Planned Obsolescence

lp87 58

Planned obsolescence is a strategy used by companies to make money. Specifically, it designs products that will become obsolete quickly, forcing the consumer to buy another, newer, flashier version. Now, with this deck, you can join in the fun of planning the greatest obsolescence of all: The Runner!

The basic game plan is to go fast. You can score with a few bluffs, or use MCA. All the while prepping the true plan. Drop down Urban Renewal behind some ice, rez it at start of turn and watch. Yeah, they know that the SmartAlarm system made by HB is faulty lately, but they will feel safe. Most likely they will sit, content in knowing they have time to build up, or at least, they can tank the hit (4 cards to lose, thanks to our lovely ID). Then, the turn before Urban goes off, you call in some favors and set an Enforced Curfew, ensuring the runner will be home when the dalmatian brain used to model the SmartAlarm conveniently fails to notice the rapidly spreading electrical fire. Now, depending on how they played it, they either a)trash Urban, b) play a current, c) make a steal and close the current, or d) wail in despair. Or some combination of those. It's a lot of pressure. You might just be able to Neural them if they ran and stole, but left Urban alone. Keep it up, keep it fast, and with any luck you should score/murder them.

AGENDAS Self-destruct Chips make that flatline much more doable, and double down on the hand pressure Curfew creates. Vitruvius because yay 3/2s and because if you want you can use MCA early and score them with a counter if you like, letting you bring back curfew or Urban or whatever. Ikaweh because shiny, and I'd rather go with a defensive 5/3. Pet Project and Show of Force are here for fun.

ASSETS Urban is our main flatliner. We only got the two, so tech startup helps us find that and our only econ, the good ol' nanny bots. MCA does double duty, both adding pressure, letting us score with impunity, and taking a click needed to keep up and trash Urban. It's glorious. Overwriter gives us an advanceable trap to play with and opens up another flatline option, the rare negative hand size.

OPERATIONS Curfew as described above. Neural for a sneak kill or to just poke. Small hands are ripe for poking. Archived to recur whatever we need. Preemptive to bring more things back. And one Consulting visit, for when you have the Urban locked up tight, and need curfew right now.

ICE I wanted to tet out Najja 1.0 and it's works. Cheap and effective. Architect is a solid tax that will be awful if it fires. Fairchild 3.0 because it's the best, diritest, rudest ice we can get our hands on. And a Loki because why not?

So far this is 6-1 on jnet. 3 flatlines by Urban, within 5-10 turns. One Neg hand size win, one scoring win, and one deserved loss. Yeah, it's gimmicky and a little degenerate, but I feel better about this over some museum strategy.

3 comments
4 Jan 2018 Sutlomatsch

first of all: looks great :) my question: How do you prevent the Runner from just trashing your Urbans? You got 10 Ice 3 of wich aren't gonna stop a runner. that doesn't seem very save?

4 Jan 2018 lp87

It isn't safe at all, lol. In this iteration of it, you bluff and hope for Fairchild 3.0. If you get lucky, they won't have the breakers needed quick enough. You could drop some ops for more ice, or swap some around. Seidr Adaptive Barrier might do the trick, or Turing for some turtle hate. Losing consulting visit could open up out of faction options too.

4 Jan 2018 lp87

It isn't very safe at all, lol. In this iteration you bluff and hope for Fairchild 3.0. With some luck you can lock them out faster than they can get their breakers. You could also drop some ops for more ICE, or swap some. Seidr Adaptive Barrier might work, or Turing for turtle hate. Dropping Consulting visit opens up some out of factions options as well.