Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
Fox Primus - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]:
[I]Elite[/I]:
[I]Scavenger[/I]:
[I]Technician[/I]:
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Fox Primus (2/2, Frenzy 1, Anti-air)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Disc: 3
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 5
Thoughts
Not the opening hand I wanted. I wanted Aged Sensei (or failing that at least Smoker) so I could open with him plus Grave. As it is, my opening hand contains my 3 weakest units (although I may hang on to Flagbearer for a while because Monoblue has a fair amount of targetting that I might like to get in the way of - while Spectral Flagbearer is cheaper, it takes up a tech slot and gets killed as soon as it’s targeted) and 2 good spells that are of no use on T1. So I’ve gone with Fox Primus, as a good P1T1 “pressure” option that also will help to combat his Spectral Aven.
I’m going to try to keep my comments brief in this tournament (because I generally waste far too much time writing them, and I’m sure almost no-one reads them anyway), but while I’m here, I’ll give some brief thoughts on the deck I’m playing (which is completely untested in practice). Firstly I love the White starter, and I’m giving Discipline a go because Grave is obviously great in combat (albeit his spells are a bit meh, Versatile style is obviously very versatile(!) but I can’t see me bothering with the others) and both Tech 1s are awesome in totally different ways. If the opponent is playing an aggressive style (unlikely against Monoblue) then Discipline Tech 2 will be great for Mind-Parry Monk and Focus Master - and I always have Free Speech to try to shut down any hero or spell-based plans. Fire is there of course for the cheap aggro, with Lobbers plus Jaina and her spells. I have visions of not necessarily needing an early Tech 2 with this deck, just being aggressive with Jaina and the other Fire stuff, hidden behind a wall of Rambasa twins. Of course it won’t be so easy in practice - but an early Heroes’ Hall is I suspect a must.
One specific synergy I want to mention, although I doubt I’ll go for it in every game, is Fire spells (specifically Ember Sparks) in combination with Hallucination/Dreamscape. That combo will straight-up kill 3 patrollers! Meanwhile I have some pretty decent Tech 2 options, all 3 of which have strong fliers. In practice I doubt I’ll play Truth Tech 2 (although a Tech Lab for a Liberty Gryphon is an option for finishing off if the game goes long), but the others both look quite solid to me. Discipline for control, and killing his Tech buildings with YLD, or Fire for upping the aggro. I shall see how things go in practice - as I no doubt get Injunctioned to death and pestered with Illusions while he gets his Garrisons and Drill Sergeants out to overwhelm me
Don’t sleep on Martial Mastery or Reversal. As P1, Reversal is excellent for early board dominance. If your deck requires comboing cards together, Martial Mastery’s draw 2 is super helpful for speeding to your next tech cycle or getting the combo paired in hand, and seeing what your opponent is holding is more powerful than you think. It does lead to a lot of analysis paralysis though
STARTING HAND
Building Inspector
Spectral Aven
Porkhand Magistrate
Manufactured Truth
Jail
WORKERS
Porkhand Magistrate
NextHand
Lawful Search
Bluecoat Musketeer
Arrest
Traffic Director
Reputable Newsman
Discard
Manufactured Truth
Jail
Spectral Aven
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Summon onimaru - ($2)
Summon building inspector - ($1)
Build tech I - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]: Onimaru(2/3+A)
[I]Elite[/I]:
[I]Scavenger[/I]:
[I]Technician[/I]:
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Building Inspector(1/1)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Disc: 3
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
Thoughts
I feel that I got kinda lucky what with robinz not bringing out grave asap. Still not sure what I’m going to do long term but right now a 3 gold tech I sounds great.
Edit: on second thought, that is fox prime not viper. I’m sooooo screwed if he has grappling hook! What’s done is done, I got 50% odds here. HEADS!
I don’t think it’s bad form to ask for a re-do on your patrol, if you so choose: you made an honest mistake misreading which card Robinz played. Especially when your turn 2 draw is fixed (you know exactly what cards you’re drawing regardless), so it isn’t an advantage to have seen what you draw
I agree that it wouldnt have been a big deal to have made the change within a few minutes of posting, but at this point it has been far too long to change now.
I’m sure the possibility occurred to you - but I can’t help mention how fortunate I feel you are that I had neither Grappling Hook nor Sensei’s Advice in hand this turn…
P1T2
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Lobber
Sparring Partner
STARTING HAND
Snapback
Smoker
Aged Sensei
Safe Attacking
Savior Monk
[I]Elite[/I]: Fox Primus (2+1/2, Frenzy 1, Anti-air)
[I]Scavenger[/I]: Aged Sensei (1/1)
[I]Technician[/I]:
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 5
Deck: 3
Disc: 0
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
Thoughts
A good start from him, making my Tech 1 (and soon-planned-to-be-built Heroes’ Hall) very expensive with no way to get through to kill the Inspector. He did take a big risk though - either of the above-mentioned cards would have allowed me to kill Oni for a midband Grave, albeit at the cost of missing Tech 1. I HATE having to pay 3 for my Tech 1, as P1 especially - but I don’t see an alternative. Although I have some good spells, they won’t do much without at least Tech 1s in play. At least I’ve gone for 2 super-cheap Tech 1s, one for aggression and one for a more long-term approach.
I would have loved to have spent my last gold on Safe Attacking (a card I perhaps love too much), but I need a second patroller because either Arrest or Manufactured Truth in his next hand lets him clear one of them away all-too-easily. But in case he can’t, I’ve put Primus in Elite to make sure Oni can’t survive killing him.
It did occur to me after the fact but If i make my bed I’m gunna lie in it. I consider anything after I post to be final with exception of rules violations.
STARTING HAND
Traffic Director
Bluecoat Musketeer
Reputable Newsman
Lawful Search
Arrest
WORKERS
Porkhand Magistrate
Bluecoat Musketeer
NextHand
Spectral hound
Lawful Search
Jail
Manufactured Truth
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Place fox primus under arrest - ($3)
Onimaru breaks an old mans back, you get gold.
Building inspector inspects your tech I and miraculously finds it a bit dinged up. 1 negative mark on the report.
A newsman of good repute came to tell us the truth of your schemes. We know about your dirty 3 cost cards now! - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]: Reputable Newsman(0/3+A)@3
[I]Elite[/I]:
[I]Scavenger[/I]:
[I]Technician[/I]:
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Building Inspector(1/1)
Onimaru(2/2)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
Thoughts
Reputable newsman was a hard one to pick for. 1 gets me safe attacking, advice & martial mastery, 2 is free speech and versatile. I chose 3 for snapback and embersparks. Without ember sparks my doggo is pretty safe. I want to go early tech II but that depends entirely on how aggressive he is next turn.
Fox Primus (2/2, Frenzy 1, Anti-air)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
Thoughts
Feeling already pretty unhappy with this game - being pressurised as P1, and with my economy further hit by his building inspector. At least Newsman on 3 is no great hardship for now (surely he’s not scared of Snapback already? I guess he’s worrying I teched a Reversal or an Ember Sparks).
I’m just loading the bodies in (with the patroller I care least about in SQL), hoping I can get something out of this. Teching Rambasas to get more bodies out, since I should be able to afford them by the time I draw them. Will start teching spells as soon as I can build a Heroes’ Hall without paying over the odds. I considered Quince instead of Grave for some mirror tricks, but at this stage I think I’d rather have the simple combat effectiveness (and ability to cast SA for just 1). At least Primus was merely arrested, not killed, so I should get him back next turn.
None of his Tech 1 units scares me unduly (note the lack of gold float, although any of Oni’s spells could cause trouble. It would be quite annoying though if he MT’s one of his units into a copy of Sparring Partner and starts giving himself +1 runes
Manufactured Truth
Lawful Search
Spectral hound
Art of War
Censorship council
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Midband Onimaru - ($2)
Cast manufactured truth on newsman, becomes fox primus - ($1)
Reputable fox kills smoker
Onimaru kills Grave, you get gold & oni to lvl 7
Maxband onimaru, squad rolls out. - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]:
[I]Elite[/I]: Soldier(2/1)
[I]Scavenger[/I]: Soldier(1/1)
[I]Technician[/I]: Soldier(1/1)
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Building Inspector(1/1)
Onimaru lvl 8(4/5)
Reputable Newsman(0/2)@3
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Disc: 5
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 8
Thoughts
I hate workering jail but I’ve already workered so many units. I decided to not bank on drawing my new shiny tech choices this time since that usually goes badly. So only 1 art of war and a Tech II choice. I’m thinking justice juggernaughtXmirrors backed by insurance agents.
This is going downhill fast. For some reason I didn’t take seriously the possibility that he would midband Oni without killing a hero first. It’s just about a certainty that I’m going to be facing an Art of War soon, unless I can either remove him (not likely in combat, and Snapback is still blocked) or draw my Free Speech before he gets it in hand. Oh, and I’ve not seen any of his teched cards yet, so I’ll likely be seeing two Tech 1 units or Oni spells in his next turn. I don’t think I need to be scared of any of them yet (although Boot Camp is an easy way for him to kill one Mirror), but this is still NOT a good position!
I’ve taken out 2 soldiers safely, and filled my patrol zone with as many “bodies” as possible. Also trying to avoid his Sparkshot (I’d have liked a Technician, but I think avoiding gratuitous killing of mirrors via sparkshot is more important). I should still have a few bodies at the start of next turn, so this is by no means a lost cause. If only I could get rid of that Building Inspector, because I’d love a Heroes’ Hall and/or a Tech 2 very soon, and don’t fancy paying over the odds again!
"P2T4
I AM SUCH AN IDIOT! I absentmidedly hit “discard/draw” twice in a row so this post is painstakingly cobbled together and might have a number wrong somewhere. 98% sure all the cards and patrols are right though.
TechStartingHand Workers
TECH
Insurance agent
Justice juggernaught
STARTING HAND
Spectral Aven
Scribe
Traffic Director
Arrest
Lawful search(tech draw)
Spectral hound (lawful search draw)
Manufactured Truth
Art of War
Censorship council
Lawful Search
Technician draw caused a reshuffle.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
Build tech II, law($4)
Cast lawful search, draw and look at your hand.($3)
Summon spectral hound($2)
Summon traffic director ($1)
Onimaru smashes SQL mirror
Building inspector smashes lookout mirror
Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 1
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]: Spectral hound(3/3+A)
[I]Elite[/I]:
[I]Scavenger[/I]: Soldier(1/1)
[I]Technician[/I]: Traffic Director(1/1)
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Building Inspector(1/1)
Onimaru lvl 8(4/5)
Reputable Newsman(0/2)@3
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Law)
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 1
Workers: 9
Thoughts
With both mirrors+3 units in play and a lobber in hand he has a potentially explosive next hand that I hope oni can survive. Probably can’t however, because he can punch through my patrol and use the lobber to kill the newsman: snapback. Lawful search was a bid to snipe Art of War but alas it was not to be.
This has a lot of potential to slip out of my grasp like so many other promising starts. At least I have a tech advantage.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Rambasa Twins - ($3)
spar with Primus
Primus trades with Hound
Lobber kills Soldier, you get $1
Quince kills Traffic Director, you draw
Lobber #2, kills Building Inspector - ($2)
Heroes’ Hall - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 1, reshuffle, draw 3
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]:
[I]Elite[/I]: Rambasa Twin (3+1/2)
[I]Scavenger[/I]:
[I]Technician[/I]: Rambasa Twin (3/2)
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Lobber (2/1, haste)
Lobber (3/1, haste, 1 +1 rune)
lvl 1 Quince (1/2)
Sparring Partner (2/2)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 3
Deck: 6
Disc: 0
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
Thoughts
Tech 2 Law, eh? I guess this is the “slowly choke me to death” approach - and signals the need to up the aggression. You’d think that meant Fire for my Tech 2, but I’m going to go with Discipline, because of Young Lightning Dragons, and perhaps Training Grounds (because I know that, outside of Free Speech, mono-blue has a hard time dealing with opposing heroes). Of course I haven’t managed to build Tech 2 yet - but I’m so starved of cards that if I don’t tech two Tech 2s now I’ll never be able to play Tech 2 cards before the game is over.
I’m able to at least swing the board position a fair way in my favour this turn, at least as far as pure numbers are concerned. The main problem is of course the huge likelihood of Art of War coming my way - which will let Oni break my Tech 1 and delay my Tech 2 for far too long. But at least I now have a Heroes’ Hall so I can have 2 heroes’ out regardless (unless he can break both).
An Injunction on Tech 1 would be pretty devastating too, even more so than him breaking Tech 1. I’m just hanging on here, it feels… (And seriously not helped by that sucky draw. At least I should recover my handsize - let’s hope I can do something effective without spending cards.)
Traffic Director
Spectral hound
Building Inspector
Art of War
Manufactured Truth
Free speech
Insurance agent
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Onimaru learns the art of war - ($6)
Play censorship council - ($2)
Summon quince - ($0)
Onimaru destroys your tech I, 2 base damage.
Float ($0)
Discard 1, draw 3
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]:
[I]Elite[/I]: Onimaru lvl 8(7/7)
[I]Scavenger[/I]:
[I]Technician[/I]:
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Reputable Newsman(0/2)@3
Censorship council(5)
Quince(1/3)
Mirror(0/1)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Law)
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 3
Deck: 1
Disc: 7
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 10
Thoughts
Just killing the tech 1 and stalling that big board feels too passive, but I’m not sure what could be better.
STARTING HAND
Young Lightning Dragon
Fox Primus
Snapback
WORKERS
Fox Viper
Savior Monk
Grappling Hook
Morningstar Flagbearer
Aged Sensei
Fox Primus
NextHand
Young Lightning Dragon
Free Speech
Sensei’s Advice
Smoker
Discard
Snapback
Young Lightning Dragon
Training Grounds
Burning Volley
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
rebuild Tech 1
Jaina, to midband - ($3)
Quince to midband and heals - ($1)
spar with Jaina
Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 4
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]: Rambasa Twin (3/2+A)
[I]Elite[/I]: Rambasa Twin (3+1/2)
[I]Scavenger[/I]: Lobber (3/1, haste, 1 +1 rune)
[I]Technician[/I]: Lobber (2/1, haste)
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
lvl 3 Quince (1/4)
Sparring Partner (2/2)
lvl 4 Jaina (4/4, 1 +1 rune)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 2
Disc: 4
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 1
Workers: 10
Thoughts
Yep, Art of War - we saw that one coming. But if all it does is break my Tech 1, then annoying as that is, I don’t feel so bad. (OK, by putting his swift-strike Oni in patrol he also stops me attacking him for a turn, but I can live with that.) Delaying my Tech 2 build is rather annoying, since I’m likely to draw my second YLD next turn (which indeed I did) - but Tech 2 law doesn’t really have a “win condition”. Mind you, Tech 3 certainly does (I can cope with the Gryphon itself, including the flying base, due to my YLDs - but Obliterate 4 is ridiculous). I’m not too worried by his Cencorship Council at the moment, since I have plenty of units on board and am trying to build my handsize back up. And his play of Quince means I don’t have to worry about Injunction for a little while either (unless he improbably suicide Quince or Oni).
Am I still losing? Hell yeah - or at least I think so. But this game is going some distance, I think. If I can get a protected Tech 2 I could be back in the game. I need to stop him playing AoW every turn though (he likely has a second one in the deck), which likely requires me to play Snapback. Which in turn means that the Newsman has to die…
Free speech
liberty gryphon
Insurance agent
Art of War
Discard
Arrest
Building Inspector
Tech 1 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
Insurance agent, insures rambasa twin in SQL - ($9)
Onimaru kills Rambasa twin, cash in insurance & draw - ($13)
Max quince - ($9)
Play justice juggernaught, mirror becomes one as well. - ($3)
Summon scribe, reshuffle & draw card - ($1)
Worker - ($0)
Mirror juggernaught kills Jaina
Float ($0)
Discard 1, draw 3
[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]
[I]Squad Leader[/I]: Insurance agent(2/2+A)
[I]Elite[/I]:
[I]Scavenger[/I]: Reputable Newsman(0/2)@3
[I]Technician[/I]: Scribe(1/3)
[I]Lookout[/I]:
[B]In Play:[/B]
Onimaru lvl 8(4/2)
Censorship council
Quince lvl 5(1/5)
Mirror Juggernaught(4/2)
Justice juggernaught(4/6)
[B]Buildings:[/B]
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Law)
[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]
Hand: 4
Deck: 3
Disc: 2
[B]Gold:[/B]
Gold: 0
Workers: 11
Thoughts
Well I drew art of war despite onimaru going to die next turn. I got the juggernauts rolling out but I had to kill Jaina so she couldn’t just potshot my mirror with maxband. Here’s to not getting nailed by free speech next turn! Killing a hero immediately after a big investment($5) is nice, especially since he invested in a heroes hall. Teched the second insurance agent before the reshuffle.
We shall see what justice can do. Most likely getting tech III next turn. Maybe tech jurisdiction or judgement day.
Well this is getting pretty interesting. And leads me to a rules question as I plan my next turn:
What happens if I make a mirror and use Quince’s midband to make it a copy of your Justice Juggernaut (yes, mirror Juggernauts are all the range these days, it seems)? I’m supposed to trash the mirror at the end of the turn, but JJ has 2 lives. Does that mean the mirror survives? I guess so. But is it still a copy of Juggernaut, or is it a plain ordinary 0/1 mirror? (From my own reading of the card texts, I think it will stay as a Juggernaut, with a crumbling rune of course, but I’m not certain.)
Oh hang on, I think I remember reading somewhere else that trashing something doesn’t cause it to “die”. So the mirror would still be trashed? Does anyone else with more rules knowledge want to weigh in here?
(Although, I’ve just realised I can’t spar with my own mirror without killing it, so the play I was planning is less impressive than I thought anyway )
you wouldn’t be able to attack with the mirror anyways since justice juggernaughts don’t have haste.
I’ll cross post your question in the rules thread for my own enlightenment as well.