Design Spotlight: First Edition Romulan

by Charlie Plaine, Chairman

17th September 2017

“So, Captain, how long shall we stare at each other across the Neutral Zone?” - Commander Tomalak

Overview
One of the most mysterious antagonists of our heroes, the Romulan Empire made only two appearances in Star Trek. It wasn't until the subsequent series where they developed into a fully realized culture with their own motivations and threats. Like the other original affiliations, the Romulans have been subdivided into , and flavors. But all of the different variations on the Empire share similar characteristics.

At a Glance
Here's a quick look at "those that march beneath the Raptor's wings":

Romulan
Nouns	173 Cards (3 Facilities, 139 Personnel, 31 Ships)
Missions	95
First Appearance	Premiere (1994)
Recent Appearance	Live Long and Prosper (2017)
Signature Skill	Treachery (56 - 40.3%)
Attack Restriction	STANDARD (Anyone but )
Appears In	Enterprise, TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and Movies
Doesn't Appear In	N/A

Strengths
Subterfuge is the theme of the Romulan Star Empire. If there is a mechanic involving stealth, betrayal, manipulation, or deceit, it's a good bet that it will fit in the Romulan's suite of cards. Of all the affiliations, Romulans should be the ones least likely to react and respond. It's far more likely they have used espionage to outwit and outmaneuver you, and have planned to counter your moves before you make them. This isn't an easy thing to represent in the CCG.

Most frequently, the machinations of the Empire are realized in-game with extra resources and often deployed at unexpected times. Additionally, the Romulans gain benefits for gaining information, or correctly predicting actions/information. Romulans also dip their toe into capture mechanics, as interrogating prisoners provides valuable intelligence. These are all a bit oblique, but these are some ways to capture the value Romulans place on information (and the benefits they gain from it.)

Of course, a more direct implementation of these themes is espionage and mission stealing. This is a tricky area to talk about, since it's been almost entirely prohibited in First Edition since the introduction of OTF. But Romulans are one of the few affiliations that excel at the use of Espionage cards, even if that use has been minimized in most high-level organized play.

However, while Romulans will always prefer to be in the shadows, they are not afraid to fight - especially when they can pick the battle. As much as Klingons and Romulans are enemies, they have very similar military capabilities. Klingons tend to have multiple smaller ships while the Romulans have much larger ones, but both share cloaking technology. A well set trap, luring an enemy off-guard and out of position, will often see them captured or killed in battle with the Star Empire.

Weaknesses
Romulans are very good at a lot of skills but are quite poor in others such as MEDICAL and Geology. They do have some options, but frequently need assistance when covering skills for popular dilemmas.

It's unfortunate that one of their weaknesses comes from OTF's prohibition on mission stealing, but it is a reality of the modern game. Mission stealing is one of the most controversial mechanics in all of First Edition. Espionage cards are tightly linked to Romulans, and also to mission stealing. Without mission stealing in the game, Romulans lose access to a key mechanic that historically has provided a lot of their power.

Romulans should not have the ability to react; if they haven't anticipated your moves, they should be at a disadvantage. Because they spend so much of their time and energy gathering information and playing several moves ahead of their enemies, it's much harder for them to change plans at the last minute. This isn't to say they can't adapt at all, just that it should be more costly for them to do so.

Finally, while it is true that Romulans have a presence in the , , and eras of the game, it is very minimal. As of the publication of this article, there are six (6) cards, nine (9) cards, and two (2) cards. While there is some room for growth there, it's likely Romulans of those eras will never be able to stand on their own as other affiliations can.

Looking Ahead
Romulans are not as popular as they could be, and some may argue as they should be. I believe a large part of this to be that the affiliation has lost more than it has gained over the lifespan of OTF. It's never the goal of the First Edition staff to remove options for players (except in the case of a game-breaking situation), so this is not an acceptable situation for one of the game's first affiliations. Fortunately, I know there will be love for green fans in the next two years.

As I've mentioned, mission stealing is a divisive and controversial mechanic. The players that want mission stealing back in full form truly love the mechanic and the strategy that it can bring to games. On the flip side, players that dislike mission stealing loathe it, and find it to be a deal breaker for participating in 1E play. This makes it a tricky era to explore for the designers. I believe there is a way to do so, but it will take careful testing and a lot of time to make sure it isn't disappointing when it's done.

However, I feel there is plenty of room for Romulans to reap other benefits from the use of Espionage cards. We touched on this somewhat for the Vulcan V'Shar spies in Live Long and Prosper, and it makes sense this could be extended to Romulans. I think Romulans should see more cards like Disguise Encroachment or Romulan "Reunification," especially when they are tied to Espionage mechanics. Rewarding Romulan players for stealthily and manipulative plays feels like both good design, and excellent flavor.

Conclusion
As the third of the game's original four affiliations, Romulans have a long and sorted history in Star Trek history. With their mysterious origins and development of their society, tactics, and goals, they've evolved into worth adversaries. I think it's unfortunate they aren't as well realize in the game as the Federation or the Klingons, but I have hope we can guide them there over the next few years of First Edition.