Greetings fellow Methuselahs,
INTRODUCING: THE 2023-2024 LEAGUE PROMO CARDS
Black Chantry Productions has prepared a number of promotional cards primarily for league or other continuous play rewards, but they can of course be used for other event promotion as needed. The cards can be ordered by VEKN National Coordinators from Drivethrucards.com using special links provided from upon request.
The cards are full art versions of crypt and library cards that are already available in a normal version:
• .44 Magnum
• Alice Chen
• Karl Schrekt
• Kalinda (Group 6)
• Oskar Anasov
EC 2023 COMING UP!
If you have the opportunity, don´t miss the chance to attend what we think can be the greatest Vampire: The Eternal Struggle event of all time: the European Championship 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. The dates are October 13-15, and when this is written over 200 Methuselahs from 18 different nations have already registered at the VTES.es site. All kinds of pre-events, side events and social events are of course happening. This will be a blast, hope to see you there!
Happy finalists, with Jeroen in the middle.
JEROEN VAN OORT WINS GRAND PRIX GERMANY 2023!
31 players turned up for Grand Prix Germany at the White Rabbit game store in Essen on September 17.
Standings before the final table:
1. Jeroen van Oort - 2 GW 10.5 VP
2. Roy Opitz - 2 GW 9,5 VP
3. Milan Matthes - 1 GW 6 VP
4. Kevin Mullen - 1 GW 5 VP
5. Emiliano Imeroni - 1 GW 4.5 VP
Congratulations Jeroen van Oort, securing 3 victory points in the final, over Emiliano's Imeroni 1 and Roy Opitz 1.
Jeroen's tournament winning deck: "Ministry G56 boring is better"
Crypt (12)
2x Sergio Bueno 8 OBF PRE PRO aus pot baron Ministry:6
1x Nonu Dis 8 OBF PRE PRO for Ministry:6
2x Vivian VI 7 PRE PRO obf tha baron Ministry:6
2x Elisha Tucker 6 PRE cel obf pro baron Ministry:6
1x Crystal Lynn 6 OBF PRE PRO Ministry:6
1x Aluc Romas de Leon 5 PRE aus obf pro Ministry:6
1x Doctor Morocco 5 PRO cel obf pre Ministry:6
1x Jenny Silver 5 PRE PRO obf Ministry:6
1x Marcel 4 obf pre pro Ministry:6
Library (89)
Master (17; 9 trifle)
2x Club Illusion
1x Coven, The
5x Dabbler
1x Direct Intervention
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
2x Grooming the Protégé
1x Opium Den
3x Villein
Action (22)
2x Corruption
2x Mesu Bedshet
18x Platinum Protocol, The
Equipment (2)
2x Learjet
Action Modifier (27)
2x CrimethInc.
3x Enchanting Gaze
1x Lost in Crowds
6x Memory Rift
15x Revelation of the Serpent
Action Modifier/Combat (1)
1x Hide the Mind
Combat (11)
1x Donnybrook
2x Earth Meld
8x Form of Mist
Reaction (9)
3x Bait and Switch
6x Party Out Of Bounds
Some words from organiser Steffen "MacReady" Waschul:
Dear Methuselahs and participants of the past Grand Prix Germany 2023,
… and already the Grand Prix is history! On the one hand it is a pity that this event has already come to an end, and on the other hand I am glad that my “thinking space” now has a little more room again and I can devote myself to other things.
For me the event is a complete success. The status of the “success” I make on the feedbacks, which various Methuselahs still gave me during the Grand Prix. And that was exactly what was important to me; that the tournament, which was held in this form for the first time in Germany, was an experience for everyone - regardless of possible match outcomes. The success depended and always depends on the players. However, this factor seems to be a safe bank in our small community, as the event was characterized by fun, fair and courteous players and intense rounds. Last but not least, the final showed that despite the competitive nature with which all players took their place at the table, the fun and the game were in the foreground.
The location was also conducive to the success of the Grand Prix. Although the Methuselahs present had to face a certain heat, but this did not detract from the fun and the mood. Sasha, the store owner, was more than friendly and accommodating and bravely put up with the length of the day. Moreover, the team around him and the White Rabbit store in Essen (NRW) know how to handle a group of people who indulge in printed cardboard for almost 12 hours. In addition to positive feedback from Sascha, there were also constructive comments that point the way to future events; a great pleasure for us as organizers and participants, because it seems that we literally have another foot in the door to continue hosting V:TES events in the future.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you! Not only did you trust a Neonate like me to host such an event, you also made it very easy for me to host this very event. For me this is a clear sign that I will continue to organize events for the eternal conflict.
WHO WILL BE THE GRAND PRIX EUROPE 2023 CHAMPION?
Now that the last of the 2022-2023 European Grand Prix circuit tournaments has been played, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Organized Play Coordinator Orian Gissler tells us that the finalists for this season are:
- Javier Naranjo Ortiz – Grand Prix Spain winner
- Bram Van Stappen – Grand Prix Belgium winner
- Danilo Torrisi – Grand Prix Italy winner
- Jeroen van Oort – Grand Prix Germany winner
- Bartosz Kalinczuk – Grand Prix Poland winner
Reservist: Nina Nilsson – Grand Prix UK winner
These players are invited to play the final in Barcelona, Spain on October 14. These six players are also automatically qualified for Day 2 of the European Championship played the same weekend.
PICK UP YOUR EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX PLAYMAT!
Are you going to the European Championship in Barcelona? Did you or a friend of you play any of the 2022-2023 Grand Prix tournaments? (That were in Warsaw, Benidorm, Bologna, Liverpool, Brussels and Essen.) Then we would appreciate if you could pick up your participant playmat in Barcelona. Yes, you can pick up one for a friend that was playing. No, you only get one playmat even if you played more than one of the tournaments. The art is by Ginés Quiñonero, from the card Direct Intervention. Exact details about when and where will be announced later.
Playmats already in Spain!
ARE YOU REALLY GOOD AT VTES RULES, AND WANT TO PROVE IT?
From Arnau Diez, VEKN National Coordinator of Spain and creator of the official VTES Judge programme:
If you’re an experienced player of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and are interested in helping others learn the game, becoming a judge is an excellent way to do so. The judge card is an official document that certifies you as an expert in the game and qualifies you to direct and supervise tournaments and events.
How can you obtain the Vampire: The Eternal Struggle judge card? Well, there’s a test-style exam that will be held in Barcelona on October 14, during the EC tournament. Anyone can take the exam, but previous experience playing the game is recommended. Candidates must have a good understanding of the rules of the game and demonstrate an ability to resolve interactions that can sometimes be more complicated than they appear.
The test-style exam will cover a variety of topics related to the game, including the rules, fair play, and tournament rules, among others. Candidates will have a limited time to complete the exam, so there won’t be much time to hesitate. In addition, the use of any digital device to consult will not be allowed, as all necessary material will be provided at the beginning of the test.
Once you pass the exam, you’ll receive your official Vampire: The Eternal Struggle judge card. This card won’t force you to arbitrate anything you don’t want to, but it will let other players know that you’re an expert in the game and that your opinion can be taken into account regarding VTES rules.
To register for the call, all you have to do is send an e-mail with your name, VEKN number, and game city to . On Wednesday, October 11, those who register will be confirmed to have a spot for the exam. Both registration and exam results will be confidential, so no one who is qualified should be afraid to try for fear of failing.
The test will be done during 1st day final game, scheduled at 18.20. It will be composed by 100 questions and you will need 80 correct answers to pass it. Time limit will be 120 minutes. External documentation and electronic devices will not be allowed during the test.
In summary, if you’re an experienced player of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and are interested in helping others learn and enjoy the game, consider taking the exam to obtain your official judge card. It’s a great opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of VTES and be part of the exciting card game community in the world of darkness!
Thanks,
Arnau Diez
KEITH LIM IS THE 2023 AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND CONTINENTAL CHAMPION!
Played on September 30, reported by Steve Harris, National Coordinator of Australia:
We had 28 players and a good range of decks. The clans are widely represented as are the deck archetypes. At a quick glance over the tables, I've ascertained the following:
• Stealth-bleed: 6 decks
• Vote or bleed & vote: 4 decks
• Wall: 3 decks
• Bruise & bleed: 3 decks
• Toolbox: 3 decks
• Rush: 2 decks
• A few other archetypes represented: weenie bleed, tap and bleed, Renegade Garou and what I think was “Black Hand tricks”.
Clan groupings:
• 3 Banu Haqim decks (all on table 1 together!)
• 3 Ministry
• 3 Gangrel
• A number of mixed clan decks, generally seem to be focusing on a star vamp.
• Also represented by a single deck, I’m seeing: Kiasyd, Harbingers, Tzimisce, Baali, Nosferatu, Guruhi, Brujah, Giovanni, Toreador, Malkavian, Samedi, Tremere.
Pre-finals top 5:
1. Simon Reed 2 gw 8 vp
2. Keith Lim 2 gw 7 vp
3. Ke Carlton 2 gw 6 vp
4. Steven Balwin 1 gw 6 vp
5. Matthew Prescott 1 gw 5 vp
Both Ministry decks are modified Fifth Edition precons, focusing on the Barons, and cards like Platinum Protocol and Party out of Bounds, plus Dabbler of course.
Keith got the win with 1.5 vp. He ousted Steven about 30-40 mins in. Then the game was a slow effort of careful bleed. Ke spent most of the time going backwards with combat rush, in order to stay alive – first at Steven, then Keith. Matt and Simon both had to be careful with their bleeds as their respective preys had flick. Eventually the table timed out.
Also, Nathanael Zheng did a live stream of the finals on his Youtube channel.
Keith Lim's tournament winning deck: “Ministry Mish Mash”
Crypt (12)
2x Nonu Dis 8 OBF PRE PRO for Ministry:6
2x Sergio Bueno 8 OBF PRE PRO aus pot baron Ministry:6
3x Vivian VI 7 PRE PRO obf tha baron Ministry:6
2x Elisha Tucker 6 PRE cel obf pro baron Ministry:6
1x Crystal Lynn 6 OBF PRE PRO Ministry:6
1x Jenny Silver 5 PRE PRO obf Ministry:6
1x Marcel 4 obf pre pro Ministry:6
Library (77)
Master (12; 7 trifle)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Carfax Abbey
1x Club Illusion
4x Dabbler
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Opium Den
3x Villein
Action (16)
16x Platinum Protocol, The
Ally (1)
1x Saatet-ta
Action Modifier (17)
5x Enchanting Gaze
2x Faceless Night
10x Revelation of the Serpent
Action Modifier/Reaction (3)
3x Form of the Bat
Combat (10)
4x Earth Meld
6x Form of Mist
Reaction (18)
6x Bait and Switch
2x On the Qui Vive
4x Organized Resistance
6x Party Out Of Bounds
Thanks to organisers, sponsors and players!
DANIEL GARGULÁK IS THE 2023 CZECH CHAMPION!
Reported by Jan Kočí:
On September 2, 2023, Pulled Fang #12, the Czech Republic's championship in Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, took place. A total of 48 players participated, with attendees not only from the Czech Republic but also from Austria, Hungary, and Poland.
Daniel dominated all three basic rounds and the final too, so he became the winner. Congratulations!
Jihlava By Night has videos from the preliminary games and the final round.
Daniel Gargulák's tournament winning deck: “Wraits and hordes”
Inspired by Bill Troxel's deck from 2019 with few changes.
Crypt (12)
4x Mina Grotius 6 FOR NEC cel Harbinger of Skulls:3
2x Nicomedes 5 aus for nec vic Harbinger of Skulls:4
4x Thomasso Ghiberti 4 NEC pot Giovanni:4
1x Lia Milliner 3 dom nec Giovanni:3
1x Nunzio Giovanni 3 nec pot Giovanni:4
Library (90)
Master (20; 2 trifle)
1x Direct Intervention
6x Jake Washington
9x Liquidation
2x Pentex(TM) Subversion
2x Wider View
Event (5)
2x FBI Special Affairs Division
3x Unmasking, The
Ally (40)
2x Carlton Van Wyk
11x Draeven Softfoot
10x Emerald Legionnaire
2x Gianna di Canneto
2x Ossian
10x Shambling Hordes
3x Tye Cooper
Political Action (1)
1x Autarkis Persecution
Action Modifier (12)
6x Call of the Hungry Dead
3x Freak Drive
3x Shroud Mastery
Action Modifier/Combat (3)
3x Breath of Thanatos
Combat (3)
3x Target Vitals
Reaction (6)
3x Delaying Tactics
2x Funeral Wake
1x On the Qui Vive
Thanks to all players who came and to Hugh Angseesing of Black Chantry for tournament support.
BRAM VAN STAPPEN IS THE 2023 NETHERLANDS CHAMPION!
32 players attended at Ons Honk in Montfoort on September 3. Reported by Jeroen Van Oort, National Coordinator:
Standings after three rounds:
1. Bram van Stappen 3 gw 11 vp
2. Nick Hofman 2 gw 8.5 vp
3. Hector Javier Ordonez 2 gw 6 vp
4. Dietmar Range 2 gw 5 vp
5. Gerhard Range 1 gw 5 vp
Hector bleeded heavily on Dietmar. Gerald also bleeded hard as everyone predicted. Dietmar was the first to get ousted. Bram had some time to build up as he had no trouble of his predator. Nick also had free space to move. He used Piper to get 2 Legionnaires out in 2 turns and slowly grinded the pool of Gerald. Meanwhile Bram got an Assault riffle with the Alastor vote. Some deals were made by Bram to crosstable remove bleed from Gerald. Gerald ousted Hector before he was out of minions. Nick had steady ousting power to oust his prey. Bram got an Ashur cycle to regain a lot of ousting power and stealth and this enabled him to get the table with 10 minutes left. Congratulations to Bram van Stappen!
Comments from the winner himself: "Thanks for organising and again: awesome community. First 3 rounds I had luck with seating and how tables collapsed. In final being top seat is half of the work done: My reasoning was to have a predator that would be busy with his and thus most likely be the least aggressive one. Hoping I could build a bit with a Villein, Fourth Tradition and then influencing how the table folds with vote lock. The aggression which Héctor Javier Ordoñez killed his first prey with (Didi) was amazing and scary so the deal to rush Hardy Range crosstable was in my favor since I had a second predator who also did not push forward too hard. That only left me with Nick Hofmans Emerald Legionnaires that did not worry me so much until FBI Special Affairs Division hit the table with all my minions low on blood. Some brain farts after that, a moment of clarity and round of Ashur Tablets to take pool damaging vote to hand in combination with the light stealth package (to pass Emeralds + The Unmasking). 5 mins left on the clock I think.
An alternative title for this deck would be ‘the perfect collapse’ in 4 out of 4 rounds! I discussed this with a few players; how seating in my opinion is becoming more and more important. Of course the game needs to be played but considering the quality of decks these days with Ministry, Banu Haqim combat, Brujah Debate, Gangrel combat ends/aggro, Arishat politics, etc … Wrong spot = death, no matter how good of a player one is. But if anyone has a different view on this I would like to hear it, or a way to make the seating less impactful. I think if i switch places with my predator in all 4 games I wouldn´t made 2 vp on whole tournament."
Brams tournament winning deck: “Blame it on Didi II”
Crypt (12)
4x Kasim Bayar 9 CEL OBF THA aus pot justicar Banu Haqim:6
1x Oluwafunmilayo 8 AUS CEL OBF THA prince Banu Haqim:6
1x Farah Sarroub 7 CEL THA aus obf prince Banu Haqim:6
2x Kassandra Tassaki 6 CEL THA obf prince Banu Haqim:6
1x Khadija Al-Kindi 6 CEL OBF THA primogen Banu Haqim:6
1x Warmaksan 5 THA cel obf prince Banu Haqim:6
1x Nayarana 4 THA cel Banu Haqim:6
1x Bijou 3 cel tha Banu Haqim:6
Library (73)
Master (16; 6 trifle)
1x Archon Investigation
6x Ashur Tablets
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Haqim's Law: Retribution
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Priority Contract
4x Villein
1x Wider View
Action (3)
3x Fourth Tradition: The Accounting
Equipment (4)
2x Assault Rifle
1x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Helicopter
Political Action (16)
3x Alastor
3x Banishment
6x Kine Resources Contested
4x Parity Shift
Action Modifier (4)
1x Faceless Night
3x Lost in Crowds
Action Modifier/Combat (7)
3x Resist Earth's Grasp
4x Swallowed by the Night
Combat (15)
7x Hunger of Marduk
4x Pursuit
4x Side Strike
Reaction (8)
8x Second Tradition: Domain
Thanks everybody for joining this gathering. Thanks Nick Hofman for the great organization. Til next time!
BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: SEPTEMBER 2023
• All the Black Chantry ghouls (Hugh, Ben, Ginés, Vincent and Henrik) have threatened to appear at the European Championship in Barcelona, Spain. There will be some kind of presentation one of the nights. Some of these handsome individuals will play the tournaments (of course will bad decks and one hand on their back!), others will assist the organisers. Make sure to meet them and ask impossible questions!
• The “preview season” for the next three Fifth Edition preconstructed decks is ongoing. The clans are Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce. Release date is not set, but hopefully in December. All previews are collected at these product pages:
• The first round of playtesting of the preconstructed decks for Lasombra and Hecata has concluded and reports are now studied. While playtesters wait for the next round they have been asked to test something huge and very different – more about that later!
Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Drivethrucards.com and other stores:
- Lost Kindred bundle
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 1
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 2
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 1
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 2
Den of Fiends Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Libertine Ball Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Pact with Nephandi Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Parliament of Shadows Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Anthology I bundle
VTES Card Creator (Drivethrucards only)
25th Anniversary
First Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
VTES Legacy Card Singles (Drivethrucards only)
Promo Pack 1 (Drivethrucards only)
Promo Pack 2 (Event promos only)
VTES "Parity Shift" playmat
VTES card sleeves
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Fifth Edition (Stores only)
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Fifth Edition Latin (Drivethrucards only)
Fifth Edition: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Toreador (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Tremere (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Promo Pack 3 (Event promos only)
Fifth Edition: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Brujah (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
The Fall of London (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Echoes of Gehenna
Shadows of Berlin (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Brujah (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French)
Do you have opinions or questions for Black Chantry? Start a topic on the VEKN forum, or contact the company by e-mail, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS
It is once again time for October, or as the World of Darkness team over at Paradox Interactive calls it: the Month of Darkness. As we have been used to, they publish one piece of news or other content every single day this month, so make sure to follow their channels not to miss any candy! Everything is also collected in the Month of Darkenss "calendar". So far we have seen for example a free PDF offer, a free Werewolf: The Apocalypse story and a new developer diary for Bloodlines 2.
Also: Another Vampire: The Masquerade translation was announced: Hungarian
Subscribe to the World of Darkness News show for more news!
CALENDAR
Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Australia
Brasil x22
Chile x3
Finland x2
Germany
Italy
Poland
Serbia
Spain x17
For details about these events, see the VEKN Event Calendar.
Remember: Online tournaments are possible - just check the box "Online tournament" when you add the event to the calendar!
CONTACT VEKN
You can contact the VEKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at VEKN.net. Also follow the official VTES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and the official VEKN Twitter account @VEKN_VTES
Every man dies, but not every man really lives.
