The Gamma Files – The Meta Charts | openCards

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The Gamma Files – The Meta Charts

    Long-Small-BannerimageWritten as part of the coverage for the Big-Event "EC 2008".

    This Strategy-Note article was written by openCards user thsch.

    With the European Championship only a few days away, it is about time to prepare the decks to face the finest in European Trek play. But prepare against what? What is played in Europe, what will you have to face in Potsdam?Let's open the Gamma Files and take a look into the decks used at the highest ranked tournaments we had in Europe so far to answer these questions. Collecting every available Decklist from the Regionals gives us a total of 40.5 Decks to work with. Beeing more precise the data is from all (or nearly all) the decks from London, Tilburg, Nuremberg, Hamburg, and Berlin plus the winning decks from Cork, Östersund and Klagenfurt (OK, only the draw deck from Klagenfurt, so that is where the half deck came from). Sounds a little German biased, but face it, the Europeans take place in Germany. So if you want to win you have to beat a lot of Germans. Better prepare for them.

    Without any further delays here are the 20 most played cards in Europe!

     

    20 Necessary Execution / Timescape

     

    Not too highly ranked but still in the top 20 are two dilemmas that counter specific strategies. If you planned on going planet first or do some multi-teaming maybe you should think of that again. (Played 22 times in total, average 0.5 times per deck)

     

    19 Agonizing Encounter / Distress Call

    Once again, two meta-dilemmas. Remember the votes on the CC-Boards about the size of your crew for the first attempt in space? Overwhelming result was eight and here is the reason why. And do not forget to chose your missions carefully. Two or three stops for a cost of four is not so bad but four stops for four cost and only one dilemma overcome is really a bargain. (Played 23 times in total, average 0.6 times per deck)

     

    18 No Kill I / Racial Tension / The Dreamer and the Dream

     

    We continue with dilemmas (but don't worry, we will get some other card types later). A safe stop, a (more or less) desperate try for a last stopped mission attempt and some nice (or not so nice, if you have to face it) extras if you can afford it. Nothing that should surprise anybody who has played Trek during the last years. (Total 26, average 0.6)

     

    17 Magnetic Field Disruptions / Outmatched

     

    Outmatched has been a constant in many dilemma piles since it was released some years ago. A more or less safe stop for a price (but apparently for a higher price than Excalbian Drama, as this card is played slightly more often), so again no surprise here. More interesting is the secon 17th place. From all the 1-cost skill stoppers Magnetic Field Disruptions is the only one in the top 20. The reason? Well do you know any good dilemma that needs Navigation or Astrometics? No? OK, here is a hint: Look at the 11th rank in this list... (Total 27, average 0.7)

    16 Chula: Pick One to Save Two

    Two cost, three stops or one card back to hand. If you ask me only slightly worse than Hard Time, and it looks like I am not the only one that likes Chula: Pick One to Save Two. (Total 28, average 0.7)

     

    15 Moral Choice / These are the Voyages

     

    Finally, a non-dilemma card! These are the Voyages, most likely the best card drawing engine in the game, so a deserved 15th rank. The second one is a Magic Bullets. Playing Federation? Face it, you will have to face Moral Choice. (Total 29, average 0.7)

     

    14 Excalbian Drama / Secret Identity

     

    The cheapest rank in this list with two zero cost dilemmas. Want to get rid of that specific personnel? Or just take a look if you remember all the skills correctly? Go with Secret Identity (and prepare for a personnel to appear that you even like less, than the one you removed...). And we have Excalbian Drama. Ever counted how many games you won because you were able to use that last Machianations (and your hand) on that last planet mission? Or how many you have lost because your opponent was able to do that? Suprised that it is in this list? (Total 30, average 0.7)

     

    13 Old Differences

     

    Two stops for (usually) three cost. Sounds good? Yes, that is why Old Differences is ranked 13th. Maybe you should think about some high cost missions... (Total 31, average 0.8)

     

    12 Inferiority

     

    Let's call it a saving account for dilemma cost. No need for all your dilemma counters? Put them in your opponents core and use them later. Safe from all these event destruction and usable whenever you like it. Too bad it doesn't bear interest... (Total 33, average 0.8)

     

    11 Back Room Dealings / Where No One Has Gone Before

     

    Back Room Dealings is one of the dilemmas against which even Chakotay and all the other stop-prevention cannot help. No stop? OK, we go for the kill. I think I never played a tournament after Necessary Evil where I have not faced that dilemma. And Where No One has gone before. Sadly I have to say I have never played a tournament where I did not fail that dilemma... (Total 34, average 0.8)

     

    10 Personal Duty

     

    We start the top 10 with one of the oldest cards in this list. But hey, it is old, but that doesn't mean it is not effective. There are still a lot of decks out there where Personal Duty alone can stop a mission attempt. Some fine-tunning of your personnel could really save you some trouble here. (Total 31, average 0.9)

    9 Chula: The Chandra / Fesarius Bluff

    A dual dilemma, that gives you two save stops, with some luck more (and I mean much more!) and all for only two cost. How can you not like that card? I mean aside from the fact that your opponet is allowed to use it? Everything necessary to say about Fesarius Bluff has been said when speaking about its planet-brother. So there is only one question: Why it is higher ranked than Excalbian Drama? Ideas anybody? (Total 38, average 0.9)

    8 At What Cost

    With the 8th rank we are reaching the cards that are (at least in average) in every deck. One extra turn worth of counters. And with all the possibilities for bonus points, at (nearly) no cost. Maybe the best reason to stock event destruction that can handle events when they are played and not only when they are in the core. (Total 41, average 1.0)

    7 Emergency Transporter Unit

    As if there where not enough reasons to play ETUs, the CC recently added another one (or more precise two): Breaking the Ice and What Lies Beneath can either be passed by an unbelievable amount of a not so easy to find skill or simply by two ETUs. And of course, it can save your personnel. There is a reason that Emergency Transporter Unit is the highest ranked Equipment. And maybe it is the reason to think about Equipment Malfunction once again... (Total 43, average 1.0)

    6 Gomtuu Shock Wave

    OK, it really is getting boring. Since Jaglom Shrek is doing rankings with the most played cards in tournaments, Gomtuu is on these lists. Isn't there something else you could play? I mean there are so many space walls! Be creative and remove all these Gomtuus from your deck before going to Potsdam! (But do not forget to bring the Gomtuus with you, because I will trade for all of them...) (Total 45, average 1.1)

    5 Guess who's Comming to Dinner?

    Everything said about Back Room Dealings also holds true for Guess who's Comming to Dinner. So why it is ranked so much higher than the Treachery version? Just guessing, Gomtuu? (Total 46, average 1.1)

    4 An Issue of Trust

    When it comes to An Issue of Trust there are only two possibilities. You like it, or you are playing Klingons, Ferengi, Romulans, Cardassians... Maybe the new Neral will change that, but till then it is one of the best mass stoppers. (Total 54, average 1.3)

    3 Hard Time / Machinations

    Wondering why Hard Time is ranked so high? Bring some spare copies of this card to Potsdam. I would be supprised if you still have it after Lunch... For a long time Hard Time was the most played dilemma in Germany, and it is still very popular. Come on, how can you not like this card? It removes one personnel and cleans up the mess. As Johannes Klarhauser called it: „The Best Dilemma Ever“. Joining Hard Time on the 3rd place is Machinations a.k.a „The card that gives you one more turn when you really need it.“ There is a reason that all this zero cost walls are in the Top 20 and this reason is Machianations. (Total 57, average 1.4)

    2 Skeleton Crew

    The most played dilemma in the Regionals. And the most played dilemma at the German Championship. Not supprising, since Skeleton Crew is the best (and only) weapon against minimal attempts. Not that it helps so much... (Total 59, average 1.4)

    1 Unexpected Difficulties

    What should I say about Unexpected Difficulties? It beat the Future Enterprise in the All-time-favorite voting on the CC boards. A deserved winner. There and here. (Total 63, average 1.5)

     

    Not supprisingly the Top 20 contains mostly dilemmas with some additions of events and one equipment, so let's do some honorable mentions for all the other card types:

     

    Highest ranked Personnel: Julian Bashir, Rebel Captain

     

    Cheap when played, expensive when needed, high Cunning, a bunch of skills and Non-alligned. A deserved most played personnel. (Total 18, average 0.4, overall rank 23)

     

    Highest ranked Interupt: Grav-Plating Trap

     

    Rember when I spoke about Event destruction that can handle At what Cost? Here is the card you need. (Total 14, average 0.3, overall rank 27)

     

    Highest ranked Ship: U.S.S. Excelsior

     

    To cite the lore: „...one of Staarfleet's greatest successes.“ Neither Outclassed nor Tactical Disadvantage where able to get the Excelsior out of the Federation Decks and I believe nothing will be able to get that job done. (Total 13, avergae 0.3, overall rank 28)

     

    Highest ranked Mission: Survey New World

     

    OK, Survey New World has a drawback, that sometimes can really ruin your day. But it is so easy to solve! And it is played often (more than 25% of the decks used it). So if you want to use it prepare for an opponent doing one-personnel attempts to remove your away team. (Total 11, average 0.3, overall rank 30)

    That's it! The most played cards in Europe. So what do you want to do? Use them? Or use something unexpected to shock your opponents? Whatever your decision is, prepare to see these cards when you fight for the Championship because you surely will see them.