Greetings fellow Methuselahs
Terrible times for sun-fearing creatures, but interesting times for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle players and volunteers. While we still await any news of the future of physical products, we can present some exciting information about a big tournament and the next V:EKN printable expansion set, as well as a rules Q & A. Enjoy!

EC 2018 IS PLAYED IN WARSAW, POLAND
We are proud to announce that the European Championship once again will be played in Warsaw, Poland. The date is August 23-26 2018 and the venue will be Airport Plaza Hotel, the same as EC 2015. Exactly as EC 2017, Day 1 will be an open event - no qualification is needed. For more information, contact V:EKN chairman Ginés Quiñonero or main organizer Radoslaw "Szewski" Staszewski and watch out for an upcoming official announcement at V:EKN.net.

DESIGN TEAM NEWS
Design Team leader Ben Peal reports:
Mike and I are in the middle of reviewing the cards for the Bloodlines expansion in preparation for Round 3 of playtesting.  We expect to start the next round in early August.  We're also seeing the artwork and concept sketches for the cards coming in.  A bit more than half of the artwork for the set is either complete or in progress right now.  Additionally, we're working on the reward cards for the Berlin storyline.

Now we can also preview three pieces of art for this upcoming Bloodlines set:

RULES Q & A
Rules Director Vincent Ripoll answers a few questions that were recently asked on the VEKN.net forum, Facebook, or during tournaments:

Q: Can I burn a life from an Underbridge Stray during the turn it was recruited to get a press?
A: Yes. Allies that are recruited are "placed in your uncontrolled region, even though it is controlled, to indicate that it cannot act this turn." (rulebook). And the Stray card text doesn't prevent it from being used, even though it's not ready: "The Stray may burn 1 life to give a minion you control a press." The same is true for many allies, such as Vagabond Mystic, War Ghoul (to burn a location), Brigitte Gebauer etc., or some vampires in torpor that can still use their special abilities by default.

Q: Regarding aim, ammo and Projectile cards usage:
- I have heard that it is possible to declare strike with target vitals after opponent refuses prevention. True or false?
- Are ammo cards supposed to be used in the same window as aim cards? That is, after strike declaration during strike resolution.
- Is it possible to use an ammo card before declaring strike? For example, could I play scattershot before declaring strike and then, play projectile?
And lastly but not less important.
- If I have a magnum and I use its maneuver I have to use the magnum to strike. Can I use the maneuver and then strike with Projectile using the magnum?
A: First of all, always check what people tell you against what's written in the rulebook or on the cards :) Let's have a look to "aim" cards and ammo cards:
"Aim. Play when choosing a strike."
"Ammo. Only usable before resolution of a gun's strike."
This is clearly not the same window. Aim are played when you choose your strike, for instance "My strike is a hand strike, and I play Target Vitals", or "My strike is the gun strike I'm committed too (because I used the maneuver of the gun) and I add a Target Vitals to it". Ammo cards can be played after both strikes have been chosen (even though you could play them before your opponent has announced their strike), but before resolving the strikes. For instance "- I hit you for 1R with my gun. - Ok, I hit back for 1 with a hand strike. - Fine, since you didn't end combat, I play a Dragon Breath Round for +2R aggravated damage".

Ammo can't be played before you choose your strike because it requires a gun's strike to be resolved. And Aim can't be played once you've played an Ammo since Ammo are played after you choose your strike, not "when choosing a strike" (which is the Aim's window).

Now Projectile says "Strike: 1R damage or use a ranged weapon strike." Projectile a strike, so it's played when you choose your strike, and you can choose the ranged weapon strike you're committed too by a maneuver. So if we mix everything together, you can:
 - maneuver from the gun
 - play Projectile to strike by using that gun
 - play an Aim when announcing that strike
 - play an ammo card after your opponent has announced their strike

Q: For CrimethInc purposes, is the "enter combat action" granted by Open War actually requiring an anarch?
A: Open War states "Anarch vampires can enter combat with any minion as a (D) action." That action do require an anarch, and therefore you can play CrimethInc.

Q: When blood on vampire with Anathema and Priority Contract reduced to zero in combat, it's burned. In this case, can Priority Contract be burned too in order to gain 3 pool?
A: Yes, Priority Contract triggers when the vampire "would leave play", that is before it leaves play effectively.

Q: May a player remove a Nocturn from the game via Khobar Towers, Al-Khubar to gain pool before it burns? Both effects are dealt with in the unlock phase.
A: Yes. Since both effects occur during the unlock phase, you can order them as you want.

Q: I wonder why Anne-Marie Bourgeois, Inconnu Recruiter (only) reads: »Equipment costs Anne-Marie 1 less pool.« Usually special texts like these read »pool or blood«. Is it really intended that Anne-Marie's special does not work on equipment which costs blood?
A: Yes. Trust the card text!

Q: Somebody else plays a master card. Does the special text of Sascha Vykos, The Angel of Caine Advanced allow me to draw into a Sudden Reversal (or Wash) and use it against that master card?
A: No. Cards that cancel other cards "as they are played" must be already in hand when the card is played.

Q: When do I lock The Line to reduce the cost of the action card?
A: You can lock it when you announce the action (for instance, if your vampire couldn't pay for the card otherwise), or anytime during the action. This works the same way as Sunset Strip, Hollywood. If the action card is canceled as it is announced, The Line isn't locked (as it is reminded on the card).

CALENDAR
Upcoming events:
July 28 - Finnish ECQ 2017: Ropecon - Helsinki, Finland
July 29 - Ropecon 2017 draft - Helsinki, Finland
July 30 - Liga "NOVA ERA" Brasil AP - Hunger Moon - Macapá, Brazil
July 30 - Liga "NOVA ERA" Brasil AM - Conquer the Beast - Manaus, Brazil
July 30 - Spontaneous Power 2.0 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain
July 30 - WFT BRASIL 1ª CONTENDA-PB - Campina Grande, Brazil
August 5 - Powerbase: Berkeley - Yawp Court - Berkeley, United States
August 5 - QCF - Toulouse "Chez Blackwood" - Toulouse, France
August 5 - Powerbase: Berkeley - Unleash Hell's Fury - Berkeley, United States
August 5 - Demoafternoon Magdeburg - Magdeburg, Germany
August 6 - Dark Rift (Paraibano) - Campina Grande, Brazil
August 6 - PAZ - LIGA NOVA ERA BRASIL - São Paulo, Brazil
August 6 - Powerbase: Berkeley - Zephyr - Berkeley, United States
August 27 - Liga "NOVA ERA" Brasil AP - Fall of the Sabbat - Macapá, Brazil
August 27 - Resurrection Antonym - Auckland, New Zealand
August 27 - Dragonfire - Cape Town, South Africa

For more information on upcoming events see the V:EKN Event Calendar.

CONTACT V:EKN
You can contact the V:EKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at V:EKN.net. Also follow the official V:TES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and the official V:EKN Twitter account @VEKN_VTES


"Fictions, my friend. The vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman."