Vital Statistics:

Name:
Year of Birth:
Occupation:
Other Games Played:


Number of Cards owned:
Number of Decks ready to play:
Play in:


Andy "Slytherin" Brown
1975
Genome Sequence Quality Control
Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Lord of the Rings (TCG), Heroclix, Blood Bowl, Munchkin, Magic, V:TM
More than my Fiancee is happy with (7000+)
About 8 at any one time
Cambridge, UK

Q1: How (and when) did you begin your career as a VTES-player? Who introduced you to the game? Where did you play originally?

I started in Nov 1994 at Warwick University (in Coventry). Benoit Felten used to storytell our VTM sessions, and we both started together, getting others involved pretty soon afterwards. I left uni in 1996, and stopped playing until Sabbat War came out. (I travelled around the world with my one deck, and never took it out of the card case I had it in, as I couldn't find any players). I took this deck to Watford in 2001, and I am now running a local group as VEKN Setite Ruler of Cambridge.

Q2: Which of the Sets and Expansions to VTES is your favorite, and why is it your top choice?

Probably Final Nights. I have always loved the Setites (could you not tell!) and they really got a boost in this set. My second favourite clan is Tremere, and I think that would make CE and it's changes my second fave set, as the changes in this have helped them a lot.

Q3: What is your favorite deck to play, and why?

My Thaupentis deck (Magical Snakes v2.0) which can be found on my website http://www.geocities.com/setitesuk. I just really wanted to create a deck with Thaumaturgy and Serpentis, and this worked well in my local scene.

Q4: If you could add something to the game, what would it be?

Free travel to anywhere where a game is being played. The best thing about this game is its social aspect, and I have made plenty of (dare I say it) friends playing this game, so maybe a card to keep track of them would be good. Also, we like to play non-standard formats, so the opportunity to make customisable cards without downloading loads of files from the net would be good.

Q5: What do you do to help promote the game / why are you in this list of people?

In Cambridge, I am the VEKN Prince, and so hold regular tourneys and demos. I also try to write a newsletter regularly that gets posted (by email and on my website) to all local players, and others who have expressed an interest. I also try to make winning the tourneys special, by organising additional prizes and a special prize for the winner (artwork, edge counters, etc.) so that it is something different for the winner to take home. This is very popular. I also only do the sanctioned tourneys every so often. I try to make the tourneys interesting, such as Antediluvians, and next year, everyone will be in their own starting crypt. These are especially popular, as it gives a different aspect to the game that isn't always available.

Q6: What is your favorite deck style for casual play / tournament play?

Casual - A medium strength deck, that is usually quite silly or unusual. I don't want to scare off the really new players, but want to give them a challenge. The game is so versatile, that it is important to vary what can be done, to keep it interesting. Someone in my city (a store owner) said that the only deck type to play is classic Malk S&B. He has never played here, and probably won't (he tells all outsiders that it is what is played here, and he has never seen someones deck). That's a tourney winning strategy, but not friend winning one, and so I don't play that. Silly and experimental. Always good for casual play. Tournament - As strong as I can make it. Over recent time, I have improved but don't produce great decks, as I am usually screwed by certain elements, not least the metagame of the UK scene. Usually it has Setites in.

Q7: Is there a difference between your casual play and tournament play?

Yes, as in my casual scene, dealing isn't as strong, because a lot of the casual players don't deal (at least with me). I do try to use some tourney strategies, but in general, I'd rather not sweep in a casual game and have a friendly atmosphere. In Tourney games (with the UK regulars), I don't mind being cutthoat and nasty in the game, as there is something at stake, and if you don't want to run the risk of losing, you shouldn't be playing the game.

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