We had a great tournament with 26 attendees - and you know what we pulled off? All 26 players played the entire tournament, all 5 rounds of swiss. We did not to a final cut, given the time issue, since several players did travel a couple of hours to play. We had 2 of the Michigan boys, 4 from Illinois, and the rest from around Wisconsin! We gave away a free Gencon Badge and Championship entrance to first, a couple of boosters to 2-3 and then every player got a booster, and 2 Rares/VRs. Last place took home a Clone Wars Starter, a package of Engineer's homemade game markers, a Palps' on Throne, and a bunch of commons and uncommons given to him by some of the other players. Talk about some sweet prizes. Jonny, Matt and I donated the rares/VRs, and the store sold us boosters at cost. That's how you run your own big event and make it awesome for everyone. We even had the local newspaper guy, and a photographer show up to interview us about the event!
Now the squads in reverse order of finish:
26. Matt B - Bane, Sith Maurader, Elite Sith Trooper, filler
25. Clint - Qui-Gon JM, Mace Windu JM, General Ayla Secura
24. Jeff - Hantaun, Crix, Rebel Leader and Commandos
23. BJ - Mando Scout X4, Captain, Gunslinger, filler
22. Brad - Mando NUs mixed
21. Henry - General Kenobi CS, Clone Commanders and Clones
20. Nathan - GGDAC, Lancer, 2 IGs
19. Steve - Vader IC, Stormies, Piett
18. Breman - Mara, Han, Dodonna, BBSV
17. Matt V - Potty Palps, Echani X3, Mithrawn
16. Terry - Potty Palps, Mithrawn, Arica, Vader U
15. Fred - Kyle BM, Kype, Wede, Dash
14. Alex - GGDAC - IGs X4, San, BDO
13. Kellie (yes we had a girl, and she did quite well) - Luke RC, Crix, Strike Leader, Rieekan, Commandos
12. Eric P - Luke HPU, Jolee, Jarael, Leia CC, Rieekan, IC, Juno
11. Pat C - Warmaster, Shaper, Jedi Hunter X2, AAO
10. Gordan - Luke SC, Crix, Rieekan, Commandos
9. Tim A - Han GH, Mara, Kyle Katarn UH, Dodonna
8. David - VAU, Potty Palps, Mithrawn
7. Eric (Engineer) - VAR, Luke HPU, Han Smuggler, Mouse, Ugo, Dodonna, Rieekan, Juno, R2-EA
6. Philip C - GOWK, Arc Trooper Sniper, Dash, R2-AM, ugo, Captain Rex, Mouse X2
5. Tim - Obi U, Luke HPU, Han Smuggler, T3, Rieekan, Juno, Mouse X2, Ugo X2
4. Ben G - Darth Malak, Lobot, Dash, Jarael, Holo Sid, Ugo X2, mouse X2
3. Matt P (MtMagus) - GOWK, JWM, Lobot, Dash, R2, Caamasi
2. Jon B (JonnyB) - GOWK, Lobot, R2, Rex, JWM
1. Deri (Fingersandteeth) - Xizor, Lobot, TBSV X2, Czerka, Ozzel, Mas, Ugo, IG Tarkin
Some interesting notes. There were three GOWK squads, but as you can probably tell, most people built their squads to deal with him. The three GOWK squads ended the day at 12-3. All three of them went 4-1. Jonny played both of the other GOWKs, which accounts for 2 of the 3 GOWK losses. The lone squad to beat GOWK, other than GOWK, was Ben's Malak squad which beat Matt in the fourth round. Matt beat Jonny in round 3, and Jonny beat Phil in round 2. Deri then beat Ben in the final round with his "Terrible Vigos".
In Ben and Matt's game, I was able to watch most of it, and Matt fell for a classic Jarael move 10 and triple where he forgot she could do that. This cost him R2, and eventually the game in the long run. GOWK went down to 3 Lightnings, and a final failed SSM shot from the TBSV that he brought in with Lobot. He quite simply played this one poorly and was caught off guard by what Ben could do (credit to Ben for having practiced this match up and playing it well).
In the finals however, it was a different story for Ben. He played it quite close at the end, and had a chance to win, but that was partly due to 5 straight misses from one of Deri's TBSVs on a 10 hp Malak, allowing him to survive to pull off a key lightning.
To Deri's squad. On the way back, we talked about how he planned on beating GOWK, and basically, he would use Lobot to bring in a BG (I think he did that every game), and then hope for luck. With opp, twin, double, and Xizor, the two shoot at +17 for 40 a pop 4 times. He needs three to land to kill GOWK. Of course the problem, which he recognized, was that he basically gets one round to kill him, and then it's too late. This one is all about positioning, and Deri said he had a number of real tight games, which happens when your entire offense has a total of 80hps between them
But as usual, he played quite well, protected himself well, and came home with his Gencon Badge and Championship entry paid!!!!!
I should also add this bit of ridiculousness that occured in Matt vs Jonny. In the first round, Jonny placed his Rex poorly, leading to Matt putting a cheap 40 on it. Jonny had no choice but to charge Rex and try to kill Dash in return in round 3, he did 60 back. Dash died, and Jonny's R2 and Rex died in return, leaving Jonny's GOWK based with GOWK and JWM from Matt, who then locked out Jonny's JWM. Matt through a few attacks, and a push, put Jonny's GOWK at 10hps by the end of round 3 or 4. Jonny then spent 4-5 more rounds Knightspeeding, taking AoOs from Matt's GOWK, and then towed doubles, attacking Matt's support. He made every SSM roll for like 5 rounds, something like 15 or so attacks. Eventually, he got MAtt's R2 and Lobot (Matt made some placement errors not expecting Jonny to take all the AoOs) and all of the sudden, Matt was down to the last round behind. Matt finally won init and pushed GOWK, but still needed a hit from his ugo and his gran on Jonny's Lobot for the win, which he got.
It was utterly sick. Matt should have won this game in 15-20 minutes, heck Jonny was ready to concede when he lost Rex and R2. Considering Matt's GOWK took maybe 20-30 damage, Jonny had no chance for 40 minutes to kill Matt's GOWK, and wisely didn't try. He simply kept running relying on Soresu. And had he won that last init, he likely would have won the game doing it....... So much for strategy. And what's worse, I did the math in my head. He used his FPs well, and his saves were pretty much close to the odds overall (missed most early, then made them all at the end). Matt had to use two Force pushes (which without R2 is hard to do) in order to finally win in the last round. If you like random games, then SSM is for you! If you like strategy, well, I guess you could say Jonny's crazy play was creative, and Matt didn't expect it exactly, but man, it sure made Matt's well played game almost a waste.
Also of note, I made a fairly long explanation on stalling/slow play, and how I would call it if I saw it, regardless of judging the person's intent, and you know what, never had it happen once. Judging a big event was great and I took quite a few questions, but no one had any major issues! All in all, a spectacular event, and I challenge any regional to match what we put on
. Anyways, everyone wants to do it again next year and so we probably will!!!!