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Full Security Alert

Michael R. Keller
"36 of 38"

Security is arguably the most used skill in Star Trek CCG Second Edition. And no wonder: from Biochemical Hyperacceleration and Dangerous Liaisons to Kolaran Raiders and Telepathic Deception, a wide range of dilemmas require Security, including some of the most powerful ones that will be thrown at your away team. Missions also contribute to the importance of security. Rescue Prisoners, Evacuate Colony, Brute Force, Plot Invasion, and Rescue Prisoners of War are all missions that have seen play in high-level tournaments, and require Security. Brute Force, an important centerpiece of Klingon decks, requires three Security! A rule of thumb that has been around since Premiere is, "You can't have too much Security."

Time to chop that thumb off. It is the high density of Security personnel that makes today's dilemma, Full Security Alert, so powerful. This wonderful skill filter is "guaranteed" to stop at least one Security personnel, and show me an away team brave enough to show up without at least one Security escort. "But, Michael, you wild and crazy guy, isn't three a little too much to pay just to stop one personnel?" Here's where the density part comes into play. With the release of Reflections, there will be 106 Security personnel in the game (counting those who gain Security when facing a dilemma), only 39 of which cost three or more. So, 63% of all available Security personnel will trigger the second sentence of Full Security Alert. It gets better. Of those 39, only Reconnaissance Drone isn't unique. Given the number of decks which rely on multiple copies of non-unique personnel, this raises the likelihood that when multiple Security personnel are present, the one selected at random will trigger the second part of Full Security Alert. Theoretically, if you had every single permissible copy of each Security personnel in a mission attempt, you would have an 83% chance of selecting one that costs two or less. "But, Michael, I can just not bring any Security personnel along, or even just one!" Well, with many missions, you just don't have the option of not bringing along Security personnel. As for the others, this is where we find the best possible combo for Full Security Alert, known as Heightened Perception. I can start you off with Full Security Alert, then if your Security personnel are exhausted, finish you off with a Security-based wall like Center of Attention.

December 7, 2004