DECIPHER.com > Star Trek > Expansions > Reflections 2.0

Insurgency Program

by Matt "Captain" Kirk

The Maquis are back in a big way after Reflections 2.0 releases. Maquis decks were little more than an annoyance before; perhaps making the opponent spend a few extra counters redrawing cards, or taking out the occasional card with Organized Terrorist Activities. But the main category that the Maquis were severely lacking in was quality dilemma-busting personnel. With a high average cost for their personnel and their characteristic early- to mid-game interactions, they often got left behind after an opponent's deck got into full swing. The Maquis needed some kind of boost that would level the playing field for them when it came to mission attempts. Enter Maquis Raid.

This great new tool for Maquis players enhances a deck strategy already based on dilemma manipulation, in addition to enabling the Maquis to pass skill-based dilemmas like never before. Players will need to track their opponent's personnel accurately to get the most mileage out of this card. Maquis Raid becomes much more useful if you know that your opponent will need to 'cheat' to get around a dilemma that you select. Of course, this also means you will need to spend the rest of your dilemma counters to actually deter your opponent's progress. This also combos nicely with No Harm Done. And since you're placing cards on Maquis Raid, you won't have to worry about losing it to Adapted to Service Us.

While everyone may have more initial trepidation about a different, new Maquis card in Reflections 2.0, Maquis Raid looks to be the workhorse that Athos IV decks will come to depend upon. A healthy hand size will also be needed to fuel the Raid (or Raids, depending on how many copies are on the table). And at zero cost, its secondary requirement will not be a problem for most Maquis decks already sporting multiple Smileys for cheap fleets with matching commanders. Don't be surprised if you start to see a few more grim little fog-bound pieces of rock at a tournament near you!

December 2, 2004