Dark Space Ain t so Bad

Title: Dark Space Ain t so Bad
Author: Paul "Paul" Maholick
Date: Aug 26, 1999 Rating: 4.5

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Cards:

‘Locations (8) Bespin Cloud City Downtown Plaza Death Star Endor Imperial Holotable Kashyyyk Kiffex Tatooine

Characters (11) Admiral Ozzel Boba Fett With Blaster Rifle Darth Vader Darth Vader, Dark Lord Of The Sith DS-61-2 DS-61-3 DS-61-4 Grand Moff Tarkin x2 Officer Evax U-3PO (Yoo-Threepio)

Creatures (1) Bubo

Vehicles (2) Blizzard 2 Tempest 1

Starships (8) Avenger Black Squadron TIE x2 Bossk In Hound’s Tooth Devastator Dreadnaught-Class Heavy Cruiser x3

Interrupts (19) Alter x3 Ghhhk Masterful Move x2 Monnok x2 Sense x3 Tallon Roll x2 Tarkin’s Orders x2 Those Rebels Won’t Escape Us Twi’lek Advisor x3

Effects (11) A Bright Center To The Universe Come Here You Big Coward Imperial Arrest Order Lateral Damage Presence Of The Force x2 Reactor Terminal Resistance Security Precautions There’ll Be Hell To Pay Visage of the Emperor ‘

Strategy: ‘

Overall This deck was created as a response to the LS deck trends I saw in my area, Revolver, EPP’s, and Undercover Spies. LS space has died off in my area to large extent, when it comes back, this deck will need to be re-evaluated, as it does not pack overwhelming power in space. But for the time being it is strong enough to get the job done while still causing some trouble on the ground. This deck is a draining deck, and if you run headlong into the LS mains with it, you will lose.

Start with the Death Star and Imperial Arrest Order to begin. This takes much of the wind out of Revolver’s sails, as it is non-revolvable and non-Nudjable. As always the Death Star will be a big target for drains, so be sure to get CHYBC out to defend the drains at the Death Star if possible. You can use A Bright Center to start if they go operatives. However most people who play Ops these days will pack the Tantive or play on Alderaan or Bothawui so they can deploy a quick X-wing and move to the Death Star to cancel Bright Center, so start with Bright Center at your own risk. It may be better to establish control of the Death Star first and Twi’lek for Bright Center later. Set up in space draining for two at Kiffex, Kashyyyk, and Endor, plus anywhere you throw PoTF. This avoids the undercover spy problem as most of the drains are in space. Let the LS deploy its mains on the ground to set up drains to counter yours, then drop your firepower (Vader/Tarkin/Walkers) where they are not, hopefully scoring beatdown damage in the process. Imperial Arrest Order helps keep your starships in the air and prevents big beatdowns by mobile mains on the ground. Against space make good use of Lateral Damage and Tallon Roll to take out key ships, especially the Falcon.

Here is a quick look at the cards in the deck.

Bespin – Here primarily as a target for Bright Center to help shut down MWYHL decks that play mains on CC. Killing Pucimir’s bonus is a great. Also you need the system is you want to play Tarkin’s Orders to cancel a force drain on CC.

Cloud City Downtown Plaza – in the event that the games turns into a space war this is a nice place to park your walkers and drain, just watch out for an EPP ambush. Also helps against revolver.

Death Star – already discussed, shoots revolver, get out CHYBC to help defend any drains here. If the LS commits Capt. Han to space, you can overcome his two destiny draws with EPP Fett or Lateral Damage/ Tallon Roll. If the LS commits Han and EPP Leia, let them have the Death Star and aggressively attack in other areas to keep CHYBC in effect. With Han and Leia in space, that leaves Luke, Ben and Chewie on the ground. If they play Ben Kenobi, it is best to leave him alone unless you can set up a high destiny to actually eliminate a character. Otherwise attack whoever necessary to deny the LS a 2nd battleground. Remember you can move the Death Star to keep it closer to your fleet in case you need to defend it.

Endor – A nice 2/2 system where you can drain. Even if operatives get up and running, at least it is a steady drain of one. Also you can play Tarkin’s Order’s or Bright Center targeting here. Also hurts revolver.

Imperial Holotable – Mostly used for anti-revolver protection as it can not be revolved. Play Masterful Move to pull this. Later in the game throw Visage here and few LS players will contest the drain. If you see operatives, don’t bother with Visage, just recycle the seven for a good destiny draw. During your control phase use Masterful Move to get Visage, then recycle Visage to set up a six and a seven. Doing this also keeps the LS off your holotable if you choose to put your other Dejariks there, as they have no way of knowing that you recycled it and are not planning a bait and beatdown.

Kashyyyk – A DS space stronghold for a long time. Force drain +1, and hoses Wookiee swarms. Watch out for Jedi Test 1 though, as it reduces Kashyyyk to a drain of one.

Kiffex – Like Kashyyyk a long-standing DS space location, drain for 2, one with a flipped operative objective. Hurts revolver

Tatooine – like Bespin, it is here for Tarkin’s Orders and Bright Center. Remember its game text when battling on Tatooine to help keep your power high.

Admiral Ozzel – poor destiny, but high power/forfeit/deploy ratio makes up for it. A good pilot, use Those Rebels Won’t Escape Us or Sense to stop reacts if necessary.

Boba Fett With Blaster Rifle – a foil for Han on land or in space, the extra destiny helps, but don’t do anything stupid and get crushed. Overall good power, weapon is a plus, and a pilot, if a bit expensive.

Darth Vader – Best Vader for space duty due to the destiny increasing game text, immunity to attrition helps keep Vader on the table long enough to satisfy Battle Plan if he must go down to the surface.

Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith – this is the Vader for heavy ground duty. Choke operatives and set up the sixes or sevens to take out mains. You can substitute another DLOTS for Darth Vader if you do not fear Grimtaash.

DS Boys – Great pilots, cheap deploy, good forfeits. Will draw destiny on the walkers or on any starship. DS-61-3 is good on the ground as well with his extra power

Grand Moff Tarkin – The Vader/Tarkin combo is as old as the game itself. Try to keep him in a walker when on the ground.

Officer Evax – not as good of a pilot as the DS boys, but higher forfeit. Draws battle destiny on any ship or walker.

U-3PO – Best DS spy in the game because he has the built-in undercover. Use him to help keep you ahead in the drain race. Can break cover if R-3PO becomes a problem.

Bubo – destiny 4, and eats operatives. Gives some undercover spy defense, useful against Nudjs as well. Use Bubo to attack before you battle, hopefully removing that key character providing the fourth ability before they can draw destiny.

Blizzard 2 – nice power, immunity to attrition and ability two pilot. A good beatdown vehicle, draws destiny with any pilot.

Tempest 1 – see Blizzard 2

Avenger – Ability two star destroyer. That just about says it all, with all the activation in this deck, getting it out should not be a problem.

Black Squadron TIE x2 – this is your Tallon Roll engine. They are a base six for Tallon Rolls. Comboed with Lateral Damage this will even take out the Falcon. Ability 2 pilot is nice, and the bonus for deploying to the Death Star or Vader can be useful.

Bossk In Hound’s Tooth – The key to drawing multiple destinies in space. Combine with EPP Fett on a ship and draw three destinies against the Falcon.

Devastator – See Avenger, plus one additional power.

Dreadnaught-Class Heavy Cruiser x3 – Again, ability two pilots, decent power/deploy ratio. Boosts TIE’s in battle and Tallon Rolls.

Alter x3 – Useful for getting rid of nasty effects including S-Foils, Revolution, OMDH, Rebel Fleet, Bargaining Table, etc.

Ghhhk – if you screw up and get jumped by the EPP’s, this is your get out of jail free card. Use Masterful Move to fetch it in times of need.

Masterful Move x2 – a nice destiny 6 used interrupt. Recycle it at any time to set up your destiny draw. Can also be used to get a Monnok when their hand gets big, a Ghhhk when you are about to take it on the chin, or Visage of the Emperor for draining. A very nice card.

Monnok x2 – Always a nice card to have, useful against almost anything, but very useful for getting rid of undercovers, operatives, and X-wings. You can also keep them on the Holotable for safe-keeping and pull them off when you need them. Can be used for a bait and beatdown with Visage as well

Sense x3 – stops all kinds of LS interrupts, including nasty destiny adders. Can also hurt reacting Arconas.

Tallon Roll x2 – A nice destiny 4 used interrupt. Use this to take out rebel starfighters. A set up six or seven is a 12 or 13 total for Tallon roll. A loaded Falcon is usually power 9, without a Correlian Slip, the LS needs a 4 or 5 to win. It could be worth the gamble to take out a loaded Falcon.

Tarkin’s Orders x2 – use this primarily to cancel drains, however it can be used to cancel It Could Be Worse in a pinch.

Those Rebels Won’t Escape Us – cancels landing claw, which is a must in a space deck. Also can hurt reacting Arconas.

Twi’lek Advisor x3 – One is for starting, the others for getting out your effects quickly, and a five destiny draw does not hurt.

A Bright Center To The Universe – hurts operatives as well as other decks once you get Bespin or Tatooine out. Just remember that you need to defend the Death Star, as this gives the LS double incentive to go there.

Come Here You Big Coward – Here to defend the Death Star drains. The LS only has so many resources (mains) to commit. With Han sitting at the Death Star, you may be able to keep the LS from occupying two battlegrounds, especially if Leia is with Han on the Falcon. Also has the potential to hurt Training decks, and Revolver as well as Asteroids.

Imperial Arrest Order – keeps Nabrun from being a problem and boosts your forfeit for space battles. Should be your starting effect, unless you see Jedi Training, Operatives, or another obvious opening.

Lateral Damage – A big space beatdown card. Combo with Tallon Roll to even take out the Falcon (Have I been repeating myself?)

Presence Of The Force x2 – boosts drains in space and helps fight revolver, key against Operatives in the drain race.

Reactor Terminal – can’t set up as a seven without this. Also when the deploy of so many of your cards in high, you need to keep cards available for activation.

Resistance – my one card for numbers defense. Not a bad starter either. Also caps drains at Kessel, Coruscant, Obi’s Hut, etc. if you need to do so. If numbers are big where you play, take something out else out as well (maybe two other things) and replace these with Torture.

Security Precautions – Hurts Hidden Base and helps against Revolver as well. Hidden Base is not dead.

There’ll Be Hell To Pay – have to have one of these, grab those cards that keep coming back, It Could Be Worse, On the Edge, Sense, etc.

Visage of the Emperor – always nice to have a seven in the deck. Use it for draining at the Table or use Reactor Terminal to set up a seven for Vader’s choke vs. Obi.

Summary This deck needs to establish its drains early and force the LS to commit its mains to counter them with drains for their own. If the LS attacks, avoid them and drain where they are not. If the LS spreads out, find its weakest area and attack with Vader, Tarkin, and Walkers if possible. It is not a battle deck and may take some time before you get the proper feel for it. If you have a questions or improvements, please email me. I am “Paul” here on Decktech. Thanks and good luck. ‘