Discuss all of your questions, concerns, comments and ideas about Second Edition.
 
By Honest
 - Delta Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
2E Australian Continental Champion 2019
#437908
Hey Team

We got in 2 Honest drafts over the Worlds weekend. I tend to only run these at big events as resetting boosters (and the starter packs for that matter) is a massive pain. But it is worth it for the odd occasion. A few people have asked me what is in it. The boosters, generally, I don't know exact quantities of anything, and I am not about to start counting 50 odd 15 card boosters contents and document it. But I will try to explain how to do it.

I picked the 6 affiliations involved in the Dominion War, just because. I wanted people to be able to draft whatever they wanted, and in fact change affiliations half way should they choose. SO to make that possible I made up universal starter packs. These contained

One of each of the Homeworlds (Ferenginar, Romulus, Qo'nos, DS9, Founder Homeworld and Cardassia)

A ship for each affiliation (Kreechta, Goraxus, Vorn, T'Kumbra, Ammat'ular and Grommal)

And each of those ships respective Commanders.

I also put in the Olarra, one thing I liked about ID draft was the use of the Holograms to cover different affiliations. At worst, players could draft a few holograms and staff a ship

I also wanted players to have a base of a dilemma pile. Doing the math on getting 20ish dilemmas into each players hands from 6 x 11 card boosters (changed to 4 x 15 card boosters, which is better) wasn't practical. So the starter also had

Pinned Down x1
we'll Never Know x 1
Breaking the Ice x 1
Hard Time x1
Overburdened x1
Side by Side x1 (a new addition, replacing Investigate Dissidents, which is confusing and a pain to read)

I also made up Mission boosters, a pack of 9 missions players draft first (so they know what to shoot for). I try to get 2-3 Gamma Quadrant missions in each booster, and no more than 6 of either space or planet. I also tried to get missions that included at least 3 of the affiliations in their requirements.

SO that is the basis. The start of a deck in the 6 affiliations, 6 solid dilemmas to get your pile started, and drafting missions to build your deck for.For Worlds 2015 Chompers insisted that I have a enough packs and starters for 16 goobers. It took a ton of work, but we got there, and i think we had 15 or 16 runners that day. Since then, I have added a smidgen to it, and tinkered with some of the mix. An idea thrown up at Worlds, which I am going to implement, is that people get 3x 15 card packs to draft, perhaps with 1-2 solid dilemmas in them, and then at the end draft a 15 card dilemma only pack. That way guaranteeing the players have 21 dilemmas minimum, which is standard (I was forced to allow players to bring their dual dilemmas back after their opponent finished a mission. It was the only way). The new way will stop me having to allow that, and it will revert to a usual TREK game (35 min draw deck, 20 min dilemmas, 5 missions)

If you are going to try building a cube, I would suggest* (based on having enough gear for a 12 person event)

10-12 of each of the ID holograms in the mix
2-4 each of the big star unaffiliated guys
Of each affiliations non unique guys, pick a couple of 1 drops and a couple of 2 drops. 8-12 of each of those would be good
2-4 each affiliation big star guys
6 or so random ships for each affiliation
12 or so non aligned ships
12-15 general battle cards
15-20 events specific to the affiliations
20ish general events
12 or so general interrupts
12 or so interrupts specific to affilations
20ish bits of equipment

*numbers made up kinda randomly based on gut feel. If you find its not enough cards, make some more up. If its too many, its not too many, its good to have spare boosters in your cube pool so iot plays a little differently each time you play

Probably forgotten something, I'll post if it occurs to me

I use Ultra Pro team bags to make the packs out of. I have recycled some of them a few times, they are good. Also, all the cards are cut and pasted onto 1E cards, so they are also reusable

I try to get at least 1 dude of each affiliation in each pack (of 15). A couple of non aligned guys, then the rest to taste (as I said earlier I will change it to a dilemma or 2 each regular booster, then a dilemma only booster to draft at the end)

When I make the boosters I generally make 15-20 at a time by laying them across the table and going 1 across, 2 across, 3 across etc. I just look for colour, not actual cards, when making sure the mix is kinda right (I never want it to be exact, players are smart and would figure the pattern out. Gotta keep those jerks guessing). Doing it that way, as well as making LOTS at a time, ensures I have fuck all chance of remembering what is in which pack. That we don't draft for months after I make the packs in most cases also helps. Chucking them in a box, and then swirling them around before dispensing them to players, and having the players pass them around in dribs and drabs) also helps mix things up.

Apart from trying to make a strong TREK draft format, I also wanted players to experience a different type of TREK, where cards they never, ever would think of using in a game have to not only be considered, but perhaps even useful! Last weekend I faced a Explosive Decompression for the first time in maybe 8 years. Someone played a Superior Position against me (a first) and a Improved Scenery (also a first!). Hearing Walzo and MVB laugh when picking up their next pack and slamming cards down was really rewarding, and we hadn't yet actually started playing a game.

It takes a fair amount of work to cut and paste a LOT of cards. But it is worth it, and once done, those cards can be used over and over. And then you can tinker with the mix to your hearts content. There are no rules.

I hope this helps

Honest
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By Nerdopolis Prime (Nerdopolis Prime)
 - Delta Quadrant
 -  
#437923
Uuuuh, this is great. Love the idea, the work and effort you put into this. Definately something to try out.

Must have cost you days of your precious time.

Cheers

Nerdo
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Ambassador
 - Ambassador
 -  
#584117
Ran another one of these for my group yesterday. 4 players, good fun. One improvement will be to split the final dilemma pack in two so that you don’t have so much warning about what’s coming back to you over and over.

This would make the final set of packs:

1 undrafted starter pack of hqs, personnel, ships and dilemmas (20 cards, same for everyone)
1x9 card draft mission pack
3x15 card draft draw deck packs
2x7/8 card draft dilemma packs
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