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Author: Michael "rayc" Hawley
Title: father-william-on-hoth-revised
Date Published: 2001-12-21
Father William goes to the Hoth Mountains
I posted this report yesterday and I think that people found the rules and decklists to be too much. So, not wanting to deprive you all of reading pleasure, I have re-posted the report with the rules and the decks at the end. So you don’t have to read them to get to the report details.
Time again for another Hoth Scenario tournament. I had so much fun at the one I attended in 1999 that I decided to try it again. The scenario conditions had changed somewhat. Things now favor the Dark side pretty heavily when you factor in the Hoth based helper cards that have been released of late (You May Start Your Landing, Blizzard 4, etc.).
This was part of the chase the can weekend, so the prizes were some Hoth Packs, the Theed packs from the cans and some posters. Only 4 people showed up for this, but it was not sanctioned anyway; so the only problem is that everyone would have to play at least one opponent twice. There was a regular constructed earlier in the day and I had hoped that more of the players would attend both tourneys, but no such luck.
Once again, I have included the scenario rules and my Deck Lists at the end. If you wonder what I am talking about when I refr to scenario points, just scroll past the report itself and check out the rules.
Game 1 My LS vs. Andrew ?
I don’t recall meeting Andrew before, although he says he was at the 1999 Hoth tournament. I deployed An Unusual amount of Fear. I don’t think he had Fear is My Ally. We both deployed our starting locations. Mine were the Power Generators and the Snow Trench. His were the North Ridge, Ice Plains and Wampa Cave. I used the Signal to get out A New Secret Base. He used Prepared Defenses to get out You May Start Your Landing and two other effects. First Turn he got the Defensive Perimeter and a Walker Garrison and just drew cards. I pulled my Grabber, Wise Advise and Battle Plan Shields. On My turn I got 2 Echo sites and deployed one from hand. I also deployed Honor of the Jedi from hand. He read that card a couple of times and I figured the game was over. I drew my 3 force, getting a Tunnel Vision, a Revolution and Luke for the Rogue 1 that was in my opening hand.
Next turn Andrew deployed Blizzard 2 and pilot (I forget which one) and moved them to the North Ridge - very aggressive. On my turn, I got my remaining echo site and Echo Base Garrison before I activated. After activating, I Tunneled for another Revo. I then deployed Revos at the Ice Plains and the Wampa Cave. On his turn he activated and deployed a Presence of the Force to the North Ridge. He drew some and left some active. I wondered why he did this. Next turn I activated and drew some to get some more Revos Goo Nee Tay and another speeder. On his next turn, he tried to deploy a walker to the North Ridge. He didn’t understand the shield rules. After a brief explanation and confirmation from the director, his jaw began to sink "then I can’t deploy..." He drew some cards.
I deployed Goo Nee Tay and Leia to War Room and kept her there for a couple of scenario points. I sent Luke in Rogue 1 with a few friends to fight the walker. I won but did not beat his immunity to attrition. So I got the points but he got to fight back. The next turn he did fight back but I drew high and he drew low. He got the scenario points for initiating with Blizzard 2. He kept drawing and I kept draining.
When the game ended I had 6 scenario points to his 1. As you may recall from the rules (if you read them), that gives me the 2 point victory plus differential
FW +28 Total Score 2 (+26)
Highs: The choke is alive and well
Lows: He didn’t understand the shield rules and hurt himself because of it.
Game 2 My DS vs. Steve Anderson
He deployed An Unusual amount of Fear. I deployed Fear is My Ally. We both deployed our starting locations. His were the Power Generators and the Snow Trench. Mine were the North Ridge, Ice Plains and Mountains. He used the Signal to get out A New Secret Base. I used Prepared Defenses to get out You May Start Your Landing, Imperial Arrest Order and No Escape. First turn I got the Defensive Perimeter and a Walker Garrison, activated, deployed the perimeter and just drew cards. He got his stuff with A New Secret Base and drew some Cards. Next turn I deployed Ozzel on Blizzard 2 to the Mountains and drew some. Next turn he deployed a revo (maybe he read my report from last year - this could be fun). Seeing that he had no force for a grabber, I played Evader at the end of his turn.
Next turn I deployed more stuff to the mountains. He had deployed that effect that lets him activate one force every time I deploy to the outermost marker site so I had to consolidate my forces. His next turn, another Revo. I played Surprise to move it to the War Room. I think that he had not expected this. However, he was playing with Rebel Snowspeeders so he did not need a lot of force to get things deployed.
So, for a while I built up my forces, getting Vader, Tarkin, Cabbel, Igar, Arnet and Maul deployed. This effectively prevented him from doing any damage to my stuff. We played a little cat and mouse with Maul going to the North Ridge with Ozzel and Blizzard 2 to prevent the LS from having presence there. Meanwhile Vader, Igar, Tarkin, Arnet and Cabbel were kicking a$$ and taking names on a couple of walkers. Igar Adding Destiny, Tarkin canceling Power Harpoon destiny, Cabbel subtracting 1 from his total destiny and Vader adding one to each of mine. Very hard to beat.
He was able to initiate a couple of battles to earn scenario points. I was able to destroy his forces to earn my scenario points. I was also able to pay for Battle Order and to ping with You May Start Your Landing. I gathered 7 scenario Points to his 2.
FW +26 Total Score 4 (+52)
Highs: He couldn’t Choke the Choker, using Darth Maul to emasculate his speeder pilots
Lows: I never got a Target The Main Generators in hand. So I did not get a shot at the Generators.
Game 3 My DS again vs. Andrew ?
I deployed Fear is My Ally. Again, he had no shields. We both deployed our starting locations. His were the Power Generators and the Snow Trench. Mine were the North Ridge, Ice Plains and Mountains. After I explained that he could not use Careful Planning to get the War Room (because it is not a battleground), he used the Signal to get out A New Secret Base. I used Prepared Defenses to get out You May Start Your Landing, Imperial Arrest Order and No Escape. First turn I got the Defensive Perimeter and a Walker Garrison, activated, deployed the perimeter and just drew cards.
After a couple of turns of drawing, he deployed General McQuarry and some Eloms to the defensive Perimeter. He also deployed Hoth Sentry to the Ice Plains. I played Surprise to move it far away. I got an ATAT Cannon and a Target the Main Generator in my first draw; so I figured the way to win this game was to deploy a decent Walker contingent and blow up the generators. So I got down Vader, Tarkin, Ozzel, Igar, some scrubs and a couple of walkers and head in. He inserted Never Tell Me The Odds but I just played my shield. I tracked a Masterful Move to blow up the generators -- Three scenario points. Then I moved Tarkin, Ozzel and Igar to the Echo Docking Bay and left them there for the rest of the game to collect scenario points.
We did a little battling and stuff but the YMSYL pings and the drains that I could afford to pay for took care of things pretty well. I had over 8 scenario points when the game ended.
FW +22 Total Score 6 (+74)
Highs: At Last I blew up the Generators
Lows:
Game 4 My LS vs. Steve Anderson
This was the last game. I had seen everyone’s command cards and I knew that I had won the tournament regardless of the outcome of this game. Everyone else seemed to be having difficulty scoring enough scenario points. I knew Steve knew what to expect from this game. He would have some Revo protection.
I deployed An Unusual amount of Fear. He deployed Fear is My Ally. We both deployed our starting locations. Mine were the Power Generators and the Snow Trench. His were the North Ridge, Ice Plains and Wampa Cave. I used the Signal to get out A New Secret Base. He used Prepared Defenses to get out You May Start Your Landing, Imperial Decree and another effect. Steve used YMSYL to get the Defensive Perimeter and a Walker Garrison. He Activated and drew. I got stuff with a New Secret Base, got out two shields (Wise Advice and the grabber) Activated and Drew.
This game had a lot more back and forth than the others. Steve got out the Hoth System and put the Chimaera there. I revoed stuff and got out Battle Plan to make him pay for his drains. The Walkers he got to the planet surface got crashed and demolished by Commander Luke, Commander Wedge, and their friends. I got Lea down to the War room for a couple turns to collect 2 scenario points. Then In two battles I got all the other scenario points I needed, Crashing a Combat Vehicle, Making a Combat Vehicle leave the table (twice), initiating battle with a T47 and matching Pilot (twice), winning a battle with Commander Luke.
Between the Revos (he did have Evaders but I grabbed one and never saw another), Goo Nee Tay, and Hnmethe, Steve had serious deployment problems. He did get Mara Jade down into the Wampa Cave which caused me to throw some guys in there, just to keep Imperial Decree from negating my Revolutions during his activation phase. I left him alone in space because he could not really afford to spend 3 force to drain me for 1. I, on the other hand, could afford to spend six for a couple of drains at the Snow Trench and Defensive perimeter.
Steve did not gather the required 8 points and I did.
FW +22 Total Score 8 (+96)
Highs: He knew it was coming but he couldn’t stop it.
Lows: None.
1st Michael Hawley
2nd Steve Anderson
3rd Andrew ?
4th Brian ?
So I won the tournament. I won all my games and got all the scenario points. So I wound up with 8 cans for 8 packs of Theed this is in addition to the 6 packs I had won earlier at the regular constructed (where I placed second - winning 3 out of 4 games. The loss was to Steve Baroni who showed me the power of Overload). I also won some Limited Hoth Packs and a poster.
Props:
Kris Earle for running the tournament
Pete for helping me test the decks
Steve, Andrew and Brian for playing in the tournament
Everyone at the morning tournament
Anyone who reads this whole thing
Slops:
None really. I do wish more people would realize how much fun the scenario tournaments are and come play in them.
Thanks for reading.
rayc
REVAMPED HOTH THEMED TOURNAMENT (non-sanctioned)
Universal Conditions:
1. Allowable Locations: Only Hoth locations. Asteroid sectors may not be played (clouds MAY be).
2. Tournament scoring will be as follows:
Two Victory Points for a win with 8 scenario points OR if you finish the game with three more points than your opponent.
One Victory Point (and minus differential) for a loss when the player accrues 8 or more scenario points.
(Example 1 -12 )
Remember if you win the game and don’t have the scenario points - you will not get actually get a "win" -- you need to build scenario points. If you win w/out the scenario points you would get zero points plus positive differential. ( 0 +30 , for example ).
Players are responsible for keeping their own and their opponent’s scenario points for each game. One-hour limit - anyone still playing will be asked to add up his or her scenario points.
3. Starting Locations:
LS: Hoth: Main Power Generators plus one other non-Echo Hoth site.
DS: Hoth: North Ridge plus Hoth: Ice Plains plus one other non-Echo Hoth site.
How this works: First, LS puts out the MPG and DS puts out the North Ridge. Next, both players simultaneously reveal the other site. The LS can reverse the North Ridge if they want (but that would be one less site the DS has to stomp in through). Dark also deploys Hoth: Ice Plains.
Any starting interrupts and effects can be played. Objectives may be used, but they’ll be very difficult to pull off.
Dark side card: Come here you Big Coward is not allowed.
Dark and Light Side Speeder Bikes are restricted (3 dots).
Light Side Card: Menace Fades is not immune to Alter.
Scenario Points:
DARK SIDE:
1/2 pt. Each time you successfully Trample something
1 pt. Destroying an artillery weapon
1 pt. Initiating a battle with Blizzard 2
1 pt. Opponent’s combat vehicle leaves the table from play
1 pt. Each Dark Side turn there are 3 leaders at an Echo site
1 pt. Initiating a battle with a combat vehicle and its matching
pilot (twice per game)
1 pt. Winning a battle in which a Probe Droid is involved (thrice per gm)
1 pt. Deploying a Whipid (twice per game)
1 pt. Deploying J’Quille (once per game)
1 pt. Altering Echo Base Garrison OR Bacta Tank OR Menace Fades (twice per game)
1pt. If you have at least 5 At-Ats on the table (once per game).
1 pt: Deploying General Veers on Blizzard 1 (once per game)
1 pt. A Wampa eats an opponent’s character or relocates them to the Hoth: Wampa Cave
1 pt. Killing Hobbie, Wedge or Zev while they are piloting (once a game)
1 pt. For Each dark side turn where a star destroyer controls the HOTH system (2 pts if the STALKER or Executor (thrice per game)
2 pts. "Collapsing" an Echo site
2 pts. Initiating a battle with both a AT-AT w/ character pilot and an AT-ST at same site (twice per game)
2 pts. Canceling Echo Base Operations
3 pts. If opponent initiates an action that causes them to lose the game
3 pts. "Blowing away" the Hoth: Main Power Generators
Scenario Points:
LIGHT SIDE:
1 pt. Initiating a battle with a Tauntaun Handler on a Tauntaun(twice per game)
1 pt. Playing Hoth Sentry (twice per game)
1 pt. Crashing a Dark Side combat vehicle (2 pts for Blizzard 4)
1 pt. Hitting anything with an artillery weapon
1 pt. Deploy General Reikan to War Room (once per game)
1 pt. Opponent’s combat vehicle leaves the table from play
1 pt. Using a medium transport in a battle
1 pt. If you have at least 5 Tauntauns on the table (once per game).
1 pt. Deploying a non-unique Ortolan, (twice per game)
1 pt. Initiating a battle with a T-47 Speeder and its matching pilot
1 pt. Each Light Side turn the Hoth: Main Power Generators and 4 Echo sites are in play with a Leader at the War Room (twice per game)
1 pt. Deploying Max Rebo (once per game)
2 pts. Initiating a battle with a T-47, its matching pilot and matching gunner aboard
2 pt. Winning a battle in which Commander Luke Skywalker is involved (once per game)
2 pts. If Wampa goes to the Lost Pile from play
3 pts. If opponent initiates an action that causes them to lose the game
Dark Side Deck for the Hoth Scenario:
Locations (5)
Hoth: Ice Plains (start)
Hoth: Mountains (start)
Hoth: Defensive Perimeter
Hoth: North Ridge (start)
Hoth: Echo Docking Bay
Vehicles (9)
Tempest 1 x2
Blizzard 1
Blizzard 2
Blizzard 4
Blizzard Walker x2
Blizzard Scout 1
Tempest Scout 1
Weapons (2)
AT-AT Cannons x2
Epic Events (2)
Target The Main Generators (2)
Characters (16)
Gen. Veers
Comdr. Igar x2
Comdr. Nemet
Lieutenant Arnet
Captain Lennox
Lt. Cabbel
Admiral Ozzel
Darth Vader x2
Darth Maul (Tatooine)
Grand Moff Tarkin
Admiral Piet
General Tagge
DS-61-2
Officer Evax
Effects (8)
Imperial Decree
Crush The Rebellion
Imperial Arrest Order (Start)
You May Start Your Landing (Start)
Fear is My Ally (Start)
Presence of the Force x2
No Escape
Interrupts (17)
Prepared Defenses (Start)
Imperial Command x3
Surprise x2
We Must Accelerate Our Plans x2
Omni Box & It’s Worse x2
Walker Garrison x2
Evader x2
Evader & Monnok
Masterful Move x2
Defensive Shields (10)
Grabber Shield
Battle Plan
Anti Insert Shield
Who Cares x7
I think that the only chance that the average light side player has to win this match-up is to force choke. So a lot of what I am doing is designed to counter that. Evaders are for Revos (even if they are grabbing, nobody expects 3). The Surprises are for Revo as well (make ’em work for me by moving them to the War Room) but it can also hurt Mechanical Failure and Hoth Sentry. Imperial Arrest Order lets me get the Docking Bay from the reserve deck (I only do this after the opponent has deployed his version). My optional starting location is the mountains because of the deploy -1 in the dark side game text. This is much better than the 2 icons of the Wampa Cave because typically I will deploy at least 3 characters and/or vehicles on any give turn (often more, if it is just scrubs). So I activate 1 force but gain 3 in deployment bonus. For example, I am activating 9 force with the Mountains, my other locations plus the light side 2nd marker. I deploy a Blizzard Walker with General Veers and Lt. Cabbel to the mountains for 8 force, leaving me 1 force. If I had deployed the Wampa Cave instead, I would have activated 10 force; but deploying the same cards to the Ice Plains (now the outermost marker) costs 11 and I can’t do it. So my net gain is 2 force and the ability to deploy a decent assault force in 1 turn. I am sorry if this seems obvious but I didn’t see anyone else doing it.
The hope here is to dominate the ground with the walkers, Pilots and Cannons. I can win by just pounding the opponent or by blowing the power generators and installing three leaders (8 in the deck) at an echo site. Darth Maul is a beast in this deck. The only ability 4 character likely to be in the opponent’s deck is Comdr. Luke. Having Maul means that, If I put him wherever my opponent has no Luke, my opponent will have no presence. All those souped up speeders with their Harpoons and cannons can’t do anything. Premier Vader is the choice of Vaders because there will be no one to choke or duel and adding 1 to battle destiny draws will come in handy. Especially with multiple draws.
I do not include any space because I think that the Light side will need to include space to counter the potential bonus I would get for controlling the Hoth System. However, they are unlikely to include the actual system for fear of being overwhelmed and giving away scenario points. Thus, they take ships that they can not use - advantage me. No tramples because a decent player is not going to give me anything to trample, when it counts. Same deal with the Ice Storms. I figure the threat of these cards is just as effective as actually having them.
The Scenario points I would hope to earn are for:
1 pt. Initiating a battle with Blizzard 2
1 pt. Opponent’s combat vehicle leaves the table from play
1 pt. Each Dark Side turn there are 3 leaders at an Echo site
1 pt. Initiating a battle with a combat vehicle and its matching
pilot (twice per game)
1pt. If you have at least 5 At-Ats on the table (once per game).
1 pt: Deploying General Veers on Blizzard 1 (once per game)
1 pt. Killing Hobbie, Wedge or Zev while they are piloting (once a game)
2 pts. Initiating a battle with both a AT-AT w/ character pilot and an AT-ST at same site (twice per game)
3 pts. "Blowing away" the Hoth: Main Power Generators
Light Side Deck
Locations: (6)
Hoth: Main Power Generators (start)
Hoth: Snow Trench (start)
Hoth: Echo Med Lab
Hoth: Echo Docking Bay
Hoth: Echo Corridor
Hoth: Echo War Room
Vehicles: (4)
Rogue 1
Rogue 2
Rogue 3
Rogue 4
Starships (3)
Home One
Millennium Falcon
Spiral
Characters(17)
Commander Luke Skywalker x2
Princess Organa x2
EPP Leia
TK-422
Captain Han
EPP Han
Commander Wedge Antilles
Wedge Antilles RSL
General Reikan
Zev
Hobbie
Dack Ralter
Wes Janson
HNmethe x2
Weapons (2)
Power Harpoon x2
Effects (16)
New Secret Base (start)
Civil Disorder
Echo Base Garrison
Mechanical Failure
Goo Nee Tay x 2
What Are You Trying To ... x2
Revolution x7
Honor of the Jedi
An Unusual Amount of Fear
Interrupts (11)
The Signal x3 (1 starting)
One More Pass
Shocking Information x2
Tunnel Vision x3
Rebel Barrier x2
Shields (10):
Grabber Shield
Battle Plan
Wise Advice (sends altered Revos back to your used pile, lets you play Push for free))
Anti Insert Shield
Who Cares x6
In case you haven’t noticed, the strategy here is Force Choke, extreme force choke. The main idea is to prevent your opponent from getting more than a couple scenario points and just exceed that number by three. He will have so little force to deploy stuff that, when he does finally get to deploy anything, you will have no trouble beating it down. The key is to revolve the 2 outermost marker sights. If your opponent plays Evader, grab it with either the shield or Push. If they play Alter, grab that too and make sure you have gotten your Wise Advice out first turn so that your Revo is not lost. Goo Nee Tay, Hnmethes, and TK422 all add to your opponent’s deployment woes.
Played correctly, this deck is extremely hard to beat.
The Scenario points I would hope to earn are for:
1 pt. Crashing a Dark Side combat vehicle (2 pts for Blizzard 4)
1 pt. Deploy General Reikan to War Room (once per game)
1 pt. Opponent’s combat vehicle leaves the table from play
1 pt. Initiating a battle with a T-47 Speeder and its matching pilot
1 pt. Each Light Side turn the Hoth: Main Power Generators and 4 Echo sites are in play with a Leader at the War Room (twice per game)
2 pts. Initiating a battle with a T-47, its matching pilot and matching gunner aboard
2 pt. Winning a battle in which Commander Luke Skywalker is involved (once per game)
3 pts. If opponent initiates an action that causes them to lose the game
( The opponent gets so frustrated that he draws up when he realizes that his outermost marker is revoed and he can’t deploy anymore stuff :-< )
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