The Road to Worlds: Winning Deck Analysis, Week 13

by Lucas Thompson, Ambassador

25th June 2015

Welcome back for another season of The Road to Worlds. Around this time every year, we have a three-month stretch where each region of play for the various Star Trek card games gets to have its "big dance." Whether the players of your locale are rated 1800 or don't know their rating, whether your nearest regional attracts 4 players or 40 players, once a year everyone brings their best decks and competes for their regional title. I'm here to celebrate with the winners, ask them what they think, and analyze their decks.

 

The Second Edition Online (Not a) Regional wrapped up last week, but too close to publishing time to slip it in the article. Andrey Gusev came out on top of a field of 18 players from around the world. This was the deck that he used:

 

Title: This is a very simple game - draw and play and draw and play [ver. 2]
Headquarters: Founders' Homeworld, Contingent Refuge
Deck Size: Medium (45-59)
Deck Archetype: Midrange Solver
Dilemma Pile Size: Medium (30-49)
Dilemma Pile Type: Standard Attrition
Average Draw Deck Card Cost: 2.3
Agonizing Count: 2
Odds of Passing a 3-Skill-Dilemma Legacy: 4%

Andrey shared these insights on his deck:

Why did you choose the deck that you used? What other decks did you consider using?
I considered playing Cardassians or Klingons but decided to give this deck a third chance. I knew I haven't played it enough to play it well.

What sorts of decks were you hoping to face while playing your deck? What decks did you hope not to face?
I hoped to face different interesting decks and that exactly what I got in this tournament. There is no particular deck type that I hoped not to face - it is interesting to see how the deck would perform against anything.

Prior to this tournament, did you have much experience playing this deck (or decks like it)? Did you learn anything new about it when you played it this time?
This was the third tournament in a row for this deck (well, with slight modifications). I don't think I learned something new about the deck, just got more experience with it, a better 'feel' of it.

Did you use any situational cards (cards that you wouldn't expect to be useful in every game)? Are there any whose usefulness exceeded your expectations? Were there any that you wouldn't include if you played the deck again?
I really think that every card in the draw deck is useful, there are no situational cards here. As for dilemmas, I thought that Artificial Ability would be useful only against Dominion and probably Klingons, but it was also effective against Ferengi and DS9 (that was a good combo with Gomtuu - stop those high integrity personnel and Lwaxana with both Diplomacy and Telepathy aboard Centauri so that Gomtuu hit). I don't think I would exclude any card from the deck, maybe I would replace one ship with Tacking.

What would you nominate as the MVP card from your deck?
Well, the deck is build around Keevan, so he is the MVP here. Ikat'Ika is also very good - with his 9 strength Stakoron missions could be solved with 5 and also his high Integrity and attribute boosting ability is very useful on dilemmas.

Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your deck?
It is a straight solver with a few cards to annoy the opponent (Crippling Strike, Founder Instigator and missions: both Stakorons and new Dom HQ). It is fun to play, but challenging when you got no Crom or Keevan in first two turns.

My Commentary:
This will be the sixth time we've taken a look at a Dominion deck using the new headquarters. I think that part of the draw is that it's new, part is that it is very powerful, and part is because it doesn't have much competition in the realm of midrange solvers. When it comes to point reduction, selection avoidance, interrupt prevention, opponent-stalling and cost-cheating, the new Dominion has access to the cards which I'd consider to be best in class. Skill gain and ship quality are average, and only stop prevention is really below the curve. Midrange solvers are already a player favorite, and who doesn't like turning your opponent's Moral Choices into blanks?

So, you might be asking, what sets this deck apart? I'd say the biggest difference between this deck and the other new Dominion winners is the trio of Keevans. Phil also named Keevan as his MVP when he won with this headquarters, and it is easy to see why. Any deck that wants to dump personnel cheaply (in this case, with low-cost Jem'Hadar, in part thanks to Mobilization Points) needs to be able to refill its hand efficiently too. Keevan does just that, but gives the opponent draws too - which is fine because (A) you get the chance to use those draws first, (B) your opponent's deck may just be too slow to capitalize on those draws, and (C) those draws buy you a whole turn every time you draw Crippling Strike. And hey, those extra copies are great Explicit Orders fodder; he's got the rare Geology, Diplomacy, and he's a sneaky way of including two Treachery in an attempt without it being vulnerable to An Issue of Trust.

The deck is also quite interrupt-light (in fact, only Matthew Hayes went lower on interrupts), which is a hard call to make since the interrupts available to this deck are some of the best ones out there. As I've noted in other reviews though, you don't really want to get hand-clogged with interrupts in a midrange solver, especially one that plans to draw a bunch of cards with Keevan. In this case, like Matt, Andrey also went heavy on the Crippling Strikes. At first I was somewhat skeptical of going all-in on the Strikes, since it is more of a mid-game card, but it is just such a high-impact card that I think it just has to be the Strikes if you're going interrupt-light.

 

Next up we've got a pair of events in the Rura Penthe region. The Second Edition Regional in Winnipeg, Canada drew 6 players, and was won by Kyle Schewe. He used a variation on a deck he has used in the past, and it looks like this:

 

Title: The Stars Return
Headquarters: Qo'noS, Heart of the Empire
Deck Size: Medium (45-59)
Deck Archetype: Midrange Solver
Dilemma Pile Size: Medium (30-49)
Dilemma Pile Type: Standard Attrition
Average Draw Deck Card Cost: 2.4
Agonizing Count: 3
Odds of Passing a 3-Skill-Dilemma Legacy: 16%

Kyle had this to say about his deck:

Why did you choose the deck that you used? What other decks did you consider using?
I knew how the deck worked, and though it could have used a bit of an overhaul with all the new cards released since I made the deck 2 years ago, it was easy to play and have the skills needed for each of my missions. Any other deck I might have played would have required more games played to get used to the deck and how it flows.

What sorts of decks were you hoping to face while playing your deck? What decks did you hope not to face?
I knew my dilemna pile could slow most decks down enough that the speed and tricks (Bridge Officers Test, Klag, Worf: GoH) I had in my deck should allow me to complete my missions before my opponent.

Prior to this tournament, did you have much experience playing this deck (or decks like it)? Did you learn anything new about it when you played it this time?
I've played a version of this deck a few times before (only difference in this deck and the one I played in the last Regional is I added one Backroom Dealings) The big thing I learned is Kruge is not very viable any more. Never used any weapons. Just tossed them using Worf when facing dilemmas costing 3 or more that tried to stop/kill my Honour personnel (which is what makes Togoran so good). Would definitely put in other events. Though Kruge is decent to get past some dilemmas; need a personnel with Integrity less than 4? Kruge is your Klingon!

Did you use any situational cards (cards that you wouldn't expect to be useful in every game)? Are there any whose usefulness exceeded your expectations? Were there any that you wouldn't include if you played the deck again?
Pendari Champion took the hit for me a few times. People see his strength and would target him. It was the wrong choice in all cases, as there are always better choices. Kruge would be reduced to only one copy. More than one in a deck and they get rowdy, wanting to take the ship on fighting adventures.

What would you nominate as the MVP card from your deck?
Togaran and Klag. Together they got past a few Dilemnas that would otherwise have stopped them. And together they have the skills to beat 2 of 3 missions, just add strength from other personnel.

Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your deck?
Its easy to play. You go at missions fearlessly and accept your losses and move on. Don't be afraid of losing anybody, and you can smash through and complete your missions quickly.

I just want to say that my favourite game I played was against Matt's (karonofborg13) youngest daughter, Kalli. I would tell her the number that was needed in a mission attempt and let her do the math. Her expressions of joy (or disappointment) when she realized she was successful (or unsuccessful) made me smile.

My Commentary:
(Written prior to receiving feedback) At first glance, this deck looks like a solver. There's that trio of K'wovs, each one supplying all the skills for Provoke Interstellar Incident, and the trio of Bridge Officer's Tests to synergize with the plethora of double Leadership Klingon personnel. Escape and Worf will be working hard to make sure that no one dies or gets stopped. Then there are a bunch of four-cost Klingons to go with the These Are the Voyages to help draw into all those nice solving tricks. But that's not all that's getting cycled...

There are also two copies of Kruge, a whole suite of five damage events, and ships like the Rotarran which can hit just about anything with the weapons boost on Point Blank Strike. Just cycle the damage back under the deck while your unsuspecting opponent heads off to attempt missions; then, when one of the two Gomtuus strike, so do you! Alternately, with Kruge around, you can whittle the crew down with powerful but unexpected dilemmas like Left Behind and swoop in for the capture. Kyle has also built in the flexibility to go for more of a harassing strategy with engagements by using Disable Sensors. Getting hit by that damage marker would be quite the inconvenience for, say, a Relativity deck that doesn't use (or hasn't drawn) the Wells.

Alvera Tree Ritual is probably the most common Ritual in this age of usually seeing just one Ritual per deck. After all, it has the possibility of being used offensively via good dilemma pile tracking. If you know you've already drawn your Moral Choices and In Developments against a Federation weenie deck, just hit the reset button and get a chance to draw them again. That said, if you know your play group well, it's not the only game in town. Kyle has opted in this case to go all-in on download denial via Klingon Tea Ceremony and Bo'rak (who also supplies the rare Intelligence skill); the strategy certainly seemed to work for him here.

 

Immediately following the Second Edition event was the Rura Penthe First Edition Regional. This second event was won by Matthew Hayes, using this deck:

 

Title: So, we're gonna marvel back on up the road to KHANada, eh, but, we're not heading up to "The Dirty, Dirty 'Shwa" nope just Winnipeg. Don't forget to pack your jambusters & let's giv'n her, eh.
Deck Archetype:
Play Engines: Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold, Hotel Royale
Draw Engines: Sarod, Surprise Party
Bonus Point Mechanics: Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold, Assign Mission Specialists, Royale Casino: Elevator, Royale Casino: Craps

Matt had the following Khan-related puns to share with us:

Why did you choose the deck that you used? What other decks did you consider using?
KHANsidering that I won with Khan/TRiH in the Rura Penthe 2E Regional last year, there was really only one blatant option staring me in the face with this year's inaugural CC era First Edition Rura Penthe Regional. And don't you know it's cold in hell? So, I knew I had to go warm things up. ;) Obviously. Scha, right?

Well, ok, I did have a secondary deck with me, a Borg non-HP010/non-SFC build, the same one that I brought as my option to Trek Masters Chicago, but, really wanted to run 1E Khan.

What sorts of decks were you hoping to face while playing your deck? What decks did you hope not to face?
Oh, just about anything. I wasn't too particular. Admittedly, it would've been cool to see the [1E-DS9] deck piloted by another player, or the [1E-DS9] deck certainly, or even one going for ITZ-free activity like any of the following: Diplomatic Conference, Investigate Anti-Time Eruption, Sha Ka Ree or such.

I hoped not to face Kazon Battle, as my Reliant, Husnock Ship, and Zalkonian Vessel were meant to trek the spaceline alone doing their best to avoid "God" and would be highly susceptible to the rust ragtaggers. Borg assimilation and/or SFC would be also highly detrimental as most of my personnel are humans, of course.

Prior to this tournament, did you have much experience playing this deck (or decks like it)?
Nope, not at all. All things KHANsidered, I had just finished building it earlier in the week.

Did you learn anything new about it when you played it this time?
No, not really. I just like brainstorming ideas with different moving parts and seeing if the engineered design melds/meshes well. I don't presume or expect that I'll win every game with such innovation, but, it's fun when it does, absolutely.

Did you use any situational cards (cards that you wouldn't expect to be useful in every game)? Are there any whose usefulness exceeded your expectations?
Yes. I included both a Quantum Slipstream Drive and the new Homefront VI version of Where No One Has Gone Before (which just screams for Tournament Promo Series foil treatment, as does the Alternate Universe Door and Reflection Therapy from this same, latest set) for the occasional Cytherians. Of which, the QSD did come in handy in my game against my daughter, Kalli, with the expected dilemma. The Reflection Therapy was there primarily to get either a needed odd/rare skill to get past a given dilemma that may have given my limited personnel fits, or to enable a mission solve if a critical skill decided not to show up, which did also happen. In my game against Ivo, I was lacking Transporter Skill for Steal Technology and RT'd Dr. Syrus from Law to TS. Viola mission specialist points and the FW of the game.

Were there any that you wouldn't include if you played the deck again?
No, I don't think so. My 12 copies of Ceti Eel were initially planned for taking 13 peeps from my opponents, but, in the deckbuilding process, I realized I needed to include 13 non-Khan, non-Augment personnel just in case I never had the opportunity or time to get to where my opponent's personnel were KHANflagrating or KHANfabbing, i.e other quadrants, or the far end of a region-infused spaceline. I'm very glad I did, as the eels were always placed on my non-genetically enhanced peeps.

What would you nominate as the MVP card from your deck?
Two, actually, the main engine of Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold and The Genesis Device. The artifact enabled me to conduct a two-mission win in almost all, if not all, games, even only by rewarding my KHANtrolled Reliant with a single turn of 30 points (no 60 or 90, alas) per game.

Do you have anything else you'd like to say about your deck?
Well, I had one other funky means of earning some points, but, that did not come to fruition, as none of my opponents hit the particular combo (I was KHANstrained by their random luck/avoidance of it :shifty: .) I'll have to save that for a future deck/tourney.

My Commentary:
I believe that the secondary bonus point source that Matthew obliquely refers to above is the Royale Casino dilemmas downloaded by High Rollers. I have to admit, I have a soft spot myself for these cards that enable fun little side strategies from the PAQ (Premiere - Alternate Universe - Q Continuum) to see play in the modern game. While Hotel Royale represents a minor play engine, that's not the real draw - the real draw is having the possibility of winning cool points from using Mickey D. That said, Royale Casino: Elevator's points are actually quite easy to obtain for a Khan-heavy deck, since those personnel have considerable attribute totals.

In general, Matt made good use of the dilemma storage available in the Dyson Sphere side deck. The Vengeance Factor is a great way to both stall and selectively kill your opponent. For the Second Edition personnel stat trackers, Yuta numbers aren't too hard to hold on to (though watch out for things like PADDs), and the 60 Integrity requirement on The Gatherers is very imposing. Definitely Not Swedish can both filter Diplomacy and stop those pesky Enterprise-E personnel. Those guys are popular as a stacking free play engine in a variety of Alpha Quadrant builds, so it's nice to have a way to slow them down. I'm Not Going to Fight You doubles as both a Diplomacy filter and a general personnel disposal with its access to those Premiere uncommons (I thought Rebel Encounter was a rare for a long time, since I could never seem to get my hands on it).

In the meantime, Matthew's draw deck is very slim; since Revenge Is a Dish limits the personnel you can effectively utilize, there's not much of an advantage to beefing up the deck. The smaller deck size means that Sarod and Surprise Party are more than enough to get Khan (or his proxy, Allamill) early. The non-Khan-releated personnel are a mix of personnel to fill the skill gaps, including ones like the Assign Support Personnel downloadable Gareb. His double helping of Empathy is invaluable for passing the likes of KHANtum Incursions.

 

That's all for this week; be sure to check out the Regional Rundown, and get ready for coverage of the approximately 9 billion regionals taking place this coming weekend (including my own). Take care!

 

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