Doubleheader #2 - August 30, 2019

Emperor's Throne Room

Poor Alex didn't get to bask in the glory of his victory very long.  No sooner was Han's corpse scraped from the Kamino Platform then we sat down for round two. 

As the character envelopes were passed around Curtis (Obi-Wan) and Ryan (Han Solo) discovered they were getting the same characters they had in game one.  We also invited some new blood to the table, as David M. was making his second-ever start and Spencer was playing in his rookie Duel (Noah and Grant headed home from the first match, and I promise they had a much better night's sleep than the rest of us...).  Everyone hoped for the Carbon Freezing Chamber so it would be a faster match and then collectively groaned when it was the Emperor's Throne Room.  That is easily the light side's worst board.

Wake up!  We're only half-way done!

It didn't take long for the light side collapse to commence.  Curtis' Obi-Wan Kenobi flipped right out of the gate, sending David into a hilarious panic.  I can't emphasize this enough - David's running commentary and pep talks is the funniest banter I've ever experienced at a Duel table.  It makes it fun for everybody else...especially as you're approaching midnight...

Rob/Emperor and JD/Vader began their distance attacks, and it was Alex's Anakin who was the early and repeated victim.  Padme got Choked out of the game early.  Ryan's Han Solo flipped as well, but his Chewbacca didn't make it as the remaining light side decimated the Wookie.  Poor Ryan played two games with Han and never fired the Bowcaster.  Alex's Anakin eventually fell out in last after Christopher's Boba hit him with a three-point attack (yes, that's right, Christopher has three career games and two are with Boba!). 

Shout-out to retired amateur Jess for feeding the Duelers!

The back row of light side characters started in-fighting after that.  David's Yoda took a swing at Sam's Mace, while Sam then went after Spencer's Luke for suggesting the dark side alliance attack Mace instead of Luke.  It didn't end well for any of them!  In a brutal (but still funny) move, David Force Pushed Sam to his early demise in eleventh.  After that, Ryan's Han shot Spencer off the board.  That was a rough debut for the rookie, Spencer, come back and play with us again!

Everyone assumed David's Yoda was the next to go, but out of nowhere, Kaleb's Darth Maul unloaded on fellow alliance member JD/Vader.  It was brutal and shocking...and effective.  Curtis followed with attacks and even Rob chipped in (I just threw up in my mouth again...) and Rylie's Count Dooku finished him off.  It was a very sudden departure from the team.

From there, the focus was put back on David's Yoda, but he wasn't going down without a fight.  He danced across the bridges, forcing the Dark Side to move forward and chase him.  Nobody was more determined to kill him than Rylie, and she was finally rewarded for her persistence when she dropped a four-point attack to end his night in eighth.  He was so upset he later needed a Tums.  Or he drank too much Yoda Soda, it's hard to tell the difference.

Thriving vs. Surviving

That left seven Duelers, and the remaining light sabers became acutely aware there were still three shooters on the board.  And it's a shooter's board.  That simply wouldn't do.  Rob explored their options by pot-shotting both Ryan's Han and Christopher's Boba.  Christoper didn't take too kindly too that and Rocket Retreated towards Rob's Emperor.  That's when Curtis/Obi sprung into action.  Using a Force Control, he maneuvered a kill box around Boba while Kaleb's Darth Maul, partnered with Kylie's Dooku, swooped in towards Han.  Lucas' Jango was the only shooter permitted to live at that point.

Curtis made Rob promise he would finish off Boba, who only had four health points and no defense left.  Rob kept his promise...and with his first action eliminated Christopher, who really wanted to put in a final hit on Rylie's Dooku.  But with Rob's second action, he played You Will Die...on Curtis!!!  Obi-Wan was full-health and Rob thought this was the perfect time to get the drop on him. 

A lively final three!

While Curtis dealt with that fallout, Ryan had his own problems.  For the second game in a row Kaleb was trying to eliminate him from the board.  Han had no protection this time, and Rylie put down the kill shot in sixth place.  Curtis, meanwhile, was getting whittled down by Emperor and Jango.  It would be Kaleb's Battle Droid who made the final attack, leaving Curtis in fifth with Obi-Wan for the second time that night.  Not shabby!

That left four to go, and as predicted, Rob and Kaleb petitioned Lucas and Rylie to join them in destroying the other.  Lucas and Rylie decided Kaleb's Maul was the bigger threat, but my goodness, he put up a fight, even finding one more Athletic Surge.  He managed to put damage on all three enemies before taking a two-point attack from the Royal Guard.

I didn't take enough pics, so
feast your eyes on the ultimate
Baylor football jersey.

With three to go, Rob seemed like the logical target for Lucas/Jango and Rylie/Dooku.  But Rylie was in rougher shape than Jango, and Rob suggested Jango and Zam both still being on the board was too much for either of them to handle.  Rob thought Rylie should at least kill Zam to even things up.  Lucas didn't like that idea at all, and Rob promised to use every distance attack he had on Jango, and just like that it was Jango vs. Emperor and Dooku.  Give Lucas credit, he started wrecking shop!  Rob was either pulling Force Lightnings or Royal Guard cards, he couldn't find defense.  Meanwhile, Lucas used Rocket Launch on Dooku to bring Rylie one point away from death.  Rob had one last Force Lightning before having to reshuffle his deck, and he used it on Jango...bringing him to one point of health too!  Rylie and Lucas charged at each other but it was Lucas who would get the kill shot.

And then there were two!

Rob acknowledged to Lucas that his Emperor was getting obnoxiously lucky on finding the Force Lightnings.  Lucas didn't fully realize Rob had zero defense cards in his hand.  But before he could figure it out, Rob drew a card off his new deck for his first action...FORCE LIGHTNING.  AGAIN!  He played it for the second action and won the game!  He's the first Dueler to win with the Emperor twice.  And let's give it up for Rylie and Lucas, playing in just their second game but looking like seasoned professionals.  The future is now!!!  This also marks the Emperor's third win of the calendar year and second victory in the past three Duels.  He must be ramping up his profile for Episode IX!

The final order of finish:

12.  Alex/Anakin Skywalker
11.  Sam/Mace Windu
10.  Spencer/Luke Skywalker
9.  JD/Darth Vader
8.  David M./Yoda
7.  Christopher/Boba Fett
6.  Ryan/Han Solo
5.  Curtis/Obi-Wan Kenobi
4.  Kaleb/Darth Maul
3.  Rylie/Count Dooku
2.  Lucas/Jango Fett
1.  Rob/Emperor Palpatine

Our next Duel is the FALL BRAWL - looks like we'll probably play that on September 21st.  Mark that on your calendar now, the official invite will go out in a couple of weeks.

We're off to a great start this year - all the new Duelers are playing GREAT - keep it up everyone!!!