Darker Dealings Await on Bespin
Title: Darker Dealings Await on Bespin
Author: Ian "Chocobo93" Hunter
Date: Apr 8, 2001
Rating: 4.5
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Cards:
‘Starting (7)
TDIGWATT
Cloud City Upper Walkway
Secret Plans
Prepared Defenses
Imperial Arrest Order
Mobilization Points
You Cannot Hide Forever
Locations (8)
Bespin
Bespin Cloud City
CC Carbonite Chamber
CC Downtown Plaza
CC Docking Bay
CC Port Town District
CC Lower Corridor
Executor Docking Bay
Characters (17)
Vader, DLOTS x2
Emperor Palpatine
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Grand Moff Tarkin
Admiral Ozzel
General Veers
Captain Sarkli
OS-72-10
Janus Greejatus
Prince Xizor
Boba w/ Blaster
IG88 w/ Riot Gun
Jodo Kast
Dr. Evazan & Ponda Baba
J’Quille
Guri
Starships (9)
Executor
Chimaera
The Emperors Sword
OS-72-2 in Obsidian 2
Obsidian 7
Obsidian 8
Obsidian 10
Bossk in Hounds Tooth
Dengar in Punishing One
Effects (8)
Dark Deal x2
Cloud City Occupation
SSPFT
Battle Order
Search and Destroy
Security Precautions
Reactor Terminal
Interrupts (9)
Imperial Barrier x3
Dark Maneuvers & Talon Roll x3
Projective Telepathy x2
Alter
Weapons (1)
Vaders Lightsaber
Admirals Orders (1)
Fighter Cover
’
Strategy: ‘
This is a TDIGWATT deck made from some limited resources. Other than the two in there, I dont have any other Bounty Hunter in their ships. I think 2 Vaders is enough for this deck, as he should have enough support that you wont have to ever forfeit him.
The basic strategy is set up your Dark Deal while consolidating your hold on the Bespin system. For this, you’ll need plenty of activation. Get your 2/1 site out for your starting battleground, then pull Bespin, and CC Docking Bay. Deploy both, then occupy the DB if you can. If you can hold the docking bay for a turn, you’ll have 8 activation by turn 2. Use Mob. Points to pull the Executor. Next turn, pull Bespin Cloud City, but keep it in your hand. Pull the Executor Docking Bay and deploy it. Either deploy a new character or transit your character at the CC Docking Bay to the Executor’s. Draw for CC sites.
Now, depending on what kind of deck your opponent is playing, you’ll want to scrap YCHF for one of your other effects. WYS- SSPFT, EBO/X-Wings- Battle Order or S&D, HB- Security Precautions, MWYHL- S&D, TIGIH- S&D or Battle Order.
Once you’ve got your sites out to Bespin, you should have ample activation, so deploy your Executor to the Bespin system, along w/ Emps. Sword or one of the two BH ships. If anyone is there, clear them out. Deploy your Obsidians to Cloud City. Combined with the combo card Dark Maneuvers/Talon Roll, they should be flying high for the rest of the game. They should even be able to hold the Outrider, should it become and issue. It could easily handle the Super Falcon, which I’ll explain later. Once the system and sector are secure, you can move on to the ground.
You should already have the docking bay under your control, but keep watch for speeders. Get an Imperial and an alien to 3 sites ASAP. Make sure to have at least 1 Imperial Barrier in your hand to stop beatdowns. Once Cloud City is under your control, make the Deal and begin the Occupation. Flip your objective, and start draining. With a minimum of 3 sites under your control, and the system and sector, you should be draining for a minimum of 11 force, plus the 3 they lose from the Occupation. However, you shouldnt be at this point until late midgame. This isnt a deck to be rushed, because it can completely screw itself over. Make sure you can hold the system once Dark Deal is down. After 2-3 turns of 14 force loss this game should be yours.
Card Explanations
Fighter Cover- Mainly used to cancel out their Admirals Orders. I’ll Take the Leader can be a thorn in the side of your TIEs, so keep this handy. Also, your Vader (and anyone else who happens to be immune) has immunity to attrition less than 7 now, instead of 5, and adds 1 to his saber draws. Nice.
Effects- Mostly defense against other decks. Slow down the WYS decks w/ SSPFT, the same with X-Wing swarm. Make them pay to run from Bespin. Battle Order, you have to occupy the system to make this work, right?
Security Precautions- Gives you +1 activation, if not anything else. If they’re playing Hidden Base, let them flip their objective, and then probe Bespin with the Executor and sit there. They won’t be able to remove you from the system, unless they have uber-destiny draws. Stay on guard for the Super Falcon, but other than that…
J’Quille- High powered alien. Can exclude those pesky scouts that infiltrate your Cloud City. Used to best efficiency against a TIGIH/Scout deck.
Jodo Kast- Cancel a battle destiny draw, if more than 1. Helps keep character alive. And he wears Mandalorian Armor, so he’s gotta be cool, right?
OS-72-10 and Obsidian 10- These guys rock at the sector. Put them down with something like Obsidian 7, and when used in conjunction w/ Talon Roll, you’ll rule the skies over Cloud City for many turns to come.
Sarkli- Can limit their force generation against TIGIH. Also can keep pesky operatives from being a problem.
Alter- Basically just a worthwhile card to keep stuck around. 4 destiny, not too bad. Can stop Kessel Run dead in it’s tracks if they’re foolish enough not to use the Outrider. Also works against Honor, if they dont occupy a battleground. Feel free to sub this out for another Vader, Mara or maybe Zuckuss in Mist Hunter.
-Matchups-
TIGIH/Scouts/Speeders Most of your sites are interior, and w/ IAO, scouts dropping in with Nabrun is unlikely. Set up slowly, but choose your battles wisely. Cards’ll stack up on I Feel the Conflict faster than you’d think. Dont grab Luke until absolutely necessary. Most importantly, focus on your own objective and Dark Deal. Dont play their deck. If you stick to your strategy you should come out with a win.
Hidden Base Encourage them to go for the quick flip. Once flipped, drop Executor at Bespin and Probe. Get Security Precautions w/ YCHF, and you’re set. Search and Destroy will scar them, as will Battle Order. Dont worry too much about them cancelling your force drains, as you’ll still have 1 site that’s worth anywhere from 3-5 and Occupation will be making them lose plenty. With Battle Order in place, you shouldn’t even break a sweat outdraining them.
MWYHL They just as long to get set up as you do, so play Search and Destroy to make sure they pay for it. Even if test 1 comes off, you’ll still have min. drains of 5 and then 3 more from Occupation. Watch for the Super Falcon at the system. Guri aboard the Executor works wonders here. By the time they’re finished testing, they’ll have lost too much force from your various cards and will be dead. Take a victory.
EBO/X-Wing Swarm Probably your toughest matchup. They get set up much quicker than you do, and their drains hurt. Set up more quickly than usual, since they more than likely dont have as much ground power. Make sure to have a very strong presence at the Bespin system to fend off the hordes of X-Wings. SSPFT will keep them from moving away when you crush them, too. Keep the Deal damage going, along with Occupation and Search and Destroy, and you should pull out with a narrow win.
WYS/Palace Raiders Piece o’ cake. Get set up like normal, and dont fear their smugglers too much. Jodo Kast helps with the multiple draws, and if you’ve got the Adm. Order out, Vader’ll be hacking people up left and right. Get your damage going, use Alter if applicable to cancel Kessel Runs. Hold Bespin with an iron fist. Be ready for anything. Keep the combo card in your hand for the Dark Maneuvers, as you cant target Independent starships. Your activation should be okay, as you only have 1 site that isnt a battleground. Warily set up your Deal and Occupation, then drain them to death. The interrupts shouldnt even bother you. If they’re playing the Palace Raiders/Patrol Crafts, dont worry Almost all your sites are interior. Keep the sector in hand with your Obsidian pilots and the Emperors Sword. They wont last long.
Profit You outdrain them pure and simple. Stay off Tatooine, if you can. Let them release Han. By the time they get that done, your Deal should be nearly made. Once in motion, it’ll simply be a drain war between the two decks. Unfortunately for them, you’ll win, because you have much, much more power.
All in all, this is a strong deck, with tech against all popular decks nowadays. The most imporant part is that you concentrate on getting the strategy to work, and the Deal going. Once that’s ready, all you gotta do is sit back and watch their life force dwindle.
“Their white flags are no match for our muskets” -A soldier on The Simpsons ‘