Robz888 4 wins (8 points) - Masticore 3 wins (6 points). It was a fun series, though for us, personally, we played "Season of the Militia" rather than "Season of the Witch" (no Witch, not once).
Robz888 38-25 Masticore:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-091919-d23c5763.htmlLooks like a Wharf/Festival engine game with heavy Chapel trashing. We both grab Chapel, but I open Silver over Militia, which later seems stupid, because Silver colliding with Chapel is pretty much just as bad, and his Militia hurts me, so I pick one up later. He buys Royal Seal with his first $5 hand, instead of Wharf, so I take the lead by transitioning to a Wharf/Festival engine more quickly. Ultimately, that's enough.
Masticore 44-32 Robz888:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-092617-e323aceb.htmlWe both open Moneylender/Fishing Village and look toward picking up Watchtowers, Festivals, and Throne Rooms. I buy a Watchtower before my second Fishing Village, and he does the opposite. Other than that, we didn't make any hugely different choices, but he has the opportunity to pick up more of everything and prevails easily.
Robz888 54-35 Masticore:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-093626-75f4e677.htmlAnother Chapel/Militia game. We both open with that. I pick up a Haggler fairly early, which starts to seem questionable, because I have a small deck with lots of collision between Haggler and Militia. The question becomes: Hurt him, or get a Gold AND a Market? It seems to pay off, though, and he eventually gets Haggler, too. I take the lead but neither of us can afford to break PPR, so we empty Duchies... and then Estates... and then Gardens. Salvager becomes relevant but the longer the game goes, my slightly superior deck produces a greater points discrepancy, and I win.
Masticore 46-37 Robz888:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-094531-7e87257c.htmlBy now we are both pretty freaking tired of Militia every other turn, but here it is again. He opens with it, while I grab Ironworks because of the good choices at $4 (Island, Tournament). He gets an early Province and has the Tournaments to back it up, and I suspect that I am toast. He takes Trusty Steed, and eventually I get Followers, but by then there isn't much game left to play, and I probably should have just gotten Duchy. It wouldn't have mattered, though, as he scores a win with a much better deck.
These first 4 games were sort of boring affairs where we both played decently and first turn advantage probably determined the winner. Thankfully, the next 3 were awesome.
Robz888 46-34 Masticore:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-095402-3c73261e.htmlThe only Colony game, and there were a couple different possible routes. He opts for a Silk Road/Estates rush, fueled by Workshops. I go for Goons, with the excellent support of Village/Council Room/Nobles. It was really exciting. I am able to grab plenty of components for my Goons engine, but piles are already running low--Silk Roads with Workshops are so fast! I buy the last two Silk Roads just to deny him the points. He's slightly ahead with the third pile nearly depleted, but my Goons engine goes off, and I coast to a fun win.
Masticore 10-
27 Robz888:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-100439-a7e19ae8.htmlAn Ill-Gotten Gains rush without any of the trash-for-benefits cards that usually add strategy to IGG games. Fortunately for me, he makes his biggest mistakes of the series here by detouring for Tournaments and Worker's Villages, and not gaining Coppers, whereas I just get Silver and IGGs, and Coppers. I know there's no chance of connecting Tournaments to Provinces, and little upside to doing so. His deck stalls big time after we split the IGGs, and I win with Duchies.
Masticore 45-37 Robz888:
http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201203/24/game-20120324-101739-b52266c0.htmlHe redeems himself here by setting up a vastly superior engine with a couple Bridges, Laboratories, and Inns. I don't recognize the Inn potential and just buy a single Bridge, Laboratories, and Gold. Eventually I see how nicely it's working for him, and I set up a mega turn with Inn, but it's too little too late. My hats off to him for a great win here.
So, that's that. Thanks to Masticore for the games! He's a great player.