Casual: Hobusu vs robinz

[robinz]

I’ve said this in my thoughts below, but there’s really no need to hide it away there - I really have no idea where this game started to go so right for me. At least part of it is lucky draws again, and probably unlucky ones on your part - so I have to be a bit apologetic.

Unless of course I’ve missed some major comeback play that you can make - if any colour could turn this around, I guess it’s red! I guess I’ll find out soon

P1T6

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Feral Strike

---

STARTING HAND
Tiny Basilisk
Centaur
Gemscout Owl
Wandering Mimic

---

WORKERS
Rich Earth
Ironbark Treant
Playful Panda
Verdant Tree
Spore Shambler
Gemscout Owl

---

NextHand

Rampant Growth
Faerie Dragon
Young Treant
Final Showdown

---

Discard

Tiny Basilisk
Centaur
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Feral Strike

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Merfolk Prospector taps for 1 gold - ($10)
Midori kills Bugblatter, taking no damage. My base takes yet another 1 damage., you draw a card.
Rhino runs through and breaks your Tech 2. Your base takes 2 damage.
play Wandering Mimic - currently has Flying but only on my turn - ($6)
summon and max Calamandra - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: max Calamandra (4/5)
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]: Wandering Mimic [4/4, Flying on my turn, Resist 1 due to Calamandra]
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Merfolk Prospector [1/1, Resist 1]
• max Midori [4/5, Flying on my turn]
• Oversized Rhinoceros [8/4, Resist 1]]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

• Base HP: 15
• Tech I HP: 5
• Tech II HP: 5 (Balance)

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 4
• Disc: 4
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 10

Thoughts

No need to say much here - I’m just completely dominating. I’m even surprised he hasn’t conceded - unless I’ve missed something drastic, which if I have I’m sure I’ll find out about soon!

I’m really not sure where it all went so right. I mean, I was pretty worried after my turn 3, and still nervous, albeit knowing I was ahead, after turn 4. Now it’s turn 6 and he has an empty board, while I have 2 max-level heroes and 2 beefy Tech 2 units - and he doesn’t have a functional Tech 2 next turn. Even if, against all expectation, he has the Pirate Commander in his hand rather than in his discard, he can’t kill more than 1 or 2 of my things, Meanwhile I’m just ramping up the power level with what I’m playing and teching - my hand for next turn should allow me to kill more or less whatever I want…

So how did this end up happening? Might be interesting to discuss after the game, although my lucky draws again had at least something to do with it. I think getting Rampant Growth from the Technician draw on his turn 3 is very probably the turning point. And if he had killed Midori on his turn 4, which was almost certainly possible with the right draw for him, things could be very different now.

---

[Hobusu]

Yeah, I should probably have conceded a while ago. It seems like I’ve been extremely unlucky today, and not just in Codex… That doesn’t make your win any less legitimate, though!

I don’t think I’ll be doing any more Codex today (just want to relax for now), but if you want to start another game tomorrow I’d be up for that. Do you want to change colors? I’ve been playing as White against @ARMed_PIrate, and I’ve been enjoying those games much more than any Red vs Green I’ve played lately. Part of it is just that I’ve played so much of that matchup that I’m getting tired of it, to the point where I need to step back and look at how other colors and matchups work for a while…

[robinz]

That’s no problem - I completely understand. And I’m sorry for whatever life problems you’re clearly having away from Codex. Thanks a lot for playing against me, I’ve definitely learnt a lot in just a few days!

I think I’l switch to red for the next game. (I’ll try other colours, and even multi-colour, at some point soon, but I don’t think I should rush that.) If you want to play White then that’s no problem at all. I’m going to look back over your hands and thoughts for this game, because it does seem like you were pretty unlucky - particularly at not being able to kill Midori on your turn 4 (I guess it was odds against but it felt a very real possibility from my point of view). But thanks again - I really appreciate you offering me my first experience at PBF, and I expecting I’ll be doing quite a lot of it in the future.

It’s actually 1:30am here in the UK, I have no idea why I’m still up I’ll be really busy most of tomorrow, but I may be able to start a game in the evening (GMT). If you want to start one before that, feel free!

[Hobusu]

Thanks for the encouragement! I think I’ll go ahead and use White. Let me know if you have a preference for first or second, or we can roll for it: 52/100.

[robinz]

65/100 for me, which I guess means I’m first. But I’m definitely not going to start a new game until tomorrow (or Sunday if I’m too busy tomorrow, but I expect I should be able to do at least 1 turn come the evening).

Or you can just go first regardless if you want - I know you said you find White much easier as p1

[Hobusu]

If you’re OK with me going first, then I’ll go ahead and do that. The first turn rarely requires that much thought/luck…

[Hobusu]

Player 1 Turn 1

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Starting Hand and Workers

STARTING HAND

Safe Attacking
Smoker
Aged Sensei
Grappling Hook
Morningstar Flagbearer

---

WORKERS

Smoker

---

Next Hand

Snapback
Fox Primus
Sensei’s Advice
Savior Monk
Fox Viper

---

Discard

Grappling Hook
Safe Attacking
Morningstar Flagbearer

---

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
Recruit Aged Sensei - ($2)
Summon Rook - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Garus Rook Lv. 1 (2/4+a)
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Aged Sensei (1/1)
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]

[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

The standard White opening. Rook gives solid defense against early Red shenanigans (against a less aggressive color I might have picked Grave), and Aged Sensei lets me attack more safely. Probably will play Savior Monk next turn, since Fox Primus’s Frenzy and Anti-air aren’t too important here and Healing could come in handy if something doesn’t immediately die (Fox Viper is too frail to even consider here). Floating a gold will be OK since he probably won’t want to go down on cards if he has Pillage, and I doubt I’ll need the gold even if he does take it.

[robinz]

P2T1

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StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Scorch
Bombaster
Bloodrage Ogre
Careless Musketeer
Nautical Dog

---

WORKERS
Scorch

---

NextHand

Mad Man
Pillage
Makeshift Rambaster
Charge
Bloodburn

---

Discard

Nautical Dog
Bombaster
Careless Musketeer

---

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
summon Drakk - ($2)
Bloodrage Ogre - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: lv. 1 Drakk [1/3+1A]
• [I]Elite[/I]: Bloodrage Ogre [3+1/2]
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]

[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: 6

Thoughts

This is only the second time I’ve played against White, but I already know that Rook is annoying. There’s absolutely no way to kill him this turn, and therefore I can’t kill Sensei either. (Unless I play Bombaster and activate him, thereby spending 3 to end up with no board and letting Rook hit my base for at least 2 if he wants - not really a sensible move.) And Rook can be buffed by Sensei to do 3 damage next turn, while surviving with his 4HP, so I’d better put someone with 3HP in Squad Leader. That necessitates Drakk (or Jaina - but Drakk is clearly better, at least for the early game). After that, I’ve 2 gold left, and while it seems sad to not play the Nautical Dog, the Ogre is just a better unit, even at 1 gold more.

Elite seems the right slot for the Ogre, because if he uses Grappling Hook to move Drakk out of the way to attack the Ogre with Rook, then they will both kill each other. Unless of course Sensei gives Rook the extra armour for this turn - but this is the best I can do in terms of making him spend more to get past me. I’m already beginning to see what he means about White being strong as P1!

I can always level Drakk next turn if he gets damaged by Rook, and I can attack with the Ogre and perhaps something hasty from my next hand. I’ve also got Charge for next turn if that looks good.

I’m really not sure of the best way of approaching this matchup. Clearly I can’t rely too heavily on heroes because of Snapback - and nor do I want to give Rook free levels, because then he becomes a monster. While it depends on how he plays, I’ve got quite a strong feeling I should go for Anarchy Tech 2, because of their Stealth options, when he can put a wall of hefty blockers in the patrol zone if he wants - particularly if he goes Strength Tech 2. As ever though, that plan could all change as the game goes on!

I also need a way to deal with Rook’s birds - that will be either a Tower, or a Gunpoint Taxman - or both.

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[Hobusu]

Player 1 Turn 2

---

Tech, Starting Hand and Workers

TECH

Bird’s Nest
Sparring Partner

---

STARTING HAND

Snapback
Savior Monk
Fox Primus
Fox Viper
Sensei’s Advice

---

WORKERS

Smoker
Fox Viper

---

Next Hand

Grappling Hook
Fox Primus
Safe Attacking
Sparring Partner
Morningstar Flagbearer

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Build Tech I - ($3)
Recruit Savior Monk - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Savior Monk (2/2+a) [Healing 1]
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Aged Sensei (1/1)
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Garus Rook Lv. 1 (2/4)
  [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: 1
• Workers: 6

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]I don’t like having to patrol this way, but any other way runs the risk that he does the following sequence:

1. Attack with Drakk (to remove armor from Savior Monk)
2. Level Drakk to Lv. 4 (healing the 2 damage and giving Frenzy 1 to units)
3. Mad Man arrives and trades with Savior Monk
4. Bloodrage Ogre (now Frenzied) trades with Rook, Drakk levels to max

This way, he can’t afford to do all that because Aged Sensei is preventing Bloodrage Ogre from finding its mark. That said, he can still do something like trade Ogre for Monk, Drakk kills Sensei, and then do something else from there? At least that isn’t as terrible for me, especially since I get a gold back. Next turn I play Sparring Partner, and hopefully the turn after I can put down Bird’s Nest.[/spoiler][/details]

[robinz]

P2T2

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Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Gunpoint Taxman
Bloodlust

---

STARTING HAND
Makeshift Rambaster
Bloodburn
Charge
Pillage
Mad Man

---

WORKERS
Scorch
Makeshift Rambaster

---

NextHand

Mad Man
Bloodlust
Pillage
Careless Musketeer

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Tech 1 - ($4)
Bloodburn

• ($1)
  Ogre trades with Saviour Monk, 2 runes on Bloodburn
  Man Man, trades with Aged Sensei. 2 more runes on BB. You get a coin. - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: lv. 1 Drakk [1/3+1A]
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Bloodburn [4]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

• Base HP: 20
• Tech I HP: 5

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 5
• Disc: 0
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 7

Thoughts

I’m giving bloodburn a go, becuase - well why not? It makes all trades, including the ones I’ve done this turn, that little bit better for me. I think clearying his board was probably the right play in any case, that Sensei could potentially be quite dangerous, as could SM if I’m planning to slowly chip away at things. I am going down a card, and he has a fair amount of gold, but I certainly feel like I’m in the game (although my next hand looks bleh at best - not sure if Bloodlust will have any good targets).

I’ve teched a Taxman mainly to deal with Rook’s birds - although he has his uses even if he doesn’t go for that. And Bloodlust is just such a useful and cheap spell - since I’m playing Drakk and he’s unlikely to die soon, why not? (I doubt he’ll play Snapback on Drakk for at least a few turns either.)

I get the feeling at this point that it could be a very interesting and quite long game - but who knows? And, while I’m just a beginner in any case, I think I find playing Green easier than Red.

---

[robinz]

@Hobusu - is this game still a thing?

No need to rush, just checking you haven’t forgotten.

[Hobusu]

Sorry! I haven’t forgotten, I just haven’t had time to sit down and take my turn. I’ll try to do it some time today.

[Jadiel]

@robinz

I’m still curious what you think I should have done at my turn 2. You seem to agree with me that Ironbark would have been the wrong play, yet my actual play went pretty spectacularly wrong. In hindsight, the changes that could have helped were either leveling up Calamandra instead of playing Young Treant, or having the Panda doing the Rampant Growth attacking instead of Calamandra. But I think the latter wouldn’t have helped (Calamandra would take 1 wound less, but would have only YT to protect her instead of YT+PP), while the former again would have left me one patroller down.

I realise this reply is a week late, but hopefully you might still find it interesting. If I were you on turn 2, I would have leveled Calamandra to 3 and killed Ogre, then Rampant Growth on Panda, and kill Drakk, which levels Calamandra to 5 and heals her. You finish in almost the same position as you did, but with a 4/5 Calamandra instead the the treant. Hobusu can still clear your board (Dog trades with Panda, Zane, Bombaster+ Charge trade with Calamandra, but it will cost him his whole board to do it, and leave him down on cards, and definitely mean you’re in a much stronger position going into turn 4.

[Hobusu]

The long awaited third turn!

Player 1 Turn 3

---

Tech, Starting Hand and Workers

TECH

Rambasa Twin
Entangling Vines

---

STARTING HAND

Safe Attacking
Morningstar Flagbearer
Grappling Hook
Sparring Partner
Fox Primus

---

WORKERS

Smoker
Fox Viper
Fox Primus

---

Next Hand

Sensei’s Advice
Snapback
Rambasa Twin
Bird’s Nest

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float + scavenger - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Recruit Sparring Partner - ($6)
Rook casts Grappling Hook on Drakk, yanking him to Lookout
Level Rook to Lv. 5 - ($2)
Rook piledrives Drakk into the dirt, taking 1 damage and gaining 2 free levels, while Drakk does 1 to my base
Patrol as shown below

Float ($2)
Discard 2, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 1

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]: Sparring Partner (2/2)
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Garus Rook Lv. 7 (3/4) [Unstoppable by a lone patroller]
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 19
• Tech I HP: 5

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 6
• Disc: 0
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 2
• Workers: 7

Thoughts

That went pretty well! Having Grappling Hook in that hand was quite handy, since it let me get a hero kill that would otherwise be too costly. Rook should be safe for now, but if he expected Drakk’s death and teched Flame Arrow that would be enough to get the revenge kill. I’ll risk it, though, since the potential to swing with Rook again and then heal him is too tempting! Besides, he still needs to deal with Sparring Partner, since if both he and Rook live Rook would become nearly impossible to kill (a 5/7 with Two Lives)! While my Tech II may be delayed because of going down on cards, I’m planning to go Discipline. Mind-Parry Monk will shut down much of a Fire strategy, I can easily Tech Lab for Glorious Ninja if he goes Blood, and if he goes Anarchy I can build a Tower and use flyers to punish him.

[robinz]

No problems with the delay. You certainly made it worth the wait

I should hopefully have a turn done within the next hour or two. Just going to point out for now that your base should be at 19, Drakk makes you pay for his life

[Hobusu]

I aim to please!

Now you only need Drakk to die 19 more times and you’ll win!

[robinz]

P2T3

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Ember Sparks
Chameleon Lizzo

---

STARTING HAND
Mad Man
Careless Musketeer
Pillage
Bloodlust

---

WORKERS
Scorch
Makeshift Rambaster
Pillage

---

NextHand

Charge
Nautical Dog
Gunpoint Taxman

---

Discard

Mad Man
Bloodlust
Ember Sparks
Chameleon Lizzo

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Jaina - ($4)
Careless Musketter - ($2)
BloodBURN taps to do 1 damage to Sparring Partner, now on 2 runes
Mad Man arrives and trades with Sparring Partner, you draw a card. Bloodburn back up to 4 runes - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 1, draw 3

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Careless Musketeer [2/1]
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]: Jaina lv. 1 [2/3]
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Bloodburn [4]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

• Base HP: 20
• Tech I HP: 5

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

• Hand: 3
• Deck: 2
• Disc: 4
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 1
• Workers: 8

Thoughts

Yikes, didn’t really see that coming. Stupid, since all it needed from his hand was Grappling Hook, and that was a 5/8 chance. Not sure what I could have done about that, but I won’t worry about it till after the game. Now I need to find the best way back.

Actually, losing Drakk isn’t hugely bad in itself - apart from making my Bloodlust a dead card and stopping me getting Frenzy for all my units. What I’m terrified of is his max-level Rook next turn. It’s almost not worth bothering to kill him, because you have to do it twice - but that means I can’t stop Earthquakes, or for that matter Thunderclaps or Vines. Meanwhile he can patrol him in squad leader if he so chooses and form a brick wall for all my attacking attempts.

So I’m definitely going to go for Anarchy Tech 2, to try to sneak behind his patrol zone to take out his tech buildings. Plus, of course, Gunships if I can survive to Tech 3! As for this turn, I needed to get 2 patrollers out to prevent being smashed - he’s unlikely to be able to kill Jaina (but if he does I get a card back). Going to try to keep her alive and get her to max, to do more damage to his buildings - and teching Fire Spells as well for a similar reason. I wasn’t really sure which to go for, but ES is both relatively cheap and very flexible. It can’t help with units/heroes hiding behind the patrol zone, but I will have my Anarchy Tech 2 stuff for that.

---

[Hobusu]

@robinz

Bloodlust taps to do 1 damage to Sparring Partner, now on 2 runes

You mean Bloodburn, right? Especially since Drakk got piledrived…

[Hobusu]

Player 1 Turn 4

---

Tech, Starting Hand and Workers

TECH

Young Lightning Dragon
Mind-Parry Monk

---

STARTING HAND

Snapback
Sensei’s Advice
Bird’s Nest
Rambasa Twin
Entangling Vines (technician)

---

WORKERS

Smoker
Fox Viper
Fox Primus
Entangling Vines

---

Next Hand

Aged Sensei
Safe Attacking
Morningstar Flagbearer
Grappling Hook

---

Discard

Sparring Partner
Young Lightning Dragon
Mind-Parry Monk
Snapback
Sensei’s Advice

---

Draw from Technician
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
Rook casts Bird’s Nest, summoning the cutest little killers ever! - ($6)
Rook kicks Careless Musketeer off the board and takes 2 damage
Level Rook to Lv. 8 (Max!), healing him - ($5)
Recruit Rambasa Twin Mario, who calls for his bro Luigi - ($1)
Patrol as shown below

Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 4

---

[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Rambasa Twin Mario (3/2)
• [I]Technician[/I]: Rambasa Twin Luigi (3/2)
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Garus Rook Lv. 8 (4/6) [Unstoppable by a lone patroller, Two Lives]
• Bird’s Nest
• Bird #1 (1/1) [Flying]
• Bird #2 (1/1) [Flying]
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 20
• Tech I HP: 5

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 1
• Disc: 5
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 1
• Workers: 8

Thoughts

So far, aside from the slow cycle preventing on-schedule Tech II, this is textbook White. It’ll be nearly impossible for him to kill Rook, so the best he can hope to do is contain the wrath of the birds… But it’s a futile hope, unless he plays Gunpoint Taxman, since Safe Attacking next turn will make even a Tower unable to harm them. Sad I had to worker Entangling Vines, but if I want them I can probably tech them again… Or just get something else, at this point.

[robinz]

yes, sorry - typo