And we’re off! DC Modern Age is officially underway with the start of Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2006. Today looks to be a paramount day of competition and innovation as the best Vs. System players in the world descend upon Gen Con Indy for their shot at a cool $40K and the title of Pro Circuit Champion.
This first round match features four-time $10K champ Michael Jacob, who is certainly a force to be reckoned with in Vs. System right now. But sitting on the opposite side of the table is fellow Michigan native Aaron Breider, two-time $10K Top 8’er and no slouch himself. Both men play regularly at RIW Hobbies in Livonia, MI, so it should be interesting to see who comes out on top in this battle of store-mates.
Aaron won the die roll and elected to take evens. Both players shuffled up as the feature match area judges fixed a technical glitch. Michael kept his opening four while Aaron mulliganed. Michael passed after playing a resource. Aaron followed by recruiting Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle and activating, discarding Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to fetch Booster Gold.
Turn 2 saw Aaron recruit Booster Gold, while Michael responded with Connie Webb. Aaron sent Booster into Connie, and Michael took 3. Following the attack, Aaron once again activated Blue Beetle, again discarding Mxy, to fetch Nth Metal. The players ended the turn with Aaron in the lead, 50-47.
Michael deliberated for a while at the beginning of turn 3 before placing a resource and activating Connie Webb, fetching the dreaded Ahmed Samsarra. Connie went on top of the deck and Ahmed (revealing Elimination Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot) came into play in the visible area. Michael then flipped Dr. Fate’s Tower, discarding Fatality, Flawless Victory to fetch Amulet of Nabu for Ahmed. Aaron predictably followed with a play from the Good Guys playbook by recruiting Shayera Thal ◊ Hawkwoman with an Nth Metal.
In his attack step, Michael immediately sent Ahmed Samsarra (now equipped with flight!) into Booster Gold. Aaron responded by activating Blue Beetle to search for an Nth Metal. Aaron then mistakenly tried to reinforce Blue Beetle. Michael quickly corrected him, saying that he was attacking Booster Gold. So Aaron ended up taking 7. On the return attack, Aaron sent Hawkwoman into Ahmed, powering-up and searching out Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Thanagarian Enforcer. Then Aaron attempted to target Ahmed with Plasma Blast, but Michael negated it by searching out Huntress, Reluctant Queen with Brother I Satellite, and exhausting the location to play Huntress. Aaron sighed and took 3, then passed. Michael took a bit of the board back and the lead at 40-47.
Turn 4 saw Aaron recruit the Hawkman that he had just searched out the prior turn. After dropping an Nth Metal on him, Aaron passed over to Michael, who responded with the equally impressive Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1. After recruiting Bizarro, Michael exhausted him for Jaime Reyes ◊ Blue Beetle to search out Helm Of Nabu. Michael then equipped the Helm to Ahmed, drawing and discarding two cards. Michael then formed with both characters in the support row and passed.
After checking on Ahmed’s stats (currently 9 ATK/8 DEF), Aaron sent Hawkwoman into Bizarro. Nth Metal triggered, and the ubiquitous Mr. Mxyzptlk searched out another copy of Katar Hol. Michael responded with Checkmate Safe House to team up Checkmate and Villains United, then activated to give Bizarro an extra point of DEF. Michael passed and both characters hit the dirt. Then Aaron sent his 9 ATK/9 DEF Hawkman into Michael’s 9 ATK/9 DEF Ahmed Samsarra. Aaron tried to avoid the stun back with a power-up, but Michael responded with Knightmare Scenario. Aaron played Magnificent Seven to get Katar equal to Ahmed, then played Hero’s Welcome to search out a copy of Hawkman to go to 12 ATK/12 DEF. In an act of sportsmanship, Michael reminded Aaron that he could search out two copies of a character with the name of Katar Hol, but Aaron informed him that he only had one copy left in the deck. Michael used Ahmed to KO Brother I Satellite and search out The Science Spire (one of my personal favorites). Finally, Michael played another copy of Knightmare Scenario to go a point up on Aaron. Aaron once again was forced to stun his character without getting a stun back, and Michael took control of the board and the game, 37-43.
Turn 5 saw Maxwell Lord, Black King for Michael, setting up in a standard L-formation with Maxwell protecting Ahmed. Aaron locked at 5 resource points, then used Kooey Kooey Kooey to search out John Henry Irons ◊ Steel. He mistakenly showed Michael the card, as Michael informed him that he didn’t have to reveal. As Aaron looked through his deck again, Michael ad-libbed, “Who knows what you could get?!?” Aaron recruited Steel, dropping a High-Tech Flare Gun on him, and set up in an L-formation of his own with Blue Beetle protecting Hawkman.
Before the end of the build phase, Michael transferred his Artifacts to Maxwell with Dr. Fate’s Tower. He then sent Maxwell into Steel. Aaron once again used Kooey Kooey Kooey (and once again revealed the card – Magnificent Seven . . . D’OH!) Aaron tried to power-up with Magnificent Seven, but Michael retaliated with Maxwell Lord’s effect, discarding Satellite HQ. Aaron despondently flipped Steel down. Michael then took down Hawkman and Blue Beetle with Bizarro and Ahmed Samsarra in turn. During recovery, Aaron lost everyone but Hawkman. After returning Bizarro to his hand with The Science Spire, Michael ended the turn way up at 22-39.
In a last ditch effort to salvage the game, Aaron started off his recruit with a boosted Booster Gold, followed by Connor Hawke ◊ Green Arrow. He equipped an Nth Metal on both, and moved everyone but Blue Beetle to the front row. Michael began his turn by using Brother Eye to return Elimination Protocol, then recruited Alexander Luthor, Diabolical Double. Faced with Michael’s massive board advantage, Aaron scooped.
Michael Jacob wins!