Submitted by Telak on Tue, 03/28/2006 - 18:00
(2) • Shuttlepod One, Reliable TransportStarfleet "Prep a shuttlepod, Mister Tucker." Characteristics: Card logging info: Logged by openCards team at Jan 1st, 2008. |  |
(Shuttle Class / Standard Equipment )
This Card-Review article was written by and was published first on "none".
"I hope nobody's in a hurry to get back home..." – Captain Jonathan Archer
Wow, ships that only cost two counters! Their low cost is what first caught my eye when I saw Shuttlepods One and Two, which will be included in the To Boldly Go expansion. Each of these ships has a unique ability, and each represents an opportunity to move about the galaxy sooner than your opponent. Consider, for instance, an opening hand that has Kelby, one of the shuttlepods, and B-4, Dangerous Simpleton. You can play all three right out of your opening hand, beam both personnel aboard the shuttlepod, and head to your opponent's planet mission (assuming it's within a rather limited range) to beam down B-4 and begin an infiltration all on your first turn using a Starfleet affiliation deck!
As hinted above, range is a critical limitation when using shuttlepods. Both shuttlepods have a printed range of only two, and are hampered even more by transporting crews with more than five personnel under your command. However, each also holds a special ability that allows it to successfully reach missions. While far from a universal constant, headquarters and planet missions often have a span of two, and space missions commonly have a span of three. As such, crews would probably be wise to not rely on Shuttlepod One for standard transport to space missions since the total, one-way range required is often five, and that's assuming they are in the same quadrant as the headquarters mission. Even shuttling back-and-forth to a planet could be difficult given a shuttlepod's susceptibility to damage (see below). An exception, and strong use of shuttlepods, is late game play – especially since either shuttle may be directly played to the same mission where your Enterprise resides. The range of either shuttlepod may also be increased if someone aboard has access to an Astrometrics Lab or a Quantum Slipstream Drive. An Engineer personnel (such as Kelby) may also help Exceed Engine Output to get your crew to a space mission if launching from a headquarters mission instead of a starship.
Another limiting consideration of the shuttlepods is that your ship may be easily Outclassed by several attribute-oriented dilemmas, events (maneuvers), and damage markers served by your opponent. As such, an alternate exit strategy (see Planning Your Own Escape) may be a good idea in a deck relying heavily on shuttlepods for transport. Of special interest for a Starfleet deck may again be Kelby for his ability to repair damage without returning to your headquarters.
When the shuttlepod limitations are addressed, it is difficult to find a faster, lower cost transport option. Moreover, the ability to play a shuttlepod directly to a mission where your Enterprise is located (or the similar ability of Shuttlepod Two to more easily reach a space mission) may be especially helpful in reducing crew size after the first attempt of a space mission, and when the number of personnel required to complete the mission is comparable to the number of dilemmas already overcome. For instance, your first visit to an Automated Repair Station may include a crew of nine aboard the Enterprise after having completed a planet mission. Since this mission can be achieved with five (or possibly even fewer) personnel, your opponent should plan to stop at least four personnel if he or she cannot selectively target the necessary skills – especially if some personnel are very adept at using Automated Repair Stations. Rabal, for example, has all of the skills necessary for this mission, is non-unique, and can report to Earth, Humanity's Home. Assuming three dilemmas are overcome after your first attempt with nine personnel, you can report a shuttlepod to the mission on your next turn, beam non-essential personnel off the primary ship and attempt with five (possibly including Rabal and Kelby), giving your opponent only two counters (without modifiers) to spend on dilemmas. Many other variations of this scenario are possible, and you are likely wise to adjust this strategy based on the type of dilemma pile your opponent is using, but it is at least an option for a fast way to reduce the overall number of dilemmas you must face. Of course, the best part is arguably the surprised look on your opponent's face, which may resemble the look on Locutus' face when he realized Riker sent a shuttle as part of what Picard would later identify as a "brilliantly unorthodox strategy" to rescue him from the Borg.
Wow, ships that only cost two counters! Their low cost is what first caught my eye when I saw Shuttlepods One and Two, which will be included in the To Boldly Go expansion. Each of these ships has a unique ability, and each represents an opportunity to move about the galaxy sooner than your opponent. Consider, for instance, an opening hand that has Kelby, one of the shuttlepods, and B-4, Dangerous Simpleton. You can play all three right out of your opening hand, beam both personnel aboard the shuttlepod, and head to your opponent's planet mission (assuming it's within a rather limited range) to beam down B-4 and begin an infiltration all on your first turn using a Starfleet affiliation deck!
As hinted above, range is a critical limitation when using shuttlepods. Both shuttlepods have a printed range of only two, and are hampered even more by transporting crews with more than five personnel under your command. However, each also holds a special ability that allows it to successfully reach missions. While far from a universal constant, headquarters and planet missions often have a span of two, and space missions commonly have a span of three. As such, crews would probably be wise to not rely on Shuttlepod One for standard transport to space missions since the total, one-way range required is often five, and that's assuming they are in the same quadrant as the headquarters mission. Even shuttling back-and-forth to a planet could be difficult given a shuttlepod's susceptibility to damage (see below). An exception, and strong use of shuttlepods, is late game play – especially since either shuttle may be directly played to the same mission where your Enterprise resides. The range of either shuttlepod may also be increased if someone aboard has access to an Astrometrics Lab or a Quantum Slipstream Drive. An Engineer personnel (such as Kelby) may also help Exceed Engine Output to get your crew to a space mission if launching from a headquarters mission instead of a starship.
Another limiting consideration of the shuttlepods is that your ship may be easily Outclassed by several attribute-oriented dilemmas, events (maneuvers), and damage markers served by your opponent. As such, an alternate exit strategy (see Planning Your Own Escape) may be a good idea in a deck relying heavily on shuttlepods for transport. Of special interest for a Starfleet deck may again be Kelby for his ability to repair damage without returning to your headquarters.
When the shuttlepod limitations are addressed, it is difficult to find a faster, lower cost transport option. Moreover, the ability to play a shuttlepod directly to a mission where your Enterprise is located (or the similar ability of Shuttlepod Two to more easily reach a space mission) may be especially helpful in reducing crew size after the first attempt of a space mission, and when the number of personnel required to complete the mission is comparable to the number of dilemmas already overcome. For instance, your first visit to an Automated Repair Station may include a crew of nine aboard the Enterprise after having completed a planet mission. Since this mission can be achieved with five (or possibly even fewer) personnel, your opponent should plan to stop at least four personnel if he or she cannot selectively target the necessary skills – especially if some personnel are very adept at using Automated Repair Stations. Rabal, for example, has all of the skills necessary for this mission, is non-unique, and can report to Earth, Humanity's Home. Assuming three dilemmas are overcome after your first attempt with nine personnel, you can report a shuttlepod to the mission on your next turn, beam non-essential personnel off the primary ship and attempt with five (possibly including Rabal and Kelby), giving your opponent only two counters (without modifiers) to spend on dilemmas. Many other variations of this scenario are possible, and you are likely wise to adjust this strategy based on the type of dilemma pile your opponent is using, but it is at least an option for a fast way to reduce the overall number of dilemmas you must face. Of course, the best part is arguably the surprised look on your opponent's face, which may resemble the look on Locutus' face when he realized Riker sent a shuttle as part of what Picard would later identify as a "brilliantly unorthodox strategy" to rescue him from the Borg.
