CAFS 2016: Alhazard ([Necro]/Blood/Truth) vs. Castanietzsche (Mono Blue)

GL HF @Castanietzsche
P1T1

Hand

Pestering Haunt, Javelineer, Archery, Jandra, Summon Skel

Tech

0

Worker

Jandra

Collect 4 gold (4)
Worker (3)
Garth (1)
Pestering Haunt (1)

Discard 3, Draw 5

Patrol:
Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:

Buildings:
Units/Heroes: Garth L1 (1/3), Pestering Haunt (1/1)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 5 (+ 1 gold)
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Discard: 3

New Hand

Deteriorate, Stw, Poisonblade, Imp, Graveyard

Discard

Javelineer, Archery, Summon Skeletons

Hi ! Good luck and have fun !

P1T1

[details=Secrets]

Discard : 0
Hand : Reputable Newsman, Porkhand Magistrate, Traffic Director, Bluecoat Musketeer, Spectral Aven

Thoughts : IMO [Necro]/Blood/Truth is the most difficult matchup for P2 Mono-Blue, along with [Necro]/Blood/Anarchy and [Finesse]/Peace/Anarchy decks. In consequence I’m going to detail my strategy far more than I usually do in other games. Please feel free to pm me about strategic suggestions after the match ! Thoughts will be in separate messages most of the time, to avoid getting my turns last too long.[/details]


Get 5 Gold (5)
Worker (4)
Reputable Newsman, shouting “ZERO !” (2)
Spectral Aven (0)
Discard 2, Draw 4


[details=Secrets]

Workers : 4 + Porkhand Magistrate

New Hand : Manufactured Truth, Lawful Search, Building Inspector, Jail[/details]

Board:

Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Spectral Aven (2/2)
  • :exhaust: Technician: Reputable Newsman (0/3)
  • :target: Lookout:
    Board :

Base : 20

  • Discard : 2 + Tech
  • Deck : 1
  • Workers : 6

[details=Thoughts]

[spoiler]This matchup usually involves early Lich’s Bargain and Bone Collector(s), succeded by Crashbarrows/Shoddy Glidders and Liberty Gryphons. This gameplan beats several Mono-Blue strategies :

  1. Judgment Day based-strategy is countered by haste and/or ephemeral units, so teching it is often a poor choice.
  2. Brave Knights / Boot Camp openings aren’t good choices because these expensive tech choices would prevent me to build a tower as early as I would like to.
  3. Overeager Cadets are kinda bad too because 2hp exposes me to loosing my hero and giving two free levels to Garth.

I absolutely need to make him delay his gameplan by teching anything else than Bone Collectors / Lich Bargain / Doom Grasp, and Spectral Hounds seem ideal to this.
Nevertheless, Spectral Hounds are very cheap, and I may want to tech a more expensive unit with one Hound and still be able to build a tower. As non-bowmen skeletons go, a 1 attack Scribe seems sufficient to kill skeletons 1 by 1, while allowing me to draw extra cards. I think I’m going to tech either 2 Spectral Hounds or 1 Hound and 1 Scribe.

I began this game with Reputable Newsman, Spectral Aven, Porkhand Magistrate, Bluecoat Musketeer and Traffic Director. It’s a very good thing for Blue to have access to Manufactured Truth on turn 2, especially some Poisonblade Rogue or Jandra is pointing out. I was about to play Bigby (fast leveling and 2 attack are great) with Bluecoat Musketeer but I chose to try trick by playing Reputable Newsman and Spectral Aven. This way, my opponent would need both Sacrifice the Weak and Deteriorate to kill my Spectral Aven, which is kinda unlikely (and in any case grabing Scavenger and Technician would be an ok trade for me).

Next turn, I plan to play an hero to econ cards while spending money, but if my opponent plays Skeletal Archery T2 (very unlikely) I might be tempted by an ultra-early Tower. Let’s see !
[/spoiler][/details]

P1T2

Hand

Deteriorate, Stw, Poisonblade, Imp, Graveyard

Tech 2

2x crashbomber

Worker

Poisonblade

Collect 5+1 gold (6)
Worker (5)
Level Garth to 4 (2)
Tech 1 (0)
Garth and Pestering Haunt kill Newsman
Deterioriate Aven (0)

Discard 3, rs Draw 5

Patrol:
Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:

Buildings: T1 (5)
Units/Heroes: Garth L4 (2/4), Pestering Haunt (1/1)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 6 (+ 0 gold)
Hand: 5
Deck: 4
Discard: 0

New Hand

Crashbomber, Graveyard, Crashbomber, StW, Deteriorate

Discard

0

[details=Thoughts (secret)]

Ouch, didn’t see this… Really don’t have any idea of what I’m going to do next. Super-early tower seems tempting thought. Or something like SQ Traffic Director + Scav Quince and 1 mirror on board to copy eventual Bone Collectors… I’ll do my turn this evening :slight_smile:

P1T2

[details=Secrets]

Discard : Overeager Cadet, Spectral Hound + 4
Hand : Manufactured Truth, Lawful Search, Building Inspector, Jail, Arrest

Thoughts : Ok, total wipe. I don’t have enough units in hand to make a Jail survive 1 turn. And would it be that useful ? I’d better go for an hero-based strategy. Quince is very nice, but I fear Pestering Haunt attacks my precious mirrors :confused: Oni is nice too, althought very expensive, but Doom Grasp is very feared against him. I’d better choose Bigby.
As Pestering Haunt is likely to kill my unit in Technician I’m not going to tech the Scribe :slight_smile:
[/details]


Get 6 Gold (7)
Worker (6)
Bigby (4)
Bigby midbands (2)
Building Inspector (1)
Tech I (0)
Discard 3, RS, Draw 5


[details=Secrets]

Workers : 4 + Porkhand Magistrate + Lawful Search

New Hand : Spectral Hound, Jail, Spectral Aven, Manufactured Truth, Reputable Newsman[/details]

Board:

Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: lvl 3 Bigby (2/4+1)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician: Building Inspector (1/1)
  • :target: Lookout:
    Board :

Base : 20
Tech I : 5

  • Discard : 0 + Tech
  • Deck : 4
  • Workers : 7

P1T3

Hand

Crashbomber, Graveyard, Crashbomber, StW, Deteriorate

Tech 2

executioner and doom grasp

Worker

StW

Collect 6 gold (6)
Worker (5)
Garth attacks bigby and deal 1 through armor.
Level Garth to max (2), bringing an executioner from the discard
Crashbomber (1)
Crashbomber (0)
Haunt trades with building inspector

Discard 2, Draw 4

Patrol:
Leader: Hooded Executioner (3/3+A)
Elite: Crashbomber (2/2)
Scavenger: Crashbomber (2/2)
Technician:
Lookout:

Buildings: T1 (5)
Units/Heroes: Garth L7 (3/4)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 7 (+ 0 gold)
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Discard: 4

New Hand

[spoiler]Thieving Imp, Summon Skeletons, Archery, Javelineer/spoiler]

Discard

Deteriorate, Graveyard, Haunt, Doom Grasp

P1T3

[details=Secrets]

Discard : Overeager Cadet, Spectral Hound + 4
Hand : Spectral Hound, Reputable Newsman, Traffic Director, Manufactured Truth, Spectral Aven, Jail

Thoughts : Just continuing my hero-based strategy. His board is really huge, I can’t do my Tech II now. I was so stupid to put my Building Inspector in Technician… What I’m needing now is gold ! I have to exploit the fact I’m keeping Bigby, so I teched Judgment Day. What a crappy card against maxband heroes and hasty/ephemeral spec lol. But Injunction may prevent Crashbarrows 1 turn so let’s do it.[/details]


Draw from Technician
Get 7 Gold (7)
Worker (6)
Spectral Hound (5)
Reputable Newsman, “ZERO” (3)
Traffic Director (2)
Maxband Bigby (0)
:exhaust:Bigby, draw a card
no Tech II, no stash
Discard 3, Draw 3, RS, draw 2


[details=Secrets]

Workers : 4 + Porkhand Magistrate + Lawful Search + Jail

New Hand : Bluecoat Musketeer, Arrest, Overeager Cadet, Judgment Day, Manufactured Truth[/details]

Board:

Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Spectral Hound (3/3+1)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Traffic Director (1/1)
  • :exhaust: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:
    Board : lvl 5 Bigby (3/4), Reputable Newsman (0/3) “ZERO”

Base : 20
Tech I : 5

  • Discard : 0 + Tech
  • Deck : 3
  • Workers : 8

[details=Secrets]

At this stade of the game, I had to choose between going for a Tech III rush and aim directly for base or a Tech II board control. I was about to decide to go to a Peace unit spam build (because two Overeager Cadets can stop a Crashbarrow without taking effectively 6 damages and Drill Sergeant would allow me to target eventual Tech II illusions (or more probably Liberty Gryphons). I finally chose to delay the game as much as I can with Law spells and to aim for quick Patriot/Liberty Gryphons (I still don’t know which) because Death Rites may come quick and I want to keep enough gold to always have some heroes on board. I really don’t know how to kill this menacing Garth… I couldn’t place another Aven because of Deteriorate… Oni’s ulti is very very nice for that but I didn’t have the money to level up Oni without experience. One solution would be Free Speech but he has teched really a lot of units so if I use it during a turn where he has only units in hand I’ll be too low on board… I plan to go to a Tech II Truth with either Rocky or Eyes of the Tiger combo to hunt him. Will be very very tough, I may still need a Free Speech ! !

P1T4

Hand

Thieving Imp, Summon Skeletons, Archery, Javelineer

Tech 2

Crashbarrowx2

Worker

Archery

Collect 7 gold (7)
Worker (6)
Tech 2 Blood (2)
Skeleton Javelineer (1)
Skeleton from Garth’s topband (0)

Crashbomber attacks Hound. Uses its ability on death to hound to blow it up.
2nd Crashbomber kills Traffic director. Now (2/1)
Executioner and Garth Kill Bigby. Garth is now (3/1)

Discard 2, rs Draw 4

Patrol:
Leader: Skeleton (1/1)
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Skeleton Javelineer with rune (1/1)
Lookout:

Buildings: T1 (5), T2 Blood (5)
Units/Heroes: Garth L7 (3/1), Crashbomber (2/1)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 8 (+ 0 gold)
Hand: 4
Deck: 6
Discard: 0

New Hand

Summon Skeletons, Graveyard, Deteriorate, Doom Grasp

Discard

0

P1T4

[details=Secrets]

Discard : Liberty Gryphon, Liberty Gryphon + 4
Hand : Bluecoat Musketeer, Arrest, Overeager Cadet, Judgment Day, Manufactured Truth

Thoughts : Oops, didn’t notice he could attack my SQ with the Crash Bomber effect :confused: [/details]


Get 8 Gold (9)
Worker (8)
Tech II Truth (4)
Overeager Cadet (4)
Quince (2)
Discard 3, Draw 5


[details=Secrets]

Workers : 4 + Porkhand Magistrate + Lawful Search + Jail + Arrest

New Hand : Injunction, Building Inspector, Spectral Aven, Bluecoat Musketeer, Specral Hound[/details]

Board:

Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Mirror (0/1)
  • :psfist: Elite: Overeager Cadet (3/2)
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Reputable Newsman (0/3) “ZERO”
  • :exhaust: Technician: lvl 1 Quince (1/3)
  • :target: Lookout:
    Board :

Base : 20
Tech I : 5
Tech II Truth : 5

  • Discard : 0 + Tech
  • Deck : 5
  • Workers : 9

P1T5

Hand

Summon Skeletons, Graveyard, Deteriorate, Doom Grasp

Tech 2

Glider and Desparation

Collect 8 gold (8)
Make skeleton with topband (7)
Drakk (5)
Doom Grasp Newsman (1)
Deteriorate Mirror (1)
Crashbomber crashes into quince, deals 1 to T1 on death, Drakk to L3
Level Drakk to 4 (0)
Javelineer with Freanzy uses up rune to Long-range attack Cadet
Frenzy skeleton and Garth kill T2

Discard 2, Draw 4

Patrol:
Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:

Buildings: T1 (5), T2 Blood (5)
Units/Heroes: Garth L7 (3/1), Skeleton (1/1), Javelineer without rune (1/1), Drakk L4 (2/4)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 8 (+ 0 gold)
Hand: 4
Deck: 2
Discard: 7

New Hand

Pestering Haunt, Crashbomber, Crashbarrow, Thieving Imp

Discard

Summon Skeletons, Graveyard, Crashbomber, Doom Grasp, Deteriorate, Shoddy Glider, Desparation

Oops forgot to mention that I use Doom Grasp saccing the token I made that turn.

sorry mate, but wasn’t quince 1/3? how can crashbomber 2/2 kill quince and deal 1 to T1?

P1T5

[details=Secrets]

Discard : Community Service, Macciatus + 2
Hand : Injunction, Building Inspector, Spectral Aven, Bluecoat Musketeer, Specral Hound, Traffic Director

Thoughts : [/details]


Get 9 Gold (12)
Worker (11)
Rebuild Tech II (11)
Bigby (9)
Injunction on your Tech II (6)
Spectral Hound (5)
Spectral Aven (3)
Tower (0)

Discard 2, Draw 4


[details=Secrets]

Workers : 4 + Porkhand Magistrate + Lawful Search + Jail + Arrest + Traffic Director

New Hand : Eyes of the Chancellor, Spectral Tiger, Judgment Day, Manufactured Truth[/details]

Board:

Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Spectral Hound (3/3)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician: lvl 1 Bigby (2/3)
  • :target: Lookout:
    Board : Spectral Aven (2/2)

Base : 18
Tech I : 5
Tech II Truth : 5

  • Discard : 0 + Tech
  • Deck : 5
  • Workers : 10

Crash Bomber was at 2/1 and would have to hit Quince with his death instead of Tech 1, but otherwise nothing changes.

Sorry I was considering another line where I max Drakk and somehow overlooked that.

P1T6

Hand

Pestering Haunt, Crashbomber, Crashbarrow, Thieving Imp

Tech 2

Glider and Desparation

Worker

Imp

Collect 8 gold (8)
Worker (7)
Make skeleton with Garth topband (6)
Send both Frenzy skeletons to trade with hound
Garth trades with Bigby, maxing Drakk
Crashbomber (5)
Drakk and Hasted + Frenzy Crashbomber kill T2

Discard 2, Draw 2 rs Draw 2

Patrol:
Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Skeleton (1/1)
Lookout:

Buildings: T1 (5), T2 Blood (5)
Units/Heroes: Drakk L6 (3/3), Crashbomber (2/1)
Base: 20
Other:

Economy:
Workers: 9 (+ 5 gold)
Hand: 4
Deck: 10
Discard: 0

New Hand

Executioner, Crashbarrow, Doom Grasp, Crashbomber

Discard

0

Ok I’ll concede. Wp and thanks for the match mate !

@EricF I’m conceding, Alhazard wins the game !