Highly-Decorated Captain

Every version of James T. Kirk in Star Trek Second Edition has had some game-changing effect. The original version to debut in this incarnation of the card game, Living Legend is perhaps the best example of this. Let us not forget, however, about the Original Thinker who doesn't like to lose. ... So, now that we're focusing on the Star Trek series that started it all, can the original series Kirk do anything less?

Without a doubt, this Highly-Decorated Captain doesn't disappoint. For starters, at a cost of just two counters, you get four very useful skills, a Command Star, a Past icon, an Original Series icon, and attributes of Integrity 7, Cunning 6 and Strength 6. That's nothing to sneeze at for such a low cost... and Kirk's skills will be required on all kinds of missions and dilemmas.

Now, there's his corresponding commander status. Since as far back as the Second Edition base set, there have been great reasons to include the corresponding commander of a specific ship in your deck, including Inspiring Leader. Its range boost can really help Kirk and the Enterprise tackle some nasty dilemmas like Outclassed or their like.

But, as with many main characters from the seminal Star Trek series, Kirk's game text is the part that makes most players drool. The upgrade theme is a well-known component of the Original Series faction in Second Edition by now, but old JTK's upgrade is more like a turbo boost. Or perhaps a finishing move. Either way you look at it, Kirk has quite a few tricks up his sleeve.

For just three extra counters (bringing his cost to a more 'Kirk-like' five) you can download two cards when you play Kirk. Now, they have to be from a specific set of cards, but let's look at them, shall we?

ORIGINAL SERIES ICON:

Within this selection, Kirk can get you useful personnel like Matt Decker, Vengeful Commodore or Pavel A. Chekov, Young Navigator. Of course, you can also pull game-breaking personnel like Spock, Science Officer or even a starship such as U.S.S. Enterprise, Beautiful Lady or U.S.S. Constitution. The possibilities are almost limitless.

ASSAULT:

There aren't as many useful Assault cards for the Federation, but you can possibly surprise your opponent if you do the unthinkable...have Kirk work with the Klingons or the Maquis in a dual-headquarters deck. Downloading things like Ferocity or even Brutal Struggle at just the right time can have a devastating effect. Always beware of Shirtless Kirk!

MANEUVER:

What can you say about Kirk and his Maneuvers? Whether it's something as mundane as blasting away with Cry "Havoc!" or a more focused strategy with cards like Pierce Their Defenses and Disable Sensors, Kirk's download can cause a real headache for your opponent by getting a hold of some essential damage markers. Of course, some maneuvers are more about getting out of trouble than starting some, like Exceed Engine Output. Speaking of which...

PURSUIT:

The subset of cards with the Pursuit keyword has been 'hit or miss' in the history of Second Edition. You've got some useful cards like Blind Spot, and then you've got some very situational cards like Parallel Course. But, you can use Kirk's download to do some weird things. Like filling up your hand with two copies of Sensor Sweep and then using that to download two more Pursuit cards. Later, you can use A Long Road to pick up the Sensor Sweeps. I'm not sure yet what you could accomplish with this tactic, but you can bet someone will figure it out.

TEMPORAL:

The Federation Agency that polices the timeline once referred to Kirk as a menace. It's true, the good captain traveled along the timeline almost as often as he did the galaxy. So, now you can replicate that with Kirk's final option for downloading: Temporal cards. Whether you're going after dilemma manipulation with things like Tampering With Time or Temporal Delineation, remember that Kirk provides the pre-requisite Past icon himself. Also, don't forget about useful cards like The Play's the Thing and Temporal Test Subject. And then there's that big donut...uh, I mean, the Guardian of Forever, that seems to have a particular liking for Kirk.

Does the Highly-Decorated Captain live up to that Kirk pedigree? He certainly has the potential to be game changing, even if sometimes it is a gamble to know which cards to download when upgrading him. Sometimes you'll just have to take a risk. Hey, "...That's what this starship is all about. That's why we're aboard her."