Connecting over some red wine

algorithm 112

This deck is a mix of two relatively obscure strategies that work surprisingly well together. It has a different and interesting play style, and is really fun when you get it working (translation: probably not tier 1). Check it out if you're looking to mix things up! And, please chime in with any suggestions for improvement!

Strategy 1 Connections

To get the connections part of this deck online, get The Supplier out (use Hostage to find him if needed). If you get either component to the drip economy (console or contacts) put them on The Supplier. As you find yourself with extra clicks or facing hand size limitations, he is also a good place to store interfaces/chips/scrubbers. Draw until you see Off-Campus Apartment and Drug Dealer, which will start getting you cards every turn click-free. It is pretty fast to 4+ connections, at which point you can use Calling in Favors for surprise pressure.

Strategy 2 Wine and ditch

The main money source of this deck is from Au Revoir. It's reasonably hard for the corp to turn this engine off, as open remotes, open archives, or outermost sentries give you a jack out window. Usually you want to leave one ICE unrezzed (archives typically) so you can switch to Snitch if they put Barriers/Code Gates outside of every server. Jak Sinclair gives click-free credits / accesses at the start of your turn. He's worth is looking for with Hostage after some and/or Revoirs.

Face-checking with Nero is pretty safe, so, bounce between set up and running R&D/HQ to test for weaknesses. You'll either get accesses, 1+ jack-out credit (if it is a sentry), or force the corp to rez a lot of ICE. Once you see what ICE is where, Special Order lets you find solutions. The downside to this strategy is punishing barrier/code gates (see below).

Match-up strengths and weaknesses

STRENGTHS: Since you're constantly seeing cards in HQ, this deck is pretty decent against kill decks. You'll see the Corp's options/traps. You also see agendas Fast Advance decks are planning to score (which is helpful if you can get in). Asset spam is "reasonable" with Scrubbers, Political Operative, and the fact that it leaves the Revoir engine on. Slower corps are ideal.

WEAKNESSES: Of course, this deck also broadcasts pretty quickly what it is trying to do, so HB decks with cheap Code Gate and Barrier ICE can sometimes turn off Revoir before you see Snitch. NBN can be a little too fast, and has the worst ICE for this deck: Archangel. It is a straight counter to Off-Campus Apartment. Play around that card specifically with NBN (either don't run until you can beat the trace, break the ICE or don't use Off-Campus).

Weird card choices

  • Trope - So, taking meat/net damage and losing a breaker is game over without recursion (or multiple copies). Clone chip is everyone's go-to, but it is 3 influence, only works once, and it doesn't work for other key pieces (Jak, R&DI) you might lose to random damage. Levy is itself vulnerable to random net damage (no same old thing), clogs your hand most of the game, costs 5 credits and always shuffles back everything (including duplicate consoles, Hostage, Special Order).

  • Easy Mark - Why pick this over Sure Gamble? I think it works better in this deck, because of Drug Dealer. Drug Dealer can make it annoyingly difficult to get into Sure Gamble range. I also am very aggressive getting out The Supplier, which is an early-on 3 credit hit (4 with Hostage).

  • R&D Interface - I want another one of these cards in this deck, but Influence is tight. Archives Interface also might actually be worth it over if IG continues to be so popular.

  • Tri-maf Contact - this is pretty clutch if you're using Nero for a once-a-turn jack out or haven't set-up 2 Revoirs yet

  • Account Siphon - gotta keep Corps honest

8 comments
3 May 2016 tiedyedvortex

I am disappointed by the lack of Networking.

3 May 2016 algorithm

Changed deck name rather than add that card :)

4 May 2016 mrgoldendeal

Would Andromeda: Dispossessed Ristie work better? You lose out on a safer face check but in exchange have a better opening, which you really need for a combo-y deck like this. I'm currently testing out an Andy/Reflection/Au Revoir/Snitch deck (using cloud breakers) and it's going pretty well so far, but I'm not sure how I'd fair with the weaker opening hand to get things rolling.

4 May 2016 GrantZilla1979

dies hard to It's a Trap!

(for certain values of 'dies' to equal = fires once on Snitch, look at your opponent in stark wonder that they actually played that card)

4 May 2016 hi_impact

The Turning Wheel is what this deck is waiting for. Definitely worth revisiting once it releases.

4 May 2016 algorithm

@mrgoldendeal Andromeda is likely better for the main strategies, but if you make that one change, the deck will need other changes. Sure Gamble would likely be better again, you'd need more Snitches, you'd want an early Sentry breaker(s) like Mongoose.

@GrantZilla1979 If the existence of this deck makes one person play It's a Trap!, I will be filled with glee

@hi_impact Yes! That card will be an insane upgrade for this deck. I hadn't seen it yet

4 May 2016 GrantZilla1979

@algorithm my usual gaming partner had been talking an awful lot about Nero since before he was released.

so the next time we gamed I rolled IG Bio-Gen lock with nothing but It's a Trap! for protection because i am a right ass

4 May 2016 staglore

@GrantZilla1979 That you are sir.