London League — Week three

As expected, turn out was low after a great UK Nationals (congratulations Hugh) — that said the games were very interesting with no one running away with things.

Most of this was written on my phone while commuting — so please excuse the dribble...

Game one:

Player	Deck	GW	VP	LP
Norbert	Trujah Bleed Vaticination	0	0	1
Matt	Giovani Wraiths	0	0	1
Ke	Salubri Anti Hide the Heart	1	4	11
Ivan	AAA power bleed	0	0	1

Norbert's first minion (Al-Muntathir, God's Witness) is pentexed before he can act by Ivan (AAA). Ivan brings out Alexandra who I play vampiric disease on (I was tempted to save it for Anson). At the stage I have Azrael and Keller Thiel in play and am unable to remove the Pentex without being left defenseless - Matt has
Giovanni del Georgio and Kay Polerno in play. Ivan tries to parity shift with Alexandra (oops) and after being informed that he's not able bleeds for 3, I hide the heart at inf this an all actions by my predator and prey.

God's witness? which god?

Ivan tries to parity shift (legally this time) with Anson and I delay it. He bleeds with Anson and Alexandra banishes the heavily villein’d and Pentex’d Al-Muntathir. Slowly but surely my preys vampires are emptying even with The Covern (boo!) now in play. Matt continues to play defensively which I allow (with that extra blood cost of course) as he correctly assumes that any bleeds will be bounced. I now have enough minions to go forward and begin to bleed for mega bleeds of 1 - the table laughs and then again when I bring the power bleeder Andre into play.

By this stage Ivan's minions are on 1 - 2 blood and he's on 5 pool or so. He goes for the oust with Reins of Power which is delayed, forcing Anson to hunt, which fails. Alexandra attempts to bleed for 6. Norbert on 5 pool bounces the bleed after I reduce it by 2, Matt blocks and my prey remains tapped out with empty vamps.

Where is that f**king heart

Power bleed.

Matt does his best to oust me the following turn, but I have enough minions to block or reduce. I send a few minion Norbert's way with Blissful Agony and retain the edge. My goal is to oust Ivan and Norbert in one turn, an unexpected on the qui ve stops that but I oust my prey and leave Norbert on a few pool with an anarch revolt in play.

Norbert lunges at, getting him down to 4 pool or so. I advise him to go anarch, worried that I won't get Norbert on the next turn (a big mistake on my part) and I drop a second revolt. I get Norbert down to 2 pool and he dies on his turn.

Unfortunately The Coven was still in play and seriously slows my game as I’m unable to burn Matt’s only anarch with Society of Leopold. Eventually I draw into Jack and he accelerates the the victory...

Game two:

Player	Deck	GW	VP	LP
Ivan	Lasombra Bleed	0	0	1
Matt	Toreador Palla Grand	1	3	11
Norbert	Trujah Bleed	0	0	1
Ke	Celerity Gun + Bleed	0	1	3

On my first turn I bring out Zoe and move 1 pool to
Melisande  the following turn Zoe has a bowl. No sign of a gun. Matt has a couple of small cap Toreador Antitribu in play and between him and me we block my preys (Ivan) governs down. I block Lydia, Grand Praetor’s (Norbert) Vaticination (Pentex and Haven in hand) and Zoe goes to torpor. The next turn I rush Lydia with the haven and reduce her to 0 blood the with hands x4. Still no gun. Ivan has a window to govern down and proceed to bring out more minions. Matt does some heavy damage to Norbert forcing him to play defensively.

So so strong

I have a wash in hand and am saving it for my prey’s villein’s — they never come. Either I’ve inadvertently telecast my hand or he’s having a really bad draw. I have plenty of bleed boost in my hand but decide against playing it as my prey has plenty of bounce and minions. Eventually I get my prey down to a few pool and fame one of his vamps. He’s leaving 2x minions untapped, 1 the famed minion an another disposable. My plan is to pentex one and bleed or torporise the other. It’s a redundant plan as Matt agrees to back oust if I help him oust Norbert. I’m happy with this as I’m not keen on blocking him and receiving 2 agg to the face.

Seduction on steroids

Together we pressure Norbert hard, I wash a villein, Pentex Veejay Vinod and once removed Matt then Pentexes Ponticulus and gets Norbert down to 1 pool — but not out (Giants blood and Villein follow). The Anarch Troublemaker is bouncing round the table as are the bleeds. Eventually Norbert taps me out with the Troublemaker and Recurring Contemplation — I take a couple of bleeds totalling 9 or so leaving me on a few pool. Matt ousts Norbert on his next turn and with the aid of Powerbase: Savannah avoids torpor with 4 or 5 combat ends. He ousts me after a misplay of not blocking with an atoned Victoria and takes the game win.

In hindsight I should have just pushed forward and tried to oust Matt, but I wasn’t keen on the head to head with Norbert and after his impressive resilience and stubbornness wanted to watch him go down. Never did get that gun.

Current Standings: