Assamite Newsletter, January 2004.

Assamite Clan newsletter. Volume 4, Issue 1 (January 2004)Written by Otto Koskinen ========================= Yo. Been a while since the last letter. World has turned, new sets have been released. Gehenna is nigh. Not much to say, really. My name is Oko. I'll try to live up to my predecessors. Without further ado, show must go on. ---------------------------------------- It had been a busy week. A Sabbat pack had emerged seemingly from nowhere, rampaging through the local Prince's town, slaying kine and mortals in full conflict of the Masquerade. Even a Primogen had been found, nailed to the roof of his haven, to wait for the sunrise. Only a day after their arrival, Tegyrius had found the Sabbat packs location, and had convinced the Camarilla to perform a full assault on them, in the interest of protecting their own. Further investigations by the clan Nosferatu had revealed that the pack had been smuggled into the town by a young Toreador. The Toreador had been declared anathema to whole the Camarilla, and it was Fatima's job to clean up the mess. Ever since she had joined the cause of Tegyrius, seeing how in Alamut there would have been swift justice to those who openly worshiped Allah, Fatima's life had been endless hunting and killing, even more so now that the Final Nights seemed to be looming in the near future.. If not for the ghoul - a british man with a long bow - and steady hunting prospects, she would have freaked out a long time ago.. "Alas, no rest for the wicked." thought Fatima as she checked her clip, closing in on the Toreador, hiding in a dumpster. ---------------------------------------- VAMPIRE OF THE MONTH Tegyrius, Vizier. Assamite, 9 cap. AUS CEL FOR pre QUI Camarilla: If Tegyrius is ready, any Assamite may take a +1 stealth action to gain an allegiance counter. Any Assamite with an allegiance counter is considered a Camarilla vampire. +1 strength. (Blood Cursed) Tegyrius, Vizier. Assamite, 9 cap. AUS CEL FOR PRE QUI Advanced, Camarilla: While Tegyrius is ready, each Camarilla Assamite may burn 1 blood to gain 1 vote once each referendum. (Blood Cursed) Merged: Assamite Justicar. El Tigre. Tegy. Baldy. Just like Parnassus, Tegy also comes with a variety of names. But enough. With his high strength, good disciplines, and being Camarilla not enough, Tegy's merge makes him a Justicar. Not something to sneeze at. While Tegy even in his basic form can offer Fatima protection from PTO and other Camarilla nasties, the Justicar title of his, combined with his special blood-for-vote opens up wholly new venues of play for the Clan. Archon. Anathema. Parity shift. Protect Thine Own. Judgment: Camarilla Segregation. Imperial Degree. Traditions. Might of the Camarilla is now in the Clans grasp. As before Tegyrius, politics hasn't been something for the Assamites. But now. Fatima can be raised to aid the Clan in the form of the title of Archon. Tegyrius can Protect his own, by burning the infidels. And then there is still the Clan's whole combat prowess to back it up, where words fail. Lots can be said. ---------------------------------------- CARD OF THE MONTH Anathema Political action - worth 1 vote Called by any Prince or Justicar at +1 stealth. Choose a ready vampire. If the referendum is successful, put this card on that vampire. If the vampire with this card is reduced to zero blood in combat, he or she is burned, and the Methuselah controlling the opposing minion gains pool equal to the burned vampire's capacity. Truely, this card is the epitome of retrieving the blood of Haqim. This card, when combined with the Clan's innate abilities for combat, is a way for massive poolgain. Archon, Thin blood, Dagon's call. They all work for the main event. Burning the anathema. No more just torpor jobs, but total, outright, final death. Also, this card when combined with the Clan's ability to pinpoint with accuracy their victims, and then retrieving their just reward from the Silsila, will cook up some mighty interesting plays. ---------------------------------------- DECK OF THE MONTH Deck Name: Fatima al-Faqadi, Archon of Tegyrius. (A.K.A "Fat Justice") Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 23, Max: 36, Avg: 7,75) ---------------------------------------------- 3 Fatima al-Faqadi aus CEL for OBF QUI 8, Assamite:2 3 Tegyrius AUS CEL FOR pre QUI 9, Assamite:2 3 Tegyrius AUS CEL FOR PRE QUI 9, Assamite:2, Justicar 3 Volker CEL pot 5, Brujah:2, Prince Library: (90 cards) ------------------- Master (21 cards) 2 Contract 2 Dreams of the Sphinx 1 Giant's Blood 2 Information Highway 3 Legendary Vampire 2 Minion Tap 2 Recruitment 3 Storage Annex 4 Zillah's Valley Action (5 cards) 5 Clandestine Contract Action Modifier (6 cards) 6 Freak Drive Political Action (12 cards) 5 Anathema 5 Archon 2 Parity Shift Reaction (4 cards) 4 Second Tradition: Domain, The Combat (35 cards) 2 Concealed Weapon 3 Flash 5 Infernal Pursuit 6 Psyche! 6 Pursuit 4 Superior Mettle 2 Taste of Vitae 7 Thin Blood Equipment (5 cards) 5 Bang Nakh - Tiger's Claws Combo (2 cards) 2 Provision of the Silsila This deck focuses on the beforementioned vampires and cards. Tegyrius's Justicar title allowing the critical votes, and limited multi-rush ability. Combat backed up by melee weapons, blood burning. Very thin spread abilities, so a good eye on what you have in hand is needed. Bloodgain in the form of Taste's and Provisions, poolgain in Anathemas. Get out Tegy, merge, let loose. Personally, I prefer Volker before Fatima, for Volker is a) cheaper, keeping the total costs at 17 (Tegy, merge, weapon) b) helps not only to pass the votes, but also can call those votes, thus sparing actions for Tegy to go and play. This deck can go many directions. More combat, tap+provision, vote-extreme. Intercept. You name it. I'd personally go with a tap or two more. This deck can and often will, bring out Tegy and Volker/Fatima soon, and would do with some pool back from them. Lots of masters, no way you will ever play that many cards. That is where Infernal Pursuit comes into play. Use those cards to flush your hand when needed. Storage Annex's to place cards which are useful at a later time. Even without Bang-Nakh's, the deck performs quite well, as Tegy has +1 str and can pack quite a punch. The deck suffers heavily under intercept, and dedicated combat decks also give the deck a good run for it's money. Intercept just needs to be beaten to a bloody pulp, and with combat decks, an eye to their blood and timing with Anathema is needed. Weenies also, unless you can get the bloat angle going soon enough. Other voting decks, not so much, with ample amount of votes available and a good chance of getting rid of the voter before they can do anything about it. As for the votes, they should be "somewhat" easy to convince out to pass that Anathema, most of the time. And if the votes are on your prey/predator, there is nothing stopping you from going down there, and showing them the error in their ways. Hard to vote from torpor, I hear. As said. This can go many ways. ---------------------------------------- Deck Name: Tegy Tegy BANG BANG Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 22, Max: 36, Avg: 7,58) ---------------------------------------------- 3 Tegyrius AUS CEL FOR pre QUI 9, Assamite:2 3 Tegyrius AUS CEL FOR PRE QUI 9, Assamite:2, Justicar 1 Zahir CEL OBF qui tha 6, Assamite:2 1 Jalal Sayad CEL pot QUI 6, Assamite:2 1 Parnassus aus CEL QUI tha 7, Assamite:2 1 Fatima al-Faqadi aus CEL for OBF QUI 8, Assamite:2 2 Volker CEL pot 5, Brujah:2, Prince Library: (90 cards) ------------------- Master (17 cards) 2 Contract 1 Dreams of the Sphinx 2 Information Highway 5 Minion Tap 2 Recruitment 1 Secure Haven 2 Storage Annex 2 Zillah's Valley Action (11 cards) 11 Clandestine Contract Action Modifier (8 cards) 8 Freak Drive Political Action (8 cards) 8 Anathema Reaction (3 cards) 3 Second Tradition: Domain, The Combat (34 cards) 4 Flash 3 Infernal Pursuit 7 Psyche! 6 Pursuit 4 Rolling with the Punches/Superior Mettle 2 Sideslip 8 Thin Blood Equipment (4 cards) 1 Assault Rifle 3 Bang Nakh - Tiger's Claws Combo (5 cards) 5 Provision of the Silsila At it's core, this is the same deck as the one above. Flaws are quite the same as for the above one. Whereas the other deck rushes with Archon, this one goes for the throat with Tap+CC+provision+Anathema combo. Which one is better, I have no clear idea. Both work, suffice to say. ---------------------------------------- That's all folks. -Oko ---------------------------------------- Next issue: Probing on "Dodging PTO". Yazid Tamari. Black Hand for the Clan.

thanks for taking up the torch!

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 20:15:15 -0800, "Azel" <opao...@comcast.net> scrawled: >thanks for taking up the torch! > yeah! also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them the card they need. the sooner we get everyone on board, the better. * most assistance to be able to make decks that get vps that are, well, a deck that has a clan feel to it. salem domain:canberra http://www.geocities.com/salem_christ.geo/vtes.htm

"salem" <salem_ch...@yahoo.com> kirjoitti viestissä news:5odc00t52dcdbre91...@4ax.com... > On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 20:15:15 -0800, "Azel" <opao...@comcast.net> > scrawled: > > >thanks for taking up the torch! > > > > yeah! > > also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine > we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as > they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that > needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them > the card they need. > > the sooner we get everyone on board, the better. > > * most assistance to be able to make decks that get vps that are, > well, a deck that has a clan feel to it. > > Rest assured, those decks are around. Now that Yazid has came to the Clan's aid, there will be more of those. But, that is for the next issue ;)

>also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine >we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as >they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that >needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them >the card they need. > >the sooner we get everyone on board, the better. > >* most assistance to be able to make decks that get vps that are, >well, a deck that has a clan feel to it. Fair enough to set aside the bloodlines, I suppose, though only three, I believe, aren't in the TWDA - Nagaraja, Samedi*, True Brujah. * Not sure why one from a local tournament didn't since it's in the Yahoogroup that The Lasombra keeps for decks posted here under a title something like "tournament winning Samedi deck" and satisfied the criteria laid forth for inclusion as far as I'm aware. Anyway, not really what I wanted to get to. Moving on. Of the clans that have won according to the TWDA, every clan except two have won in 2003-4. Pander - October 2001. !Brujah - February 2001. !Brujah just got some major help, though it remains to be seen how much that moves them up from the lowly place they were in. Pander nobody seems inclined to specifically target for either a boost in power or (what I'm interested in) a boost in being interesting.

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 17:48:02 +1100, salem wrote: > also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine > we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as > they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that > needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them > the card they need. I would encourage anyone interested in doing that to come by www.thepathofblood.com. The forums there are a hotbed of good Assamite advice, and the deck archive contains some very good Assamite decks. David Cherryholmes

"salem" <salem_ch...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:5odc00t52dcdbre91...@4ax.com... > On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 20:15:15 -0800, "Azel" <opao...@comcast.net> > scrawled: > > >thanks for taking up the torch! > > > > yeah! > > also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine > we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as > they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that > needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them > the card they need. > > the sooner we get everyone on board, the better. > > * most assistance to be able to make decks that get vps that are, > well, a deck that has a clan feel to it. Sorry, I'm going to have to keep playing decks to abuse Protect Thine Own, Anarch Revolt, and Succubus Club until and unless they get changed. :-) Josh it's my mission in life (or something) (in actual fact, i may not have to play those things in the storylines. just in standard tournaments. :-)

Joshua Duffin wrote: > Sorry, I'm going to have to keep playing decks to abuse Protect Thine > Own, Anarch Revolt, and Succubus Club until and unless they get changed. I suppose it's better to be the abuse-er than the abuse-ee, but I hope I don't have to play any games with you until after this little phase is over. -- David Cherryholmes Duke Radiology P.E.T. Facility (919) 684-7714 david.che...@duke.edu

cur...@aol.commetal (Curevei) wrote in message news:<20040115034621...@mb-m24.aol.com>... > >also, i have no idea when the next storyline is coming, but i imagine > >we should be trying to get, well, _everyone_ to play assamites, as > >they are pretty much the universally agreed non-bloodline clan that > >needs the most assistance*. winning a storyline might just get them > >the card they need. > > > >the sooner we get everyone on board, the better. > > > >* most assistance to be able to make decks that get vps that are, > >well, a deck that has a clan feel to it. > > Fair enough to set aside the bloodlines, I suppose, though only three, I > believe, aren't in the TWDA - Nagaraja, Samedi*, True Brujah. > > * Not sure why one from a local tournament didn't since it's in the Yahoogroup > that The Lasombra keeps for decks posted here under a title something like > "tournament winning Samedi deck" and satisfied the criteria laid forth for > inclusion as far as I'm aware. > Do we really have a !Salubri tournament-winning deck? I know that The Lasombra made A&M, which isn't bad, but I don't believe it won a tournament as well. Mind, I think something is really wrong with the local level of play if they *were* to win, and the same goes pretty much for Samedi. Even Gargoyles seem to have a lot brighter future in my eyes. Regards, Patrick Columbus, OH

Joshua Duffin wrote: > >> Sorry, I'm going to have to keep playing decks to abuse Protect Thine >> Own, Anarch Revolt, and Succubus Club until and unless they get changed. Yaa! Origins will rock! You going to Totalcon this year too? Woo hoo! :-) Peter D Bakija pd...@lightlink.com http://www.lightlink.com/pdb6 "Punk rock's been pretty good to me for twenty years. It's my year to give back: I'm dedicating the next year of my life to fucking the Bush administration." -Fat Mike

"David Cherryholmes" <david.che...@duke.edu> wrote in message news:4006C145...@duke.edu... > Joshua Duffin wrote: > > > Sorry, I'm going to have to keep playing decks to abuse Protect Thine > > Own, Anarch Revolt, and Succubus Club until and unless they get changed. > > I suppose it's better to be the abuse-er than the abuse-ee, but I hope I > don't have to play any games with you until after this little phase is > over. What, are you not coming on Saturday? :-) It's nothing to do with *wanting* to be the abuser, but apparently "some" people can't be convinced without actual tournament results... Josh if only i were more like stu (or, i could "in theory" abuse anarch revolts and succubus club *with* assamites...)

"Peter D Bakija" <pd...@lightlink.com> wrote in message news:BC2C380D.131C2%pd...@lightlink.com... > Joshua Duffin wrote: > > > >> Sorry, I'm going to have to keep playing decks to abuse Protect Thine > >> Own, Anarch Revolt, and Succubus Club until and unless they get changed. > > Yaa! Origins will rock! You going to Totalcon this year too? > > Woo hoo! > > :-) Planning on it! Maybe good sense will prevail by the time Origins rolls around. :-) Yer gonna be at totalcon again? cool! How about the east-central qualifier in atlantic city next weekend? (Jan 24th) Josh only, uh, five hours away...

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 16:17:52 -0500, Joshua Duffin wrote: > What, are you not coming on Saturday? :-) I hadn't decided for sure. But (and I am being completely honest here), the idea of a four hour drive, each way, just to get PTO'd and AR'd off the table doesn't sound especially appealing. I might come anyway; if I don't it will probably have more to do with other things than this. > if only i were more like stu It helps if you live closer to Scott, I think. David C.

"David Cherryholmes" <david.che...@duke.edu> wrote in message news:pan.2004.01.15....@duke.edu... > On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 16:17:52 -0500, Joshua Duffin wrote: > > > What, are you not coming on Saturday? :-) > > I hadn't decided for sure. But (and I am being completely honest here), > the idea of a four hour drive, each way, just to get PTO'd and AR'd off > the table doesn't sound especially appealing. I might come anyway; if I > don't it will probably have more to do with other things than this. Sigh. Fine, I can put off my crusade for a week and stick to trying to prove my cheesiness in Qualifier tournaments and such. I should warn you, I don't have much of anything else decent to play besides, like, weenie celerity Guns, though. ;-) > > if only i were more like stu > > It helps if you live closer to Scott, I think. Yes, I imagine that to be the case. If only I lived in Columbia. heh. Josh is protect thine own broken yet, scott? is protect thine own broken yet, scott? are you annoyed yet, scott? are you annoyed yet, scott? ;-)

Joshua Duffin wrote: > Planning on it! Maybe good sense will prevail by the time Origins rolls > around. > :-) Good, good. > > Yer gonna be at totalcon again? cool! How about the east-central > qualifier in atlantic city next weekend? (Jan 24th) Not in a million years. Sad, really. [ quoted text not captured ]

David Cherryholmes wrote: > It helps if you live closer to Scott, I think. You might ask those who live closer to me to disabuse you of that notion. -- LSJ (vte...@white-wolf.com) V:TES Net.Rep for White Wolf, Inc. Links to V:TES news, rules, cards, utilities, and tournament calendar: http://www.white-wolf.com/vtes/

On 15 Jan 2004 08:46:21 GMT, cur...@aol.commetal (Curevei) wrote: >* Not sure why one from a local tournament didn't since it's in the Yahoogroup >that The Lasombra keeps for decks posted here under a title something like >"tournament winning Samedi deck" and satisfied the criteria laid forth for >inclusion as far as I'm aware. Not that I could find. Care to post a link? Carpe noctem. Lasombra http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rgtcjdeckarchive/

On 15 Jan 2004 08:46:21 GMT, cur...@aol.commetal (Curevei) wrote: >* Not sure why one from a local tournament didn't since it's in the Yahoogroup >that The Lasombra keeps for decks posted here under a title something like >"tournament winning Samedi deck" and satisfied the criteria laid forth for >inclusion as far as I'm aware. You mean this one? http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=20020602134811.29923.00002352%40mb-fy.aol.com Nine players appears to disqualify it to me. Or it must have at the time. Who can say, at this late date? Carpe noctem. Lasombra http://www.TheLasombra.com

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004, LSJ wrote: > You might ask those who live closer to me to disabuse you of that notion. Is there no truth, then, to the "Legend of Stu"? ;) [ quoted text not captured ]

The Lasombra <TheLa...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<1ele00hv6n8e6mk2i...@4ax.com>... [ quoted text not captured ] So one round of 10 players and one round of 9 players disqualifies the event from consideration? 10 players stats did go into the VEKN ratings for the event. Jeff

"David Cherryholmes" <david.che...@duke.edu> wrote in message news:Pine.GSO.4.21.04011...@petsparc.duhs.duke.edu... > On Thu, 15 Jan 2004, LSJ wrote: > > > You might ask those who live closer to me to disabuse you of that notion. > > Is there no truth, then, to the "Legend of Stu"? ;) Yeah, that's the legend I was thinking of too. :-) Josh supposes this is why the rest of the rules team membership is a state secret...

"Joshua Duffin" <jtdu...@yahoo.com> wrote > > > > Is there no truth, then, to the "Legend of Stu"? ;) > > Yeah, that's the legend I was thinking of too. :-) Ok, I'll bite... what is the Legend of Stu? Cheers, WES