Melbourne Kotei 2011 Report Top Dragon
I had five Dragon decks to choose from, but as the Kotei draws closer, Kensei seems to be best which isn't saying much. Unlike previous events, my two boys are schedule to play. My youngest, James is ten. I suspect he is the youngest Kotei player in the World. As you can surmise, James deck preference changes based on who has played what against him lately. As such, we now have decks for every clan, except Lion, as well as multiple decks for some clans. In the end he decides to play Crane, only because his older brother Jason wanted Scorpion ninjas. Most of my time since, has been building and tweeting decks for the boys. My own deck has had a major modification, which was inspired by the draft we had played a week before the Kotei. The Kotei is back in Melbourne this year (we didn't submit for one last year) and my store Alternate Worlds is the host venue. I hope this means my work load for the event will diminished and not distracting from actually playing. As the Kotei approaches, Jason decides to pull out of the event due to school work commitments. What can I say ?
The store is set up for the pre-Kotei event on Friday night, which is a pre CE sealed using 10 pre CE boosters and the players choice of CE legal stronghold and applicable holdings. The build is draft format, rather than sealed. We have a modest eight players and numerous Kotei deck testers present. I end up playing LSC with only 5 Dragon personalities. Most players didn't get more than 5 of any one clan, except Peter Wood who had 11 Crab peeps (which were good as well). I think my long years of play experience helped my deck build, as my memory of the old cards becomes refreshed and their play value returns. My fate selection was average but all my cards were insinc. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my note book so I don't recall my opponents, except for Steve Merlo, who I played in the final game for the event win. I must have gotten the upper hand, because Steve conceded to me before final time. I won the event, but all I could think of was, "I hope this doesn't jinx me for the main event".
Saturday morning, my son and I are up and in early. I spend the morning doing final set up, getting organized and setting up the tournament software. We have players from over half of the Australian states, including Adelaide (South Australia), Brisbane (Queensland), Albury (New South Wales), local (Melbourne, Victoria), country Victoria (Ballarat) and even Auckland New Zealand. (Farthest Traveled anyone!). Our NZ player is Chris Bridgeman from L5R search. I had him personally deliver some cards I want for the Kotei. He dropped them off early on Saturday morning. I hurriedly put them down to finish entering the players into the computer and the cards remained there for the entire weekend. (I should have realized at this point, that not being a TO is pointless, if I am still a significant helper).
Clan Breakdowns as follows:
3
Crab 4
Crane
4
Dragon
5
Lion 5
Mantis
4
Phoenix
7
Scorpion
5
Spider
4
Unicorn
1 Ronin
Round 1 – Ryan Toddie (Albury)
Temple - Phoenix
Ryan is a nice guy. A newbee who has only
been playing for a month. I begin the game late as I was still setting up the
paperwork for the first round. I get a good start and by turn 3 have 2 units
including one with Chag's armour. I attack 2 provinces, he defends with Houhou.
For some stupid reason I resolve the battle my Chag's is at, instead of an empty
province and then just move in. Although I don't loose any units, I only take
one province instead of two. I sober up a bit after that and take 2 provinces on
turn four. Ryan
concedes.
Win.
1 W – 0 L
Round 2 – Nathaniel Robinson (Melbourne) Embassy of the Crane - Crane (Honour)
He starts with gold, as do I. He gets a pep
on turn two, I get two. He gets another on turn 3. I attack on turn 3 and after multiple
card plays I end up at home. On turn 4 he is at 19 honour with 3 peps.
I follow with a province kill and loose a unit (stupid duels). By turn 5/6 he is
down to one province and 37 honour. He Peaceful Recourses on my biggest unit and
crosses on my turn. I attack with everything else (two units) and a big battle
ensues. From memory he kills one and maims the other, but I bring in the
"Peaceful" unit which gives me just enough to take the province. Didn't
get a Gold mine for the entire game!
.
Win
2 W – 0 L
Round 3 – Bradley Webb (Melbourne) Dragon
City Guard - Mantis
The first 2 turns are gold for both of us.
He gets Naizen on turn 3. I get Mori and gold on turn 4. He builds and buys 2
more peeps going to 3, with a follower on Naizen. I attack with all my
"one"
unit at an undefended province. He moves in as I assign with funky commander
tricks. I am now facing 3 units to my one. I sneak and kill Naizen, Bradley has
no usable actions without followers and has no gold to buy them. I kill his
units but not the province. Next turn I kill two provinces. Turn 6 I kill
another province while I still have 4 and he continues to rebuild. He decides to
go out fighting and return attacks all 4 provinces with a unit each. I
defend two and concede two and then take his last province with superior
numbers. (Bradley did go on to win the Kotei)
Win
3 W - 0 L
Lunch Break - Get a chance to R&R - James has played Chris Bridgeman on round one, got a bye round two and played another tough cookie on round 3. Despite not winning a game yet, he has put up a good game.
Round 4 – Jason Ryan - (Melbourne) Fields of the Dead - Spider undead breeder
Turn 1 is gold for each of us. Turn 2 I get
Mori and gold. Turn 3 I build up Mori as Jason has 4 zombies already. Turn 4 I pump
Mori some more and get a province undefended He gets more zombies (see a theme
here!) Turn 5 I get 3 more peps, but the zombie swarm makes attacking very
risky. Turn 6, I get Imperial Census which bows most of his army. I attack and
take two undefended provinces. Turn 7 I attack his last province with 3
units. He defends, breeds and force pumps higher than I can cope with. I loose
my attacking army. On his turn, his Zombie all straighten and he attacks 3
provinces with 4 plus zombies each. I concede them hoping to take his last with
my smaller numbers against a smaller army. I attack with everything I got,
including Satsu (I know, it's a sin), I have the upper hand until he Game of
Sincerity. Game over. Jason finished at the top of the Swiss rounds.
Loss
3 W – 1 L
Round 5 – Daniel Chlebowczyk (Melbourne) Shatter Peaks Castle- Crab
Daniel is one of our local Team Vic
players. My win ratio against him has been very high of late, so I am confident.
One or two wins should guarantee me entry in the finals. My gold turn one
is poor. He get two Iron Mines. Turn two I get Mori and gold, he buys 2 more
gold and peeps. He gets Armour of the Ryu, which is bad for me. I attack turn 4
and get Routed home, losing my item. His gold production and economy is way
better than mine. Not getting a province puts me behind the eight ball. He
swing back and takes a province. His gold production means that he is growing at
roughly 3:1 over me. I am no longer in a position to attack. I concede 2
provinces undefended. By turn 6/7 he has Hida Guidance 2 Rising Sun Blades, 5
peeps with 5F plus. I have 3 peeps, one province and no favour. I defend both,
but can't save either. I did not see a Gold Mine this game
either.
Loss
3 W – 1 L
Round 6 – Chris Harvey (Brisbane, Queensland) Great Hall of Records - Lion
He gets a good start, with 2 gold. I need to double
mulligan to get two low grade gold. Turn two, he gets two Deathseekers and gold,
while I get Mori. He attacks two provinces. I loose the battle, one province and
Mori to Deathseeker tricks (Cav and lots of tactical reactions that kill!). He
is Saiden Sanzo his own peeps to kill provinces, so his peep numbers are not over
the top, although he is killing my provinces. Turn 4 his cav takes a province.
By Turn 5 he has 3 peeps again, while I now get double gold. Loose another province
Turn 6, still only getting gold now. Final battle, he has 5 peeps to my 2. I
defend my last province, but he has multiple bow tech and I am outgunned,
although I finally have gold! now!
Loss.
3 W – 3 L
Round 7 – Dan Juleff (Melbourne, Victoria) Fortress of the Blackened Sight - Scorpion
Dan is also a member of Team Vic, although he has
only recently returned to active play. Dan seems a bit nervous. I find out later
that he knows if he beats me he is in the finals. Despite my recent losses, my count back
is so high that a win can likewise get me in. We chat and I do my
Steve impression how I have been getting gold screwed the last few games. Dan
comforts me by not cutting my deck, so if it happens again, it's my fault. Turn
1 I flip and get 4 gold!!! I buy 2 and keep 2. Dan buys 2 gold. (Dan later told
me that this was his most conservative start for the entire tournament, where he
bought double gold twice). Turn 2 I have 4 gold face up. Dan has no peps, so I
buy gold again. Dan flips B. Guidance. He buys peeps. I flip 2 peeps and 2
gold. Dan Guidance's away my combat unit and leaves me the shugenja. I mulligan
hoping for something better. I get events and gold. I buy all my peeps (one).
Turn 4 he attacks. He moves in with ninja tricks and I loose a province via
silent rot. Turn 5 I buy 2 peeps (naked, which is not good for Kensei). Turn 6,
he attacks and I concede a province. He attacks my last province with his 6 peeps
to my 2. I put up a futile fight. I wanted more gold, so I got my wish. I think
this is what they mean by be careful what you wish for!!! The loss knocks me
out, but does get Dan
in.
Loss.
3 W – 4 L
The Final eight are:
1 Jason Ryan - Spider
2 Daniel Chlebowczyk - Crab
3 Jon Meertens - Lion
4 Chris Bridgema - Lion
5 Bradley Webb - Mantis
6 Michael Hill - Mantis
7 Dan Juleff - Scorpion
8 Neil
Smithies - Crane
Bradley Webb (Mantis) goes on to win over Dan Julett (Scorpion) - Bradley chose - Secondary Port in the Ruined Kingdoms
The Kotei was certain a fun and tough group of opponents. I am looking forward to the Brisbane one in six weeks. Congratulations to both Bradley and Dan.
The Honour event was a landslide for Scorpion!
Honour Event
(Sportsmanship)
1st - Leonard Wee - Scorpion - Soshi Kiyo or Yogo Fujitani
2nd - Nathaniel Robinson - Crane
3rd - Dan Juleff - Scorpion
4th - Peter Wood - Scorpion
The following day we
have a smaller turn out. for the Drunken Master event. I was playing a
"fun" enlightenment deck.
Round 1 – Neil Smithies (Melbourne) - Crane (Honour) Seven Fold Palace
The first round is 4/6 (Suicide). I don't fancy my chances against Crane dueling. Turn one, we both get gold, then Neil brings out Kakita Noritoshi (Experienced 3) 1F 7C duelist! That is pretty much game over. Without any fate deck, I can't beat him in duels. I bring our Kei, hoping he will play cautiously (but this is Neil). I refuse the Imp. Duel then am forced into another duel via Imperial Adjudication and that is game. Loss
Round 21 – Jodie Trainer (Albury, NSW) - Unicorn (Honour) Mountain Watch Keep
This round is Deploy Reserves and I am forced to change strongholds. This is the worst variant for my deck. No other stronghold actually helps enlightenment, so I go for LSC. We both build, but I am slower. My gold production is slow again, which is very bad against Unicorn. Enlightenment isn't even an option. I honour run with LSC, but not fast enough I get overrun. Loss
Round 3 – Conan Trainer (Albury, NSW) - Dragon (Enlightenment)
This round is Ultimate Stronghold. We are both playing the same 3 strongholds. I need to double mulligan for one gold. He controls the game militarily, although I get more rings into play. An error play on my part means I don't enlighten before I am squashed. Loss
Round 4 – Ryan Toddie (Albury, NSW) - Phoenix - City of Tears
This round is Drunken Master, which I am set up for! We both get slow gold. I get Guidance early and build a huge hand. I get points for honour jumps and rings. Before I can get points for provinces, I enlighten and end the game with 8 points. Win.
Round 5 – Charles Thorpe (Brisbane, Queensland) - Spider breeder - Fields of the Dead
This round is Highlander. Chuckie strips his decks down. He ends up with some 14 fate cards and 18 Dynasty cards. My Dynasty drops about 1/3, while my fate is barely changed and I still have 40 cards! My only real chance is to survive long enough to out build him. Chuckie grows quickly despite his limited resources. I mange to hold off some attacks, but lose peeps in the process. With no fate hand and no Dynasty, Chuckie launches an all out attack. I don't have enough in play or in hand to stop his overwhelming numbers and force total. Loss
Round 6 – James Italiano (Melbourne) - Embassy of the Crane
This round is Old Style. We swap decks. My son hates playing against enlightenment and has never play it. Playing Crane, I get a lot of gold. James picks up the concept of enlightnement quickly and get Ring of Air and Earth out. (Yes I did defend). I honour run to fast though and hit 50 (which is the minimum I need now, with one province remaining. James gets another ring out (water I think) but doesn't take the province. He now wants to play enlightenment. Win
The tournament ends here. Everyone gets Drinking Master related prizes plus cards, which include Saki cups/jugs. This event is a lot of fun, although I would have liked to play all the variants.