trekcc.org

Hi folks,

We've tried this once before, and it's time to give it another shot. I'm hosting an online tournament (which you can discuss in this thread) in June, and I'd like your help. In this event, you will be playing OTF Constructed, but the card pool is much more limited than Complete. In fact, aside from missions (which don't have property logos), you can only use cards with one of two property logos in your deck:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: Generations

Note: For this time, we're including cards with the Star Trek: Generations property logo. They were not included last time.

I'd like to see your thoughts, questions, and discussions as you build decks for this event. We might make some changes, i.e. adding a few cards or banning a few, based on these discussions, but everything will be locked in on or before Friday, May 14th. This gives you a total of six (6) weeks to work on your deck, with at least three (3) after everything in finalized. Hopefully, that's enough time to prep.

If you're looking to get started, you can check out last year's tournament and all the associated decks. There is also a discussion thread similar to this one for last year's tournament, but it does get a little in the weeds and off topic, so proceed with caution.

I hope you'll give this a shot, and share your thoughts, decisions, problems, and deck building wishes in this thread. I'd really like to see this card pool become a great, beginner-friendly option on our path to becoming a 1E master, and your help will make that happen.

-crp

Hard to see how TNG Borg and AMS Fed Solver don't dominate the meta. Battle isn't a viable option in this format.

Somebody prove me wrong.

Armus wrote:Hard to see how TNG Borg and AMS Fed Solver don't dominate the meta. Battle isn't a viable option in this format.

Somebody prove me wrong.

The AMS Fed solver definitely has the edge, especially if the deck is piloted by MVB.

Why is battle not a viable option? There's some saucy Tactics with the TNG property logo

sexecutioner wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:07 pm

Armus wrote:Hard to see how TNG Borg and AMS Fed Solver don't dominate the meta. Battle isn't a viable option in this format.

Somebody prove me wrong.

The AMS Fed solver definitely has the edge, especially if the deck is piloted by MVB.

Why is battle not a viable option? There's some saucy Tactics with the TNG property logo

I would've beaten MVB in the last one with my TNG Borg if I hadn't fucked up at my last mission. That one was straight on me.

The short answer is Battle is too slow. You can't get enough ships out fast enough to clip the speed solvers before they're across the line.

Like I said, I'd love to be proven wrong.

So what cards would you add to the pool to address this imbalance?

-crp

MidnightLich wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:22 pm So what cards would you add to the pool to address this imbalance?

-crp

Off the top of my head:

Condition Red
Obsession
Ready Room Door
Make It So

MidnightLich wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 4:06 pm …I'd really like to see this card pool become a great, beginner-friendly option on our path to becoming a 1E master, and your help will make that happen.

I don't think 1E Borg (TNG or not) fit this vision.

And it's not that that 1E TNG Borg are difficult to play. The problem is that they ignore so many dilemmas in the format, and that's a jagged NPE pill to swallow.

I recommend banning Borg from the card pool.

jjh wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:53 pm

MidnightLich wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 4:06 pm …I'd really like to see this card pool become a great, beginner-friendly option on our path to becoming a 1E master, and your help will make that happen.

I don't think 1E Borg (TNG or not) fit this vision.

And it's not that that 1E TNG Borg are difficult to play. The problem is that they ignore so many dilemmas in the format, and that's a jagged NPE pill to swallow.

I recommend banning Borg from the card pool.

Regrettably, to that.

I like TNG Borg, but they're not appropriate for a format aimed at beginners. "Beginner Borg" is still very much an "Advanced Player" concept.

I agree just ban Borg and ban AMS (unless folks feel AMS helps non Fed enough too).

As much as I'd like to have another crack at TNG Borg in this format, I agree it's too strong for the closed format.

HoodieDM wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:55 pm I agree just ban Borg and ban AMS (unless folks feel AMS helps non Fed enough too).

If we assume no Borgs, then it gets more interesting for sure.

Banning AMS is a wash. It's still a drag race format until battle gets some help. The colors don't necessarily matter that much.

So there's a lot of desire here to remove from the format. Does anyone feel strongly they should stay?

-crp

MidnightLich wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 11:07 pm So there's a lot of desire here to remove from the format. Does anyone feel strongly they should stay?

-crp

The major argument for them staying is that it's not a "TNG format" if you're banning TNG cards. It does detract from the simplicity of the card pool definition.

That could be a trade worth making, but it should be acknowledged that it *is* a trade.

would be going into this tournament with a huge target on their backs. The first time, I don't think anyone really knew what was going to prove tier-1 in the format. Now there's an idea that are the thing to prepare against. Do you want to try to let a meta develop. Or do you want to short-circuit that?

Note, I'm not advocating one way or the other. Just presenting an argument.

Honestly, with "God", Misinterpreted History, and half of Scout Encounter / Quantum Singularity Lifeforms not available in this format, I don't see how you will be able to slow them down without battling and as has already been pointed out, battle is not a strong suit of this format.

Cytherians is easily mitigated by Q of Borg and Emergent Life-Form is mitigated by a seeded Holodeck Door on starting cube and transfers to the replacement cube with Federation Flagship: Recovered. Yes, there is Computer Crash now, so there is that. So I guess a ton of ship damage dilemmas might be the only real counter.

J-25 Cube is still faster start than Locutus' Borg Cube but without Regenerate, I don't know if it would be worth risk.