Finalists Michael, Alexander (champion), Jan, Hector and Joschka.

The tournament was played in Darmstadt-Arheilgen on September 7. Reported by Rudolf Scholtz, VEKN National Coordinator of Germany:

Results before the finals:
1. Alexander Tüschen 3 GW, 9 VP, playing !Salubri G5-6 wall (decklist)
2. Jan Etzel 2 GW, 10 VP, playing Malkavian G5-6 vote (decklist)
3. Héctor Javier Ordoñez 2 GW, 8 VP, playing Gangrel G5-6 breed & vote (decklist)
4. Joscha Düll 2 GW, 7 VP, playing Malkavian G6-7 vote (decklist)
5. Michael Köper 2 GW, 6 VP, playing Lasombra G2-3 vote (decklist)

The final (and three other games) can be watched on Youtube:

Results of the final: Alexander Tüschen 2 VP, Joscha Düll 2 VP and Michael Köper 1 VP, which means Alexander is the champion – congratulations!

More words from both the organizer and the winner can be found on the VEKN forum.

The tournament winning deck: “The Art of Sword Combat”

Crypt (12 cards)
4x Anarch Convert 1 Caitiff:any
4x Nuriel 8 AUS FOR VAL cel dom Salubri antitribu:6
1x Ariel 6 AUS FOR VAL Salubri antitribu:6
1x Azrael 5 AUS VAL for Salubri antitribu:6
1x Michaela 7 AUS FOR PRE VAL Salubri antitribu:5
1x Silas 5 FOR aus dom val Salubri antitribu:6

Library (90 cards)
Master (15; 5 trifle)
2x Anarch Revolt
1x Code of Samiel
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Guardian Angel
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
2x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
1x Society of Leopold
4x Villein
1x Wider View

Event (1)
1x NSA Trio

Action (4)
1x Constant Revolution
3x Sense Death

Equipment (10)
7x Blade of Bellona
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Kevlar Vest

Retainer (1)
1x Mr. Winthrop

Combat (30)
1x Aura Reading
4x Blessed Blade
7x Concealed Weapon
5x Death Seeker
4x Hidden Strength
1x Righteous Aura
3x Soak
3x Sword of the Righteous
2x Taste of Vitae

Reaction (29)
1x Eagle's Sight
4x Enhanced Senses
5x Eyes of Argus
8x Guardian Vigil
5x Hide the Heart
1x My Enemy's Enemy
4x On the Qui Vive
1x Telepathic Misdirection

Thanks to sponsors Ultra Pro, Black Chantry Productions and Nicolas Lombrix Quesnel VTES Store, as well as all volunteers and players!

This is not a high level tournament like the ones we normally mention here, but we want to include it as an example of a smaller event with a nicely written report.

The Victorian State Championship, commonly referred to as The Vics is an annual event in Victoria Australia. This year we had 13 participants and they competed in 3 rounds + a final. The playgroup is a mix of seasoned veterans (playing since Jyhad) and some newer blood. We play high calibre VTES and the games are good.

Final seating:
1. Rathpex (2 GW, 8.5 VP) playing Toolbox Gangrel >
2. Rich (2 GW, 5.5VP) playing G1/2 Toreador Celerity Guns >
3. Erin (1 GW, 6.5 VP) playing Tzimisce G7 bleed >
4. Nathaniel (1 GW, 3 VP) playing Matasuntha Wall >
5. Jay (1 GW, 5 VP) playing Malgorzata, Lord Tremere & Mistress Fanchon >

Seating was key to the final and we all agreed to keep Matasuntha bleeding into Malgorzata. Going into the final as top seed, I wanted to be as far away from the two wall decks as possible. So I was forced to be bled by new Tzimisce for the third time in the tournament. I won the first round matchup but not the second round, managing only 1 VP for the round.

The final started off strong all round but after about 5 rounds the game got very tight. Matasuntha was amassing a host equipment, not locking for blocking and had Massimilano as a friend. Malgorzata had an Ivory Bow and a Heart + Lord Tremere had a Bowl. They had Ossian on their side to boot. The Tzimisce had 3 or so minions out but hadn’t drawn into the British museum, the had the Carfax Abby out though. I was lucky enough to get Kuyen and Casey in my opening crypt and then get 2 Raven Spy’s onto Kuyen. I drew very few Thing’s early on and no Monkey Wrench’s. Meanwhile my prey, the Toreador was scared to go too forward. A few rushes into Matasuntha saw not a lot of a result.

The game took an interesting turn when Massimilano was blocked by Malgorzata and then Rötschreck’d. Somehow Malgorzata also ended up in the bin and Lord Tremere was left with just Ossian. The forward momentum from Malgorzata was minimal, just some flicks and 2 rushes from Ossian where the combat ended quite abruptly from the Tzimisce with no effect. This left the Tzimisce free rain to bleed to their hearts content and they had 4 minions. I managed to flick some, and block more unlocking with Earth Melds.

I eventually managed to get out 4 minions, an Army of Rats and Mr Winthrop on Casey. I had spent an action, and my precious 2 blood to rescue Malgorzata only for her to go down the following turn. I wasn’t going to be able to rescue her again. I was constrained to 2 actions a turn – needing the permanent intercept to stop myself from being ousted. I was down to 6 pool at after one hefty round of bleeding. I somehow managed to get 1 Thing off a turn, using the other vamp to bleed with – not to much success. My minions were very dry on blood having been Villeined to keep me in the game.

The clock ticked on and Toreador was below 10 pool so took a couple of turns literally doing nothing except for discarding a card. All he had was a Francoise and Felicia Mostrom whose gun had been gnawed on by some Voracious Vermin. Matasuntha had recovered and was now bleeding for 2 at 3 Strength with an Enkil Cog. Ossian bit the dust with after being forced to block.

Tzimisce at this stage had cycled through most of their deck and failed to get a single bleed action into me. I was finally able to consolidate my pool. I had kept The Edge and was able to gain a pool plus do another thing. I spent this turns pool to recruit my own Ossian. At best, he’d put down a Tzimisce and at worst he’d force them to spend living manse.

More actions passed with Matasuntha and Massimiliano regaining some power. Malgorzata was back from torpor and was allowed to hunt. Then Tzimisce ran out of cards before they could get me. I had ran out of blood on my vamps and needed to spend a turn hunting I had finally drawn into a Monkey Wrench and I also had a Rewilding ready to gobble up an Art Museum but not this turn... This allowed Toreador to have a go – and finally drop both Matasuntha and Massimiliano. But the clock had gotten away. The 2.5 hour timer went off during Malgorzata’s turn.

Final result 0.5 VP a piece. This was an absolutely epic game riding a rollercoaster of who would be ousted first and in the end no one was. Big shout out to my Predator, Erin – she played really well and I seriously thought she was going to get me on several occasions.

Tournament Winning Deck: “The Cockroaches of VTES” by Rathpex.

2x Massimiliano   7 ANI FOR pro   baron Gangrel:6
2x Casey Snyder   6 PRO ani cel for   baron Gangrel:6
2x Kuyén   6 ANI PRO   baron Gangrel:6
1x Martina Srnankova   6 FOR PRO ani   Gangrel:6
1x Kamile Paukstys   5 PRO ani for   Gangrel:6
1x Mickey Wheeler   5 ani cel for pro   Gangrel:6
1x Hanna Nokelainen   4 ani for pro   Gangrel:6
1x Nathan Turner   4 PRO ani   Gangrel:6
1x Indira   3 PRO   Gangrel:6

Library (90 cards)
Master (21; 7 trifle)
1x Anarch Free Press, The
2x Carfax Abbey
1x Club Illusion
2x Ecoterrorists
2x Gangrel Revel
2x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
4x Sudden Reversal
5x Villein
2x Wash

Action (17)
1x Army of Rats
2x Rewilding
2x Status Perfectus, The
12x Thing

Ally (1)
1x Ossian

Equipment (1)
1x Heart of Nizchetus

Retainer (4)
1x Mr. Winthrop
3x Raven Spy

Action Modifier (12)
7x Earth Control
5x Monkey Wrench

Combat (20)
4x Donnybrook
12x Earth Meld
4x Form of Mist

Reaction (14)
7x Bait and Switch
7x Organized Resistance