Well, Origins comes up on the schedule and I make plans to go since its rather close. I build some decks and talk some tech with Michael Van Breemen. I skip the first day in order to put some cash in my pocket and arrive early on the 5th, get the Data and Picard EPP pack I need and finish of my deck with a little help from Sam from Columbus. It takes a while but soon we get started. Only 18 people for this open, meanwhile over 10 times that amount are playing in the LOTR open at the same time.

Game 1 vs Eric Johnfauno (1785)

From the hints the Mansfield boys were dropping, this guy was pretty good. An interesting draw for my first real tourney game. Anyway, he puts out a bunch of AQ missions with Ferengi icons including a pair of S/P missions. He goes first and after pulling all his set up stuff and STP back to use a seeded Holodoor to get Vic he goes after Runabout Search. I did manage to outseed him there and he hits Ankari Spirits who promptly swich off Vic. I set up my stuff. His next turn he uses another STP that he puts out to pull the stuff into hand. I slowly work through dilemmas at a mission and score one. But then he gets to his self seed, busts out Q's planet and nails my Tent and STP doors down with a pair of Revolvers while picking up a Horag'hn. I burn 3 Beyond the Subatomics to dig up my AU door (ditching about half my deck in the process) to get to my Q-Tent and Devil inside of it. His combos using YGII hurt and when he overloads the Nanoprobes it gets even worse. He busts thru 2 more missions and picks up the win

FL 100-35

Game 2 vs Mike Williams (1503)

Mikes playing DQ with a Nekrit outpost and other missions. He also puts out Wormhole Negotiation which to my Romulans has a big "STEAL ME" sign all over it, along with a Barzan Wormhole. I put my stuff together quick, and build a good team like in 2 turns with free stuff courtesy of Cybernetics Exp and the Continuing Committee. I blast thru my stealable combo for an easy 45 plus the 5 bonus off a dilemma there. He's just dropping and drawing, digging for a ship. He finally gets one and tries Assist Cooperative. He bust thru, only to have me take his AT thanks to the Alien Parasites combo. I nearly steal that too with his crew, but am 1 SCI short. So I send the Equinox thru the Barzan to delay him a bit. I work the 2 more easy missions for the win but he scores Assist Co-op on the last turn for the final margin

FW 100-40

Game 3 vs Sam Truax (1639)

Sam's got DQ with the Vidians going. He just busts out tons of people Sodality and stuff along with keeping pace with draws with Ancestral Vision. I put people out quick and soon run my self out of a hand which is not good at all. I'm busting thru dilemas, but find my self lacking treachery for my missions (in a Romulan deck :0). I do solve 2 missions and my combos do slow him somewhat. Still he manages to get past me by just a bit

FL 100-65

Game 4 vs James Booker (1604)

Booker is a Mansfield guy I know from SWCCG. He's got a borrowed deck from the local ambasador with lots of DQ Feds and the stuff to make em go, no other real help. I get going quick busting dilemmas with no prob while he keeps having trouble getting thru mine. I get a 70 to (-6) lead then he suddenly goes mission crazy on me, scoring 115 points in 1 turn. Luckily Q's Planet came out during one of his attempts and when he solves his 3rd mission he gets stuck in the Zone. I solve one more mission and the Q's Planet for the win

FW 100-44

Game 5 vs David Nix (I think 1529)

Dave had some kind of Hiro and Holo deck cooking, I think with War Council for more fun. He gets loads of people out, along with Ancestral Vision for more draws. I slowly put people together and attempt only to find Cyrus killing my guys left and right. He flips a Next Emanation for more fun. I lose a lot of good people but some STA's help me bust thru and keep coming back for more even after dying. He slowly cuts thru my dilemmas and wraps up the win after I've only solved one mission

FL 100-30

Game 6 vs Larry Lim (1436)

Larry is playing an interesting deck using ASP/DWE to get guys out in DQ including some of Hiro holos though he never got a ship out to use them. He manages to outseed in one spot and I'm a bit curious but its only a Cytherians that seeds him away. I quickly put together my people and start clearing out missions fast. He doesn't get to his missions til late and doesn't solve it. I get a few bonus from a Baliff and solve 3 for the win with little problem.

FW 100-13

Total on the day 6 (+33), not bad for a first tourney, especially one like this with about a 1/3 of the field already world qualified. Eric Johnfauno and Jared Hoffman play in the final duel with Hoffman coming out on top I believe. I'm not really sure about the rest of the standings but I'm happy with my finish.

Thanks for reading

John Veasey