Tacking Tuesday #3: Sybok and his Chariot

by James Hoskin, Staff Writer

28th June 2011

Two-thirds of the Non-Aligned cards in Tacking Into the Wind come from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. That isn't a reason to immediately disregard them though. As bad as the movie may have been, these cards are as good - if not great.

Sybok (Fanatical Missionary) is going to find his way into many decks because of his ability. Put simply: he stops dilemmas from being returned to the dilemma pile. Occupational Hazards, Polywater Intoxication, The Clown: Guillotine and The Dal'Rok are just some of the more popular dilemmas that return to the dilemma pile instead of being overcome and placed under the mission. That will no longer happen if you play Sybok. The dilemma is removed from the game instead.

It is important to note that Sybok has to be facing a dilemma to use his ability, so dilemmas like Dignitaries and Witnesses, Forced into Labor and Gravitational Anomaly that stop all of your personnel before returning to the dilemma pile are safe from him. Damage dilemmas - like Gomtuu Shock Wave - being returned to the dilemma pile when a ship is repaired are also safe, as are dilemmas that get placed on missions - like Timescape.

At four cost, Sybok looks expensive, but his six skills and high attributes make up for it. He has at least one skill required by four of the five dilemmas that require a skill in Tacking Into the Wind. He also has at least two skills required by each Alpha Quadrant mission he can attempt in Tacking Into the Wind. His cost, skills and/or high attributes help against six of the dilemmas mentioned so far in this article. Three Integrity may not help overcome many dilemmas or complete many missions; but his Cunning and Strength, both eight, are higher than average and will make a difference in the right deck.

Sybok's ship, U.S.S. Enterprise-A (Chariot of "God"), is another card that is going to find its way into many decks. It continues the tradition of ships named U.S.S. Enterprise scoring points for the player. Once a turn, if the ship is staffed and at a mission when you complete it, you score 5 points.

At the most basic level, this means you can replace 35 point space missions with slightly-easier-to-complete 30 point space missions. At a more advanced level, you can try for two-mission wins. By combining this ship with one (or more) of the other points-scoring ships, maybe the other Enterprise in Tacking Into the Wind, you should only need the points from two completed missions to win the game. If that isn't the case, then remember that Sybok is the Corresponding Commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise-A and Mission Accomplished can net you some extra points if you need them.

The U.S.S. Enterprise-A only has three staffing icons. Up until now, that would have been a good thing, as the ship would be easier to staff. However, when Tacking Into the Wind releases in August, players will find several reasons to use ships with four or more staffing icons. Rush Job is just one of those reasons. If only there was a way to add a staffing icon to the Enterprise...

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