Brisbane 2010 Kotei Report Top Dragon

2nd Glory and 2nd Honour

It has been just under 2 weeks since the Auckland Kotei and I have had little free time since. My deck is “fixed”, due to the theme deck story, so practicing is all I can do there. Out last Tuesday game night before the Kotei proved interesting, with me winning all my games but one. This included Jon Meertens Lion deck, which thus far had been a problem. Daniel C played an experimental Crab deck which totally wiped me out on the first run. Our rematch was very strange. He lost provinces to his own New Order and Akuma no Oni very early. Despite repeated attacked I held him off. After he brought our Kuon, I let his two peps take 3 provinces unopposed, but I retaliated and won on with 50 honour, but not before defeating him militarily with LSC! (I felt dirty). I have a feeling that this week’s events will likewise be strange.

The following day, I finish the theme deck story booklet. This is now 8 pages, in colour with pictures. I manually complete the final badge and then assemble them all on the t-shirt. The theme is a life in the day of Kitsuki Taiko. (She was the personality I chose for the story after winning the Adelaide Kotei some 6 weeks ago. However, she is dead and an invalid choice, so I wrote a story for her). Every card in the deck is in the story. Every card in the story (and some preposed cards) have  been made into 60mm badges. All the badges have been pinned onto a “Kotei” T-Shirt, in the chronological sequence that they appear in the story, beginning with Kitsuki Taiko (generic) and ending with Kitsuki Taiko experienced. The t-shirt is quite heavy with over 50 badges, so I don’t know if it will be practical to wear for any length of time.

The morning before I leave, my youngest daughter (Kathryn) again presents me the Smiley badge and wishes me luck. (She didn’t do this for the Auckland Kotei). There will only be three Team Vic members at the Brisbane Kotei, Steve Merlo (Scorpion ninja), who hasn’t been available until now and his girlfriend Sarah (Mantis).

Friday night before the Kotei a group of L5R players congregate at “Hotel da Slug”. There are a number of interstaters staying with Slug (Shane Pheeney or slugtech fame); specifically Leigh (Scorpion) and Tara (Phoenix) from Adelaide, Mik (Phoenix or Spider) from Sydney and myself. We are joined by Michael who has moved from Byndaberg to Brisbane and a few local players join us like Chris Harvey (Lion) to play some games (practice). Since my deck is theme and can’t change, I play other decks. Mik (Sydney) hears that Phoenix will be heavily represented and decides to change to Spider Oni. This means Mik has to reconstruct his deck from memory and spend that night scraping and borrowing cards to complete it. (Hmmm, Slugtech perhaps?) Mik, Slug and I were the only players to go to both Adelaide and Brisbane Kotei’s. Slug has yet to build a deck. Most of us crash around midnight, except Slug who then begins to build his Crab deck. It wouldn’t be Slugtech if the deck wasn’t built at the last minute and wasn’t strange. Slug ends up with an all Crab pep mix of all types of personalities, which is basically a military deck with a strong option to enlighten.

At the Kotei, I hand out printed copies of my theme deck booklet to every player and the Tournament Organizers. (I never occurs to me that most, if not all won’t actually read it). I do wear the “Badge T-Shirt” all day. It is heavy but manageable.

Clan Breakdowns as follows:

3              Crab                                                       2              Crane                                     3              Dragon

2              Lion                                                        2              Mantis                                   5              Phoenix

5              Scorpion                                                4              Spider                                     2              Unicorn

Round 1 – Dianne Cynthia Laycock (Brisbane) Utaku Plains - Unicorn

Dianne has only been playing for a few days. I get double gold on turn one, not my best result, and so does Dianne. Turn 2 I get Oki and Taiko, Dianne get gold and a peep. My deck begins to rocket. I spend most of my time helping Dianne learn the mechanics of the game and giving her basic strategy tips and teach her the rules. On my turn five I hit 37 honour with 6 peeps. She launches her first attack, which I successfully fend off and cross.                                                     Win.                                        1 W – 0 L

Round 2 – Charles Thorp, aka Chuckie aka Dianne boyfriend (Brisbane) Fields of the Dead (Oni) Spider

I get an OK start with a peep and gold. Chuckie flips a War of Dark Fire, which I forewarning and then is forced to double mulligan. By turn three I have 13 honour and 3 peeps. He attacks, I make an error (forget exactly what) and loose the province. Turn four, he takes a province thanks to Determined Force. By my turn five I have 29 honour and 5 peeps, with 2 provinces. He Beloved of the Clan to reduce my honour gains then attacks. I defend, saving the province, but A Game of Sincerity drops my honour and I go down for the turn to 25. This pattern is repeated. I loose my last province on 29 honour. He got his honour meta and I didn’t get much of my honour gain actions At this point I expect honour meta to prevent me for even getting top Dragon, although I am more confident of top theme deck anyway.                                                                                                Lose                                       1 W – 1 L

Round 3 – Nathan Woolley (Gold Coast) Twin Soul Temple - Phoenix

Nathan is a relatively new player, only being active since August. He goes first getting gold, I get gold and a peep. Ditto turn two. Turn three he has 3 peeps. He refuses my duel and then I get Oki and Miyoko. I am now sitting on 25 honour, rocketing. He launches his first attack on turn four, with 3 peeps. I save the province and shoot to 32 honour. Turn five I again hold off an attack and by the end of my turn hit 42 honour with 4 provinces. He attacks two provinces, kills one and I start my turn on 44.                                                                                                               Win                                         2 W - 1 L

Round 4 – Tim McMillian aka Mirumoto T (Brisbane) Pillars of Virtue (Military) - Dragon

I loose the dice off and go second. We both get double gold on turn one. He gets 2 peeps on turn toe, while I get Satsu. Turn three sees the Guidance. By turn four he has 6 peeps to my three. Turn five he flips a New Order which I forewarning. I hit 33 honour. Turn six we have a big battle at my Well Defended Border. I manage to save the province and hit 40 honour on his turn.                                                                                                                                                            Win                                         3 W – 1 L

Round 5 – Justin ‘Walk’ Lee (Brisbane) Hidden Moon Dojo – Scorpion (Ninja)

I am very familiar with Ninja decks thanks to Steve Merlo. I get a good start with gold and a peep, while he is forced to double mulligan. That pretty much sets up the tone of the game. By my turn four I have 25 honour. He attacks (forgets to Sensei for =3 force before the attack, but I let him go back and do it.) I save the province anyway with card use. Turn five I hit 32. He attacks and forgets to Sensei again, I let him go back again. He Silent Rot’s and take the province. Yes Team Vic, I know, when will I learn!) Turn six I have 36 honour. He attacks. I Turn the Tide and bow out his army of 4 peeps. He saves 2. Taiko dies to take 2 with her, then I cross. I have an outside chance at the finals. I need another win as my strength of opposition is not good enough to get in on 4-2. I am currently ranked sixth                                                                                   .                               Win                                         4 W – 1 L

Round 6 – Duncan Wong (Brisbane) City of Tears (Phoenix) - Military

We are both forced to double mulligan. He gets two gold and I get gold and Miyoko. On turn two we both get two peeps and I score Well Defended Border. Turn three he Ritual of J on I. Mizak (I think) and attacks. I save the province. Turn four I save a province and hit 25 honour. Turn six, ditto but loose some peeps and hit 33 honour, with 4 provinces. I cross. He can’t take four but launches one big attack for his own personal satisfaction. I defend with all, save the province and finish on 49.                                                                                                                                     Win.                                       5  W – 1 L

I finish 4th overall. All the finalists are on 5 W – 1 L.

Before the finals, the theme deck competitors make their presentations. Although I go second, I don’t actually read my submission and only give a summary, because it is so long.

The top four are

Slug (Crab Military/Enlightenment), Mik (Spider – Oni), Chris Harvey (Lion) and myself. Obviously the key to being in the final's, was to be at “Hotel de Slug” on Friday night!

Team Vic members Steve Merlo finished on 3 – 3 and Sarah on 2 – 4. Unfortunately, Sarah got the flu bug just before coming to Brisbane and poor Steve didn’t get any sleep because of it. Neither were in their best form for the event.

FINALS

Semi-Final Game 1 – Shane (Slug) Pheeney (Brisbane) – Shattered Peaks – Crab (Military/Enlightenment)

I start slow, getting gold and a peep for no honour, while slug gets gold. Turn two is a repeat and rinse. Turn three for me is same again, while Slug gets two peeps and gold. By turn four I have 20 honour. He flips Imperial Census, which I counter with forewarning. Turn five’s end I have 27 and 6 peeps, while he has 7. Turn six sees the first battle. He attacks with all 7 peeps and I defend with 3. I wall of honour twice to get the province to 24 and save it. He does however have 3 rings out, Air, Fire and Void. I cross on turn seven with 4 provinces and 5 peeps, Slug has 10. He attacks all four provinces (after Walking the Way), with enough force to take them all and two Calvary in reserve. I am sure I can save at least one province, but the requirements for the rings of Earth and Water should not be hard for Slug to achieve, which is a bigger concern. After losing my first province in battle, I realize he doesn’t have Ring of Earth so enlightenment is probably no longer an option. I loose 3 provinces and save the fourth.                                                                                                                          Win

Semi-Final Game 2 – Shane (Slug) Pheeney (Brisbane) – Shattered Peaks – Crab (Military/Enlightenment)

I start clunky with gold and no honour peep, while Slug gets two gold. Turn two I get two gold and Slug gets two peeps. Turn three I get my theme deck personality, Taiko exp and gold going to 14 honour. Turn four I hit 23 honour with 4 peeps and have flipped Holy Site. He attacks with his four peeps. I defend and Turn the Tide bowing his entire army. He uses his Stronghold to straighten one, which I favour home. Slug can’t get back in. I loose one peep, he looses 3 (75% of his army). Turn five I second mulligan and hit 35 honour. Slug attacks, I successfully defend and hit 40 honour during his attack.                                                                                                                         Win

I honestly didn’t expect to get to the finals, least of all this far. Perhaps the criteria for making the final were actually sleeping at “Hotel de Slug” on Friday night? I am still wearing my deck on my chest. I momentarily contemplate possible victory and the major ramifications of that result. Paul Ryan, a retired L5R player that dominated the Australian Kotei scene for some 3 - 4 years, going undefeated in that time, threatened to come out of retirement if I won another Kotei. That is now my major goal.

Mik Regalado’s (Spider Oni) defeats Chris Harvey (Lion) to meet me in the final

Final Game 1 – Mik Regalado (Sydney) Fields of the Dead (Spider Oni)

I start poorly, forced to double mulligan to get gold and a pee.  Mik flips Kali-Ma on turn one and then mulligans. (Kali-Ma resulted in my only losses in Adelaide). Turn two sees Shaiko and gold, while Mik gets Utogu no Oni and a zombie. By turn three I start to roll, getting Taiko xp and gold, hitting 17 honour. Mik attacks. He Game of Sincerity, I wall of honour to re-honour and save the province. He buys Umi-Bozu. Turn four I hit 23 honour. Mik attacks, takes first action, kills Taiko xp and takes the province. Turn five I hit 29 honour with 3 provinces. Mik has 8 peeps and 5 zombies without Kali-Ma. He is getting too big, I bide my time and let him take a province. Turn six I hit 24 honour. I forewarning a New Order. He uses Kali-Ma to get 3 BIG Oni’s. The total force is too much and I loose both provinces. Without Kali-Ma I could have saved one.                     Loss

Final Game 2 – Mik Regalado (Sydney) Fields of the Dead (Spider Oni)

I get a better start, Bokuni and gold mine. Mik mulligans but scores well. Turn two I buy Satsu for honour. Mik breeds. Turn three I get Taiko xp and gold. I start to get my hopes up! This is a good dynasty pull. Mik flips Kali-Ma, plays Beloved of the Clan and breeds some more. I still hit 27 honour on turn four and am looking good. He attacks with minimal peeps, but determined force negates my advantage but I still have enough in hand to save it. Turn five I go to 35 honour with 4 provinces. He flips New Order which I forewarning, then immediately flips War of Dark Fire which goes off. That will hurt! He border keeps. I blow Oki. He attacks, double Game of Sincerity, knocking me back to 30 honour and then Determined Force to kill a province. He buys 2 more peeps.  I flip Lost Path which negates Kali-Ma. He beloved of the Clan again and launches a twin attack. I do not defend, going down to one province. Turn seven I hit 39 honour and hope to draw into something, but nothing comes to hand and I am attacked with overwhelming force. I either lost or was prevent from gaining an additional 20 honour. Mik scored well with his honour meta in that game.                                                                                                                                                                         Loss

Final Positions – (Glory)

1st Spider – Mik Regalado

2nd Dragon – Joseph Italiano

3rd Crab – Shane (Slug) Pheeney

 4th Lion – Chris Harvey

I find out later from Mik, that not only did he expect me to make the finals, but that he specifically meta’ed against me. How quaint that I now inspire such awe and fear. To his credit, it certainly did the job. Perhaps advertising my deck on my t-shirt was not such a good idea (lol).

Final Positions – (Glory)

1st Crane – John Pope

2nd Dragon – Joseph Italiano

3rd Scorpion – Leigh Gregurke

 4th Spider – Lee Hughes

The following day we have a smaller turn out for the not-so-serious L5R events. We have a random pairing multi-player event. Uncommon Ground, meaning no rares, unique's (except Rings) or promos. I (Dragon) get teamed up with Michael Hill (Mantis). With luck and fun to be had, we win the doubles.

The final event is a draft with two pods and the undefeated player of each goes into a final. I finish with 2 W – 1 L.

Thanks to all the organizers of the event. I had fun. Even did OK. The local Kotei season is over for us. This has been my best result yet overall, with a 1st, 6th and 2nd in Glory and in the two theme deck event I entered, finishing 4th and 2nd. I hope to post deck list itself soon.