OFFICIAL VEKN NOSFERATU ANTI-TRIBU NEWSLETTER VOL II Table of Contents: 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Long Range Combat 2.3 DECK: Where'd dat come from? 2.4 Conclusion 2.1 INTRODUCTION Hello all, and welcome to Issue II of the Nosferatu-Antitribu newsletter. Thanks to all those that responded to last month's newsletter, assuring self-conscious me that there is room for two Nosferatu newsletters. I like to write this newsletter about a week or two after Peter's Camarilla-Nosferatu newsletter so that people can get their Nos News fix in staggered doses, and so that I have some time to digest the insight that Peter shares with you all so I can build on it if possible. I plan on continuing this staggered format for the foreseeable future. 2.2 LONG RANGE COMBAT When one thinks of Nosferatu Potence combat, one harkens back to the halcyon days of small Nosferatu and big fists. In fact, there are a few Nosferatu and Nos Antitribu cards designed specifically to set combat at close range (Storm Sewers and Gang Tactics). Consider also that the best card Nosferatu have access to within their clan disciplines to handle Strike: Combat ends is Immortal Grapple, a card that requires the combat to be at close range. So why would a Nosferatu deck, especially one that expects to be in combat a lot, want to consider, and even design for, long range combat? Building a long range combat deck will provide you with an advantage over only one major archtype. Rush. Most rush combat decks are built at close range with limited maneuvers. Because of this, if you are able to out-maneuver the rush deck you will render their entire concept ineffective. As an added bonus, if you are designing your deck to do large amounts of damage at long range you not only render a deck archetype worthless but you send their vampires to torpor. Note that this is the only major advantage to long range Nosferatu combat, since you will actually weaken your deck against Strike: Combat Ends style decks. As a corner-case sidenote, being at long range will also prevent cards like Entombment, Coma, Pulled Fangs, and such from affecting your vampires, and many times against a deck with "light combat" you will be able to inflict massive bloodloss with no appreciable loss on your end (most long range Nosferatu combat cards are free) Ok, so having discussed long range combat in broad terms, what specific cards to the Nosferatu-Antitribu have access to that would need to be included in a long range combat deck? Nosferatu clan disciplines do not include the pre-eminent maneuver discipline (celerity) so must rely on either strike-inherent maneuvers (Thrown Gate, Aid from Bats), maneuvers as side effects (by this I imply cards like Guard dogs and Bums Rush), maneuver equipment (Ruins of Villars Abbey, IR goggles, Jackie Therman), and the three straight maneuver cards they have access to (Fake Out, Swallowed by the Night, Behind You!). POTENCE: Because of the slim amount of maneuvers available, you need to be able to do the maximum amount of damage in the first round (so you don't have to rely on two maneuvers). Increased Strength becomes the best card in the deck. Increased Strength is Stackable, easily cyclable, and potent. Thrown Gate is your best strike with its inherent maneuver. Thrown Sewer Lid is potent, and so is Sacrement of Carnage, but you need a maneuver from another source to fully exploit them. Sacrement is still useful at close range (unlike the Lid) and benefits from Increased Strength (unlike a hand strike, which you may be forced to default to if someone out-maneuvers you and you are stuck with a sewer lid in hand), but the Lid comes with a press at Superior, which may be needed to continue if your hand is good or used to end combat if your hand is all jammed up. OBFUSCATE: Behind You is the class of the Obfuscate combat cards in this deck. The maneuver, while only usable in the first round, is available at basic level, with a Dodge at superior if something goes terribly awry. Swallowed by the Night is another good card, with emergency stealth available at minor and the maneuver at superior. The only other card to consider here is Hidden Lurker, to get around the S:CE decks. The esteemed Nosferatu Newsletter editor Peter has expounded at length about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Lurker (requires another ready vampire, an action, and a good hand) and while I would suggest a few in this style of deck by all means do not go overboard with it. ANIMALISM: Aid from Bats may be considered here, unless one wanted to stock heavily on Increased Strength. If the deck is being built more on Potence, then replace all Aid from Bats with Thrown Gate. No matter whether you are going Animalism based with Aid from Bats or Potence-based with Gates, Animalism provides two amazing cards for a long-range combat deck. Carrion Crows (1R or 2R damage to the opposing minion as environmental damage during strike resolution) is free, easily cycled, and cannot be prevented by strike prevention cards (like skin like steel). Terror Frenzy, at minor, prevents the opposing minion from using equipment (like guns), maneuvering back to close range, or pressing to continue. This is invaluable! Murder of Crows is a decent retainer to consider as well, as it does 1R environmental damage during strike resolution, and has the same advantage as Carrion Crows (and stacks with it as well!). Of final note is Cat's Guidance (for light intercept), Raven Spy (for light intercept) and Guard Dogs. Cards like these allow you to tap out against your prey and still remain defended against an overtly aggressive predator. 2.3 DECK So, a Nos-Antitribu deck based on the above discussion may look something like this. Deck: Where'd Dat Come From Crypt: 1 Agatha (CAP 4 POT obf) 2 Nigel (CAP 5 POT ANI obf) 1 Cicitrix (CAP 5 pot ani obf) 1 Olivia (CAP 5 POT OBF) 2 Ox (CAP 6 POT ANI OBF) 1 Christianus (CAP 6 pot ANI OBF) 1 Beast (CAP 7 POT ani OBF) 1 Kendrick (CAP 7 POT ANI obf) 1 Calibos (CAP 8 POT ANI OBF) 1 Cailean (CAP 10 POT ANI OBF) Master Cards: 3 Blood Doll 2 Minion Tap 1 Fragment of the Book of Nod 1 Powerbase Montreal 1 Nosferatu Kingdom 3 Haven Uncovered 4 Fame 1 Giants Blood 1 Sudden Reversal 1 Shanty Town Hunting Ground Potence: 8 Increased Strength 11 Thrown Gate 2 Sacrement of Carnage Animalism 8 Carrion Crows 6 Terror Frenzy 1 Raven Spy 1 Murder of Crows 3 Cats Guidance 4 Guard Dogs Obfuscate: 4 Behind You! 4 Swallowed by the Night 2 Hidden Lurker 3 Spying Mission Other: 6 Taste of Vitae 6 Bum's Rush 3 Computer Hacking 2.4 CONCLUSION Close range Nosferatu combat will always be inherently superior to long range combat based on one card: Immortal Grapple. There are so many means of combat defense that are nullified/weakened by IG, including this one. However, most players, upon seeing a Nos Antitribu deck with Bums Rushes will immediately think close range, so when you can surprise them by going to long and crushing them, it may throw their game off enough to capitalize on, and it will let you go toe-to-toe with other long range combat decks and with standard Potence Rush. Until Next Time Matt Latham Denizen of the Detroit Sewers