Lure of MECCG

by Wolfgang Penetsdorfer

Well met again Lure Folk!!! After having a wonderful time at the castle this year, here are a few words in retrospective. This year's Lure of MECCG was something very special: the first time it was organized as a joint event with the friends from Westeros (AGOT CCG players). Everything was going very smoothly, so obviously both parties seem to derive from the same pool of “best CCG community” worldwide.
Now I can tell you, that I personally had a lot of fun playing tournaments like Pool Sealed, Crap Sealed, Cool Play and a German Sealed with a very special game. I think it's worth to be remembered a little bit:

I played Markus Wähner. Playing the first card of the character draft (Aragorn) it was clear, that we had the same fixed pack. Ouch. So from the fixed pack each of us was able to put at least one character into play (He drafted Kili, when I drafted Annalena). Then we continued drafting. I was pretty sure to get my next character into play. A rare card, that is not very popular: Denethor. But no way: at the same instance he revealed that same Denethor! OOUUCHH!! And some laughter of our playing neighboors ... Well, I still had three characters in my hand, feeling lucky now about pulling so many and I shouted at my Gamling: you are the man now. Come on, show me you are still of some use. But the incredible thing happened: he also played Gamling the Old. OOUUUCHHCHCH!!!!! and lots of laughter and clapping around us. Still we continued, with 2 further uncommon character cards in my hands. And I have chose Eowyn to go next. And ...
OOOOOCOCOCUUCUUCUCSCHCCHCHHHHHH - another Eowyn appeared at his side. Now the whole hall was in an uproar. An outburst of laughter! When things calmed down we finally ended our draft, and in the end I was able to bring a second character into play.
People picked their cameras to save this legendary character draft. Wanna see how Markus and I started the game? I only used 5 GI ... www.flinkbaum.de

Later also the game was very much fun. I had more luck drafting the good characters early, but he on the other hand was even luckier in killing them off again. For example he corrupted my Aragorn laden with a Sword of Gondolin and Goldberry. Alas, same fate for his Boromir!
In the end Markus' Merry made the way all alone to Shrel Kain for the faction there, and he really would have succeeded to play them but for my Foolish Words (I really felt a little bit cheesy when playing this card ...). Finally I had only my wizard and Damrod left (Yeah, this good guy made it from the beginning to the end!!), but that was still enough for a close 4:2. Great fun!!

There are many Tournaments and Games to be remembered, but here I want to highlight a very special one: the White Mithril Tourney. Imagine some 25 people from all over the world, who are members of the Trader Team at GAB and who never met till this weekend playing a very friendly, still highly competitive tournament. Without knowing each other in person, it obviously was a meeting of friends. Cool idea and lots of thanks to the organizers Timo Lutter and Wanja Hargens.
Then I like the Casual Play Corner very much this year. It's really great to know there is a place during the weekend, where I can go to have a little bit of chatting, play a fun game or three, talk about cards, do a lot of trading, play a boardgame, drink coffee and just have an easy time. Especially whose not so experienced in playing tournaments took a lot of advantage of that corner.

All in all there were some 110 people playing 23 different tournaments. If you are interested, here are all the results.
So this was Lure V. Many people owe a lot of thanks, but to avoid to forget somebody, I don't write down a list of them. I am sure you know who they are! It's one of the best experiences of the year to be among Lure Folk, so I hope you share the anticipated joy of meeting all of you again at Lure of MECCG VI. This is going to be happening from 24. - 26. February 2006. Till then good luck and keep on MECCGing!!!

Wolfgang