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Strategy Articles
Causal Recursion ... ... ... ... Causal Recursion
by Kevin Jaeger, Players' Representative
6th January 2009
Before we can go forward, I must start by pointing to one of the basic rules of Second Edition. While facing a dilemma, if you can meet a (bold-face) requirement on a dilemma - you have to meet it.
Causal Recursion gives you two potential requirements to meet - Either having three or more missions worth 40 points (meaning printed value) OR removing five cards of your choice from your discard pile from the game.
The implication of the interaction of the card with the rule is that if you don't have three missions worth at least 40 points each and you have at least five cards in your discard pile, you are forced into picking five of them to remove.
If you don't have either - a likely possibility if you attempt a space mission first - then you get a dilemma put into your core that requires you to round-the-corner OR complete at least one 40+ point mission OR complete four missions to the rail.
So ultimately, what does this dilemma do? Plenty. Its existence forces everyone to do one of five things:
- Have a means to score points from an event. OR
- Play with three missions worth at least 40 points OR
- Attempt planet first and slowly get five cards in the discard pile OR
- Get five cards in the discard pile quickly right before attempting your space mission first OR
- Play with two 35-point missions and at least one 40 point mission.
I'm not concerned with going to the rail because honestly, it's not really a viable option. Do you think you can win many games going to the rail *nearly* every time? I doubt it.
What else can it do for you? Lots. Here's a list of additional ideas:
- You can put a crimp in your Borg opponent's options for recursion out of the discard pile...yes, a card titled Recursion inhibits recursion...
- You can pair it with "Greasy" Dukat (Pah-Wraith Puppet) to force the additional 10 points or round-the-corner (with no overcome dilemma) nearly every game...because how often will you encounter a player using three or more 40+ missions?
- Slow down a Back to Basics strategy...
- Potentially give fewer options for The Caretaker's "Guests"
There really is only one choice. You need to play with this *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM*
Before we can go forward, I must start by pointing to one of the basic rules of Second Edition. While facing a dilemma, if you can meet a (bold-face) requirement on a dilemma - you have to meet it.
Causal Recursion gives you two potential requirements to meet - Either having three or more missions worth 40 points (meaning printed value) OR removing five cards of your choice from your discard pile from the game.
The implication of the interaction of the card with the rule is that if you don't have three missions worth at least 40 points each and you have at least five cards in your discard pile, you are forced into picking five of them to remove.
If you don't have either - a likely possibility if you attempt a space mission first - then you get a dilemma put into your core that requires you to round-the-corner OR complete at least one 40+ point mission OR complete four missions to the rail.
So ultimately, what does this dilemma do? Plenty. Its existence forces everyone to do one of five things:
- Have a means to score points from an event. OR
- Play with three missions worth at least 40 points OR
- Attempt planet first and slowly get five cards in the discard pile OR
- Get five cards in the discard pile quickly right before attempting your space mission first OR
- Play with two 35-point missions and at least one 40 point mission.
I'm not concerned with going to the rail because honestly, it's not really a viable option. Do you think you can win many games going to the rail *nearly* every time? I doubt it.
What else can it do for you? Lots. Here's a list of additional ideas:
- You can put a crimp in your Borg opponent's options for recursion out of the discard pile...yes, a card titled Recursion inhibits recursion...
- You can pair it with "Greasy" Dukat (Pah-Wraith Puppet) to force the additional 10 points or round-the-corner (with no overcome dilemma) nearly every game...because how often will you encounter a player using three or more 40+ missions?
- Slow down a Back to Basics strategy...
- Potentially give fewer options for The Caretaker's "Guests"
There really is only one choice. You need to play with this *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM*
Before we can go forward, I must start by pointing to one of the basic rules of Second Edition. While facing a dilemma, if you can meet a (bold-face) requirement on a dilemma - you have to meet it.
Causal Recursion gives you two potential requirements to meet - Either having three or more missions worth 40 points (meaning printed value) OR removing five cards of your choice from your discard pile from the game.
The implication of the interaction of the card with the rule is that if you don't have three missions worth at least 40 points each and you have at least five cards in your discard pile, you are forced into picking five of them to remove.
If you don't have either - a likely possibility if you attempt a space mission first - then you get a dilemma put into your core that requires you to round-the-corner OR complete at least one 40+ point mission OR complete four missions to the rail.
So ultimately, what does this dilemma do? Plenty. Its existence forces everyone to do one of five things:
- Have a means to score points from an event. OR
- Play with three missions worth at least 40 points OR
- Attempt planet first and slowly get five cards in the discard pile OR
- Get five cards in the discard pile quickly right before attempting your space mission first OR
- Play with two 35-point missions and at least one 40 point mission.
I'm not concerned with going to the rail because honestly, it's not really a viable option. Do you think you can win many games going to the rail *nearly* every time? I doubt it.
What else can it do for you? Lots. Here's a list of additional ideas:
- You can put a crimp in your Borg opponent's options for recursion out of the discard pile...yes, a card titled Recursion inhibits recursion...
- You can pair it with "Greasy" Dukat (Pah-Wraith Puppet) to force the additional 10 points or round-the-corner (with no overcome dilemma) nearly every game...because how often will you encounter a player using three or more 40+ missions?
- Slow down a Back to Basics strategy...
- Potentially give fewer options for The Caretaker's "Guests"
There really is only one choice. You need to play with this *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM*
Before we can go forward, I must start by pointing to one of the basic rules of Second Edition. While facing a dilemma, if you can meet a (bold-face) requirement on a dilemma - you have to meet it.
Causal Recursion gives you two potential requirements to meet - Either having three or more missions worth 40 points (meaning printed value) OR removing five cards of your choice from your discard pile from the game.
The implication of the interaction of the card with the rule is that if you don't have three missions worth at least 40 points each and you have at least five cards in your discard pile, you are forced into picking five of them to remove.
If you don't have either - a likely possibility if you attempt a space mission first - then you get a dilemma put into your core that requires you to round-the-corner OR complete at least one 40+ point mission OR complete four missions to the rail.
So ultimately, what does this dilemma do? Plenty. Its existence forces everyone to do one of five things:
- Have a means to score points from an event. OR
- Play with three missions worth at least 40 points OR
- Attempt planet first and slowly get five cards in the discard pile OR
- Get five cards in the discard pile quickly right before attempting your space mission first OR
- Play with two 35-point missions and at least one 40 point mission.
I'm not concerned with going to the rail because honestly, it's not really a viable option. Do you think you can win many games going to the rail *nearly* every time? I doubt it.
What else can it do for you? Lots. Here's a list of additional ideas:
- You can put a crimp in your Borg opponent's options for recursion out of the discard pile...yes, a card titled Recursion inhibits recursion...
- You can pair it with "Greasy" Dukat (Pah-Wraith Puppet) to force the additional 10 points or round-the-corner (with no overcome dilemma) nearly every game...because how often will you encounter a player using three or more 40+ missions?
- Slow down a Back to Basics strategy...
- Potentially give fewer options for The Caretaker's "Guests"
There really is only one choice. You need to play with this card.
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