Fight Night - October 3, 2025

Geonosis Arena (via Hoth)

For just the third time in league history, we were playing with 12 brand new characters!  The push to get to 64 unique characters for next summer's single's tournament has led the charge, as we also had an all-new character Duel at the 12x12-way tournament this summer.  While that dozen was a complete surprise, the league Instagram page leaked who the new characters would be leading up to Fight Night, with the most buzz-worthy addition being Sith Apprentice Anakin!

Trick or Treat, 2025!

Once the new characters were assigned and the decks were examined, Fight Night was off and running!  Eric/Saesee Tiin, who somehow turned professional two Duels ago without Rob noticing (congrats Eric - and sorry!!!), immediately ran to the dark side via the Geonosis famous "Cohenour Run".  That sent the light side of the board into chaos.  Alex, playing Poe Dameron, ran to the dark side too.  But there's a long standing, unofficial theory in 12-way Duels: never be the second flipper!  Alex, despite sitting next to Ian/Aurra Sing, hadn't cleared his move with him and Ian pounced!  Poor Poe/Alex was soon getting attacked from all sides, including a kill shot from Jonah's MINOR character, Luke Skywalker (Old Ben Kenobi)!  Alex didn't even get to deploy BB-8...

A rough night for Alex.

The light side infighting continued.  Caden/K-2SO and CJ/Ford Yandar Yord Fandar couldn't coexist and started attacking each other.  It would be K-2, though, who found himself attacked from all angles.  A double attack of Save the Dream, by Junior/Saw Gerrera's Partisans, made it all she wrote for the Andor hero.  Caden is stuck in a rough stretch of finishes right now.

Though CJ was pleased to be rid of K-2SO, she became the next target.  Though she managed to get Yord to Put Your Clothes On, Curtis' Jet Trooper hit her with a three-point attack to end her night in tenth.  She wasn't even supposed to play - she was filling in last minute for her sick sister!  Thanks for helping us out, Clementine!

Curtis asking others if they prefer salmon over steak...

The elephant in the room all night was John James and his much-feared Sith Apprentice Anakin.  James tends to be a very quiet Dueler as it is, and his silence only scared folks more, as Duelers were waiting to see who his first victim would be.  Rob/Allegiant General Pryde tried to direct the fury at Eric's Jedi.  James was agreeable to the proposition and delivered two big hits, including My New Empire.  But Ian/Aurra showed his Dueling prowess and rallied the board to target James/Anakin instead of Eric/Saesee!!!  And folks were excited to do it!  James didn't know what hit him, but plenty of folks took a turn.  Ironically, it was a shot from his partner Rob's Sith Trooper that landed him in ninth.

The remaining dark side started to close ranks at that point.  Though Eric/Saesee was loyal from his initial flip, the shooters on the board saw him as the odd Dueler out.  Jillian/Grand Moff Tarkin used Name Another Target to dispatch the loner Jedi in eighth.

LIES!  DECEPTION!

This next sequence was a critical part of the game.  Ian/Aurra and Jonah/Old Ben were clearly partnered, and were trying to woo Junior/Saw Gerrera.  Curtis/Hux, Grant/Dedra, and Jillian/Tarkin were in an alliance and Jillian was giving the signal to take down Ian.  Rob was still reeling a bit from Anakin being eliminated, but he decided to side with the cadre of Imperial Officers and throw in against Aurra.  In a bit of a surprise move, Junior joined in too, and the Partisans got another major kill.  Ian was out in seventh.

Jonah/Old Ben Kenobi managed to last a long time after that, hiding behind the snow banks and even deploying fan-favorite R2-D2!  He also pulled off the biggest surprise in the senior Kenobi deck - using Force Ghost to remove Old Ben and make young Luke Skywalker the major character!  In the end he defended too low against Grant's Syril and was ousted in sixth.  #battleofthebluemilk

Look at those two grizzled veterans!

And then there were five!  Junior became the odd man out, as his Saw Gerrera was the last light side character in the game.  Even a huff of Rhydo couldn't save him, as Grant's Dedra used You Disgust Me to blast him off the board.  Kudos to Junior, though, that's two top five finishes in his first two career games!

With four to go Rob/AG Pryde and Curtis/Hux locked horns and started unloading specials and sneak attacks on each other.  Curtis used Bow to the First Order to dump Rob's hand.  But Jillian and Grant decided to hone in on Hux too, and Curtis ran into a string of Jet Trooper cards after they were both already destroyed.  Jillian used You May Fire When Ready and Hux couldn't defend - Curt-Curt was eliminated in fourth.

Nobody wants to play with me!

Real life father-daughter duo Jillian and Grant immediately declared their allegiance against Rob's AG Pryde.  Rob was forced to concentrate his efforts on Jillian's Grand Moff Tarkin.  But as both sustained damage, they pivoted and started working together against Grant's Dedra and Syril.  Rob lost both Sith Troopers though, and that is Pryde's bread and butter.  In a humiliating final attack, Grant shot him off the board with a one-point attack by Syril!  Embarassing!

Things looked very even between Dedra and Tarkin, but Jillian slowly started gaining an advantage, especially with her distance attacks with the Fire When Ready specials.  To make matters worse, Syril finally died and Grant started pulling the momma's boys cards.  Jillian landed the death blow with a One Swift Stroke to win her second career goal!!!  This was her first win since...her first career game!  Congrats to Grant too - second place is often the worst place to finish, unless it's your daughter who eliminates you!

Charming to the last!

Final order of finish:

12.  Alex G./Poe Dameron

11.  Caden/K-2SO

10.  CJ/Yord Fandar

9.  James/Sith Apprentice Anakin

8.  Eric/Saesee Tiin

7.  Ian/Aurra Sing

6.  Jonah/Old Ben Kenobi

5.  Junior/Saw Gerrera

4. Curtis/General Hux

3.  Rob/Allegiant General Pryde

2.  Grant/Dedra Meero

1.  Jillian/Grand Moff Tarkin

We're on break until November where we'll play the Thanksdueling! Duel, tentatively schedule for Saturday, November 8th.  More details to come on that!  That will also be the last Duel to qualify for December's Championship Match!  PEW PEW!

 

Preview: Fight Night - October 3, 2025

How is it already October???  And how did Rob pick the one day in October nobody could Duel???  Despite the spine-tingling offer to be the first Dueler to play one of TWELVE new characters being introduced to the league, it was tough to get to12 this month.  But we finally made it!

The big news, as mentioned, is we are indeed debuting twelve new characters.  This gets the league closer to the goal of 64 unique characters for the Singles Tournament next July.  After Fight Night we'll be at 62!  Rob needs some new media content (Mando movie, season 2 of Ahsoka, etc.) before he can whip up a couple of more, though...

HISTORY OF THE FIGHT NIGHT DUEL:

2024 - Jonah won with Sol in the Naboo Reactor Pit

2023 - Penny won with Tobias Beckett in the Geonosis Arena

2022 - Rob won with Jyn Erso on the Conveyex Train

2021 - Kat won with Rey in the Emperor's Throne Room

2020 - Duncan won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Naboo Reactor Pit

2019 - Rob won with Boba Fett in the Emperor's Throne Room
2018 - JD won with Mace Windu in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2017 - Joel won with the Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room
2016 - Stephen won with Emperor Palpatine in the Geonosis Arena
2015 - Curtis won with Han Solo in the Emperor's Throne Room
2014 - Grant won with Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room

MEET THE DUELERS AND CHARACTERS:

Ok!  This month, as we introduce the new characters, let's match them with the best possible Dueler to draw their name at the table Friday night!

Alex G. - Alex had a rare Duel off last month, but he's back in the fold for Fight Night.  His perfect new character fit?  GENERAL HUX!  It never hurts to be an evil genius, managing from behind the front lines...

Caden - his last two Duels (CL Training, DH#2), were rough finishes with The Armorer, so he's glad he won't be picking her again.  His perfect new character?  Aurra Sing!  A trash-talking bounty hunter with lots of pop sounds good to Caden...

Curtis - he's still coasting on the good vibes of his DH#1 with the Clone Commandos.  But our resident grumpy old man makes his perfect new character...Old Ben Kenobi!!!

Duane - new Dueler alert!!!  Welcome to the league, Duane!  Yet another Teal CL making his way in a Dueling world.  What's his perfect new character?  K-2SO!  Nothing like a big ol' hard-to-kill robot to protect you in your first Duel...

Eric - the affable Eric also has a hidden ability to be ruthless at the Dueling table, evidenced by a couple of good finishes this semester.  His perfect new character?  Dedra Meero!  I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up in one of the little black ISB hats...

Grant - when you think of Grant, you think of a trusted, durable, Dueling veteran who's often on the morally right side of warring alliances.  His perfect new character?  The loner Jedi, Saesee Tiin!!!

Ian - it's been mentioned before that Ian has the league record for most wins with a character, six with Darth Maul!  His ability to pilot rage-filled evil-doers makes his perfect new character...SITH APPRENTICE ANAKIN!

James - the only student Dueler currently holding two trophies is James!  He is often the silent killer at the table, making his perfect new character...Allegiant General Pryde!

Jonah - the Fight Night winner from 2024 has been moved off the off-campus bench and back to the table to defend his crown!  What has he learned while living in the outer rim?  How to be a rebel, that's what!  His perfect new character is...Saw Gerrera!

Junior - Junior had a stupendous debut at last month's Fall Brawl, finishing in third place in his first career Duel.  He definitely has a reckless streak in him too, making his perfect new character...POE DAMERON!

Riley - the high school senior is departing theater practice straight to the Duel.  Her perfect character match is easily...Yord Fandar!  In fact, Rob basically only made the Yord deck as a tribute to Riley's appreciation of Yord's ironing skills...

Rob - what???  Rob wasn't supposed to play!!!  But that's what happens when we're short on Duelers.  He's promised not to reveal what cards are in the other decks though.  And let's be honest...he's the oldest guy at the table, how likely is he to even remember the new cards?  That makes his perfect new character a fellow geriatric - Grand Moff Tarkin!

Friday night will be crazy and legendary!  The Dueling starts at 7:30PM in the Fine Arts Studio - PEW PEW!

 

Fight Night - October 4, 2024

Naboo Reactor Pit

It's hard to even comprehend it's already October, and even harder to realize we're just one more Duel away from the 2024 Championship!  Fight Night is one of the last chances to secure a spot in the biggest Duel of the year.  Would somebody new punch their card for a chair at the December match??  #foreshadowing

Trick or treat!  (Probably tricks...)

Folks settled in at the table inside of the North Village Community Center (fun fact - this was the room we used for 2014-15 Dueling season!) and Rob explained the rules for the opening and closing laser walls of the Naboo Reactor Pit.  Rob/Jyn Erso and James/Boba Fett got stuck in the worst two starting spots, the small chamber between the reactor area and the rest of the hallway.  It took no time at all for Jordann/Ahsoka and Grant/Droidekas to start suggesting Jyn and Boba would be great targets for everyone else playing.  James lost Greedo but managed to Rocket Retreat to the back end of the hallway.  Rob wasn't as fortunate.  His Jyn Erso was the first character down thanks to Grant's Droidekas.  Rob went from first last month to last this month.  It always stings!

The next phase of the game took a LONG time - the Duelers huddled in the hallway trading shots with the other end of the board, navigating walls spontaneously opening and closing.  Alex G., playing Han and Chewy, secured his Bowcaster and popped Eric's Cad Bane.  But when the pit side of the board finally advanced, Han got caught too far forward.  Cate's Reva, who was out for blood in any form she could find it, landed the kill shot.  Alex is a real all-or-nothing Dueler, if he ain't first, he's (nearly) last!

Cate considering which alliance member she'll attack...

God bless Duelers like Cate, who keep the game moving with action.  Her alliance had to redirect her a lot, but she wasn't shy about playing cards.  Unfortunately, getting the hit on Han left her exposed to Han's alliance.  They attacked immediately, and Riley B.'s Orson Krennic played Hero of the Empire to knock her out in tenth.  That was a nice recovery by Riley, who had earlier suffered from an I Will Not Fight You from Mark's Luke Skywalker.

It looked like the hallway crew might actually tip the scales, but they ran into a bad string of untimely laser door closures.  That left Riley B. susceptible to the pit alliance.  Jonah's Sol crept in for the kill, using Noble Intentions.  Riley played great but was stuck with some bad luck.  He hopes to have better luck at the Championship!

The last stand.

Losing Krennic was a big blow for the hallway crew, but they had a glimmer of hope when Jordann/Ahsoka made her way down the hall to confront the remaining trio.  But yet again, the doors closed each time it looked like Jordann might be in danger.  Her alliance wisely concentrated their fire on Riley E.'s Bo-Katan.  She held out as long as she could, but Grant's Droidekas did her in in eighth.

James' Boba Fett had retreated to the back line hours ago, and was finally in position to unload with his stockpiled attack cards.  But Mark played ANOTHER I Will Not Fight You, which was brutal for James.  He held out a bit longer, but Jordann, totally vibing with her previous least favorite character Ahsoka, landed a five point attack to send James into the great big sarlacc in the sky.  

"You're third-partying, bro!"

With six to go it was clearly Sam S.'s Captain Phasma against everyone else.  Earlier in the game Sam scored a major coup when he used New Recruit against one of Grant's Droidekas!  Sam went on a thirty minute monologue, trying to talk and joke his way out of being the next target, and played an uncanny amount of well-timed defense cards, but it ultimately wasn't enough.  Jordann once again collected a trophy, and Sam was done in sixth.  It was no riz-factor ten.

Just before Sam went down, the alliance of five splintered when Eric, playing his first Duel (and playing very well!) and piloting Cad Bane, started shooting Grant's last Droideka.  That put the target on Eric, even though Jordann proposed a Brooks College final three at one point.  Eric proved the usefulness of Rocket Boots more than once, but he finally succumbed to his wounds, fittingly, from a Droideka attack.  That was a heck of a first Duel, Eric!  Come play again.  

The Three Amigos

With Cad Bane gone, there were four to go.  Jordann waffled a bit and wouldn't commit to a target, even though Mark had made an offer to work together.  That essentially left Mark/Luke Skywalker without an ally.  Everyone feared his fully healthy Luke and Leia, but those health points quickly evaporated.  Grant's Droideka blasted him off the board in fourth.  Not bad for a Dueler who had his appendix out just seven days earlier!

Jordann could feel her chance at victory slip through her fingers when Jonah/Sol decided to stay loyal to the damaged Droideka belonging to Grant.  Grant pulled a surprising volley of attacks on her, and it proved fatal.  The Droideka eventually got her out in third.  Jordann is playing so well right now!!  When will she finally ring the winner's bell??

It looked like Jonah was going to cruise to victory, especially with Grant's Droideka on his last row of health.  But the unrealized advantage of the double minor character Droidekas is that every card they draw can be used, and out of nowhere, Grant was blocking shots and whittling down Sol to his last few points of health!  Jonah got down to his last attack card while Grant was on his last point of health.  In a fateful decision, Grant used a three defense instead of his four, but Sol's attack was four points!  Jonah won his first Duel in just his fourth career game!!!  Congrats to Jonah!  This was only the second game for Sol - that's a great start for the character.  But also...way to go Grant!  My goodness, he was deft at rolling those Droidekas around the board and causing damage.

Put respect on Jonah's name!

The final order of finish:

12.  Rob/Jyn

11.  Alex G./Han

10.  Cate/Reva

9.  Riley B./Krennic

8.  Riley E./Bo-Katan

7.  James/Boba

6.  Sam S./Phasma

5.  Eric/Cad

4.  Mark/Luke

3.  Jordann/Ahsoka

2.  Grant D./Droidekas

1.  Jonah/Sol

Congrats again Jonah and Sol!!  Our November Duel - Thanksdueling! - is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, November 9, at 7PM.  Pencil it in now, Rob will send out the official invite in a few weeks.

October is crazy - enjoy the month of activities and mentally prepare for the November Duel.  Until then...PEW PEW!

Preview: Fight Night - October 4, 2024

There are only two Duels left to qualify for the 2024 Championship, held each December.  Anyone with a win during the calendar year qualifies, and the remaining seats go to the top ranked professional Duelers.  This year's Fight Night is one way to save a seat for the biggest Duel of the year!

It feels appropriate we'll be playing Fight Night in the Naboo Reactor Pit.  The board is set up to promote numerous skirmishes.  There's nowhere to hide on this battleground!  

HISTORY OF FIGHT NIGHT:

2023 - Penny won with Tobias Beckett in the Geonosis Arena

2022 - Rob won with Jyn Erso on the Conveyex Train

2021 - Kat won with Rey in the Emperor's Throne Room

2020 - Duncan won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Naboo Reactor Pit

2019 - Rob won with Boba Fett in the Emperor's Throne Room
2018 - JD won with Mace Windu in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2017 - Joel won with the Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room
2016 - Stephen won with Emperor Palpatine in the Geonosis Arena
2015 - Curtis won with Han Solo in the Emperor's Throne Room
2014 - Grant won with Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room

MEET THE DUELERS:

A tradition for the Fight Night preview post, our annual October Duel, is to share what the perfect Star Wars costume is for each of the Duelers this Halloween!  On that note...

Alex G. - despite winning twice this year, poor Alex G. recorded his first ever last place finish at last month's Fall Brawl.  That makes his perfect costume...Jar Jar Binks!

Cate - she played her first career game at Doubleheader #1 and showed a real blood lust for attacking early and often.  That makes her perfect costume...a Wampa!

Connor - this marks Connor's fourth Duel and he's played well up to this point.  He also suffered a massive nose bleed at last month's match.  That makes his perfect costume...Garindan!

Eric - rookie Dueler alert!!!  We're excited to welcome Eric to the league, as Fight Night will be his first Duel.  That makes his perfect costume...Sors Bandeam!

Grant D. - Grant's stellar 2024 continued last month with a third place at the Fall Brawl.  His wisdom in a league of newer Duelers makes his perfect costume...Chief Chirpa!

James - he experienced a rough Doubleheader in August, but James proved his mettle at the Fall Brawl, where he finished second with The Stranger from The Acolyte.  That makes his perfect costume...Bazil!

Jonah - this is also Jonah's fourth Duel.  He's yet to crack the top 6 in a Duel though.  He's certainly brave and willing to put himself out there though.  That makes his perfect costume...Porkins!

Jordann - she's the highest ranked professional Dueler without a win, and she got close once again at the Fall Brawl, where she finished fourth.  Her politicking makes her perfect costume...Mon Mothma!

Mark W. - Mark's lone Duel was a seventh place at Doubleheader #1 back in August.  It's hard to say how he'll do in his second match.  That makes his perfect costume...Rio Durant!

Riley E. - the two-time winner hasn't been on the winner's podium in a couple of years.  And now she's been cast in her high school play.  That makes her perfect costume...Sy Snootles!

Rob - can you believe the Dueling godfather won his 30th career Duel at the Fall Brawl, which was also the league's 150th Duel?  That's just gross.  That makes his perfect costume...Tion Medon!

Sam - he's coming off two top-five finishes at the Doublheaders in August.  He certainly has a scoundrel's approach.  That makes his perfect costume...DJ!

Please know some of these costume choices make absolutely no sense.  I'll let you figure out which ones those are, though...

We play Friday at 7PM over in the North Village Community Center.  See you all then!  PEW PEW!!!

Fight Night - October 21, 2023

 

Geonosis Arena via Hoth

History was made in a few different ways during this Duel, and we'll get to more of that later, but one cool "first" was that eight of the main characters were female!  Adding Ahsoka and Morgan to the league, along with the randomly selected Princess Leia, Bo-Katan, Jyn Erso, Fennec Shand, Captain Phasma, and Reva, the Third Sister, helped us tip the scales.  The original 12 main characters that came with the game were all male.  It's nice the new characters have helped us balanced things out a bit!

Trick or treat...

The game was tight right out of the gate, especially with the weird placement of the light side starting characters on the board.  Parker's Fennec was invited to flip sides out of the traditional Mace Windu starting spot in the elbow of the snow columns, but he retreated deeper into his light side alliance instead.  That left his minor BK the Wookie all alone, and the dark side immediately started shooting him until he was off the board.

That wasn't the only advantage the dark side alliance gained.  Atticus' Count Dooku was feeling spry, so he charged down the narrow side of the columns and engaged Jackson's Mace Windu!  They were both taking damage but Atticus showed a flare for the dramatic when he Force Pushed poor Jackson into a dark side kill box!  Rob, playing the new character Morgan, used an enhanced 4-point attack to finish off Mace in last.  It was a brutal turn of events for Jackson - there was nothing he could do.

There really IS a wampa in there!

Parker's Fennec was alone and shivering in the cold, and the dark side didn't hesitate.  Parker managed a couple of Body Mods, but it wasn't enough to withstand the onslaught, especially after Rico's Reva pulled a nifty Grand Ambition kill and then used a Honing Beacon to jump back to his dark side alliance.  Parker cratered in eleventh.

Riley E. tried to keep the spirits up of the light side, but Riley B. saw the writing on the wall and defected to the dark side alliance!  That left Curtis/Leia, Riley E./Jyn, and Bella/Ahsoka all by themselves.  Curtis had seen enough and engaged in one vs. one battle with Atticus' Dooku.  Atticus was stunned by all of the auto damage and he was gone soon after, thanks to a Camouflage attack from Curtis.  Atticus was out in tenth, but give him credit, he always gets his money's worth!

Bella, Curtis, and Riley scrambling...

Curtis was lucky to unload so many of his good cards on Dooku, because Kevin ruined his night when the Emperor played You Will Die on Curtis' Leia.  A host of dark side characters took shots down the alley on a defenseless Curtis.  Penny's Beckett used an Improvise for the K.O.  Curtis was gone in ninth.

Bella's Ahsoka Tano was the next target of an air-tight dark side alliance.  She got off some cool shots with her minor character Sabine, but caught on her heels and with dwindling options, Bella couldn't perform any of the cool new attacks Ahsoka brings to the league.  Bella was kaput in eighth.

The Emperor betrayed!

Riley E.'s Jyn Erso was the last remaining non-flipper from the light side, and she was dug in tight behind the snow columns.  Rob's Morgan wandered down, only to see the major character status flipped to Cassian!  The dark side was loaded, and that's when Elliot's Captain Phasma put the target on Kevin's Emperor.  Kevin didn't realize everyone else at the table was ok with it.  He was loyal to the end, but Penny's Beckett put the final nail in the coffin in seventh for a saddened Kevin.

Riley E. was tickled by the stay of execution, but her time was up after Kevin's exit.  Rico moved a Purge Trooper into position and layed a vicious 5 point attack to oust Cassian and Riley in sixth place.

Bo-Katan abandoned!

Rico deserved a comedy award for his less-than-subtle table talking in this match.  He made it known Riley B.'s Bo-Katan was next on the chopping block.  Riley had been whole-hearted in his new dark side alliance, but they didn't return the favor!  Elliot had New Recruited one of Rob's zombie (Rob Zombie?!)  Night Troopers (the new Morgan deck is spooky!), and the zombie trooper ate Riley's brains - figuratively - in fifth place, much to Riley B.'s chagrin.  

There were four left:  Rob/Morgan, Penny/Beckett, Elliot/Phasma, and Rico/Reva.  It was Rob's turn, but the other three were deadly silent.  Rob assumed they were waiting for him to pick the target, but unbeknownst to Rob, the three of them were already aligned to take down his Morgan in fourth place!  They almost got away with it, but at the last second, he caught Elliot winking to Rico after Rob had said he thought they should aim their efforts at Reva!  

Our league does not endorse the dark arts of the Night Sisters

Rob was kicking himself for forgetting one of the golden rules of the league:  if you don't know who's next, it's you!  He pivoted and told Rico they ought to stick together to avoid a final three with two shooters.  Elliot attacked Rob regardless, but Rico chickened out on attacking Rob too after Rob had dumped one of his better cards.  That was all the crack Rob needed to drive a mile-wide wedge between Rico and Elliot.  Penny was also grumpy that Rico had put a homing beacon on her Beckett, implying she was next after Rob was gone.  The combined efforts of the board, but really a double dose of Double Blasters from Penny, sent Rico packing in fourth.  He played great with Reva!

Rob's Morgan and Elliot's Captain Phasma were both battered, especially after Val played a It's Been a Ride, Babe, on Phasma.  They finally held off on attacking each other, but it was too little too late as Penny had reshuffled and pocketed another Double Blasters to off Elliot in third.  Elliot was once again so close to his first win!!!

All in the family.

The final two was a daddy-daughter dance between Penny and Rob...just like Penny's first career victory at last year's Thanksdueling!  Rob Reincarnated another zombie Night Trooper for some extra protection, but down to his last health point, he knew he needed to go on the offensive and try and knock Penny off before her second Double Blasters emerged from the new draw pile.  He definitely put damage on her, but he couldn't risk more attacks in fear of not being able to defend himself.  Luck was on Penny's side as she Double Blasted Rob into second place!  Penny won her second Duel in just four career matches!!!  That ties the record Kaleb and Isaiah have both achieved.  Wow!!!  Rob hates finishing second, but it hurts a lot less when it's your offspring claiming the trophy!

Final order of finish:

12.  Jackson/Mace

11.  Parker/Fennec

10.  Atticus/Dooku

9.  Curtis/Leia

8.  Bella/Ahsoka

7.  Kevin/Emperor

6.  Riley E./Jyn

5.  Riley B./Bo-Katan

4.  Rico/Reva

3.  Elliot/Phasma

2.  Rob/Morgan

1.  Penny/Beckett

Congrats again, Penny!!!  She currently has two trophies in her possession.  Crazy!!!  

Our November Duel, Thanksdueling!, will likely be held Saturday, November 11th, at 7PM.  Save the date now!  And for those who qualify for the 2023 Championship in December, we're looking at Saturday, December 2!!!  I can't believe how close we are to that...

Preview: Fight Night - October 21, 2023

 

For years our younger Duelers have asked when...when will we get an Ahsoka deck!?!?  And for years the reply was "once there's a live action appearance."

We're finally here!  

At Fight Night we'll debut Ahsoka Tano, with Sabine, and Morgan Elsbeth with the Night Troopers.  And if you've made it to the last episode of the Ahsoka series...those Night Troopers will be a lot of fun!

HISTORY OF FIGHT NIGHT DUELS:

2022 - Rob won with Jyn Erso on the Conveyex Train

2021 - Kat won with Rey in the Emperor's Throne Room

2020 - Duncan won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Naboo Reactor Pit

2019 - Rob won with Boba Fett in the Emperor's Throne Room
2018 - JD won with Mace Windu in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2017 - Joel won with the Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room
2016 - Stephen won with Emperor Palpatine in the Geonosis Arena
2015 - Curtis won with Han Solo in the Emperor's Throne Room
2014 - Grant won with Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room

MEET THE DUELERS:

Our tradition for the Fight Night preview is to introduce each Dueler with their ideal Star Wars Halloween costume!  This year will stick to the Ahsoka series specifically.  Here we go...

Atticus - with his long flowing hair, Atticus would be the perfect Force Ghost Anakin!

Bella - Bella knows how to keep her cool in a fight, she should be Hera Syndulla!

Curtis - he's not afraid to fight hard when the going gets tough.  Curtis should dress as Marrok!

Elliot - he's wise and not afraid to tell it like it is.  Elliot's costume should be Huyang!

Jackson - Jackson has only started Dueling this year, but he's quickly growing in experience and talent.  He ought to be Jacen Syndulla!

Kevin - now that he's enrolled at Truett, his spiritual maturity makes Kevin the perfect Baylan Skoll!

Parker - sometimes Parker finds himself scrambling at the Duel table.  His attempts at diplomacy make his best costume Senator Xiono!

Penny - she was reluctant to join the game as our 12th Dueler, but she's also won before so don't take her for granted.  Penny should be Sabine Wren!

Rico - he loves a good board game and has a great sense of humor while we play.  That makes him the perfect Ezra Bridger!

Riley B. - he's scrappy, funny, and not afraid to mix things up.  Riley's perfect costume is Chopper!

Riley E. - the former tiny titan of terror has grown and matured through years of battles.  That makes her an ideal young Ahsoka!

Rob - I think you know where we're going with this one...the master strategist?  The experienced Dueler always a step ahead?  Rob's costume is Grand Admiral Thrawn!

It should be a wild one tonight!  We're playing in the North Village Classroom at 7PM!

Fight Night - October 8, 2022

Conveyex Train

This year's Fight Night Duel featured an all-shooters battle on the Conveyex Train (the aerial heist from the Han Solo movie).  While the Conveyex board is usually dependent on the tow cables for melee characters, little Wicket, the minor character of Princess Leia, was the only avatar without a gun (unless you count Whirling Rocks).  So we had two dozen shooters, no raised terrain, and generally low health for all major characters?  Sign me up!

All aboard the pain train!  CHOO CHOO!!!

Once chairs, characters, and starting order were established, Fight Night began.  The players at the table took a couple of rounds to beef up their respective hands.  The first attack of the night came from Penny, playing in her first Duel, as her Boba Fett took a shot at her dad/Rob/Jyn Erso!  No such thing as a family alliance at this table.  Especially after Riley's Wicket went after little sister CJ's Fennec Shand!

Parker joined in on attacking CJ with his Cad Bane, but he soon learned CJ is not somebody you mess with lightly.  She blocked two big attacks with Body Mods, and Parker was stunned when his turn ended with no damage done to Fennec.  CJ was all about the payback after that, which included BK's Electric Knuckles!  Others joined in on that action too, and before Parker could make heads or tails, his Cad Bane was out in last thanks to a 4-point attack from Rob's Jyn!

Though Penny's Boba was the first person to fire her weapon, she soon found herself low-carded and without much help.  She became the next target, and it would be Juan's Zam Wessell that used a Sniper Shot to end her first Duel in eleventh place.  Fett on Fett violence...say it ain't so!!!

Commence negotiations...

While this action was going on at one end of the board, things got heated on the other end as well.  Bella, another rookie Dueler, discovered one of the best cards in the game...BOWCASTER!  She used it at point-blank range against Grant H.'s Tobias Beckett!!  That sent Grant reeling, though he recovered some of the damage when he successfully attacked back with Improvise.  Bella tried to escape by traversing to the other end of the train, but her poor Han got caught in the crossfire.  One of Curtis' Death Troopers made the final hit to retire Bella in tenth.

Though CJ got the sweet justice she was looking for with Parker's ouster, she soon found herself isolated with multiple characters pointing their blasters at Fennec and BK.  It was Andrew's Mandalorian who no longer wished to see his Book of Boba Fett colleague on the board.  Cara Dune rang her bell in ninth.  She's just a kid!  A scary, vindictive kid...but still!!!

Rogue One, represent!

This Duel was moving along quickly, which as a total aside, is a nice development we'd love to see in the future, cough cough, hint hint.  With eight to go the loose alliance of remaining Duelers needed another target.  Evan made the bold move to play You Have Something I Want with The Moff against Grant's Beckett!  That was the signal the rest of the board needed.  Curtis' Death Troopers moved into position.  Grant almost argued his way out of it, but Curtis decided to attack.  Others joined, and Rob's Cassian got the final shot.  Grant was eliminated in eighth.

Once again the board was looking for a consensus kill.  Chatter started moving toward Riley's Princess Leia, but she swayed the board to consider Andrew's Mandalorian.  Some folks were still feeling the sting of his Whistling Birds from earlier in the evening, and that was enough for Mando to be next.  The entire board went in on it, and it would once again be Jyn Erso with the final crack.  Congrats to Andrew, though, because that seventh place finish was a personal best.  He's trending in the right direction!

Juan in the driver's seat.

And then there were six!  The remaining Duelers had made it into the top half of the finishers.  Juan's Jango and Kevin's Lando started to tussle.  Kevin was desperate for the rest of the board to side with him, but was crushed when those surrounding him pointed their weapons at him instead.  Lando is the best defensive shooter in the game, and others were leery about going deep with him on the board.  Juan, fittingly, got the kill-shot with Jango's Missile Launch.

The tension was palpatine palpable with just five to go!  Rob was wigging out, thinking Curtis and Evan were in an ironclad alliance.  But Curtis made it known he wanted to go final two with Rob instead.  Unfortunately, Curtis moved his Krennic towards Rob, believing he was safe.  That placement, essentially in the middle of the board and in the crosshairs of everyone left, gave Rob little choice but to put the target on Krennic instead.  Once Curtis said he was willing to go after anyone else instead, everyone followed suit.  It was a tough and sudden end for Curtis in fifth place after a Sniper Shot from Juan's Zam.

Locked in a death spiral...

Before Curtis was eliminated, he did manage to dump everyone's hand and force everyone to start with four new cards.  Rob sensed Evan's Moff Gideon was weak and exposed, while also still at full health with both Dark Troopers.  Rob stuck his neck out and suggested Evan be next.  Riley's Leia was all for it, but in what turned out to be the key moment of the game, Juan had to decide what to do next.  Rob risked his own standing by assuring Juan he'd stick with him to the final two, especially since their two characters were the weakest ones left.  Juan decided to accept that, and Evan found himself against three characters at once.  He did manage to use It Means More To Me on Riley's Leia before sinking in fourth place, though.

Riley thought Rob might side with her in the final two, but Rob's Cassian began shooting Leia, trying to draw out the auto-damage of Leia's ...I Know card.  That made it clear to Juan that Rob was honoring their deal.  But Riley moved in on Jango instead of Jyn, and seriously wounded Juan before Zam hit her THIRD Sniper Shot kill of the night.  Riley was done in third.

Epic Duel victories are built on hope!

Juan fought deftly and valiantly all night, but there was no surprise in how it would end after Riley's Leia wrecked his damage card.  Rob used Kyber Crystal Luck to land the elimination of Plush Poe's pick to win the Duel.  Rob/Jyn won!!!  This was the first career win for Jyn and Rob's double-dozenth personal victory in league history.  Juan's second place finish is a career-best finish too, great job Juan!!!  And most importantly...the Duel lasted just over three hours.  Hooray for speedy Duels!

Final order of finish:

12.  Parker/Cad Bane

11.  Penny/Boba Fett

10.  Bella/Han Solo

9.  CJ/Fennec Shand

8.  Grant H./Tobias Beckett

7.  Andrew/The Mandalorian

6.  Kevin/Lando Calrissian

5.  Curtis/Orson Krennic

4.  Evan/The Moff

3.  Riley/Princess Leia

2.  Juan/Jango Fett

1.  Rob/Jyn Erso

Thanks everyone for a great Fight Night, and especially Bella, CJ, and Penny for allowing us to play on what turned out to be a big vacation weekend.  It looks like our November Duel, Thanksdueling!, will be played on Saturday, November 5th.  That's not finalized yet, but go ahead and pencil it in.  More details to come.

And for one last time...PEW PEW!

Preview: Fight Night - October 8, 2022

 

Trick or treat, smell Wookie feet, give me eleven Duelers to defeat!  Yessiree, it's October and that means it's time for Fight Night!  This is the only Saturday of the month we could fit the Duel in, and several regulars are out of town so this particular affair feels wilder than normal.  Fight Night is also the designated "all shooters" Duel for the 22-23 season, so this one is shaping up to be a good ol' shootout.  Pew pew!!!

HISTORY OF FIGHT NIGHT

2021 - Kat won with Rey in the Emperor's Throne Room

2020 - Duncan won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Naboo Reactor Pit

2019 - Rob won with Boba Fett in the Emperor's Throne Room
2018 - JD won with Mace Windu in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2017 - Joel won with the Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room
2016 - Stephen won with Emperor Palpatine in the Geonosis Arena
2015 - Curtis won with Han Solo in the Emperor's Throne Room
2014 - Grant won with Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room

MEET THE DUELERS!

Our tradition for the Fight Night "meet the Duelers" is to describe which Star Wars costume would best suit each Dueler!  Here we go...

Andrew R. - if we learned one thing at last month's Fall Brawl, it's that Andrew loves to play a big card as soon as he has it.  That makes his perfect costume...pre-George Lucas re-edit of Han "shot first" Solo!

Bella - new Dueler alert!  Bella is doing us a solid and saving the day by bringing our table to 12 Duelers.  That sort of sacrifice makes her perfect costume...Vice-Admiral Holdo!

CJ - lord have mercy, look who's back at the table!  The last time CJ played she shot at anyone who looked at her funny.  Her hot-headedness makes her perfect costume...Migs Mayfeld!

Curtis - word on the street is that Curtis is STILL worried he might not qualify for December's Championship Duel.  That bothered energy makes his perfect costume...C-3PO!

Evan - after a top-5 finish at the Fall Brawl, Evan is still teetering on his first career victory.  He'd love to get to the finish line in this one.  That makes his perfect costume...Pod-Racer Anakin!

Grant H. - why am I even bothering listing a proposed costume for Grant when he consistently shows up in his own Star Wars-themed wardrobe?  I'm hoping to see...The Baylorlorian!

Juan - the league benefits when Juan's girlfriend has other plans on a Saturday night!  We're happy to have him back at the table.  His perfect costume is...that Ewok who lovingly strokes Chewbacca's hair!

Kevin - true story, Kevin is organizing a nationally endorsed Catan tournament in Martin!  Imagine if we could take Duels to that level?  His perfect costume is...Luthen Rael!

Parker - few Duel performances in league history were as topsy-turvy as Parker's Fall Brawl.  That chaotic energy is a nice shot in the arm.  His perfect costume is...IG-11!

Penny - the rumors are true.  The only daughter of Rob's to never play a Duel is making her debut tonight.  And she extorted him before agreeing.  Her perfect costume is...DJ!

Riley E. - the tiny titan of terror is going to have to fend off her little sisters at Fight Night.  That sort of familial infighting makes her perfect costume...Inquisitor Reva!

Rob - the old man's record streak of high finishes came to a crashing, eleventh place finish at the Fall Brawl.  That fall from grace makes his perfect redemption costume...(The Book of) Boba Fett!

PLUSH POE PREDICTS THE WINNER:

Well...Plush Poe's winner pick last week was killed first.  That brings his record to 1-2 on the season.  Let's see who he's...oh dear.  Poe is wearing his own Halloween costume this month.  *sigh*  Who you got, Poe?

"So who talks first?  You talk first?"

Ha-ha, Poe.  Hilarious.  I see you've picked Jango Fett.  We'll have to see how that pans out for you.  I'm betting it won't be pretty.

We fire things up at 7PM tonight in the Fine Arts Studio in the North Village Community Center!  Pew pew!