TWD + Report: Finnish ECQ (Ropecon 2011), July 29th

• Tournament: Finnish 2011 ECQ
• Date: Friday July 29th, 2011
• Place:Ropecon 2011 gaming convention, Dipoli, Espoo, Finland
• Players: 90
• Format: EC Qualifier (constructed), 3R+F
• Organizer/judge: Petri Wessman
• Winner: Otso Saariluoma (see below for deck list)

Another Ropecon , another big annual VTES tournament and Finnish ECQ (for the European Championships in Warsaw , Nov 11-13).

At least so far, the cancellation of the game doesn't seem to have had any effect on player attendance; in fact, with 90 players we had the third highest attendance ever. Not bad for a "dead" game . In addition, everything went really smoothly, I actually managed to get the first round started almost at 18:00 which is a new record. Thanks for this goes to the players; everyone registered on time, lots of people helped out with organizing the tables, and in general it was just a very fun tournament to run. Thanks, everyone.

Most of the players were Finnish of course, but we had a nice Scandinavian (Sweden & Denmark) team also present. Most of my own time and energy went into running things and answering rules questions, or course, but my impressions based on watching random tables for random amounts of time was that the quality was quite high. Lots of nice, well-tuned decks and good play, and also a ton of different deck types -- no one type seemed to dominate (pun alert) the game. What I heard from some players seems to confirm this, I was told that the game was tighter and more focused in general this year. There were precious few easy wins to be had, this time. I got the impression that there were fewer vote decks out there than usual, at least I didn't see all that many around... but on the other hand the final had two so what do I know.

The final round this year was interesting but drawn out, it actually ended in a tie -- there is a transcript of the final round at the end of this article for those interested in the nitty-gritty. The finalist decks were a varied bunch: an Auxpex weenie deck, an ani/pot combat deck, a Lasombra vote deck, a Undele-powered vote deck, and a Tre/!Tre dom bleed deck. After a long struggle the game ended in a timeout, with Otso's Auspex weenies and Ville's Ani/Pot hurt machine still left on the table. Otso took the tournament win due to a higher initial seed. This was especially impressive considering he also won last year's 93-player tournament(!).

Ville was awarded an extra "most brutal combat deck" award (judge's discretion) in the form of a Theo Bell action figure (with torn signpost!). Very fitting. All attendees also got a huge pile of promos, thanks to Finnish NC Janne Lönnqvist.

-Petri “Orava” Wessman

Results


The bolded players received EC qualification for 2011.

Rank	Name	Prelim GWs	Prelim VPs	Final VPs	Deck/comment
1	Otso Saariluoma	3	12	1.5	"Victoria's Secret" (see below)
2	Adam Esbjörnsson	2	9	1	"Rautakanki" (see below)
2	Toni Karjalainen	2	10		"Gratiano sucks!" (see below)
2	Ville Kaijasaari	3	10	1.5	Nana + Nangila Ani/Pot combat (see below)
2	Teemu Sainomaa	2	10.5		"Undele's Domain" (see below)
6	Tuomas Vuokko	2	8
7	Arto Heinonen	2	8
8	Marko Lindroos	1	6.5
9	Jarkko Suvela	1	6.5		"To be humiliated and pissed upon"
10	Heikki Palomäki	1	6
11	Matias Frosterus	1	5.5
12	Kari Mäkinen	1	5.5		"Lily Serenade"
13	Jari Vulli	1	5
14	Raymond Mäkeläinen	1	5		"Settite Duat Production"
15	Jesper Wøldiche	1	5		"Gents with sticks"
16	Janne Kilpi	1	5
17	Anssi Rekola	1	5
18	Aleksi Kivilahti	1	5
19	Elias Maliniemi	1	4.5		"Juusto haisee"
19	Ville Kilpi	1	4.5
21	Jyri Puhakka	1	4		"Please, fix group 6!"
22	Ville Ruuskanen	1	4		"Hostel"
23	Mikko Berkovits	1	4
23	Aleksi Nuora	1	4
25	Mikko Hyvärinen	1	4		"Chantry of 5 Boroughs"
26	Marko Saari	1	3.5		"Faster Pussycat, Kill Kill!"
27	Lauri Salmi	1	3.5		"Girls will find AIDS"
28	Johan Wahlström	1	3
29	Kari Vieno	1	3
30	Mikko Moisander	1	3		"Wall o' Zombie"
31	Petrus Makkonen	1	3		"The Groaning Carnival"
31	Otto Kukkasniemi	1	3
33	Seppo Lipponen	1	3
34	Are Vaskela	1	2
35	Ari-Pekka Alestalo	0	4
35	Joonas Vaittinen	0	4
37	Sauli Samila	0	3.5
37	Tom Lindberg	0	3.5
39	Teemu Pulkkinen	0	3		Malkavian S+B
40	Jari Mäkikyrö	0	2.5
40	Kimmo Pekkola	0	2.5
42	Juhani Puska	0	2		"Pettämätön 1 VP:n pakka joka petti"
43	Joni Huumonen	0	2
43	Michael Holmström	0	2		"Ailien"
45	Jussi Hattara	0	2		"Love you to death" (Theo+Beast anarch)
45	Janne Lönnqvist	0	2
45	Johannes Leppä	0	2
45	Jussi Ranta	0	2
49	Mikko Raimi	0	2
50	Matias Hurme	0	1.5		"Die fast, Die young!"
50	Joonas Oja	0	1.5
52	Taija Sainomaa	0	1.5
53	Pauli Kiova	0	1.5		"Anarchs rule VTES!"
53	Tommi Hakomaa	0	1.5		"Settite Deathstar"
53	Tuukka Kallas	0	1.5
53	Rami Hänninen	0	1.5
57	Tuomas Nyberg	0	1.5
57	Ari Lensu	0	1.5		"Terminus (BB-house)"
59	Henri Ketonen	0	1		"Chainfist"
60	Markku Lumijärvi	0	1		AUS DOM THA
60	Akseli Jalava	0	1
60	Mika Uusi-Kilponen	0	1
63	Timo Rekola	0	1
63	Niina Stenberg	0	1
63	Antti Martikainen	0	1
66	Antti Horelli	0	1
66	Randal Rudstam	0	1		"rautakanki"
68	Pekko Kurttio	0	1		Joaquin Murietta Zip Gun Anarchs
69	Juri Juskevits	0	0.5
69	Juha Nyholm	0	0.5
71	Matti Palomäki	0	0.5		"Lilja"
71	Peter Kaario	0	0.5
71	Isak Bjärmark Esbjörnsson	0	0.5		"Rautakanki"
74	Lasse Pöyry	0	0.5
75	Ari Särkkä	0	0
76	Kenneth Peltokangas	0	0
76	Pasi Karjalainen	0	0
78	Juha Ivanoff	0	0
78	V-H Kilpiä	0	0		Julius Eye of Hazimel
78	Samuel Mäenpää	0	0
78	Juho Saari	0	0
78	Antero Hakala	0	0
83	Kirmo Lassheikki	0	0
83	Niko Heinonen	0	0
83	Mika Nurmikolu	0	0
83	Mikko Laine	0	0		Harrod Flurry+Torrent+politics
83	Karri Rintamaa	0	0
83	Hannu Kokkonen	0	0
89	Juho Vuorikoski	0	0
DQ	Tommi Ketonen	0	0

The DQ is from leaving the tournament after two rounds (yes, he asked permission . And yes, all the Swedes named their decks "rautakanki", which is Finnish for crowbar. Why? You'll need to ask them .

Decklists

Tournament Winner (Otso Saariluoma)

Deck Name : Victoria's Secret
Author : Otso Saariluoma
Description :
Weenie auspex with some anarch/madness network tech. This deck owes to Pascal Bertrand for perfecting the deck concept.

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 1 max: 5 average: 2.66667
3x Anarch Convert (1) Caitiff (group 0)
2x Victoria (5) Malkavian (group 2)
2x Zoe (3) Malkavian (group 2)
1x Aleph (4) Malkavian (group 1)
1x Dollface (3) Malkavian (group 1)
1x Isabel de Leon (3) Toreador (group 2)
1x Brazil (2) Malkavian (group 1)
1x Franciscus (1) Caitiff (group 2)

Library [79 cards]

Action [3]
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
2x Constant Revolution

Ally [3]
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1x Muddled Vampire Hunter
1x Ossian

Combat [8]
2x Aura Reading
3x Disguised Weapon
3x Target Vitals

Equipment [6]
3x .44 Magnum
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Ivory Bow
1x Sniper Rifle

Event [1]
1x Uncoiling, The

Master [15]
2x Anarch Revolt
2x Direct Intervention
2x Madness Network
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
2x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
3x Vessel
1x Wider View

Reaction [42]
2x Delaying Tactics
7x Eagle's Sight
4x Enhanced Senses
8x Eyes of Argus
4x Forced Awakening
4x My Enemy's Enemy
4x On the Qui Vive
2x Precognition
7x Telepathic Misdirection

Retainer [1]
1x Mr. Winthrop


Other Finalists


Adam Esbjörnsson

Deck Name : rautakanki
Author : Adam Esbjrnsson
Description :



Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 3 max: 7 average: 5.33333
2x Carna, The Princess Witch (7) primogen Tremere (group 3)
1x Bryan Van Duesen (7) Tremere antitribu (group 2)
1x Marlene, The Infernalist (6) Ventrue antitribu (group 2)
1x Reverend Blackwood (6) bishop Tremere antitribu (group 2)
1x Selena (6) Tremere antitribu (group 3)
1x Valois Sang, The Watcher (6) Tremere (group 3)
1x Kurt Strauss (5) Tremere antitribu (group 2)
1x Pieter van Dorn (4) Tremere (group 3)
1x Thelonius (4) Tremere antitribu (group 2)
1x Brooke (3) Tremere antitribu (group 2)
1x Ehrich Weiss (3) Tremere (group 3)


Library [75 cards]

Action [17]
14x Govern the Unaligned
3x Magic of the Smith

Action Modifier [25]
7x Bonding
6x Conditioning
8x Mirror Walk
4x Seduction

Ally [2]
1x Carlton Van Wyk (Hunter)
1x Ponticulus

Equipment [3]
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Sniper Rifle

Master [9]
2x Anarch Troublemaker
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Giant's Blood
2x Misdirection
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Spirit Summoning Chamber

Reaction [19]
2x Deflection
6x Eyes of Argus
3x My Enemy's Enemy
3x On the Qui Vive
5x Telepathic Misdirection


Toni Karjalainen

Deck Name : Gratiano sucks!
Author : Toni Karjalainen
Description :
Typical old-school Lasombra presence vote deck.

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 1 max: 10 average: 7.41667
3x Ambrosio Luis Moncada, Plenipotentiary (10) cardinal Lasombra (group 2)
3x Francisco Domingo de Polonia (9) archbishop Lasombra (group 2)
2x Gratiano (8) priscus Lasombra (group 2)
1x Sela Adv (7) archbishop Brujah antitribu (group 2)
1x Dr. Julius Sutphen (5) bishop Lasombra (group 3)
1x Cameron (3) Lasombra (group 2)
1x Royce (1) Pander (group 2)


Library [80 cards]

Action [9]
2x Entrancement
7x Govern the Unaligned

Action Modifier [31]
1x Awe
3x Bewitching Oration
2x Iron Glare
2x Perfect Paragon
3x Seduction
4x Shadow Play
4x Shroud of Absence
4x Shroud of Night
3x Tenebrous Form
5x Voter Captivation

Action Modifier/Reaction [2]
2x Murmur of the False Will

Combat [4]
2x Oubliette
2x Shadow Body

Equipment [1]
1x Zaire River Ferry

Master [12]
1x Direct Intervention
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Elysian Fields
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Power Structure
1x Secure Haven
5x Villein

Political Action [12]
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancilla Empowerment
2x Banishment
7x Kine Resources Contested
1x Reins of Power

Reaction [9]
6x Deflection
3x On the Qui Vive

Ville Kaijasaari

Deck Name : Ville's Ropecon 2011 deck
Author : Ville Kaijasaari
Description :
Ani+Pot smackdown

Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 1 max: 11 average: 7.16667
4x Nana Buruku (8) Guruhi (group 4)
3x Nangila Were (9) Guruhi (group 4)
2x Fish (5) Guruhi (group 4)
1x Eze, The Demon Prince (11) magaji Guruhi (group 3)
1x Fode Kourouma (5) Guruhi (group 4)
1x Anarch Convert (1) Caitiff (group 0)

Library [75 cards]

Action [13]
6x Deep Song
1x Entrancement
2x Founders of the Ebony Kingdom
2x Public Trust
2x Well-Marked

Combat [29]
1x Burning Wrath
1x Canine Horde
5x Carrion Crows
1x Glancing Blow
5x Immortal Grapple
1x Mighty Grapple
1x Pushing the Limit
1x Stunt Cycle
5x Taste of Vitae
2x Thrown Sewer Lid
5x Torn Signpost
1x Undead Strength

Master [25]
1x Archon Investigation
9x Ashur Tablets
1x Fame
1x Giant's Blood
2x Guardian Angel
2x Lilith's Blessing
1x Mbare Market, Harare
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Luanda
6x Villein

Reaction [7]
1x Cats' Guidance
1x Delaying Tactics
2x On the Qui Vive
3x Sense the Savage Way

Retainer [1]
1x Shaman

Teemu Sainomaa

Deck Name : Undele's Domain
Author : Teemu Sainomaa
Description :
Ropecon 2011 finalist



Crypt [12 vampires] Capacity min: 7 max: 10 average: 8.66667
3x Undele (9) magaji Ishtarri (group 5)
1x Mary Anne Blaire (10) justicar Ventrue (group 5)
1x Dmitra Ilyanova (9) justicar Brujah (group 5)
1x Gerald Windham (9) Tremere (group 5)
1x Johannes Castelein (9) prince Ventrue (group 4)
1x Orlando Oriundus (9) bishop Tremere antitribu (group 4)
1x Carlak (8) prince Brujah (group 5)
1x Epikasta Rigatos (8) prince Toreador (group 4)
1x Lodin (Olaf Holte) (8) prince Ventrue (group 5)
1x Graham Gottesman (7) prince Ventrue (group 5)


Library [76 cards]

Action [2]
2x Entrancement

Action Modifier [16]
3x Awe
3x Forgotten Labyrinth
2x Perfect Paragon
3x Veil the Legions
5x Voter Captivation

Combat [4]
4x Majesty

Master [24]
1x Creepshow Casino
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Elysium: The Palace of Versailles
1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Highway
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Ventrue Headquarters
8x Villein
7x Zillah's Valley

Political Action [17]
2x Banishment
2x Disputed Territory
1x Justicar Retribution
6x Kine Resources Contested
4x Parity Shift
1x Political Stranglehold
1x Rumors of Gehenna

Reaction [13]
8x Deflection
1x On the Qui Vive
4x Second Tradition: Domain


Final Round Transcript

This is based on my personal notes, scribbled down during the game. Some detail is missing and there may be mistakes here and there.

Play started at 1:24 am and ended in a timeout 2 hours later.

The players were (in seating order):

1. Teemu Sainomaa
2. Otso Saariluoma
3. Toni Karjalainen
4. Ville Kaijasaari
5. Adam Esbjörnsson

Turn 1

Teemu: (just transfer)

Otso:

• Powerbase: Montreal
• bring out Brazil and Franciscus

Toni: bring out Royce

Ville:

• Ashur Tablets
• bring out Anarch Convert

Adam: (just transfers)

Turn 2

Teemu: (just transfers)

Otso:

• Smiling Jack
• Brazil tries to bleed, is blocked
• Franciscus bleeds for 1
• bring out Victoria

Toni:

• Royce hunts, blocked by Victoria, Royce to torpor

Ville:

• Ashur Tablets
• bring out Fish

Adam:

• Pentex on Fish
• bring out Carna

Turn 3

Teemu:

• bring out Gerald Windham

Otso:

• Vessel on Victoria
• Franciscus bleeds for 1
• Brazil hunts
• Victoria bleeds for 1
• bring out Zoe

Toni: (just transfers)

Ville:

• Powerbase: Luanda
• bring out Fode Kourouma

Adam:

• Carna Governs down
• bring out Valois Sang

Turn 4

Teemu:

• Villein Gerald for 5

Otso:

• Franciscus bleeds for 1
• Brazil bleeds for 1
• Zoe bleeds for 1

Toni:

• bring out Gratiano

Ville:

• Convert tries to burn Pentex, Victoria blocks via Eagle's Sight
• Fode burns Pentex
• Fish burns Smiling Jack

Adam:

• Carna Governs down
• Valois Sang Governs down
• bring out Reverend Blackwood
• bring out Erich Weiss

Turn 5

Teemu:

• Gerald tries to steal Montral, Victoria blocks

Otso:

• Villein on Zoe
• Anarch Revolt
• Franciscus hunts
• Victoria goes Anarch
• Zoe becomes Anarch via Convert

Toni:

• Gratiano calls vote to burn Revolt, Victoria blocks

Ville:

• Convert hunts
• Fish steals Montreal
• Fode bleeds for 1

Adam:

• Reverend equips Heart of Nizchetus
• Valois calls vote to remove Revolt, passes
• Carna GtU bleeds for 3

Turn 6

Teemu:

• Zillah's Valley
• bring out Dmitra Ilyanova

Otso:

• Anarch Revolt
• Victoria recruits Mr. Winthrop
• Zoe recruits Muddle
• Franciscus steals Montreal
• Brazil gets Aranthebes
• bring out Isabel de Leon
• bring out Dollface

Toni:

• Dreams
• Gratiano Governs down, Victoria tries to block but fails

Ville:

• Lilith's Blessing
• Luanda on Fish
• Fode steals Montreal
• Fish hunts
• bring out Eze

Adam:

• Misdirection, tap Gerald
• Reverend GtU bleeds + Conditioning, bleed of 6
• Valois bleeds with Bonding, bleed of 2
• Teemu is ousted
• Carna tries to play Magic of the Smith, blocked by Victoria who also gets Magnum via Disguised Weapon
• bring out Pieter van Dorn

Turn 7

Otso:

• Madness Network
• Victoria tries to play Constant Revolution, Carna blocks
• pay 1 for new vampire

Toni:

• Villein Gratiano for 5
• Power Structure
• Gratiano calls Anarchist Uprising, vote fails

Ville:

• Luanda on Fode
• Eze bleeds for 1
• Fode bleeds for 1

Adam:

• Valois tries to go Anarch, Zoe blocks and gets Magnum via Disguised Weapon
• Pieter goes Anarch
• Madness Network: Brazil bleeds for 1

Turn 8

Otso:

• Isabel bleeds for 1
• pay 1 for new vampire

Toni: (nothing)

Ville:

• Eze bleeds with Deep Song, bleed of 2
• Fish bleeds with Public Trust, Erich blocks and goes to torpor

Adam:

• Dreams
• Carna Governs down
• Valois rescues Erich
• Erich hunts, Victoria blocks, Erich back to torpor
• Pieter hunts
• Reverend hunts, Victoria blocks
• Madness Network: Brazil bleeds for 1, one bounce is DI'ed but another bounce succeeds, Eze blocks, Brazil goes to torpor
• Madness Network: Dollface rescues Brazil

Turn 9

Otso:

• Brazil hunts
• Isobel gets Magnum
• Franciscus gets Carlton
• bring out (contest) Convert

Toni:

• Gratiano Governs down Seducing Victoria, Isobel blocks

Ville:

• Villein Eze for 3
• Ashur Tablets
• Luanda on Eze
• Eze calls vote to remove Revolt, passes
• Fode burns Madness Network
• Eze rushes Victoria, Dollface blocks and goes to torpor
• Fish hunts

Adam:

• Anarch Troublemaker
• Carna hunts Seducing Victoria, Zoe blocks
• bring out Selena

Turn 10

Otso:

• Rack on Victoria
• Isobel rescues Dollface
• Dollface hunts
• Franciscus tries to steal Montreal, Eze blocks
• Brazil bleeds for 1

Toni:

• Gratiano steals Montreal, Seducing Eze

Ville:

• Fame on Carna
• Luanda on Fish
• Eze plays Founders of Ebony Kingdom (blood down)
• Eze hunts
• Fish Deep Song rushes Victoria, Zoe blocks and goes to torpor (Magnum burned by Canine Horde)
• Fode Deep Song bleeds, bounced to Otso (bleed of 2)
• bring out Nangila Were

Adam:

• Tap Victoria with Anarch Troublemaker
• new Anarch Troublemaker (contest)
• Carna hunts, Carlton blocks, stealth, hunt ok
• Selena bleeds Seducing Victoria, Isobel tries to block, Bonding, bounced to Ville, bleed for 2
• Valois tries to recruit Carlton, Otso's Carlton blocks
• Reverend Govern bleeds Seducing Victoria, bounced to Toni, bleed of 3

Turn 11

Otso:

• Franciscus hunts
• Victoria rescues Zoe
• Zoe bleeds for 1
• Brazil bleeds for 1
• Dollface steals Montreal

Toni:

• Gratiano steals Montreal

Ville:

• Villein Nangila for 5
• Guardian Angel on Nangila
• Luanda on Eze
• Eze bleeds, bounced to Otso (bleed of 1)
• Eze rushes Carna, Valois blocks and goes to torpor
• Nangila rushed Carna, Carna goes to torpor (with Fame)
• Adam is ousted

Turn 12

Otso:

• Smiling Jack
• Franciscus bleeds for 1
• Brazil bleeds for 1
• Dollface bleeds for 1
• Zoe bleeds for 1
• Toni is ousted

Ville:

• Villein Fode for 2
• Ashur Tablets
• Luanda on Eze
• Nangila rushes Victoria, Victoria goes to torpor
• Convert tries to steal Rack, (somebody?) blocks, Convert to torpor
• Fode Deep Song bleeds, Muddle blocks, Fode goes to torpor
• Eze Deep Song rushes Dollface, Muddle wakes and blocks, Eze goes to torpor
• pay 1 for new vampire

Turn 13

Otso:

• Zoe rescues Victoria
• Franciscus recruits Ossian
• Dollface hunts
• Brazil hunts

Ville: (nothing)

Turn 14

Otso:

• Pentex on Nangila
• Ossian rushes Fish, Ossian is burned
• Muddles rushes Fish, Fish goes to torpor
• all vampires bleed (for 1 each)

Ville:

• Villein Nangila to zero
• Ashur Tablets
• bring out Nana Buruku

Turn 15

Otso:

• Tap Nana and Nangila with Anarch Troublemaker
• Zoe bleeds for 1, Nana wakes and blocks, Zoe goes to torpor
• Franciscus bleeds for 1
• Isobel bleeds for 1
• Dollface bleeds for 1
• Victoria bleeds for 1
• Game times out, Otso wins due to higher initial seed

Pics

Some pictures from the tournament, by Marko Saari.

BTW, what's the current procedure for the list of qualified players, should I email it somewhere (else) or post it separately somewhere?

There must be a typo in Adam's crypt: Pieter van Dorn instead of Pieter.

There is also an error in the turn 12 of the final write-up with Victoria blocking something after going to torpor in the previous action of the turn.

PetriWessman wrote:

BTW, what's the current procedure for the list of qualified players, should I email it somewhere (else) or post it separately somewhere?

Updated.

www.vekn.net/index.php/forum/10-news-and-announcements/6144