
Gold: 1
Workers: 10
Thoughts
I can only take out one Hero. His Zane can kill Orpal in one hit, allowing a unit to come behind and continue to batter/break my buildings. I'm going to guess that he has a hasted unit that can do just that. Drakk can't kill Orpal without a spell or some unit help, but he does allow for a hasted unit if there's isn't one in the queue. Tough choice, but I'm going with the Zane kill. Leaving the frenzy ability on the board may prove troublesome, but this game is so far in the tank it's doubtful that it matters.
STARTING HAND
Helpful Turtle
Bloom
Timely Messenger
Older Brother
WORKERS
Fruit Ninja
Brick Thief
Spark
Wither
Granfalloon Flagbearer
Tenderfoot
NextHand
Rickety Mine
Pirate Gunship
Pirate Gunship
Discard
Timely Messenger
Bloom
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($12)
Max Zane, move rogue to lookout, dies - ($5)
Zane and river kill orpal, river to max
Older Brother, gains haste, cheap - ($4)
Timely messenger, free, trades with skeleton
Helpful Turtle - ($3)
Brother and draik break tech 2
I can’t think of a compelling reason to continue this. I’m unable to break both your Tech 2 and Tech 3 buildings, and even if I killed Drakk and took out the Tech 3, it might buy me one turn before annihilation. Your robust economy allowed you to work the hell out of your heroes, which mitigated the card starvation I had ended up hoping for. I don’t know if bringing out the Imp on the first turn, instead of Jandra, would have made a difference. I don’t think I necessarily misused her, but things sure went sideways quick in this one.
GG!
P2T8
StartingHand Workers
STARTING HAND
Maximum Anarchy
Deteriorate
Surprise Attack
Shoddy Glider
Crashbarrow
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($13)
Nope. No Work today.
I don't Rebuild Tech 2. The rubble is better off left alone.
Zane Maxbands - ($6)
Zane Deteriorates the Turtle and shoves it to Scavenger. - ($5)
The Turtle expires. We both profit from death. - ($6)
Surprise Attack - ($1)
Zane orders his fish onward, to your Base.
It suffers slight cosmetic damage due to the watery onslaught.
Zane follows, delivering a vicious headbutt to the edifice.
Severely concussed, he staggers away in search of aspirin.
Float ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Tower 4
Buildings:
Base HP: implosion
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Blood)
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 3
Disc: 7
Gold:
Gold: 1
Workers: 10
Thoughts
I might have extended it another turn if I could have broken his Tech 2 and Tech 3 buildings. Killing Drakk and breaking his Tech 3 wasn't a sure way to stave off defeat (if he has hasted Tech 2 units along with the five damage I was leaving on the board). Plus, I really couldn't come up with a compelling reason to prolong this. The mine is useful as long as it's churning out the gold. The extra funds allowed him to consistently and effectively Maxband his heroes, which in turn mitigated the fact that he only had three cards in hand most of the game. Nicely done, but I'm not convinced it's a consistent avenue to winning. Who am I kidding, though? I'm gonna try it the next time Codex hits the table around here.
Alternately, you destroyed my tech 3 and I am stuck making bad choices with my heroes. But yea, hard to know I had both in hand, and hard to bet I woldnt eventually keep it up and have gunship in hand.
I think it was a done deal even if I had taken out your Tech 3. I couldn’t take out the Tech 2 as well, and with all the Haste units that you could pull out, it was just a matter of one, maybe two turns before it was over. I thought I could strangle you with a limited card draw, but you effectively mitigated my plan with the Maxed out Heroes you kept throwing at me. It was an unexpected game plan that I, personally, have never seen before. One I am likely to try myself the next time Codex hits the table. I’ve used the Sanatorium before, but never the Mine.
The mine is a real gamble. On the bright side, no one ever breaks your mine, so worrying about protecting it is usually not to much of a concern. I mean, if its too easy it might get broken, but its usually pretty safe. The real problem is getting only 1g and having it break the very next turn. so, 50% of the time, its pretty good, netting 4g or more, and 50% of the time its pretty terrible, netting you 1g.
EricFs change to give it haste is actually really reasonable. You spend a card to get 1g the turn its played, which definitely fits the theme of blood. 50% of the time it sticks around and your opponent really should worry that it will spiral out of control if they leave it alone. In my opinion, rickety mine isnt even as good as Verdant Tree, a tech 0. the sole Tech 1 building really should be better at its job.
Squad Leader: Tenderfoot 1/2+A
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Base HP: 20
Base HP: 20