The Fall Brawl - September 18, 2016

Kamino Platform

For the first time since May the 4th, we were back in the North Village Community Center to play a 12-way Duel!  Back to the nice round table and comfy seats.  The rumor on the street is that the name of that space is going to be officially changed to "The Epic Duels Room" in the campus directory.  I may or may not have started that rumor.  But if we spread it far and wide, it could come true!

The twleve combatants gathered by 8PM, including JD's brother-in-law Brandon, who was covering for a late cancel.  He drove an hour and a half just to play with us!  If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times:  YOU CAN'T TEACH HEART!

Ducky faces the music

JD randomly picked chair #1, and thus was responsible for pulling the "Kamino Platform" envelope.  As the Duelers commenced, Rob/Han Solo devised a shocking strategy.  Since he was starting in the middle of the board, he wanted to prove loyalty to the dark side before retreating towards Darth Maul and company.  So, before drawing a card, Han ran backwards while Chewbacca attacked Ian's Obi-Wan Kenobi!  He didn't defend the first shot, but pulled out his 12-defense card to counter the BOWCASTER!  And with that, the chaos had commenced.

Ian, still damaged and now needing a distraction, took his revenge on Donald/Anakin.  As the light and dark were doing damage to each other, Ducky was trying to stay under the radar in the back row of the platform.  Ian wasn't having it!  He started the attack that eventually led to Stephen's Greedo eliminating Donald in last place.  Donald chose to stick around the rest of the night, over FOUR hours, to see Ian die! Would he get his wish?  #foreshadowing

 It's hard to describe in the recap, but the first two hours of the game saw no deaths but a ton of action.  Once Anakin was eliminated, more heads started to roll.  Joel/Jango, who had been loyal to the dark side from the start, got back-stabbed by JD's Imperial Guard, and then Jonathan/Maul finished him off in eleventh.  Can you say "blindside?"  Meanwhile, Brandon's Yoda was catching some heat and Curtis' Mace was getting long distance damage from Vader and the Emperor.  So Brandon made a move by Force Pushing Ryan's Luke Skywalker.  Leia was already off the board, meaning Luke potentially had two Justice cards in his hand.  Despite his pleas for newfound loyalty, the Dark Side closed in and Boba shot him down in tenth.

Curtis getting nowhere fast

Curtis was struggling to find a side to align with amid the chaos when Dalton/Dooku Force Pushed him behind Slave One, meaning he could attack JD/Emperor and-or Liz/Vader.  He tried to strike a deal with Liz but she wasn't buying it, so out came a double Whirlwind!  Though that was really cool, Stephen/Boba added another trophy to his collection and Curtis was gone in ninth.

The dark side alliance started to disintegrate after that.  Stephen/Boba Rocket Retreated by shooting Vader, and then Jonathan/Maul moved in on Vader too and Liz, playing her first official Duel and doing pretty good too, wouldn't advance past eighth.  Jonathan was low carded after that, and Rob/Han suggested eliminating him.  Ian/Obi, who was back on speaking terms with Han, followed suit and Maul got mauled in seventh place.  With six to go all eyes turned on Brandon, whose Yoda had been hiding out at the far end of the board.  The long-drive Dueler ran out of gas when Ian chopped down his next victim.

That left five to go:  Rob/Han, Ian/Obi, Stephen/Boba, JD/Emperor, and Dalton/Dooku.  Dalton/Dooku looked like the next victim, as he was full health and a big threat.  But Dalton wasn't going down without a fight.  He rushed Boba Fett and Stephen couldn't survive.  Boba Fett hadn't finished above sixth place since the Fett won the 2014 Championship, so that was yet another good showing for Stephen.  He has really elevated his game.  Dalton did finally peter out in fourth, which is a career best finish for Dalton.  If Dalton can fit in two more Duels before December, he'll be a professionally ranked Dueler in time time for the 2016 Championship!

JD and all the feels

At that point there were only three left, and as Rob stepped away from the table for the first time in four hours because sometimes a guy really has to go but you shouldn't really go during a Duel because that's when they'll plot your demise trust me on this it's happened to me before but when you gotta go then you gotta go, Ian and JD reached an agreement to eliminate poor Han next.

But Rob had other plans.

He first reached out to JD, suggesting they team together to attack the damaged but still dangerous Obi-Wan Kenobi.  But JD wouldn't do it!  He moved in on Han...but didn't attack!  That's when Rob broke out his twin hammers of Truth and Logic and laid his case before Ian.  The reality of the situation was clear, Rob only needed Ian to accept it.  Ian's best chance to beat the full-health Emperor was to align with Han freakin' Solo...the same cat who tried to shoot him with a Bowcaster at the start of the game!  And to prove his loyalty to Ian, he shot the Emperor.  Ian, who had previously told JD they were solid to the end...recanted!  JD instantly began progressing through the five stages of grief as Han and Obi-Wan put the hurt on him.  The Emperor, who has never won before, was thaaaaaaat close to pulling it off.  But alas, he finished third.  If you see JD, give him a hug.

With two to go it was Han vs. Obi-Wan - the same pairing from the first attack of the game.  It was poetic, really.  But Han was bleeding from the Emperor's death throws.  On top of that, Ian had played the card that forced all players to dump their hands and draw three when it was down to the final three.  Han had been loaded with defense before but now he kept drawing Wookie cards.  Rob tried to run around Jango's ship but Obi tracked him down like the dog he was and pulled out the victory!  And just like that Ian secured his second career win and second victory in his last four games.  Furthermore, Obi-Wan now ties Jango for second place on the character rankings with four trophies.

Your final results:

12.  Donald/Anakin
11.  Joel/Jango
10.  Ryan/Luke
9.  Curtis/Mace
8.  Liz/Vader
7.  Jonathan/Maul
6.  Brandon/Yoda
5.  Stephen/Boba
4.  Dalton/Dooku
3.  JD/Emperor
2.  Rob/Han
1.  Ian/Obi-Wan

Preview: The Fall Brawl - September 17, 2016

Few Duels are as hotly anticipated as the Fall Brawl, our annual September Duel.  That's because after CL Training and the Doubleheaders, Duel fever is at pique frenzy!  You know you're a Duel junkie when you can't wait for the next fix!  You couldn't stop now if you wanted to!!!

That paragraph got really weird. Don't do drugs, kids.  Do Duels instead.

HISTORY:

2014 - David Coy wins with Darth Maul using his patented Switzerland technique.  He remains the only Dueler in history with amateur status to have won a 12-way.

2015 - Rob's Obi-Wan slides into victory after Chris and Grant's alliance disintegrates.  This is also the last time Rob has won a Duel.

MEET THE DUELERS:

Curtis - his verbal barrage in game two of the Doubleheader nearly worked in saving his skin.  He has honed the art of Jedi Mind Tricks.

Dalton - after three Duels he keeps making incremental improvements to his game.  He's developing Masterful Fighting.

Donald - he took Luke's style of evasion in game one of the Doubleheader to new heights.  If it's up to Ducky, he Will Not Fight You.

Elizabeth - this Dueling rookie played the side game at CL Training and answered the sign-up email with Sith Speed.  She's ready to rock.

Ian - the less said about Ian's doubleheader experience...the better.  He's ready to throw a Thermal Detonator on that memory and create a better one.

JD - he was forced to miss the Doubleheader because he was on a secret mission to Alderaan, securing Elvis Andrus/Lando bobbleheads, netting an improbable two.  Never Tell JD The Odds.

Joel - the only thing that held this strategic natural back during the Doubleheader was his lack of knowledge about the cards.  With additional experience he's more likely to have his Future Foreseen.

Jonathan - the confident player from North Village has studied the cards but hopes his third time Dueling is the charm.  Perhaps he'll experience a bit of Gambler's Luck?

Rob - he had two great characters (Obi-Wan and Dooku) at the Doubleheader with two bad starting spots.  Hopefully he'll have more Force Balance with his character assignment this go-round.

Ryan - the #1 ranked Dueler kept Luke's recent streak of strong finishes alive in round two of the Doubleheader, finishing second.  Children Of The Force - Ryan is your Jedi daddy.

Stephen - nobody had a better day at the Doubleheader than Stephen!  He finished second in game one and first in game two...dare I say it was All Too Easy for him?

Victoria - though she played well at the CL Training Duel, Victoria did finish last.  She's a keen player, though, and a little Wookie Healing has her ready to rumble.

MAGNETIC LEGO ADMIRAL ACKBAR PREDICTS THE WINNER:

"A Dueler's Defense must be deactivated...
if a Whirlwind Attack is to be attempted."

Uh...looks like Ackbar suggests it will be Mace Windu this time around?

Magnetic Lego Admiral Ackbar's prediction record this season:  1-1

A 50% record on a one-in-twelve chance pick?  Not too shabby Acky Baby!

If you're playing we'll see you at 8PM, Saturday, in the North Village Community Center.  If  you're coming to watch...we'll see you at the same time!