Wesley's STCCG card of the day #38

Hi, folks,

I assume you're all waiting, so let's jump right into it with:

ALIEN PARASITES

Planet Dilemma, uncommon.
Unless INTEGRITY >32, Away team infected. They beam back and opponent im- mediately controls ship and crew until "stopped". Then turn resumes.
"Intelligent parasites enter and take control of a humanoid. Their presence can be detected by a gill like protrusion on the back of a host's neck."

Let's try that one by the three criteria for a dilemma:

Effect: Powerful. You have a lot of options once this dilemma has taken hold.
First, you can use the crew to solve a mission and get the points (and arti- facts) that go along with it. Nice if this is the last (or only) dilemma at a location, you can just beam back down, take the mission and whatever comes with it.

However, situations are less than perfect so let's consider a few other options. Second best is of course to indirectly further your own needs and do some damage along the way. So just assume you placed a Barclay's disease under a mission you want to later espionage at. Send the opponent's crew there, beam down all crewmembers except for the SCIENCE guys, have them die. Then redshirt the next dilemma with the SCIENCE you've left. Result: Two di- lemmas AND a crew of the opponent's gone :-).

Of course, if you cannot benefit from it, do as much harm as possible. A Borg Ship or a Crystalline Entity should come handy. If nothing is viable, at least move away as far as possible and make opponent lose one turn moving back.

Difficulty overcoming: Too low. Any away team worth its name has those 33 INTEGRITY. Even Rommie players will make sure they have enough for this one.

Solution: Play after some nasties. Armus, Alien Abduction and the various opponent's choice Dilemmas come in handy.

Flexibility: No flexibility in placement as this requires combo play. Great however once active.

Note: Being affected by this one and then seeing your opponent passing 100 using your crew is one of the most embarrassing ways to lose! Makes for good bragging if you win like this :-) ObBrag: I did it once.

Favorite combo(s):

Chalnoth, Microvirus, Archer, Alien Parasites (in this order!): One-two- three-STRIKE!
Place this card last under a mission. Then score easy points.

Ratings for :

Wesley's rating:                7.5
Jon's rating:                   7.0
Allen Castaban's rating:        9.5
Tim Kwong's rating:             8.5
Habib's rating:                 7.0
Bryan's rating:                 9.5
Jason's rating:                 9.7
Holt Kernodle's rating:         5.0
Simon's rating:                 8.5
Data's rating:                  8.3
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AVERAGE RATING:                 8.05

Please direct all email concerning card of the day to: blohmer@pips11.informatik.uni-mannheim.de

LLAP,

Wesley Crusher, the new STCCG Lord

"A couple of lightyears can't keep good friends apart"