Wesley's STCCG card of the day #273


Hi, folks,

those Decipher guys really do know how to keep COTD authors happy. A new card every day for another twelve days means I can forget about that card shortage for a while.

But of course I can't review the T'Pau yet (no I don't have the stats either) so I'll stick with

PLASMADYNE RELAY

Equipment, uncommon(?) QC.
While on a ship, RANGE and SHIELDS are +2. While at a station or outpost, SHIELDS are +4. (Cumulative).
"Device designed by Geordi LaForge to improve warp engine quantum efficiency. Wesley Crusher opined that it was obsolete and needed a subprocessor matrix overhaul."

Finally something I waited for almost since the game came out. A Range enhancer and even a good one. Put this on any ship with a 7 or 8 range (they have by far the most to gain from a 2 range boost as the 8->9 step is the most effective in terms of locations traveled per turn and the 7->8 and 9->10 steps are also quite large. The added two SHIELDS are IMHO just an extra bonus, but not negligible either.

A few good places to put the relay:

1) A runabout. At 9/5/7 without staffing requirements this is more than just a good ship. Gives "RUN about" an entirely new meaning ;-)

2) The USS Nebula. 10/7/10 even beats the Enterprise in mobility and defensive power, and with the same number of total cards.

3) The Enterprise-C. Again 10/7/10 and at least a 7 Range until you can repair the ship after bringing it into play.

4) The I.K.C. K'Ratak. Helps her to get the same range as the other K'Vort class ships and finally make her a useful member of a Klingon Armada.

5) Any rare D'Deridex class warbird (ed: Devoras, Haakona, Khazara, Decius). With Captain's Log and the right Captain. Nets you a really big attacker (11/12/12 anybody ?)

6) Tama. 9/9/10 is good. 9/12/13 is better. And Dathon is a good character so you might even play him. And I doubt you can pump a 2 crew ship much higher.

And the other use? Playing it on a station or outpost? Far less useful. Though you might want to add one to the Colony card just in case a Borg ship comes your way and you have a large away team down there.

Last thing: adding two or more on a single ship. Gains from Range become worth less once you go over 10. So the only ships where it would IMHO make sense to add two Plasmadyne relays would be a Husnock or an Edo Vessel if you really want to use them for attacking.

Or, if you really want to pull off a daisy chain with a twist, try this: Play Engage Shuttle Operations. Add a shuttle to your Enterprise. Add three Plasmadyne Relays (+6, so the Enterprise now has 15 range.) Fly those 15. Send out the shuttle with the relays. Fly 6+6 = 12 more Range. If you happen to have a Nebula there, load the shuttle (and the relays) aboard and fly another 14 range. Solve a mission there (41 span away from your starting point). Next turn, return the same way. Oh, your spaceline was shorter than 41? Too bad ;-)

And who said I considered these things obsolete? Q, next time take care what you write in those cards !!! ;-)


Favorite combo(s):

- Multiple Plasmadyne Relays and a ship daisy chain. Why stick with +2 if you can get +4 ?

- Plasmadyne Relay + Runabout. Almost degenerate.


Ratings for : PLASMADYNE RELAY

Wesley's rating:                8.5
Allen's rating:                 9.5
Cole's rating:                  8.5
Data's rating:                  8.5
Drew's rating:                  7.0
Gowron's rating:                ---
Hal's rating:                   ---
Jack's rating:                  8.4
Lakanta's rating:               ---
Nanite's rating:               10.0
Nouwa's rating:                 9.975
Picarde's rating:               7.0
Q's rating:                     9.0
Ranger's rating:                ---
Ray's rating:                   6.7 (What was that Wesley comment about?)
Tania's rating:                 ---
Tony's rating:                  ---
Wa'Qah's rating:                ---
----------------------          
AVERAGE RATING:                 8.6

Huh, many ---'s here. Seems some people have overlooked the card.


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LLAP,

Wesley Crusher, the new STCCG Lord

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