ST2E - Latest Card-Reviews on openCards

Welcome to the overview of the latest ST2E Card-Reviews

You will find the latest 15 Card-Reviews here (order desc by publishing date).

On Second Thought: Smuggling a Card In

Every month this year, I’ve posted a Blog on something related to Second Edition. Sometimes it’s a behind the scenes story, sometimes I look back at a set and sometimes I might even reveal a spoiler. I’m cross posting this month’s entry here.

Time for a story!

Way back when I was a Resident Assistant in college, my boss told me about her time on a recruitment committee. Part of the job involved traveling to job conferences to interview perspective staff members. There was a particular job fair that unofficially required the hiring company to decorate their provided room with paraphernalia from the school. She told me specifically that she was walking around with her boss who said “Those blankets look nice.” She took the hint and those $98 blankets were approved on the total budget but the $2 untippable mug? Not so much.

Bomb's Away!

There are three themes in Shattered Mirror.  Two have been revealed in several previews in various venues.  They are the Mirror Universe being introduced as a stand-alone headquarters and the Klingons getting a chance in the spotlight of an expansion.

There is a third theme appearing in Shattered Mirror.  Though more of a sub theme in volume, the pitch was events or personnel that get activated when a mission is solved by your opponent.  Think of Soft Sell which plays on an incomplete mission and when it’s solved, stuff happens.  Think of Duras, Son of a Traitor who is at a mission when solved can kill a solver of their choice.

Consider them to be Duras Bombs.

What's a Girl Gotta Do to Get to the Mirror Universe?

The Mirror Universe is fairly well fleshed out in First Edition.  You can easily play in a variety of forms: Mirror , or .  In Second Edition it’s also quite easy to play Mirror Universe factions such as Starfleet or the Terran Empire, because they are simply variants on the or affiliations and play to their existing headquarters.  However, this has not been the case for the Klingon-Cardassian alliance.  In fact, this deck has been relegated to the status of one of my “Cool” decks for a couple of years now.  It requires you to play three headquarters (Mouth of the Wormhole, Deep Space 9, Qo'noS, Heart of the Empire and Cardassia Prime, Hardscrabble World) and lots of Multidimensional Transporter Devices (assisted by Souls of the Dead) to get your personnel in play.  Due to the triple HQ, you have to play two 50 point missions to get a win, which is always a tricky proposition.

You've Put Bajor On the Map

Far Beyond the Stars has always been an expansion designed to celebrate some of the great moments of Deep Space Nine since it first premiered twenty-five years ago. We've seen cards that looked back on the horrors of the Dominion War and the Cardassian resistance to it. Backing up a bit, we've seen the increase of Klingon hostilities in season 4. And even before that, the partnership of the Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar intelligence networks in season 3.

Today, on the day of the full set release, and with the final two cards being revealed, we go all the way back to the beginning, to the premiere episode of Deep Space Nine, "Emissary."

Some players like to see big names, or "star power," appear on new cards, and I think this set has already given plenty of star power. However, the personnel I'm about to spoil was not a big name on Deep Space Nine. He was only in the first episode for a couple of scenes, and never appeared in the series again after that episode.

An Old Friend

“Odo, I used to think all your problems stemmed from the fact that you were a changeling, isolated from your own kind, forced to live among strangers who didn't understand you. You couldn't eat, you couldn't drink, you couldn't sleep, you couldn't make love. Was it any wonder you had such a bad disposition? But you're not a changeling anymore. You're one of us. Life is yours for the taking. All you have to do is reach out and grab it. But do you? No. Because solid or changeling, you're still a miserable, self-hating misanthrope.”

– Quark, The Ascent

Everyone’s favorite misanthrope finally makes an appearance in Far Beyond the Stars. I give you, Odo, Vigilant Staffer. This version of Odo was a real treat to design, and one of the cards in the set that changed the least from pitch to production. When Nathan and I settled on our design goals for the set, we were both pretty sure we wanted an Odo. But, we also didn’t want to recycle something that had already been done before. Thankfully, we came up with the idea to round out the Staffer team from one of the fans’ favorite Deep Space Nine episodes, Season 5’s Trials and Tribble-ations. We hope you’ll be pleased.

The Greatest Hero of the Klingon Empire

Welcome to the Hall of Warriors Here you will see statues standing as great monuments to the heroes of our people. To your left, Kahless, The Unforgettable, who slew the Tyrant Molor with The Sword of Kahless. To your right, Rurik the Damned, who conquered the Zora Fel and liberated Vrax. And of course in the center of the hall we have our main attraction, the man who finally defeated our greatest nemesis, James T. Kirk, Highly-Decorated Captain, none other than Arne Darvin.

History shows that Darvin first encountered Kirk on Deep Space Station K-7, Monitor Federation Commerce, while working undercover for Klingon Intelligence. The treacherous Terran used another of our greatest enemies, a Tribble, to expose Darvin and foil what would otherwise have been a great victory for the Klingon Empire. But a true warrior like Darvin knows that patience brings victory, and he spent the next Earth century studying both Tribbles and relics which might aid in his quest. Songs are sung of how his anthropological studies helped in the Great Tribble Hunt of Iota Geminorum IV, Relocate Polygeminus Grex and other similar battles. But Darvin’s greatest victory came from his archaeological skills, as he obtained the Orb of Time.

War is Good for Business, But Only From a Distance

“You know, I never expected to say this, but as occupations go, this one’s not so bad.”

– Quark, A Time to Stand

What would a set celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Deep Space Nine be without Quark? Perhaps more than any other supporting character, Quark personifies the practical, calculating amorality of a man concerned almost wholly with profit. It’s not that Quark is unprincipled – he has his own form of morality – and, as Jadzia Dax, Tongo Player observed, once you understand it you understand Quark. If Milton Friedman and Ayn Rand got together and wrote a science fiction series, Quark might well be the star. In a Creative meeting regarding this character, it was remarked, “Quark is nothing if not practical.” Truer words were never spoken, and with that, I give you Quark, Practical Apologist.

“Look around. Do you see any ghetto fences dividing the Promenade? Or exhausted Bajoran slave laborers sprawled on the ground after a grueling day in the Ore Processing Centre? Do you hear the cries of starving children? I don’t. Now don’t get me wrong, I miss the Federation too. All I’m saying is, things could be a lot worse.”

– Quark, A Time to Stand

Just like the Quark of the early Season 6 arc, from the beginning of the Cardassian liberation of Terok Nor through his fateful decision to join the Dissident movement in Behind the Lines, this Quark does his best to survive under the Cardassian-Dominion Alliance. And, for a time, he prospers, even winning over the confidence of high-ranking Cardassian officers, which of course puts him in a perfect position to gather intelligence on the Cardassian-Dominion war effort. So, when it was decided that this set needed a Quark, we hit upon the idea of capturing that dynamic in a non-Dissident version of Quark.

Catching Up With the Cardassians

“I want you to give a message to the Federation. Tell them they have an ally on Cardassia.”
-Damar, Strange Bedfellows

About two-thirds of the way through the final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the story turned almost exclusively to the war between the Dominion and the Federation, Klingons and Romulans. A critical turning point came when the Dominion forged an alliance with the Breen without informing the nominal leader of the Cardassians, Legate Damar. As part of the agreement, the Dominion promised to turn over several Cardassian territories to the Breen. This insult helped Damar realize the Dominion was only using the Cardassians as a means to an end. Damar left his post and formed the Cardassian Liberation Front, a dissident movement designed to remove the Dominion’s influence over the Cardassians.

With the aid of Commander Kira Nerys (Kira Nerys, Starfleet Emissary), Damar’s dissidents discovered a way to strike a blow against the Dominion by helping out their enemy, the Federation. As part of their alliance, the Breen brought the Dominion a new energy dampening weapon. With the help of loyal Cardassians like Vornar, Damar led a small team onto a Jem’hadar Attack Ship, commandeered it, and turned it over to the Federation for study. The intelligence gathered from this ship allowed the Federation to resist the Breen energy weapon and helped turn the tide of the war. These events inspired today’s cards from Far Beyond the Stars: Damar, Niala and Elim Garak.

A Morale Boost

Joseph Sisko: Are things really as bad as the news service claims?

Captain Sisko: Maybe worse.

Joseph Sisko: Well, you certainly know how to comfort a frightened old man.

-“A Time to Stand”

It’s the beginning of the sixth season of Deep Space Nine and things are not looking good for the Federation/Klingon alliance against The Dominion. The Federation has suffered defeat after defeat and morale is low throughout the fleet.  They are looking for a big victory to boost themselves up and Sisko and Crew are assigned to the task. They are asked to take the Salvaged Attack Ship to blow up the main supply depot for Ketracel-White in the Alpha Quadrant. The abilities of this Sisko and the new Salvaged Attack Ship represent the clandestine nature of this mission. I especially like how they both have the icon, rather than .  After all, the station was at that time.

Genocidal Plans

“You in the Central Command have neglected the security of our people and allowed peace with Bajor and the Federation to blind you to the real threat, the Dominion. I intend to remove that threat. Let history be my judge.” – Enabran Tain, The Die is Cast.

In 2371 Enabran Tain commanded a fleet of advanced Romulan D'deridex Class and Cardassian Keldon Class warships into the Gamma Quadrant to launch a preemptive strike against what he perceived to be the greatest threat to the Alpha Quadrant: the Dominion. His plan, carried forward and supported by elements within both the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar, was particularly Cardassian in nature – his intention was to element the Founders. Cardassians have a history of being comfortable with war crimes, and so the words, “let history be my judge” are particularly chilling when spoken by Tain as they call to mind some of humanities worst atrocities committed in the name of “securing the peace.” Unfortunately for Tain and his fleet, the Founders had been made aware of the plot, and the doomed fleet was heading into an ambush.

Rebel With a Cause

Let us take a trip in the Wayback Machine...

On November 24, 2004, Decipher announced the results of the Reflections Contest #2: Chaotic Quotes. This contest required participants to match bits of lore and images for (at the time) unrevealed cards. Back then I knew only a little about Trek (I came to the franchise through the game, not the other way around), but I knew how to Google phrases to find their respective episodes. Out of 49 correct entries, mine was randomly selected as the winner. My prize of a display box of Reflections arrived at my door in far less than the 8-10 week estimate.

The Ends Justify the Means

DUKAT: That’s close enough, Garak.

GARAK: I wanted to make sure the council members were safe.

DUKAT: Hoping, no doubt, that your concern would curry some political favor?

GARAK: Oh, and I take it your concern is motivated strictly by patriotism.

DUKAT: Oh, the council members are well aware of my patriotism and the sacrifices I was willing to make in order to save them. Now, why don’t you go back to your tailor shop and sew something?

GARAK: Because if the Klingons do invade this station, you just may need my help. Who would’ve thought that the two of us would be fighting side by side?

DUKAT: Just remember when you fire that thing you’re aiming it at a Klingon.

GARAK: I’ll try to keep that in mind.

When Far Beyond the Stars was first approved for production, I was delighted to work on a set dedicated to my favorite series in the whole of Trek: Deep Space Nine. Deep Space Nine was always more comfortable dealing with darker subject matter than its predecessors, and if good science fiction serves as a means to allow comment on the human condition, then perhaps no single alien race better personifies the human capacity for deceit and amorality than the Cardassians. As a people, Cardassians prioritize power over truth. In Season Four’s two-part opener, The Way of the Warrior, Elim Garak, Plain Simple Tailor and Dukat, Military Advisor demonstrate this reality succinctly when they reluctantly agree to fight the invading Klingons together – not because of a shared sense of patriotism or loyalty or honor, but because both of them see an opportunity for personal gain in the situation, and each is willing to risk betrayal at the hands of the other or death at the hands of Klingon warriors in order to get what he wants. It's the very essence of the concept of the ends jutifying the means. With that in mind, I present The Enemy of My Enemy.

Beware Saber Bears on Kang's Summit

“The Negh’var. There’s a General Martok on board asking to speak with you.”
-Jadzia Dax, Way of the Warrior

Season 4 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine opened with the Klingons declaring war on the Cardassians, and subsequently the Federation. This season also introduced a new character, a Klingon (allegedly) general named Martok. In reality, “Martok” was a Founder sent by the Dominion to instigate instability in the Alpha Quadrant.

“But first, let us be sure we are all who we say we are.”
-Martok Founder, Way of the Warrior

“If I was a smart shape-shifter, a really good one, the first thing I would do would be to grab some poor soul off the street, absorb every ounce of his blood, and let it out on cue whenever someone like you tried to test me. Don’t you see? There isn’t a test that’s been created a smart man can’t find his way around.”
-Joseph Sisko, Homefront

In his very first scene, the Martok Founder subjected himself to a blood screening to prove his Klingon nature to Sisko, Kira and the audience. He maintained this ruse for an entire year, commanding the I.K.S. Negh’var and leading the Klingon war efforts against the Cardassians. No other Founder experience quite the same level of success in infiltrating their target affiliation. Martok Founder does such a great job of posing as the real Martok, this version can even play directly to your Qo'noS.

Dukat, Erstwhile Ally

"I'm a much more complicated man than you give me credit for." - Gul Dukat, Return to Grace.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Deep Space Nine. In many ways the series was revolutionary for Star Trek for its darker tone and complex portrayal of humans and aliens who lived not in the utopian paradise depicted in The Next Generation but in a universe dominated by shades of gray.  When Nathan and I pitched a boutique set commemorating Deep Space Nine, we wanted the overall feel of the set to reflect the character of the show. When we were deciding on specific cards to pitch, it was clear to both of us early on that we wanted pivotal moments and characters well represented.  So, the series' principle recurring antagonist, Gul Dukat, was a natural choice.

I Gave You a Hint Last Time

OK, so I was kind of naughty in my last article.  Normally when you get little hints about future cards in articles, it's because those cards will be revealed later in the set.  Well, I sort of took it an extra step, into the next set.  I had seen the cards from Dead Stop, and I found this little gem, Hazardous Materials.

As I was building a Mirror Starfleet deck, it just seemed natural to include three Trellium-Ds in my deck to use with this card.  I had already put in two Delphic Expanse missions which are fairly easy for Mirror Starfleet to complete.  Those missions bring the cost to play the equipment down to zero. This means that for the cost of drawing those pieces of equipment, you could get three kills from a three cost dilemma.  That's incredible!

Want more? Search our comprehensive Card-Review database by different criterias for a particular article OR visit the latest published Card-Reviews on openCards.