Newsgroups: uk.games.trading-cards.misc,rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy From: U Stroinski Subject: EuroGenCon - no report - I was in Doncaster ;-) - MOXIBUSTION To: mtg-strategy-l@oracle.wizards.com Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 11:19:45 GMT Already Tuesday ... I am one day late, but don't complain ... don't complain. I am really disappointed in you. About 2 weeks ago I asked about MOXIBUSTION. Hundreds of readers here, on rec.games.trading-cards.strategy and on mtg-strategy-l and not one of them knows what is MOXIBUSTION. OK the mtg-strategy guys have better things to do (eg discussiong whether a pseudo lock is a quasi lock and why phased semi locks support flanking) and as a regular reader of rec.games I didn't expect much help from this side anywway. BUT you ... the uk readers ... I really hoped that one of you can tell me what is MOXIBUSTION. I guess it's a chinese therapy, but I am not sure about that. Enlighten me! The best "solutions" so far (among a couple of really ridiculous ones): R Rogers: MOXIBUSTION = Energy Flux Nice try ;-) Bennett: > Moxibustion. > > As the leader in research for the tecnique of Moxibustion, I feel duty-bound > to finally reveal what it is. > In an attempt to level the playing field for all players, WotC and the DCI > created different levels of tournament play. Type I, Type II, Salad Deck, > etc. It seems, however, that the game still isn't quite fair. > The solution, as we see it, is to level the cards. I mena actually _level_ > the cards. Myself and a team of reseachers have developed a new technology > to be put into use at tournaments. Already planned for Pro Tour MCMXVII, > the first step is to coat every playing table with a thin film of liquid > which is quickly absorbed and micro-structed into the table, arranging itself > into neat 2cm squares (see! we're TRYING to use the metric system!). Then > we install numerous cameras above the tables, each connected to a mainframe > with a Magic Card database. It can recognise card pictures, names, texts, > you name it, and it can even rotate the pictures to match if they are tapped > or whatever (this is why we banned Camoflage and Illusioanry mask, it's hard > to tell cards from cards when yhey're upside down). > We have the system pre-programmed to activate the liquid upon seeing > certain cards. Right now, they are only Moxes, Lotus, Juzam Djinn, > TimeTwister, TimeWalk, Ancestral Recall, and Squire. Upon identifying > the card, the liquid is activated, immeadeatley igniting the chosen card. > MOXIBUSTION occurs. This seems to be the only way we can make the game > more fair for the 'good players' and take the advantage away from 'The > Cheaters'. > MOXIBUSTION will not be available until at least 42nd edition, though, as > making the system intrictae enough to work on a personal basis is difficult > indeed. I hope you are happy, it took us long years to create this, and now > we will hear no end of complaining. > Scincerely, > *PRIVATE INFORMATION* After the discussion about ethics in MtG I write you the biggest beginner rip-off I have ever heard of. (You will never read that in THE DUELIST): No I am not talking about your "2 Craw Wurm for a Shivan" deal, I am talking about the real thing. Real men making real deals! When MtG was about to start a chap called R. Garfield sold ALL his jewelry (several tenthousand Moxe and Loti) at pence 20 a piece. This deal made WotC (and R. Garfield) loose several million dollars and needless to say, they fired him. Poor guy! Could be a millionaire now. Currently he makes his living by selling cards like "Skulking Ghost 1B, 2/1 flying, gets buried when target of effect or spell". What a desaster ... and now stop whining about your last trade. Btw, what have you done last weekend? I played MtG! In Doncaster. After my rather successful trip to Mark Kennetts tournament in Shrewsbury last week I decided to try John Milners new series of tournaments this weekend. Good possibility to meet some of the "northern" players. It was type II. The format was first a 3 rounds round robin (4 at a table), followed up by 3 rounds swiss and 3 rounds ko. I do not comment that ... and John assured me that next time he plays 6 rounds swiss with 3 round ko. The other 2 things I didn't like was the entrance fee of pounds 2 plus a Booster (clearly designed to make the organizers sell their Boosters) and co-organizer Mick playing in the tournament (he actually played a deck "inspired" by my deck, which he saw in Shrewsbury). I heard about 30 players complaining and this chap still wouldn't drop out. Thank's god, he was not good enough a player to make the final 8. John told me that this will not happen in any further tournaments. Besides that I had a really funny day and I think you should give Doncaster a chance and sign up for the next event (next month). Only make sure that Mick is NOT playing. The venue is great, hot meals, snacks, traders (MICK) and an informal athmosphere. Everything so convincing that I actually predict Doncaster V to have about 100 players (and thus being comparable to Swindon and Reading). I prepared 9 decks and tried to play as much as possible. Before the tournament started I played my WW, my Hamburger (mono-G speed) and my graveyard management deck ;-) and was really "warmed up". Time for NewNecro (presideboarded against B, ie Dystopia in sideboard) Match 1: Simon Downs W/B (13 year old boy, VERY nerveous) He was obviously a beginner and very disappointed when he lost 2:0. Match 2: Mel Thomas R/G She was a beginner too. 2:0 That was 30 minutes so far. Match 3: Alan Hargreaves W/G (Kaysa, G pumper deck) He is a beginner. Get mana screwed in the first game (should I play with more mana? Christoph, what do you think?) and did not even damage him. Game 2. The same, but in my favour. Decider! I hit him with Mishras, he hits my with Pixies. He was faster. Argh! 1:2. I dropped a match. That means I have to win all the other matches to make the final 8. With the good opponents still to come. I didn't feel too well until the next round started. Now swiss! Match 4: Jeff Crowe NecroKnight with Unholy strength and Thrull Retainer You probably know Jeff from my report about the nationals. He sent me home (it was effectively ko) and was himself beaten by Mark Jeffries, who lost to me. Game 1: He starts, Swamp, DR, Order, US. "Great," I thought. He hit me twice with this thingy and honestly I do not remember how I saved myself. I was too concentrated to play. I won 2:1. Match 5: Richard Peart W/G/U/r Remember Richard? When I started to play PowerStasis at TV X (the first tourny with Alliances allowed) my first opponent was Richard. He played WW and won (it was the only match I lost on that day). This time he played a 3-4 color deck relying on Cities and Birds. Easy prey for Strips and creature removal. His deck never got starting. 2:0 Match 6: Steve Johnson (Canada) I actually never figured out how he killed his opponent. At that stage I had head ache and only tried to win. 2:0. After the swiss round Mark Kennett was undefeated at 6:0 60 points and Mark "Taxman" Whittaker and myself were second at 5:0 50 points. There was a decider match for the eighth place between Jeff Crowe and Matthew Batch. Jeff won. Quarterfinals: Dan Ransome (top 8 UK) Necro Dan Ransome was the first player ever entering the Hall of Fame by beating Paul Barclay 2:0 (in the round of the last 16 at the nationals). Now, his Necro is pretty traditional and I know his trick. He sideboards in Nether Shadows and Ashen Gouls for the second game. Still with head ache I do not remember much. Ihsan's and Sengirs seem to have more power though. 2:0 Semifinals: Mark "Taxman" Whittaker Baxter's Titanias Song version Game 1: I showed him why hymn is to be restricted ;-) Necroed myself down to 5 life before doing significant damage. Consulted for a Hymn. Loose Ivy, Zorb, 2 Drain Lifes. Hymned him 3x and win with a Sengir. That was a game. Unknown Spectator: "This guy (Uwe) is crazy". Game 2: 1st turn Black Vise + Balance + Zorb get me. Game 3: He hits me with Mishra's, I hit him with an Order. Orders do more damage. 2:1 Final: Jeff Crowe Necro. That was a constant uphill battle. In game 1 he had at one time 3 Hippies, 2 Orders, 2 Mishras and approx 6 Swamps in play opposed by 2 of my swamps. The only spells I cast where DR, Contagion and my Orders (I ritualed a Disk to destroy his Ivy). Game 2 was even worse. He starts Swamp, DR Hippie. At turn 2 I was attacked by a Thrull Retainered, Unholy Strengthed Hippie. Needless to say even a Contagion (I made a big mistake here, should have killed the Hippie, BEFORE he makes him invincible) didn't save me. 0:2 Well done Jeff. Next week is Reading. As it stands the Assassins and Cardiff will both have problems to send a whole team (Jamie in the Netherlands, Julian in the states, Mark still on holiday - student). Don't ask me for back issues of this report. I write them in "fire and forget" mode. If you think you can't live without back issues try Mike Britow's excellent tournament page http://www.shivan.demon.co.uk/tourney/ Uwe Stroinski uwst@maths.bath.ac.uk PS: Thanks to John Milner for his kind hospitality and the fantastic weekend.