Geonosis Arena (via the Hoth 3D board)
Ok folks, before we jump into the Thanksdueling! recap, we have a couple of important public service announcements for our Epic Duels league.
First - you're taking too long on your turn. We all our. Let's speed it up, people! Think of your move ahead of time, etc. There will of course be crucial moments in the game where prolonged discussion is appropriate and even encouraged. But if you're moving one space and drawing two cards...that should go quickly. Thank you for your help.
Second - you don't have to hit "reply all" when RSVPing for a Duel. Just reply to Rob - you'll be ok! Unless you like driving Curtis crazy. Then, by all means, hit "reply all" or at least "cc" him. Thank you for your help.
We now return to our normal blog recap schedule...
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| 11 turkeys about to get basted... |
Our 12 Duelers donned their parkas for the Geonosis via Hoth board. If you're new to the league, the Hoth board is the exact same layout as the Geonosis map that came with the original game. In other words, it's a classic!
This game was a real slobber-knocker in that the light and dark sides, at least initially, would not flip on each other. The board got even more gummed up when Justin's Torbin took the Barash Vow, blocking the side lane from the dark side advance. This turned the action to the middle, where the light side was quickly eliminating dark side minor characters, including Rob's Han Solo using a Bowcaster on his first turn to destroy one of James' Super Battle Droids. A couple of hours later Rob was rewarded by being Tied To A String by Curtis' Supreme Leader Snoke. Han had no chance in the dark side kill box, and the Godfather won the Golden Jar Jar for the second month in a row!
It looked like the light side might be in trouble, but Kiera's Yoda decided to be the true leader of the alliance by charging into the dark side to try and help Ian's Anakin. She Force Pushed James' Count Dooku into the light side corner and tormented others, allowing Ian to retreat and Riley E.'s Mandalorian to fire Disintegration at Jonah's Maul! Jonah couldn't block it and he was shockingly gone in eleventh.
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| Kiera quietly plotting while the dark side debated. |
Despite Kiera's heroics, she quickly became the target and poor Yoda was down to his last two points of health. Sam proved how sneaky Cad Bane could be, and used Flame Gauntlet to destroy Kiera's night in tenth. It was one of the most selfless moves in recent league history though, Kiera!
Sam/Cad and Jordyn/Jango joined forces with James' Dooku, who despite saying he was joining the light side, flipped once again and had Justin's Indara pinned against the still sleeping Torbin. But Justin was able to use Jedi Prowess to extend his life. Meanwhile, Caden was using the double-minor character combo of Chirut and Baze. Before Baze died he unleashed two Staccato Lightnings to eliminate three dark side minors. A couple of rounds later Chirut used double Blind Lightbows to finish off Cad Bane. Sam checked out in ninth!
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| You can't see, but James was wearing flip-flops under the table. |
With eight Duelers left in the game, the light and dark sides were still locked against each other and dead even. James flipped YET AGAIN and sweet talked himself back into the good graces of the light side, but before the ink had even dried on the new contract his Dooku Force Pushed Justin/Indara to an eighth place death! And Torbin had just woken up and changed his galactic diaper, too!
This became a key turning point in the game, because instead of the dark side now having the distinct advantage, James/Dooku and Alex G./Grievous started acting as independent contractors. The long term effect was they left Curtis/Snoke out to dry and open to shots when they wouldn't make room for him behind the snow drifts. Curtis was justifiably cranky. He inflicted some damage on his way out the door, but Ian's Padme laid down the final hit.
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| The Thanksdueling! trophy looming in the background... |
Things were still chaotic and unsettled. Alex/Grievous and James/Dooku looked to be in a solid alliance, but Jordyn/Jango was starting to waffle on them and was having sidebars with Riley/Mando. Riley and Ian/Anakin looked tight with Caden/Chirut along for the ride. Give Caden credit, navigating double minor characters on that treacherous of a board was daunting, but James/Dooku moved in and punched Chirut's card in sixth.
Alex had a Magnaguard protecting Dooku, but moved him on his term (on purpuse?), leaving James exposed to The Mandalorian. Riley had already reshuffled and, for the second time that night, laid wasted to a dark side character with Disintegration! James flipped more times in a single night than I can ever recall in a game - hat tip to him for making it work all the way to fifth place!
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| The Mandalorian Armor Twins |
That left four Duelers, and Riley made a shocking declaration by suggesting the three of them focus on Ian's Anakin and Padme, who were both in good shape. That's how it played out for several rounds, but Ian/Anakin proved to be elusive as they darted around the snow drifts and Riley and Jordyn didn't want to commit their shooting characters to up-close attacks on Anakin. That forced Alex/Grievous to do a lot of the heavy lifting, and he eventually grew tired of that and instead offed Jordyn/Jango in fourth. Well done, Jordyn! That was just her second career Duel.
Riley and Ian patched up their differences at that point and agreed to go in on Grievous. Alex was fully healthy and had just reinstalled his Magnaguards. Riley was drawing nothing but deceased Cara cards at that point, though, so Ian was having to do most of the work. Alex bluffed it well, but he couldn't draw a Grievous card to save his life. His luck finally ran out when Padme (still alive!) used a Precise Shot. The 2024 unofficial rookie of the year was finally out in third.
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| GULP! |
It was past 2AM for the final two, and it looked like it was going to be an epic showdown. Anakin was banged up but still had Padme. The Mandalorian was healing up while Ian was tracking down Grievous. Riley came out firing with This Is The Way, which she had held back to use against Ian, and then miraculously top-decked it on the DRAW A CARD when she had to reshuffle her deck! But Ian used a Counterattack...and then another a couple of rounds later when Riley played her third Disintegration! Riley hit a terrible run of luck as her hand was soon almost entirely made up of Cara cards. Ian stayed persistent and finally used an Anger to end Riley/Mando in second place...denying Riley a chair in the Championship match! Congrats to Ian - who added to his career win total (16!), still good for second place all-time in league history. Kudos to Riley too, who had a heck of a night with the Mandalorian.
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| Ani and Padme winning on Geonosis - how appropriate! |
FINAL ORDER OF FINISH:
12. Rob/Han
11. Jonah/Maul
10. Kiera/Yoda
9. Sam/Cad
8. Justin/Indara
7. Curtis/Snoke
6. Caden/Chirut & Baze
5. James/Dooku
4. Jordyn/Jango
3. Alex G./Grievous
2. Riley E./Mando
1. Ian/Anakin
This win gives Ian three for 2024 - which means he'll occupy the #1 chair for the Championship next month! More details are coming on that one. Have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday everyone!
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