[dragon] Me in Morikage

[Jeff T.]

Well, I just moved a week before Morikage from Fresno to Indiana and 
just happened to find a stronghold.   The day before the tournament, my 
shipment of cards arrived and I quickly legalized my deck.   Man, did I 
miss Doom of the Dark Lord and Tattoo Madness.   The break down of the 9 
of us was as such:

Lion 2 (one corrupt, one honor)
Dragon 2 (my military, one honor)
Monk 2 (one guy said, "I don't care how I do, I just want one 
enlightenment win.")
Mantis 2 (both corrupt)
Crane 1

1st place: Lion (honor)
2nd Place: Lion (corrupt)
3rd Place: Monk
4th place: honor Dragon (not me)

The Dragon player conceded the finals, because it was a 4-way 
multiplayer game and he was the big honor runner.   In exchange, he 
bargained for himself the stronghold card, which was the Horde.   The 
Lions ganged up on the monk, then -- since they wanted to go to dinner 
-- held a duel of honor, using Agetoki.   They each flipped over 10 fate 
cards... and TIED!   Then they flipped over one more, and honor Lion 
won.   The honor Lion player started playing the game just a month ago!

I personally did quite poorly, but definitely had fun:

1st round: corrupt Mantis

I was sweating most of the game, as he had no trouble getting his Ogre 
Bushis out.   However, the first one fell to Iris Festival, and Kobai, 
after Gennai taught him to Flee the Darkness, taught the next two (one 
"real" ogre, and one egg) what Iaijutsu is all about.   My first Kobai 
failed a Test of Honor (flipped over the dang sword), then I returned 
him the favor by doing the same with a Mukami with Wasp Archers (strike 
one Musubi).   I got Hitomi out and gave her the daisho in no time.   
Chris Bergstrom was right on when he called her "Moses" after Gen Con 
(opposing armies part like the Red Sea), because she quickly faced no 
opposition and destroyed the province with Yoritomo 2 in it.   Next 
turn, Kitsune Diro ambushed her (while she was bowed), which sucked, but 
I still had a 12/12 Kobai, and at that point, I realized I was at 30 
honor (mainly from my duels), so his other Yoritomo and last Ogre Bushi 
could do nothing as I gained an easy 10 honor more for the win.

1-0

2nd round: honor Dragon

I was kind of bummed that I had to play the other Dragon so soon, but 
went into the game hopeful, nonetheless.   My hope quickly vanished.   I 
got a first-turn Kobai, and he Breached me.   No problem... until he got 
the sword on the third turn after 2 turns of his buttload of gold and 
Reju (his only personality in that time).   Now at -6 honor, the rest of 
the game I spent desperately getting gold and throwing away Gennais, 
Kaagis, and Yoshis.   I managed to get another Kobai (Reju duelled the 
first one to death) and Hitomi, but his next turn, they both failed 
Tests of Honor.   He never saw his shrines (had three), but he didn't 
need them.

1-1

3rd round: Monk

This game was disgustingly one-sided.   His first turn, he got 
Inheritance and Suana, and had the Gunsen of Water in his hand (which, 
of course, was free for him).   Once, I tried to defend with my Kobai 
(w/ bloodsword), he went to a different province.   I Superior 
Tactics'd.   He moved (Suana's ability).   I Superior Tactics'd again.   
He Deadly Grounded.   I lost.   Game over by turn 6.

1-2

4th round: Lion honor

Long game, I started out real slow (the first two turns I got gold 
totalling a whole Small Farm).   By the time I had a decent army, he had 
38 honor, three provinces, and more than enough force to squelch a third 
of my squad.

1-3

5th round: corrupt Mantis

The other corrupt Mantis there, played by Chainsmoker.   The game was 
tight almost the whole time, and came down to one big battle near the 
end, which Oni no Geiko won for him by an aggrivating 2 force.   After I 
lost, I looked at the last card in my province.   Iris Festival.   Nuts.   
But, he told the tabulator that I won, saying, "This will do something 
better for honorable Dragon than corrupt Mantis."

So, "officially," I went 2-3 and took 7th, but really, I went 1-4 and 
took 9th.   Not a problem as this was my first tourney, I hadn't played 
in over a month, and I still had a great time.   All the players were 
friendly toward each other, nobody bickered about placings, pairings, or 
rulings, and Chainsmoker even let me borrow his Daisho and Dragon Sword 
for the day (I later traded for my own Daisho, but he's the one who got 
it to me for the tourney).   I also got a Flying Carpet after the 
tournament was over, a card I had really, REALLY wanted Hitomi to use, 
and also got ahold of my third Hitomi Kobai and two more Paths of 
Wisdom.

Some thoughts: 

Daini has returned to my deck, after the Breach/sword incident.   I may 
go to Kazaq and Akuai, as well.   If I do so, I'll probably try 
Tattooing Chamber (hasn't worked any time I've tried it, but I'll give 
it another shot)

I don't seem to be all that good at military.   After a couple of years 
playing almost exclusively honor Dragon, the switch is a bit tough for 
me, and I'm not really sure how to do it right.   I may go back to 
honor, but I have no shrines, nor do I really want any.

Kobai/Bloodsword rocks.   Whenever I pulled this one out, my opponents 
got worried, and with good reason.   In 4 of my games, I got a Kobai to 
9/9 or more.   He's also now my favorite user of Shiryo no Togashi.

Togashi's Daisho.   Make Hitomi 8/7 for no additional gold.   I'll do 
that.

I pulled the goldsmiths the morning of the tourney, and I'm glad I did.   
My money goes a lot smoother without them.

I may return Hitomi Tashima to action.   I wished I had him a couple of 
times, especially with Kobai.

Tamori/Facing your Devils.   Biting Steel on Agasha Tamori, Facing Your 
Devils for an 8 chi duellist, with Yoshis standing by.   This one was 
declined every time, and I saw some hands heartily emptied this way.

Um... I think that's all.


-Kitsuki Naio
Dragon Clan purveyor of uncommon sense.

"You're about as frightening as a doorstop." - Guybrush
"Is it a really EVIL-looking doorstop?" - Murray



______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
dragon Mailing List - to unsubscribe send a message to
<mailto:majordomo at michonline.com> and include "unsubscribe" in the body.
To get a digest, subscribe to dragon-digest.