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Explicit Orders

by Michael van Breemen

While it has been perceived that one of the Dominion's weaknesses in their reliance on multiple species (thus vulnerable to the dilemma Racial Tensions) can be a detriment to the affiliation as a whole, such diversity can also be a benefit, thanks to the interrupt Explicit Orders. When your Dominion personnel are attempting a mission, discard a Dominion personnel of a different species to gain all of their skills until the end of that mission attempt. Much like Discreet Inquiry for Federation DS9 personnel and Elim Garak, Agent of the Obsidian Order, the surprise factor of this card can be a definite plus, especially against some ardent skill trackers. After all, Jem'Hadar aren't exactly known for their Intelligence (not intended as a pun.... honest...) nor Vorta for their Officer characteristics nor Founders for their Honor. So let's take advantage of that.

All Jem'Hadar + Explicit Orders of a Vorta or Founder with Treachery + Rescue Prisoners of War = solved mission. Your opponent, noticing that you had no Treachery, drops no dilemmas down, thinking that you couldn't solve the mission. One mission down, who's next?

Another side of this is the fact that your opponent can't just put off giving you dilemmas now, even though you don't at first have all the requirements. Just like playing Comfort Women after resolving all the dilemmas in order to get enough attributes, you can play Explicit Orders in order to get the necessary skills, leaving behind your mission solvers in relative safety.

September 23, 2004