2011 Australian Continentals Player Interviews

by Craig Giblett, Staff Writer

17th June 2011

Further to the player previews published for the Australian Continental Championships on this site on the 3rd of June, I took some time to throw seven questions at a few of the players who will feature at the Second Edition event this year. Chris and Lee Clarke, Rob Dawson, Shane Brierley, Kieren Otton, Mike Nugent and Steve Hartmann were nice enough to oblige me and make a few comments on the game.

The questions are designed to give us, the wider community, an insight into how many of the competitors at this year’s event will be preparing and their perceptions of the meta game. Please note, the last question was added for comedic relief!

Clearly the changes made to cards Like James T Kirk: Original Thinker and Tragic Turn will affect the decks they have been played in, but do you see that change being significant for their respective affiliations and strategies?

Rob: I think that players will probably start looking at other Kirks to use. James T. Kirk: Living Legend will probably fall back into use in TNG and DS9 Earth decks. TOS decks will start looking at the other Kirks on offer, rather than just going straight for James T. Kirk: Original Thinker. Personally, I’m going to have to re-think my TOS deck before the Continental Championships. Tragic Turn dilemma piles have taken a hit, but I think a dilemma pile aiming to killing anything that moves should still be able to do so, just with slightly more difficulty.

Lee: I don’t think the Kirk change matters. It’ll be interesting to see how or if players choose to play Tragic Turn now.

Kieren: Firstly, I think those changes were needed and I applaud the Continuing Committee for taking this action. With James T. Kirk: Original Thinker , Fed decks have been nerfed, but with the right build in the right hands are still strong. Tragic Turn doesn’t really effect the Sydney meta, as no one was playing it really, however, for Continentals, I think all decks have just gotten a few free spaces normally reserved for Emergency Transport Unit . The Tragic Turn  errata will allow a wider scope of decks and strategy, which is a good thing. Klingon battle will still keep on keeping on, though slightly less effectively.

Steve: These cards still do the same thing they always did. It has just become harder to abuse them and that is a good thing. The decks that use these cards will have to adapt to the changes. I expect that these cards will continue to find their place at competitive Trek events. It wouldn’t surprise me to see James T. Kirk: Living Legend become more popular in some Federation decks.

Chris: I don’t think James T. Kirk: Original Thinker , errata will make much of a difference to people who play Earth decks. When it comes to actually attempting, they might be more hesitant than before, but I suspect the main outcome will simply be including three James T. Kirk: Original Thinker rather than one. The Tragic Turn errata will have a much bigger impact. I still think Klingon, Borg and other interaction piles will go just fine with straight kill piles, but I doubt they will use Tragic Turn anymore (I probably won’t). But those types of interaction will still be extremely effective; they’ll just have tweaked Dilemma Piles.

What do you think is the strongest affiliation/ deck in the game right now?

Shane: Still Borg assimilation it just does so much. Losing some Tragic Turn grunt probably wont even slow it down too.

Rob: There are a few that are up there. Terok Nor Ruling Council is still pretty strong, however, with the exception of Odo: Bajoran Representative, Dukat: Cardassian Representative, Weyoun: Dominion Representative the personnel they have to offer are pretty bad. Most decks are stocking interrupt prevention, neuter Ruling Council and you’re laughing. Delphic Starfleet is still solid. And I’ve been copping some grief from Cardassian Capture is some online games in the last few months.

Mike: Based on what I saw at the Regionals, I think it’s the Borg. Luckily for everyone in their path, they’re also hard to play.

Lee: The one in my deck box.

Kieren: Borg-they ask too many questions and have too many answers. They got everything and currently I can’t see anything stopping them. Expect an increase in “resistance is futile” t-shirt sales.

Steve:  There are some affiliations that are obviously strong but I think each affiliation has their own power cards and when used the right way has the potential to win.

Chris: Probably Big Borg Assimilation. It seems to have answers for pretty much everything. It is ridiculously versatile in every arena, and it doesn’t have any obvious auto-losses. Given the last batch of errata, I honestly expect Borg will be touched soon.

What kind of meta game do you expect to see at Continentals this year?

Shane: Wide open, though I’d expect to see at least one Starfleet and a TOS. Bajorans seem to be kicking into gear around here too so they’ll be out.

Rob: The usual funk created when you mix three different groups that only meet once a year. You never know what you’re going to get, except some serious ACT funk.

Mike: Lots of skill gain mechanics, which means lots of non-skill dilemmas and maybe Hate being more prominent as filters. Legacy is still having its effect, as we’re relearning how to use skill dilemmas. I think that’s where the meta fun is this year; skill gains, and how you deal with them.

Kieren: Day One will be interesting, dominated mainly by speed solvers, with TOS, Bajor, Starfleet and Feds leading the charge. Chris and Lee will both play something fun and funky, safe in the knowledge that whatever they do, they will make Day Two. So, I expect something cool and different from them. There will be three to five Klingon battle decks, two to three Cardassians with two to four Borg. Day Two, I’d expect Borg, TNG and Starfleet to be around, with Borg winning the day.

Chris: I expect to see mostly straight solvers with a trick or two included, such as No-Win Situation or Baht Qul Challenge . I doubt there will be many Tragic Turn piles there now. Kruge: Instinctive Commander could certainly make an appearance, and I’m sure there will be a weenie deck or two.

When preparing for Continentals, how do you prepare? Do much do you concentrate building your deck around the expected meta game or do you ‘build in a vacuum’ so to speak making sure the deck is strong in itself and relying on its power in order to win?

Shane: I usually go with “that’s a cool idea, might try that” until I get a deck that works. Usually when putting together said deck I will ponder the meta and add cards that will help. “Can this awesome idea deal with Gomtuu Shock Wave ? No? Bad idea.” That sort of thing.

Rob: A little of both. I build in a ‘vacuum’ for the most part, but would never turn up to Day Two with a deck venerable to another deck type. I’d never play Voyager if there was half a chance of any engagement decks, for example.

Mike: In The Forge, I make decks in a total vacuum. Then at the last phase I try to determine what they’re likely to face. From there I add or subtract as necessary. As an example, when Tragic Turn was roaming the land, I added lots of meat shields to soak up the excess kills.

Kieren: Most of the deck is built in a vacuum. I try to make the deck as good as I can make it on its own. Then there are usually four to six slots allocated to “tricks” which are meta game calls. In the upcoming meta game, something good against events and something good against your own captured or assimilated crew are at the front of the selection queue.

Dilemma piles are also a massive meta game call, maybe even more important than the deck itself. I have something very good against what I think will be the meta, I just hope I haven’t screwed up.

Steve: I can’t control what my opponent is going to do so I tend to focus more on my own deck.

Chris: I guess I either build my decks in a vacuum or in the context of every possible deck. I don’t plan that much for the expected metagame. Maybe a dilemma or two, but generally speaking the decks I would take I would be confident to bring to any tournament around the world. In preparing I will play off all the possible deck choices against each other. The ones that come out on top I’ll take.

If the Continentals were on tomorrow, what deck would you take into the tournament and why.

Shane: Hmmmm, TOS and TNG, they are in a box ready to go and they work, kinda.

Rob: The TOS deck I have sitting on my desk right now. Because the only other deck I have built at the moment is a crappy Gamma Quadrant DS9 deck that I’ve written off but haven’t been arsed deconstructing yet. I’ve been very busy these last few weeks; I’m planning a beer, a sit down and a deck building session on Sunday arvo.

Mike: I’d probably play my Klingon deck. Although it’s like driving an exploding Batmobile; it’s fun and awesome, but at any moment it could explode and make you look like a fool.

Lee: The one in my deck box.

Kieren: I’d ask Will Hoskins for a list for his Android deck. I still am impressed by how cool and effective that deck is.

Steve: I will probably go with an affiliation that is less popular. I like the challenge of getting weaker affiliations to win plus my opponent is less likely to have any idea what I am doing (and I like it that way).

Chris: Going by my record, I would expect me to play TNG or Romulans. Both are still very strong with lots of solving tricks. Both can easily take advantage of the new hotness that is Assess Contamination. I doubt I’ll play Tragic Turn anymore.

And finally...

How good a player is Craig Giblett and how do you plan to beat him?

Shane: Well, I don’t like to judge other players, but I figure I’ll just bring my usual game and let the Swiss format mean I never have to play against him.

Rob: Yeah, he’s pro dardi (Maybe three people in the entire trek community would understand that but I don’t care). I’m going to defeat him my humiliating him with my awesome drinking ability at the Beirmiester. Then just roll from there.

Mike: He has me worried. I plan to poison his drink at the Biermeister.

Lee: I’d rate him as a 3.5, but I’m keeping my rating scale private. I plan to use the blue sleeve deck, those sleeves are exceptionally lucky.

Kieren: Gibbers is a strong player who was a Trek noob twelve months ago and is now a genuine Top 8 chance. I don’t think he is a chance to win, I think that is down to just four people, but I think he is definitely part of the “best of the rest” division. I believe he is involved in all the Second Edition events over the festival, so at ten points get him in your dream team.

To beat Craig I think its important to slow him down always. I suggest he will play his “go to” deck-TOS-Day One, which comes out fast and hard. If this is the case, killing his goobers at every chance is the key to success against him, then hope he runs out of steam mid game. If that fails, I have gotten my saucy girlfriend (Craig’s manager) to agree to stand behind me a periodically flash him should myself and Gibbers meet. That should distract him enough to get me over the line in a tight game.

Steve: Craig is a legend! I don’t plan to beat him, sometimes it just happens.

Chris: About 43%? I’ll save a Grav Plating Trap for Ruling Council and then I’ll be fine.

So there you have it! From the very brief, yet supremely confidant Lee Clark to the insightful Kieren Otton, the answers were quite varied. Although, the consensus is that Borg is going to be the deck to beat this year and that the recent erratas were a good thing. It also appears many are cautious about the effect that errata will have on the performance of Tragic Turn. What I am most worried about are some of the answers to the last question. I should expect to be plied with alcohol or poison at the Beirmeister, have my interrupts countered by Grav Plating Trap , my personnel wasted by the nastiest dilemmas in the quadrant and being distracted by a female flasher!

Be sure to check out all our coverage coming up over the next few weeks down under and do not forget to get your Dream Team entered before its too late!

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