Sox the Mox: The O (Omega) Project

<Uploading Location/Date>
Time: 9/26/00-9/30/00
Number of People: 15/8
Place: Timewarp Comics/ Wizards of the Coast
Regional Location: Cedar Grove, NJ/ Wayne, NJ
<Stand By>
<Loading.>
/Systems/GFILE/OP.PAK
<Open File: O>
<Establishing System Link-up>
<Stand-by.>
<Link established! >
<File Loading>
<Downloading Interface>

Hello, my friends. I write this email to you in great haste. It seems Team Rocket's Sliph Labs has been invaded and being searched as we speak! A day before the raid, I had been experimenting with some new tactics only to be called out on a mission by the boss himself. Wasting no time, I picked up my PokéBalls and set out for Rocket Base Cronicus. It was the day of the raid that I received the following email. Hold on as I establish connection.

<Dialing. Connection made! >
<SpyTec searching for SystemBugs/MetaCrawlers.>
<System checking.>
<System clean! >
<Interfacing>
Dear Young Rocket Protegee,
Due to your recent successes in the Pokémon League Regional, I'm upgrading you to a regular field operative and have already assigned you a new mission. This new mission is to work with our newly tested assault team, the Omega Project. It's been under wraps since we began project Alphus Minimus, or the horribly failed Mewtwo Project. In our Pokéball Transport System, you will receive the following:

4x Electabuzz:
Since your previous documented mission, you were asked to test a team also containing Electabuzz, which did VERY well. Since that time, we've also included several devices, which should aid your use of the powerful and speedy attacker. As we mentioned, its speed is yet to be matched with a lethargic ability at escaping battle.

3x Mr. Mime:
After allowing our operative, Sabrina, catch several more of the disruptive attackers, we've been able to more closely study Mr. Mime and their behavioral patterns. We've trained the attached ones so that they may block heavy attacks completely, but are still expendable to light attacks. It has rather low HP, but it's blocking power makes up for that. Along with an attack, which begins to do more damage after each attack made, Mr. Mime is easily disruptive to almost any and every strategy thrown at you.

2x Scyther:
All tests have shown how powerful this Mantis Type can be, by the 2nd turn, it easily takes care of foes within then next few rounds of attacks. If it cannot win on its own, it can easily retreat with great speed for a healthier Pokémon.

2x Ditto:
Ditto, as usual, is as great as your opponent's Pokémon. It counters their strategy and replaces it in their laps like a ticking time bomb.

<11 Pokémon>

2x Super Potion:
After our last test run, we realized that it served more then an emergency purpose, it was easily a key element to your attack. The cost of energy to take away 4 damage is rather slim, making it an affordable way out of a tight situation.

2x Energy Retrieval:
The low number of energy provided can be a. hassle in mid combat situations. The trade of 2 energy for one card may be too good to pass up when in heated combat. Certainly useful late match, when the game leans towards a particular person. Can easily make that person the victor leads to you.

2x Computer Search:
The price of being cheap for a win is still for a win. Get the item you need for things you don't.

1x Itemfinder:
This replaced Super Potion as an emergency item. If you need a Bill or Oak and don't have any, this will ensure your control of one.

3x Gust of Wind:
The easiest way to deal with something is to get rid of it. If your opponent's active will harm you or make sure that one you were attacking is safe, repose that threat and bring yourself closer to victory.

3x Scoop Up:
Much like Super Potion with a bigger discard hazard. The easiest way to rob your opponent of victory whenever you play it.

2x Professor Oak:
Oak's ingenuity and skill as a Pokémon Professor is great. This allows you to throw away what you don't need for a greater advantage.

4x Bill:
Bill is the creator of the Pokéball transport system. In this case, it allows you to pull out 2 of your items upon using it.

4x Plus Power:
Brining victory closer is simple, play Plus Power and claim prizes much quicker then your would if you hadn't.

4x Super Energy Removal:
Sweeps through an opponent's Pokémon like a sharp sickle. Leaving a Pokémon helpless is made simple by using this.

<27 Trainers>

9x Psychic Energy:
Used to empower any of your Pokémon

9x Electric Energy:
Used just as Psychic Energy.

4x Double Colorless Energy
Used primarily on Scyther and/or Ditto.

<22 Energy>

Good luck! Your goal this mission is to wait at Victory Road and the Pokémon League and battle trainers. We hope that your skill and O Team will be able to claim victory for Team Rocket.

Sincerely,
The Boss
<End File Download>
Well, as you can see, this wasn't the easiest task to complete. I still had a lot of work to be done and there was still time before the attack, as I narrowly avoided it.
I would start at the Pokémon League.
<Phase 1: Infiltrate the Pokémon League and Capture Targets Psyduck and Cool Porygon>
I started the League using Rox the Mox, but decided it would be best to report back by using the REQUESTED deck, as so I wouldn't be fired.

<Assault 1> Robert <Blaine's Magmar Deck>
For something everyone makes fun of, this deck was pretty good. He used a low number of trainers to get back energy and efficiently used Pokédex (he used it to see the cards he would discard as to mot accidentally discard something important). Sadly, he was no match. He happened to have 7 of 8 badges, and his loss would be my 4th win in a row. The match came to a standstill as I just briskly Meditated his Brock's Onix (used as a stall for him). He Flame Breathed my Mr. Mime into submission, though, but left his back door open for fire. Once my 2nd Mime was ready and raring to go, it was over as he could do nothing more then hope to flip heads whilst using 'Bellow'.
<Cumulative Points: 14>

<Assault 2> Kenny <?? Deck>
As the match started, I asked how many badges he had so I could jot down his total for my book. His reply was '5 or 6.' Now this was not good, was it 5 or 6? 6 meant I'd get my Psyduck early along with the Cool Porygon, 5 would mean I'd have to dominate another foe. He played a rock deck with a Spearow. I matched the rockers to Scyther and the Spearow to Electabuzz and won VERY quickly. Afterwards, he and Robert played (not the same Rob as the one at Timewarp on Saturdays, the one in my Second Assault) and Rob lost. I laughed to myself and felt REALLY bad for him.

<Assault 3> Fatima <Clefairy/Pinsir Deck>
She was new and, as an official coach and deck mechanic, I put up with it and helped her through. It was obvious I'd win (I did), but at least I had helped someone learn how to play the game.
I asked her how many badges she had (after finally learning that Kenny had 5.) and she replied 0. The very nice League Employee was nice enough to give me the 2 cards for helping Fatima out. It pays to be kind, whether or not you're in Team Rocket!

<Assault 4> Mohamed <Beginner's Fairly Good Deck>
I would be lying if I said his deck was good since I saw next to none of it. He was in awe over my skill as a player against Fatima and his self (well, that's what he said anyway, I keep a low profile ego.). I kept his energy low and his Growlithe and Geodude on the ropes after he mulliganned twice. He didn't have any badges either, though.

My ride came and I ran off with a perfect record and readied myself for the weekend assault at Timewarp.
<Phase 2: Enter Tourney, win>

<Assault 1> Steve T. <Speedrill /w Scyther and Rocket's Scyther>
This was too long! His only hope against the Mimes were using his Weedles, which did seldom win efforts whereas I'd retreat or just kill them off. The Scythers proved easier to kill but more annoying as they'd always jump back to the bench before Mime could Meditate them to death. He drew his last card and let me go. I gave him a soldier's death and slaughtered his active rather then endure the painful fate of 'decking'.

<Assault 2> Bill <Sponge: The Prep for Brillo>
I devised a deck which he and I are using at the STS finals, using the mass damage of Cleaner and the absorbency of Sponge in one deck (I invented it: Rocket Zapdos, MP Mewtwo, Mr. Mime, and Scyther. Works like a charm. Lots of free SERs and Super Potions). He had put together the most hated (at Timewarp), 'Scott' Deck (no offence to Scott, but people at Timewarp are out for your blood). This was a close match; he drew a lot in the end and had no way to deal with Mime. I'd always Gust in his Mewtwos as snacks for Mime and somehow took out his Electbuzzes with my own and Mimes. In an effort to hopefully deck me (although he most likely, after Oaking and Billing once or twice, had a smaller deck then I), I Gusted out his injured Mewtwo and shred its mind by Meditating. He and I knew that it was a good game, but as they say, 1st blood isn't as important as last. Fortunately for me, I took both.

<Assault 3> Rob Z. <The Usual (Cat Deck with Brock's Rhyhorn [rare])>
I felt bad for him, I really did. It was something like Buzz and Mewtwo to Ditto and Buzz or Scyther and Buzz. Whichever the case, I ended up taking in blood quickly and throwing him out early match for a win. I was surprised, I had beaten the two greatest threats I had in the tourney early on and felt no remorse. After the match, Bill asked how many Mimes I played. I told him that the 3 in the deck got themselves out fast enough and that using them with Electabuzz puts speed into the combo for quick wins..

<Assault 4> Steve H. <Sponge/Buzzap>
I laughed heartily at the 4th round match ups. I would finish the day against another person I never lose to. I laughed even harder when I saw he was playing a Sponge that committed suicide. It started his Mewtwo to Ditto, I went 1st. I had a Computer Search in hand and discarded an Electric for a DCE and Absorbed. He SERed as a stall tactic, but by the fourth turn he had no energy, no removals, and no hope.

<Final Assault> Jim T. <Clefable/Mewtwo/Magmar>
We both wanted money for boosters (he wanted Invasion [the new Magic series for all non-Magic players] [which I had already found in stores ^_^] and I was saving for a box of Challenge) so we both agreed to split the prize money, $30 each. We just played the round for fun. He won due to a mistake I made at one point, but it was a FUN game, not for a prize but to pass the time.

After the tourney, I bought two Classic boosters for Magic, in hopes of getting some of the Diamonds. After playing a few rounds of Magic and insulting James, the incompetent Gym Leader, who is 12 (younger then I, must ask Dave to take over for him), for his poor skills in setting up the Tourney (he paired up randomly by rolling dice and paired Rob and I after rolling until we both were paired) and then beating him with a new deck I made, I got a call from the boss on our position in the raid and the condition of our labs. It turns out they were not good. He told me to wait a week, some of the Rocket Elite were heading down to the Vermilion City power plant and capturing a Zapdos they had heard was nesting there. The boss ensured me that I would be the first to test its awesome power; he even had my package set up for that mission, mission ßeta. Mission Omega was a success, my Abra teleported me back to Rocket Base Metega where I began writing this report.
The next time you will see me, I will control the legendary Zapdos and I will prove its power!
<End Transmission.>

<Props and Slops>
Props to:
Dave, for setting up a payment plan for the Challenge box and possibly reserving a 1st edition box.
Rob, Bill, Steve/s, and Jim (AKA Mr. RK9), for doing well in the tourney.
Designates Cool Porygon and Psyduck, for being easy to apprehend.

Slops to:
James, for running everything poorly (please let me take over, Dave)
The Classic boosters, for not having anything I needed in them.
Sponge, the deck which gave Haymaker/s a bad name due to their overplayed status (I know I'm getting some hate mail on this ^_^).
People against Haymakers.


<Send all comments, questions, concerns, hate/pro email, deck help, etc. to: Insomniac_gamer@hotmail.com>

PokéPunk
"I might almost pity my enemies- if it wasn't so much fun to watch them die."- Tsabo Tavoc