Watch Your Raiders

Title: Watch Your Raiders
Author: Devon "Devonator" Clark
Date: May 4, 2001 Rating: 4.5

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Cards:

‘Start (8)

Watch Your Step

Tatooine

Tatooine Cantina

Tatooine Docking Bay 94

Heading For The Medical Frigate

Squadron Assignments

Insurrection

Staging Areas

Characters (19)

Palace Raiders x8

Capt. Han Sol x2

Dash Rendar x2

Mirax Terrik

Tallon Kardde

Chewbacca

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight

Lando w/ gun

Melas

Artoo & Threepio

Ships/Vehicles (9)

Patrol Craft x6

Milennium Falcon

Outrider

Pulsar Skate

Locations (1)

Spaceport Docking Bay

Admiral’s Orders (3)

I’ll Take The Leader x3

Effects (6)

Bargaining Table

Underworld Contacts

Battle Plan

Menace Fades

Tatooine Celebration

Order To Engage

Interrupts (14)

Control & Tunnel Vision x2

OoC & Trans. Terminated x2

The Signal x2

Artoo, I Have A Bad Feeling About This

It Can Wait

Fallen Portal x2

Nar Shadaa Wind Chimes & Out of Somewhere

On The Edge

Effective Repairs

Houjix

’

Strategy: ‘

Okay, I’m sure you’ve read a hundred times that when you play WYS, if you control the system, you control the game. Let me reiterate that this is true. Tatooine is the key to it all. If your Raiders can keep Celebrating, you’ll win the game.

Response to reviews

yodamuppet Thank you for your maganimity, oh wise one I’m so honored that you’ve decided to rate me and not my deck, because you know so much about me as a player. Oh, I’m sorry. Did I spill some SARCASM on you.

Why I play certain cards

ANH Chewie–Protects my vehicles, satisfies Underworld Contacts, works with Insurrection, deploys cheaper than any other Chewbacca. Roar for me, Chewie

Underworld Contacts–I drain for 7, PERIOD None of this ISB, Ral Ops, Den of Thieves crap Also, if my opponent tries to be slick and get some force activation by converting the Cantina, convert it back.

It Can Wait–What a versatile card–You’re going to replace my AO, It Can Wait. You’re going to Lat Damage the Outrider, It Can Wait. You’re going to deploy Guri into space, It Can Wait (but the starship is still there waiting for a beat down…DOH)

Order To Engage–There’s nothing like making your opponent battle you on their turn at a disadvantage.

Artoo & Threepio–Have you ever heard that ”Control the system and you control the game.” Oh, you have, well realize that if you get them on a starship, you can prevent your opponent from drawing destiny indefinitely with the interrupt (so long as you don’t initate the battle).

3 I’ll Take The Leaders–This card is what makes it possible for you to control the system (Have I mentioned that…nevermind) and it creates your drain potential. The caveat to this is that it’s kind of easy to get rid of. All your opponent has to do is play an AO of their own. This way, you should have a spare to get it back. Also, you can put them back in your Reserve with Mirax to track them for destiny.

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight–Truthfully, Luke almost never sees any play at all. However, if I’m playing BHBM or Hunt Down, he’s a nice option to have…and he’s destiny 6.

The Signal–Most Watch Your Step decks rely on Tunnel Vision and forget Signals. I play The Signal because it’s a used 5 and it allows me to use Visions to get my fighting forces in order.

Bargaining Table–Lots of people will tell you that WYS-Raiders is fast, so you don’t need this card, but you adjust your strategies accordingly, and this has saved my butt in the mid game–a few times.

Houjix–Cancels Sunsdown & Too Cold For Speeders. Possibly game over for you.

Cards that didn’t make the cut

”*” means that I really want to find a spot for it.

*Yarna D’Al Gargan–yes, with massive retrieval and fast deployment, Monnok’s sting isn’t so severe…BUT IT STILL SUCKS

Legendary Starfighter–Face it If you control space, you control the game (Is there an echo in here?), so if you actually have a chance to use Legendary Starfighter, you’re winning. So what do you need it for?

*Ounee Ta–Certain versions of Ral Ops could give you some problems. This would be an answer. However, if you play smart, you’re going to win. Ounee Ta also gives you some cool tricks with Tunnel vision.

Rebel Barrier–Couldn’t find space for it. If you ask me there are better options.

Harvest (and the supporting staff–This is probably the biggest difference with my version of WYS and others. I don’t think you need Harvests, and I think you dedicate too many slots to it if you play it. A well timed On The Edge or Wind Chimes will retrieve your lost pile.

Those are the big ones I can think of. If you have any suggestions I would be happy to entertain them.

General Strategy

Early Game–I don’t go for the first turn flip. Patience is everything. When you’re ready to set up, then start the whoopings. First, I would try to control that system, because from everything I’ve been hearing it’s pretty important. I would do that by deploy my ships to the docking bays with some Patrol Craft support. Then once you’ve got 7 ability ready to take off (ZiMH protection) take off.

Mid Game–Tatooine Celebration. Set that up, battle, retrieve, and repeat. Remember that Patrol Craft move for free with Raiders piloting, so use that to your advantage. Your alternate strategy is to drain for 7 and retrieve 3. Either way, the mid game is in your favor.

End Game–If you’ve gotten this far, you’re playing a tough opponent. Relax, and remember that your worst smuggler has a forfeit of 5. Battling is still in your favor. Also, you’ve got some serious retrieval that you haven’t explored yet. On The Edge and Nar Shadaa Wind Chimes both can be a reset button for your deck.

(Note The hardest thing about playing this deck is that so many decks are gunning for it right now. Still, it’s versatile, so play smart and you can still win.)

Certain Match-Ups

Hunt Down–dueling or not, Trans. Terminated the Visage. OOC Vader after you kill him with big attrition. If the Visage keeps coming back, put Luke on a Patrol Craft and suffer together. At least, you get to retrieve. Search and Destroy shouldn’t be a factor, so drain bigger and kick butt.

BHBM–Give them Luke, make them lose to their objective, you’ve got massive destiny, so you won’t lose duels. Continue as planned, game over.

ISB–Get Menace Fades out. Also, get Underworld Contacts out. Your opponent can’t modify your drains, so drain for 7. Battle, retrieve, repeat. The constant retrieval of ISB can make things interesting, but if you exercise your mobility, your going to be a force to be reckoned with. Depending on the ISB deck, this can be tough, but usually, these decks have to come to you. Play smart, you should win.

Scum (any variant)–Get Menace Fades out to stop Gailid. Start your drains and retrieval engine. If your opponent comes to you, Fallen Portals and attrition will decimate their forces. Otherwise, your drain of 7 to their 3 is strongly in your favor. Complicate things with Battle Plan, and you’re destroying them. The late game is where things get interesting, because then you should expect to see your opponent start coming after you to retrieve with Scum. However, to do this they must spread their forces thin, so prepare your counterattacks, and dissect the opposition. Play smart and you should win.

SYCFA–Can be a tough match-up. Your opponent will be able to contest the system, and that makes things interesting. Don’t deploy to the system too early. Play it smart. Set up on the ground, and when you’re ready, take off. Remember, I’ll Take The Leader and Artoo & Threepio are your friends I’ll Take the Leader should take care of TIE swarms, and Artoo & Threepio should take care of Star Destroyers. It Can Wait will prove immensely useful. If you can whether the storm, you can win the game, because you’ve got the tools, so just be aware, play smart, and you should win.

Ral Ops Non-Speeder Bikes–Deploy straight to Raltiir. Forget about Tatooine, take them out of their game, and they don’t stand a chance. This is usually an easy game.

Speeder Bikes–Very tough. High Speed Tactics can rock your world. If their playing Ral Ops, deploy straight to Raltiir, and don’t let your opponent flip. If you can keep your opponent from flipping, you should be able to win this game. If they’re playing Endor Ops, be careful because Endor Ops can limit your destiny. On the other hand, you can cancel their drains, retriev bigger, and drain bigger. That’s a good pet to have in your pocket. If you can dictate the flow of these games, you’re going to win, so prepare your strategy to counter your opponents, because your decks will probably be fairly evenly matched.

TDIGWATT–Deploy Menace Fades to prevent the huge drain potential. If they play Cloud City Occupation, you can probably arrest Bespin from them and cancel it. If not, Battle them to kill their characters and otherwise outdrain them. Menace Fades will completely take them out of their game.

Black Sun–Again Menace Fades will help you. However, this can be a very hard game because you don’t rely on Luke. If you don’t get Luke out, your opponent will be doing direct damage, add to attrition, check their destinies, and examine their force pile. And you thought Watch Your Step’s perks were good. So get your Luke out, and then let them bring the battle to you. That is, after all, what Black Sun does. Kill them with attrition, drains, and retrieval. If you can Out of Commission Xizor or the Emperor, you’re going to stand a good chance of winning. Otherwise, just play you’re game, because, as I said, they will bring the fight to you. Play smart.

Well, that’s all of the deck types I think you’re likely to see. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or criticism, please let me know. Thank you.

Devon ‘