[Fritzinger]

I taught 2e to someone who made an accusation that the game hinged on him not having knowledge of every card, and that it reminded him why he doesn't normally play CCGs.

My counter argument was that I made decisions based on information that was available to him and to me. Attempt with more people, face more dilemmas, attempt with fewer, face fewer etc. His problem was that he didn't know how to apply the rules (and fair enough, it was his first game).

There's a sense that he's right, though: don't take too many officers in space because of Personal Duty. Don't attempt planet first because of Nec Ex. Don't throw Guess Who's Coming to Dinner against Locutus.

(interesting that this is mostly about dilemmas - I guess these are the cards that come up most commonly without you seeing them in play before they get used)

In any case, this seems like a poor advertisement for the game. So to counter it:

What are your top gameplay tips that do NOT have a card title in them?

[Nerdopolis Prime]

I taught 2e to someone who made an accusation that the game hinged on him not having knowledge of every card, and that it reminded him why he doesn't normally play CCGs.

He will have hard times learning each and every card. Especially in the beginning. Try to sell it as an "exploration into the game" or limit the card pool, so can memorize the cards easier.

My counter argument was that I made decisions based on information that was available to him and to me. Attempt with more people, face more dilemmas, attempt with fewer, face fewer etc. His problem was that he didn't know how to apply the rules (and fair enough, it was his first game).

Especially in the first game don´t use your STCCG experience on your deck. Allow yourself many mistakes. For example take only one of each requirement skills on your mission attempt.

There's a sense that he's right, though: don't take too many officers in space because of Personal Duty. Don't attempt planet first because of Nec Ex. Don't throw Guess Who's Coming to Dinner against Locutus.

If you build his deck you know what is in there. So make exactly those mistakes in the first attempt to show him how it works.

(interesting that this is mostly about dilemmas - I guess these are the cards that come up most commonly without you seeing them in play before they get used)

Players get easily confused when they have to work with two decks. I see that with a lot of our MTG players

In any case, this seems like a poor advertisement for the game. So to counter it:

What are your top gameplay tips that do NOT have a card title in them?

I think you should include them in order to prepare the player for games with other guys or even tournaments. You don´t want beginning players to lose to often, they might discard the game easily.

[Gorgo Primus]

o Always solve your space mission first.
o Try to attempt with as close to (better under than over) 9 personnel you can get every mission attempt.
o Try to bring some Navigation and Astrometrics with you to space missions even if you don't need them to solve.
o If you don't need people for a mission this turn, better for them to be at HQ than sitting on a random planet.
o Try to learn and remember some generalizations about affiliations (Borg practically never have officer and are short on leadership, Ferengi all have acquisition, Bajorans love their discard piles, etc).
o Be careful not to play more dilemmas than you have to to stop an attempt unless you're ending with something with an effect worth the cost.
o Don't be afraid to ignore all the above when an unusual situation calls for it.

Those are the main simple ones that spring to mind right now if you skip the deck construction process.

[SudenKapala]

Good topic, also for me (as prospective new 2e player).

I can't easily give you the exact tips you ask. But I can give additional ideas on how to teach. What I do in 1e (but can equally work in 2e) for the longest time, when playing my own decks with new players: I let them in on my thought process, and on my knowledge about the decks. "Look, you have 7 ENGINEER and 4 Astrophysics -- you can risk losing Scott in this case." Or I discuss this by asking questions. "What dilemma would you expect to encounter in a Borg deck in space...? Yes, that big Cube from a few games ago. Might it be wise to attempt with your whole crew...? Indeed not. Oh, don't worry about scuttling that ship in the attempt -- you'll soon be able to play another."

Indeed I make those aforementioned mistakes and/or -- more often -- show or tell them why not. I keep trying to help them win, for as long as they allow me to. (If I win, it's often because sheer luck of draw or shoreline layout.)

If they're about to make a tactical mistake, or break a rule, my favourite question: "Wait. Are you sure? Why -- or why not?"

And if they're about to do something smart, but I think it might need consolidation: same question. "Are you sure? Why?"

If I get a "weak" answer, I coax them into finding their footing themselves.
This makes for many a game within a game. It engages them and makes them puzzle a bit; and realize, and display (show off!) how much they've already learnt. They seem to really like (and be motivated by) this, and it helps keeping them come back.

[T-Ricks]

New players will need to learn how their "meta" plays. It can be predictable, and you can figure out what to play or avoid playing. If you plan to play outside your meta, I'd try to build decks than simply work the best for my deck strategy. (Mission skills, download options, stop prevention, etc.) It is unrealistic to try to account for all the things that you may encounter. Keep the deck simple when learning the game. Don't put everything in a deck that an affiliation can do. Focus on one or two strong points of what the deck is designed to accomplish.

It is difficult to design a deck that can account for everything a player "might" encounter. This is especially true after just learning the how to play game. It takes an investment of a lot of time and games played.

[KillerB]

I taught 2e to someone who made an accusation that the game hinged on him not having knowledge of every card, and that it reminded him why he doesn't normally play CCGs.

Winning might hinge on it, and not knowing the cards might be a reason you don't win. My tip would be to simply play the game.

My son, Cameron, is a very results-based kid. I've noticed this is a trend in the youngest of the family. My little brother was the same way, as was my father. I've tried to teach him to not be concerned with the outcome and work the process. Winning comes from getting better. Sadly it's true, youth is wasted on the young.

[PantsOfTheTalShiar]

o Always solve your space mission first.
o Try to attempt with as close to (better under than over) 9 personnel you can get every mission attempt.
o Try to bring some Navigation and Astrometrics with you to space missions even if you don't need them to solve.
o If you don't need people for a mission this turn, better for them to be at HQ than sitting on a random planet.
o Try to learn and remember some generalizations about affiliations (Borg practically never have officer and are short on leadership, Ferengi all have acquisition, Bajorans love their discard piles, etc).
o Be careful not to play more dilemmas than you have to to stop an attempt unless you're ending with something with an effect worth the cost.
o Don't be afraid to ignore all the above when an unusual situation calls for it.

Those are the main simple ones that spring to mind right now if you skip the deck construction process.

Are there multiple dilemmas that punish going planet first, or is it just Necessary Execution? Also, my noob perspective on "playing more dilemmas than I have to" is that I feel much worse when I underestimate the number of dilemmas I need than when I overestimate.

[SudenKapala]

Also, Gorgo, is it possible for you to edit into your above post, links to the other cards -- if singular / if any (o,r at least, the most iconic reasons) -- for these "basic 2e tactical rules"? Thx!

That question goes for other hints, too. (I know this topic is about teaching, but it might be very valuable for prospective 2e players, like me, as well.)

[GooeyChewie]

Are there multiple dilemmas that punish going planet first, or is it just Necessary Execution? Also, my noob perspective on "playing more dilemmas than I have to" is that I feel much worse when I underestimate the number of dilemmas I need than when I overestimate.

Necessary Execution is the big one. There are others, but they aren't as good.

Neural Parasites ends up being similar, though it doesn't see nearly as much play because the upside isn't as big (only cheaper instead of more effective), it can cost 8 at their third mission and it does nothing against non-HQ decks.

Cornered (a pretty popular card) and New Advancements (a not at all popular card) have requirements which can be met by going space first. Cornered requires a mission with span 4 or more, so going space first may not get you past that one.

[jadziadax8]

Additionally, Distress Call and The Needs of the Few get better if you go planet first.

[Gorgo Primus]

Also, Gorgo, is it possible for you to edit into your above post, links to the other cards -- if singular / if any (o,r at least, the most iconic reasons) -- for these "basic 2e tactical rules"? Thx!

That question goes for other hints, too. (I know this topic is about teaching, but it might be very valuable for prospective 2e players, like me, as well.)

I wrote these rules because they apply to a bunch of different cards and general situations, but I'll explain why I said each one.

o Always solve your space mission first.

Planet missions are much easier to manage than space missions because you can use one ship to house multiple crews for attempting, so cards like Necessary Execution were created that heavily punish you for not at least starting with a space mission.

o Try to attempt with as close to (better under than over) 9 personnel you can get every mission attempt.

Cards like Fractured Time and Restricted Area will punish you if you bring more than 9 people, but if you bring too few (especially under 6) you will tend to have less skill diversity and will have fewer bodies to soak up random stops and kills for your VIP personnel by cards like Old Differences or Whisper In The Dark respectively.

o Try to bring some Navigation and Astrometrics with you to space missions even if you don't need them to solve.

These are fairly common skill requirements for several Space Dilemmas, most notably Where No One Has Gone Before which can set you back multiple turns if it hits. I'm been reminded that following this rule will also generally allow you to prepare for some popular tricks like Cornered when you move on to planets with your crew too.

o If you don't need people for a mission this turn, better for them to be at HQ than sitting on a random planet.

Since it is near impossible to start a Combat at a HQ, decks that rely on Combat for points or abilities will either have to engage your entire crew that just attempted a mission, or if you don't follow this rule, the handful of personnel you let sit around at a random planet while you wait for something to do with them. While they probably have tricks to pull off the former, the latter is much less risky and intimidating and means extremely easy combat even against high Strength affiliations like the Dominion or Klingons. If they're gonna do Combat, make them work for it as best you can.

o Try to learn and remember some generalizations about affiliations (Borg practically never have officer and are short on leadership, Ferengi all have acquisition, Bajorans love their discard piles, etc).

As examples: Nothing to Lose is great and tends to hit against most affiliations with relative ease, but if you play it against a Ferengi they'll laugh at you because they have tons and tons of Acquisition. Attempting Combat against the (average Strength 8 ) Dominion is a lot harder than against predictable (average 5) Borg or weak (average 4?) Ferengi. An Issue of Trust is going to typically do a ton against Cardassians who have Treachery on most personnel, but is much riskier against others who might only have one or two of these skills among them like TOS crews. Conversely, if the Borg Queen or Locutus isn't around, this card is pretty much a guaranteed stop on Borg because Drones don't have these concepts.

o Be careful not to play more dilemmas than you have to to stop an attempt unless you're ending with something with an effect worth the cost.

If you can easily stop an attempt by stopping two people, don't try to every single personnel and go all out with 4+ dilemmas. It's a waste that means that next attempt you have way less cards to draw and play. However, if you are setting up for a Where No One Has Gone Before or Whisper In the Dark, it might pay to stop all but three personnel just to make sure these hit and get off their devastating effects.

o Don't be afraid to ignore all the above when an unusual situation calls for it.

This catch-all is self-explanatory really.

Hope that helps!

[KillerB]

Guys, I hope this thread is 'tips for new players that ask for them'. If somebody was pitching 2E to me with nerd lists I wouldn't be interested.

[Gorgo Primus]

I was literally just asked to write that by a self-declared "prospective 2E player" a few posts up, and quoted them doing so...

[SudenKapala]

I was literally just asked to write that by a self-declared "prospective 2E player" a few posts up, and quoted them doing so...

Indeed, and much obliged!
As far as teaching tips go... It might be a good idea, like Killer says, not to present that list to any random new player. Some might appreciate it (like me), others won't. But it's good to have in the back of one's head, to distribute in steps as the pupils progress?

[Neelix]

I was literally just asked to write that by a self-declared "prospective 2E player" a few posts up, and quoted them doing so...

Indeed, and much obliged!
As far as teaching tips go... It might be a good idea, like Killer says, not to present that list to any random new player. Some might appreciate it (like me), others won't. But it's good to have in the back of one's head, to distribute in steps as the pupils progress?

Totally good to have on hand. In fact, a re-examination of the "Trek 101" type articles that we used to post might be in order here in the new decade.