Today or tomorrow I will have the usenet stuff.. I need to goto work fairly soon here, so I can't do it now.

I know I was lying a couple days ago when I said the deck would be up tomorrow.  Instead of putting that deck up I played my first Shadows games!  They were actually quite interesting - I had my largest serious deck ever - about 75 cards.  Centauri can really run through their decks.. it's quite impressive.. take for instance the opening hand: Looking Ahead, Imperial Telepaths, and Managed Growth..  Put two Minister Malachi's in your deck and you're sorting through around 5 cards per turn.  Very cool.  Unfortunately I don't have a Mangaed Growth yet (damn rarities)..  Our Narn player was using Military Buildup to screw me over first turn too.. Although I was lucky enough to Not Meant to Be the Declaration of Wars ;)  He wasn't happy.  Of course, he wasn't too happy when he surrendered in light of Held Back!  Unrest decks are fun!

In case you haven't noticed, I have been slowly adding onto the Archives page.. or, rather, organizing the decks and articles in different ways.  I'm not entirely sure I like the way it looks.. any ideas?  Thanks.

It took a bit, but the questions about Shadows cards are finally coming out.. lead with some very intelligent ones by Chris Hayes.  Also, I got my first box the other day and was lucky enough to get 2 repeats of rares!  Yea! (sarcasm)  Permantent wound is... ok, I guess.  Two Mr. Mordens would be much better, damnit.  Oh well.  I'm sure I'll have more to say once I start making more decks with my lovely cards!  Now for the usenet...

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Strife Marks can be lost through Misdirected Force. As for the effect of individual cards.. (my interpretation of the answers), treat the marks the character has a pool - add an subtract as appropriate but don't link the strife marks to any particular card.  So.. when weapons are moved around with Covering Weaknesses, just take away from the pool - to a minimum of 0, of course.
• Premier edition answer: any fleet can be rotated for Shadow Assault - regardless of restrictions.  It is not a participant.  Although there is some discussion on whether or not the capture effect can be used if the players are at war.  For now, the effect can be used.
• Ambassador Kosh is not Ulkesh Kosh - Ulkesh will be in the Great War.
• Entil'zha can be brought into play by "other means" - like a Soul Hunter.. why or how that would ever occur is beyond me.
• The 3 card restriction also applies to the faces of Zathras.  (Sorry, you can't have 9 Zathras' in your deck!)
• More players are having trouble making smaller decks.. Of course this is understandable - there are more cards to want to play with!

• Suggested anti-human Minbari strategy: opening hand of Delenn, Sheridan, Finish the War, (fleet of your choice).. any player can replace.
• Great War Expansion Info.. 'Lots of hype generated by Doug.. new cards listed in the article are: Lorien, Sheridan Reborn, G'kar Enlightened (<- all characters), "Planet Killer" cards, and a whole new class of cards called "contingencies".

    "... While the original core set of cards was diplomatically themed, and "The Shadows" was steeped in intrigue, the Great War expansion definitely puts the military and combat aspects of the game on center stage.  Simply put, there is going to be some serious butt kicking going on as soon as this set comes out! ..."
    There will be two new "decks" or starters - a "Home Factions" deck w/ the cards to make factions for each race at home.. also a "Non-Aligned Worlds" deck, with unique races (probably with Dilgar among them) to play)
• Fleet leaders are participating in a conflict (thus aftermaths may be played on them.)  They are not however supporting or opposing or attacking in the conflict.. this is the justification Doug gives to say that the character can not be attacked (The fleet is doing those things).
• An assistant boosting an ambassador's stats is not participating and is not eligible to attack.

I've been studying the spoiler listing for Shadows as that my game store hasn't gotten Shadows in yet.. (Thursday)  Oh well.  I can wait - I wasn't prepared to, but the spoiler listing is good.  The only thing which annoys me is the fact that Defense Treaty is a promo that is, for me, pretty much impossible to get.  Damn nice card that I think everyone should be able to get.  I hate it when Promo cards are really good.

Lorne Kate's commentary on "I'm Your Friend, Really.. I am.."  It makes full use of the Shadows expansion - understand that the full shadows expansion was not avaliable to Richard when he made it, I believe.

The article on Building Blocks has been updated!  Don't the rest of you have any comments?

No recent B5 rec.games.trading.cards.misc summary for today.. the net 'has been so inconviently slow recently!  I'm tired of all the crap I have to go through to read mail.  Many days I can't reply, delete, or forward - 'just makes me angry enough to bitch about it - 'can't fix it.  I can't wait 'till I'm at UIUC.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• One player was having trouble with a Narn-Shadow deck (one I would like to see here, btw..)  Dave Green gives his suggestions on how to deal with it:  Centauri-Shadow (FI the Forced Evolution), Straight Vorlon (Race for it - probably not the best way to do it), and w/ Psi - 1st turn Telepathic Scan to get rid of essentials.
• John Hart stepped in regarding FIing locations - the military can still only be used in conflicts targetting itself - and it still can do this.
• Characters leading fleets are neutralized (of course), but no severe damage tokens are placed on them.  Only the fleet gets these charms.
• You can only have 3 of a given Zathras in your deck.
• The comments Precedence has compiled for the Deluxe edition may be soon posted on the usenet.
• When using Quadrant 37, if the fleet drawn is limited the fleet is returned to the deck, which is then reshuffled.  You don't get it.  Sorry.
• Mark Farbus has added a complete Shadows spoilers listing, expanded the deckbuilder software.  Click here to go there now!

 

The Truman Show is very good.  Go see it :)

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have my box o' Shadows.  Umm.. I may have another update up tonight w/ the usenet postings.. and to all those who I haven't emailed recently.. Hotmail sucks.

As for the deck of the week.  I'm going to have two up this week - the last for the era of the premier edition and the first for the era of the Shadows!  I think it's appropriate.  Both are vorlon/shadows decks.. but I'm not going to put them up right now.. I'm going to wait for a little bit (not to annoy you but for other reasons)   Also, the usenet update is going to wait for the same reasons.. I'll probaby do it late tonight (check tomorrow).
 

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Characters leading fleets are not participating - remember?
• Tu'Pari is an exception to the rule that you have to have >= 1 in an ability to attack.
• People are claming their stakes on rules that annoy them or can't do without.  'Looks like the redundant type on the location cards has been claimed.  Next?

Some notes on Shadows.. I'm not going to post any more shadows card lists.. not yet anyway.  If someone is willing to write up stuff like Steve Crow's Zocalo articles, I'd like that quite a bit.  We'll see about the spoiler listings, though.. not right now is my phrase for the moment.  I WILL have links to just about all that I find, though.

I hope that next week's deck is the last Premier deck.. actually, I would like next week's deck to be the first Shadows deck.  (Any takers?)  In any case, please mark the Shadows cards in the deck somehow.. perhaps with a (S) after the card names?  You don't have to do it in the commentary, of course.  I think the effort would be well appreciated.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• One player's (Cris Hayes) comments on how Alliance provides influence while a conflict and then becomes an enchancement.. thus you can use your homeworld on it.. Trade Pace is the other way around (homeworlds do not work on TPs).  I like the analysis.
• David Nickels is doing spoilers listings for Shadows.
• Virtues of Emperor Cartegia debated.. seems he's better for non Centauri players.  I think that's the way he was intended, personally.. say.. a Narn deck?
• UK's getting a shadows expansion tourney @ the Trading Post - Bruce Mason's domain ;)
• You  need some ability to involve yourself in a conflict or attack using that statisitic.. thus a Narn assassin shouldn't be able to attack a Psi character.
• Reminder: unless you can "heal" a neutralized fleet, it bites the dust.. it doesn't matter if it's lead afterwards.. after it's neutralized, it's neutralized.
• Neutralized cards are valid targets.. they can not, however, be attacked -- and abilitiy modifiers don't work until they are healed. (unneutralized?)
• You can rabble any neutralized character regardless of base statistics.
• Bester and Diplomatic Advantage are not cumulative.
• Fleets involved in You Know My Reputation are not participants, and they are all rotated at the time of playing YKMR (of course!)
• Another reminder: Fleet Support Base c/n unneutralize.
• Doug should be adding the rest of the card types to his Shadows listing later tonight. (And he accidentally made a few mistakes with the rarity on his new list.)

William Cavert is the first to put up comments on this week's Deck of the Week!  I guess you'll ahve to wait half a week to see everything else I'm going to get, eh?  Sorry for the wait.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• I can't exactly summarize this one.  12 more spoilers (of commons and uncommons.. we'll get to know these very well soon)  (Removed 9/6/98: Obsolete now)

Several general deck submissions:  Who Are You? -The Great Centauri, Of Course, by JF Hache (In the Name of Valen), and two by William Cavert (I Eat Cheese Decks for Lunch): It's a Pirate's Life for Me and Arrogance and Stupidity... If you have any submission that you think the world would be interested in, send them to me!  I try not to moderate the general decks (any moderation has been limited to adding stuff from the usenet).

Lastly, Brian Rozema submitted a commentary on the commentary for By Rule of the Council.  Some more nice suggestions!  By Rule of the Council is now the most heavily commentated deck (judged by file size)!  Keep it up!

The deck isn't ready yet.. I'll put that up later tonight or tomorrow morning.  Also, I'll be gone for a couple days starting Sunday.  I'll be back on the third or so..  That will be a big update.

B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Comments on big decks.. In general, they're ok (can put both support and offense in), but the probability of drawing the cards you want is severely decreased. Basic deck-construction theory.
• There's a planned 2nd edition of sorts under the name, "Deluxe Edition" with text erratas, new artwork for some cards, and some cards re-worded.. Boosters only.

• There's discussion about how to organize the FAQ.. with dates of rulings, or in its current format.
• Doug justifies the use of the word "reverses" for NMTB.  Basically, they didn't want actions inbetween the playing of the card and NMTB to be cancelled.
• Dave Green reminds everyone of the tournament in Charlottesville, Virgina.. It's a sealed deck tournament, but you can construct decks from the fixed set beforehand.. you have to buy the 3 boosters at the tournament.. as for the 10 random cards from the starter -set them aside, unless buying them at the store at the time of the tournament.. At least that's the way I take it.  Sort of interesting...
• Grant Neufeld, unofficially justifying the seemingly different rulings on SotM and Jason Ironhart, argues that SotM refers to ability able to be used, where as JI is just total ability (or potential).

I've been talking w/ Steve Crow (the author of the "Zocalo" posted here and two very good card reviews, including Non-Aligned Support on Martin Franz's website) and have decided that NAS isn't "useless except in 2 player" as I stated several days ago.. It is now: "far less useful than it was in 2 player, but still useful."

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• The questions are already starting for the Shadows cards.. (I thought you guys would at least wait until the set was out!)  In any case, the text of two cards is here for your enjoyment:

**Withdrawal, Event [4] "Target a participating fleet you control.  The fleet is no longer participating in any conflicts.  If this was the only fleet that attacked or opposed its conflict, that conflict is now uncontested."  (The question, of course, is why the card says "its" conflict..)
**Leaving the Past, Diplomacy Conflict "If successful, remove from the game all cards currently in all discard piles.  Any copies of these cards not in discard piles are unaffected." (This does not mean you search to find a card in each of the discard piles.. you get rid of the piles.. all of them.)
• Ooops!  What I said the other day is wrong: Sleeping Z'ha'dum is not rotated during the conflict round for conflicts, but, rather, in the resoulution round.  'hate when that happens.
• There's a card in shadows that can target agenda conflicts to remove them.  Keep waiting!
• Something of a change in rulings on Finish The War:  A tension change or changing agendas will stop the war.. which sucks.  Following this logic, FI would stop the war too.  (Storytelling paradigm would seem more applicable...)
• Mark Farbus is still working on updating the FAQ.  Good luck!  We wish you well.

Something else I'd like to do.. An idea was propossed by the latter of the two commentators about a way to build decks.  He'd like your comments/playtesting, and I think it would be an interesting experiment.  So that everyone can see the comments, I've made a page for it where all appropriate comments will be placed, with credits of course.  To see his idea and where the comments will be, you can goto the archive or here.  Just email me and I'll put it up.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• I wanted to make sure this was on here.. 'not sure if I reported it or not: If damage is dealt to a character reducing skill below 6, they do not count towards SotM.
• Sleeping Z'ha'dum is rotated for conflicts during the conflict round.
• Reminder about attacking - attacking does not lend support or opposition.. (p37-8)
• Planetary Defenses runs out at the end of the resolution phase.

Also, there's a new link: the Sci-Fi CCG Website.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Tourney in Houston on May 31st @ the Book Browser
• Doug Williamson is holding a sealed-deck prerelease tourney in DC.. w/ Shadows cards! (May 30th)  There's another one in Mountain View, California.. for this one they felt obligated to use the "erratta" that generic bonus cards do not affect Psi.. Is this really needed??
• Lots of old stuff is reviewed.. for instance, Aftermaths are played in original initiative order, Destiny Fulfilled's number of destiny marks is determined when the aftermath is played, PP and CA can't affect each other, all effects of conflicts are done during the resolution phase, etc..
• Here's an interesting one, though: As, say, a human faction, you can play Triluminary on Delenn if you have Minbari character.
• Doug Williamson clairifies that Ironheart can only be kept in play longer by FI - damage, ability reductions, etc will not keep him there.. although he's going to verify this. Also, Unique characters can come into play only once, so you can't soul hunt them into existance again.
• The bonuses of cards like Counterintelligence are not meant to be cumulative.  They do not give cumulative bonuses.  Dave Green explains it by saying that it works like Power Posturing and Covert Allies.
• The card text of neutralized cards is still in effect.. thus the marks apply, and special requirements (like Bester) still apply.

Neutralized characters can take no further actions on the turn they were neutralized. ?  Even not to heal, it seems.  I'm not sure where this one is coming from, but if Doug says so...

Our friend over at The Ultimate B5:CCG website got his community leadership!  Give him a hug and go visit his new article on Luis Santiago.  He's doing articles on cards he think might have some impact on the Shadows expansion.  I agree with this choice whole-heartedly.

Send me decks.

B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• John Hart explains what happens with Extreme Saction (in response to a question about the effects of FI on it), like this:"If a character is subjected to Extreme Sanction he is DEAD.  Nothing can bring him back.  Sorry."
• From the same response, Interstellar Corporation loans must be directed toward a purpose and paid in full.
• Cards which say "next card" on them are only good for the appropriate "next card."  Sorry if there was any confusion.
• There's a "Signed Card Contest" at the offical website under the Card Gallery. (With really small pics)
• There's a lot of discussion on the implications of not being able to FI a hidden Seizing Advantage.. Yeah, it's bad and easy for the SA player to win, but there are ways to deal with Doom marks.  That's about the extent of the discussion.
• There's a tourney in Nuernberg Germany.  For info, contact Thomas Reil ( w.th.reil@odn.de )
• Grant's having another B5 demo in Calgary.
• There's a long laundry list of questions.. amongst the more interesting questions and replies (by Dave Green), are: Q.What happens if the tension required to play a conflict changes during the action phase? A. Nothing (required to play)  Q. If a character has two highest abilities, can either be increased with Secondary Experience? A. No.  Q. Does intrigue from Psi Bodyguard become the character's intrigue, or is it added to? A. Added to.

 

A commentary on This Ain't No Sippin' Cheese has been added to the deck!  The comments are by Lorne Kates - who would like to review all the decks of the week.  If you do not want your deck to be reviewed this way, please mention this when you submit the deck.  Here's the intro - more of general interest than particular to the deck.

First, allow me to introduce myself.  I'm Ranger Lorne Kates, an official member of precedence's Ranger Program.  I'm also a vetran CCG player.  I've been playing CCGs for over three years now.  I've learned and played 12 different CCGs.  One of the best parts, I find, of playing CCGs is deck construction.  I love sitting down with a large pile of cards and picking not only the best cards, but making sure all the cards compliment each other in some fashion.  Deck building has always been 100% strategy.  So, I have talked to the propriator of the Deck of the Week page, and I will be reviewing the decks from now on.  Making suggestions as to the contents of the deck, highlighting flaws and bonuses of the deck, talking about the deck's stradegy, and giving my general impressions.

• Some comments on hidden agendas: You do not need to rotate anyone to reveal a hidden agenda (although it is an action.)  Also, hidden agendas can not be targeted by FI.
• Reminder: Neutralized fleets have 0 for all ability.. no matter what modifiers are in place.
• Modifiers for when fleets attack only apply until the resolution round.
• Promoting w/ a Disaffected character does not mean that characters of a like race can be promoted at normal cost.
• Using Medical Assistance does not allow characters to build/promote as inner circle characters (since it is only in effect while the character is neutralized.. all neutralized characters can do while so is heal.

Only usenet news is that there will be a tournament in Kent Ohio on May 30th @ Spellbinders. (constructed deck)

Send me decks for next week!

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Higher Calling's doubling mark ability works for all factions in play.  They just count double, of course.. you don't gain double marks..
• How to defeat KiP suggestions: (More) Play Human destiny cheese, or FI.
• Doug Williamson suggests a new way to keep Sleeping Z'ha'dum from destroying your military attack.. Keep some shadow cards in your Narn deck and before you launch your attack, use one card which increases shadow support and rotate SZ (since ANY player can rotate it for this affect) The player can't rotate SZ to use Planetary Defenses at this point.  Other suggestions by Dave Green: 1) Total Planet Killing, 2) Get rid of the fleets, 3) Non-war Narn deck (Peace is our friend.. no, really.)

The text of Mr. Morden was sent to me by a helpful reader, Christopher Meyers.  Thank you.

       May not be sponsored. Must replace Morden, transferring all aftermaths and enhancements. Mr. Morden gains +1 Intrigue for each Shadow Mark he has. Each turn, every player may spend an additional amount of influence equal to the number of Shadow Marks they have. This influence can only be spent to bring into play cards which require Shadow marks.

Our friend Steve Crow, the author of the Zocalo articles did a review on Martin Franz's Card of the Week of Terrorist Bombings.

There's a new link for those interested in tournaments.  There is now an official B5 Event page at  http://www.oocities.org/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/7743/

There's not really any new news on the usenet.. kind of disappointing, but I imagine my life will become much more difficult once the Shadows arrive.. these three day lulls will not happen, then, be rest assured.  For those of you who are interested.. there was a suggestion on how to deal w/ KiP w/ the Humans/Minbari.. also a question on For the Good of All (You get both options.. there isn't really an "or" to the card.)  And I think that was about it.. Nothing to totally change the way you play.

I forgot to mention earlier today that I added Lorne Kate's web page to the links section of the website.  There are some well documented decks there.. you may remember the deck Versitility?  Anyway, Lorne has offered to start giving comments on the decks.. something I've begged for in the past.  This page is meant to be a discussion in strategy.. 'lord knows I can't lecture.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Answers to questions on deckbuilding:  1) enough powerbuilders for 15-20 power. 2) 10% fleets for defense, 25%+ if war deck 3) 10-15% characters 4) focus on something  -- all of this sounds about right.  Agenda-wise, if you have a focus there, include it in your starting hand and probably include a second in the deck.  Other suggestions (Carl Skeen) talk about choosing a strategy, then race, than 15 cards to go with that strategy.
• Mr. Morden is the star of the day.. (You can see the text at http://www.oocities.org/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/4242/CCG/Promo.HTML) Basically, as our friend David Nickels  informs us, he can only be brought into play by replacing Morden.  Apparently there is ability to use additional influence (not as power), but my connection is only transfering somewhere around 300 bytes per second, which makes opening the above page virtually impossible.. although apparently other people haven't had much luck with it either.
• Bruce Mason is running his, what, nineth? Cardiff tourney?  It's up there, anyway.  This time he's using the Diplomatic Bag (15 card sideboard, can add to your deck while playing through an action: rotate ambassador and spend 3 influence to transfer one card to your deck.. 'can exchange cards between rounds)

I'll update later tonight with usenet news.  I have to go take another final.

I'm now taking submissions of decks just to put up on the website that arn't neccisarily for the DotW.. I decided to do this for three reasons - 1) I want more decks on this site.. 2) I want to publish examples of evil ideas I have.. and 3) With the current set up I can only justify one deck a week.. I'd like to show you the others I got this week too..

I'm moving the links section to a seperate page.. Perhaps it will keep this first page smaller and easier to update.. Although I'm not sure if David Nickels will like the fact that the webring isn't on the front page.  That might change, in other words.

I'm still too lazy to put together the strategy and race divisions, but the page is still small enough that you don't really need them.. it will just eat up my space (not that I'm anywhere near using all of it.. 'just a precaution).

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• The debate over AIWMTB continues, although it has broadened considerably.  Now it is generally over keeping it minor, but caping power from minor agendas (also talking about Seizing Advantage) or making Soul Harvesting a viable thing to do.. I'm not quite sure how it got there, I think I must have  skimmed a transitional article there.
• Attacking with a special ability cards that are participating in a conflict does not mean the attacking card is participating if the special ability allows you to attack any card.

Web site updates:
Official page- Shadows update.. 203 cards.. New type- Agenda Enhancements.. and lots of damn cool teaser names..
Ultimate Webpage- David Nickels is trying to become a Geocities Community Leader.. why?  I don't know.. more space?
Trade Center- As It Was Meant To Be is the card of the week.  (Past cards: FI, Cythia Torqueman, Tu'Pari, Catherine Sakai, Seizing Advantage ] there was a slight lag there, but due to contributions, the site's booming again!)

Actually, the B5-Players has a slightly more interesting debate than the usegroup.. whether or not you can hunt the soul of a unique character.  I for once don't know what to say.  The arguments? For: You aren't playing the card, and thus you arn't violating the restriction.  Against: Unique means the card can not appear in play again - ever.  I don't know.. 'just don't know..

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Most questions seem to be being answered by non-affiliated players.  It's looking like almost all the questions have been asked..  Good job!  In fact, our two resident rule dieties didn't even post one message since I the last update.. (this was as of my attempted update (5th).. that changed when I checked for today's (6th)
• Some confusion 'twixt two players about whether or not Delenn Transformed gives a vorlon mark.. I say No, but John Hart says Yes.. I think his opinion is more qualified than mine.  Also, Crysalis can be NMTB'ed.
• There are some comments that AIWMTB isn't powerful enough as a Major Agenda.. stop whinning - sure, it isn't cheap, but its abilities are incredibly powerful in a well-constructed deck.. and it doesn't have the problem that Doom does: cards against it.
• Agenda conflicts count as "being played"
• Mr. Adam's ability works on cards which give and take 1 influence conditionally as well.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Backroom dealing is used directly after an abstain vote.. not after everyone has voted.  And the humans can call on the Vorlons w/i the order.
• The difference between Shadow Strike and Exploration: Shadow Strike uses "current" and Exploration uses "base".. if there's someone leading during an exploration.. just ignore them, but don't unrotate them.. they.. um.. discreetly get off the ship before it goes exploring.. yeah..

Recent b5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Reminder, for cost-reducing rotating cards, if it says "next" it can accumulate, if it doesn't, it applies for the whole turn for all cards which apply.
• Cost reductions can not be sustained - only ability modifying rotations.
• Here's the revised text of Sleeping Z'ha'dum if there is any trouble understanding the new ruling

"Location's Military may only be used to oppose conflicts targeting this location.  Any player may rotate Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum to give the Shadows +1 influence when a card providing or requiring Shadow marks is played.
Your ambassador gains a Doom Mark."
• Neither events nor conflicts are discarded from play, apparently.. I don't remember this being official, but John Hart seems more sure of himself on this ruling.. I hope it isn't, 'though.. (I'm probably wrong *cry*) it makes that containment deck a piece of shit.  It's probably for the better, 'though.
• Reminder: Conflicts initated from agendas, which are replaced during the action round, resolve normally in the Resolution round, but without any modifiers from the previous agenda - the current one is ok.

I haven't got permission yet on the Zocalo artlicles.. hopefully I can bring those to you as well.

There's a new link, too:  Grant Neufeld's Calgary B5CCG Strategy Page.  Well, it's more than a strategy page, but that's the part that really grabs your attention. :)  There are also variant rules which range from playing with your full deck as your hand to making certain cards unique.

Don't leave the newsgroup for a couple days!   Damn, I spent most of the weekend making holograms and playing Starcraft w/ company over so didn't get around to getting good summaries done.. Here is the somewhat belated news:

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• John Hart posts official errata and rulings and more clairifications :

New Official Card Errata:
3. Sleeping Z'ha'dum must rotate to increase Shadow Influence (in addition to other requirements).
4. As It Was Meant To Be is a Major Agenda.
Official Card Clarification -- this ruling differs from rulings
previously posted to this news group:
Border Raid: Initiator and Target may only rotate ONE card to participate in this conflict, and it must be a fleet.  Level the Playing Field will NOT help this conflict.  (leaders may still lead the fleets, and thus become extra particpants)
Sustaining can only be done if:
1. There was no cost for the action to be sustained other than rotating the card in question.
2. All necessary requirements for the initiator and the target are still fulfilled.
3. The action being sustained increases an ability of a character or fleet.
Also, there is no end of turn gap in the effect.  Any ability that is being aided is continuously aided, even if the card providing the aid has the phrase "until the end of the turn" on it.
Replacing:
The term "replacing" used in reference to agendas is completely unrelated to replacing characters, which is the definition in the
Glossary.  Replaced agendas DO NOT leave play.  When replacing an agenda, put the new agenda into play from your hand (while rotating an  inner circle character), and remove the old agenda to the discard pile. If a Limited character is replaced, NO copy of that character may come in to play ever again (treat the character as if it had become Unique). If a Multiple character is replaced, that copy leaves play, but no other copy of the card is affected. (there are no examples of this currently, but just in case...).
• New "Zocalo" article about the Shadows.. I've decided to start putting these sort of messages up on this web site.  IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS, EMAIL ME IMMEDIATELY.  If you have any submissions, do the same.  I will try to include the comments that were also mentioned on the usenet in reference to the paragraphs, but that is a project for another night.

• The Diplomatic Bag:  15 (no more, no less) card sideboard which can be accessed between games or during the game by rotating your ambassador, applying 3 influence and shuffiling the card you choose into your deck.
• Nice promo character, "Shadows Contact" out.. 4 Intrigue - makes vorlon cards cost a little more  (while, ready - rotate when 1st goes through.)
• All cards which require "ready"ness don't apply to neutralized, but ready, cards.

The highly lauded suggestion for re-wording Maintain the Peace: "Each turn no Military conflict resolves, place a counter on this card.  If a Military conflict does resolve during a turn, remove all counters from this card.  Count each counter on this card as one power."  It is NOT official.

• A usefull quote:  "Bonuses to a neutralized card don't take effect until it is unneutralized." - Doug Williamson  Also remember that a conflict is opposed even if all the opposition on the card you rotated to get it somehow dissappeared.  (ie neutralized).. and remember that it isn't considered uncontested unless it was successful - finally, you can attack instead of opposing apparently.
• Characters retrieved by Soul Hunters are discarded at the VERY END of the turn - after everything.
• Characters must be ready and un-neurtralized to be promoted.
• There are some serious problems with Maintain the Peace - basically, disable the text (discard or FI) w/o a military conflict going off and you (hopefully will not) keep the power.  I don't think there is any doubt that this WILL be changed by clever errata.
• Alliance of Races ruling: "As soon as Bab5's influence reached 20, you checked to see if the Shadow War had started.  It hadn't.  From then on, that agenda would allow you to count B5's influence as power.  However, by the time the victory check came around, he Shadow War had started, so you'd have to win by 10..." - John Hart

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Doug attacks Highlanderism as unneccisarily destructive.  I agree.
• Article on playing Vorlons - interesting, I haven't read all of it yet, but it looks like the author doesn't always play with all the current rules - or doesn't quite understand the rulings.  (For those of you who've read it, I'm looking at the section about Kosh)
• Players discuss how the series would be played.. or perhaps better, what is a good way to narrate?
• I might have missed a lot in a an error w/ the way I'm reading it..  Damn.

Also, after three long weeks of absence from the game I'm coming back - and I have some ideas!!  We'll see how they take form. Still, though, send me decks.  Keep your comments long and I'll be overjoyed!

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Some of the promo cards for Shadows can be seen at http://www.cs.buffalo.edu/~milun/b5promos.html
• Tom Kassel is wonderful and posts the winning deck of a tournament in Reading.  Gaze and be happy.  This is something like what I hope for in deck reports - lots of strategy tips, although put depressing messages at the end of the file like Tom did..
• The new suggestion on solving AIWMTB is that it accumulates destiny marks, not the ambassador.  Nice.  Of course, all these changes keep changing deck strategies.. I just hope the decks we have here don't go incredibly out of date.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• You can't use a homeworld on a trade pact. (?)
• Clairification of cards which decrese the cost to play other cards:

2 categories:
-cards which reduct the cost for the "next" card sponsored - these are cumulative through many turns.
-cards which do not include the world "next" - these cards create a general reduction for the entire turn, applying that benefit on many cards, but for only one turn.
There's also the "oddball," (Proxima III), which currently is rotated while sponsoring and only applies to that card.. athough that might change.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• "Today (4/14/98), upon unanimous reconsideration of the design team, any card that has any method of adding a mark to a faction "provides" the mark. Thus: Morden provides shadow marks. Kosh provides vorlon marks. AIWMTB provides destiny marks (should it matter). Martyr does not provide destiny marks. (it is a conversion)"
• Psi-corp Intelligence's conflict must be declared during the conflict round...
• Discussion on AIWMTB - if there's any conclusion, I'll tell you.  So far, it doesn't need to be a Major Agenda if it's ruled that it can't bring back events and conflicts, but the problem w/ Higher Calling is the big one.  Of course, none of this is offcicial - I wouldn't base your tournaments on it just yet.. unless you're willing to do play testing for Precedence.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc news:

• Tourney in Jacksonville, Flordia: Sat, April 18 @ Sanctuary Games
• Might possible change rules to: events are not "discarded" when played.. they are played into the discard pile... thus limiting AIWMTB.
• for a card to count as "a card that provides shadow marks"  it must have a shadow mark on the card itself.

In The Name Of Valen is the name of this week's Deck of the Week.  Guess what race it is. ;)  Another deck considered is also posted at http://www.oocities.org/Area51/Station/9194/superlondo.html.  It is based pretty much entirely around Destiny Fullfilled.  It is my wish that you can find as many decks on the net as you could ever care for.

In submitting decks, one of the key things I really would like to see is lots of comments.. I don't care if you don't use the form as long as there is quite a bit of commentation.

I've added another page - the Old News page.. I felt guilty deleting news as the list grew too long (especially that nice list of cards which compound).  The link is at the end of the news, or here.

Tournament Info!  On April 18 in Edmonton Canada there will be a Sealed Deck Tournament ($6) at the Regency Hotel from 11AM to 5PM.
Also, in Ottawa, Canada (C'mon Americans..) there will be a tournament on the 25th, possibly with Signed Delenn Transformed cards as prizes (?).

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• w/ Psi Corp you may initiate this conflict alone or in addition to another conflict.
• Du'Rog only does damage when expiring (discarded) naturally in game play.. if he(you) wants to.
• John got flamed for the understandable mistake mentioned in the 9th's news..  The newsgroup is just getting worse about being overly critical - don't attack, folks, give opposition if neccisary, but don't attack.. that wasn't the only overly caustic message in the past two days...
• Suggested errata for AIWMTB experiences one player's negative review.

I figured it was about time to give you an update about what's been happening on other people's websites around the world.

Precedence's Official B5:CCG site:

Surprisingly, the official B5 website was finally updated after a lot of griping from seemingly everywhere.. the updates?
-Clairifications on the killers page
-Several more sites on the "Other Cool Sites" page! (Including Us! Yata!)
-Shadows information.. so you don't have actually visit there, here it is:
The Shadows expansion will be a 200 card expansion with 100 rares, 50 uncommon, and 50 common. Each booster pack will contain 2 rares and a total of 12 cards for $2.75 suggested retail price.
It will contain new versions of Kosh and Morden (including the ultra-rare Mr. Morden, signed by Ed Wasser), the first Shadow and Vorlon fleets, Vice President Clark, and Emperor Cartagia. Also included:
        new locations: Vorlon Space, Sigma 957,... new conflicts: Prey on the Weak, Taking Credit ... new enhancements: Healing Artifact, Telekinesis ... new events: Trivial Gains, Not in Vain ... new groups: Monks, Nightwatch Enforcers ... new agendas: Military Buildup, The Lure of Shadow ... and new aftermaths: Consumed by Shadows, Refusal to Yield ...

-added a card gallery with half to 2/3s of the cards scanned for you
-the trading pool there is continually expanding w/ references.  If you do trading anywhere on the net, that's where to do it... there isn't another Card of the Week yet, but I don't know what day he puts those up.
 

-In case you didn't notice, we've been the "Link of the Week" this week!  The first one ever, in fact.  Needless to say, I am, quite honored.
-Their newest article is a Seizing Advantage article.
-Not too long ago they expanded the deck archive they have there by about 100%.. They have lots of doom/destiny/starter decks.
-There's an increadibly detailed and helpful tournament report from Ontario - a definite read for any player!

-Haven't heard of it before?  It used to be the Great Machine store site (w/ the faq, rarity listings, and ordering)  The site went on a big overhaul today and has a much better look.  It appears that they are planning on adding to the resources on the page.
 

• Neutralized Planets are discarded (not captured).
• You can not use Servants of Order for Kosh.
• Marks from conflicts are not given until the resolution phase.
• Slip of the tongue? Check out an amusing quote from John Hart about attacks in general:  "The damage you do and your "hit points" are equal to your highest current ability score."  I hope that doesn't confuse any of you..  I didn't catch it until I read Doug's message.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Destiny Fullfilled used as an enchantment is still an event.
• There isn't really a date for a Shadows release.. or at least few people seem to expect it to be on time.
• There is no effect from conflicts until the Resolution phase, aside from restrictions on play or participation.
• List of Aftermaths which are discarded:

The following are discarded:

Blessings (promo)
Casualty Reports
Disenchantment
Inevitable Destiny
Intolerable Interference
It Will Be His Undoing
Loss of Face
Martyr
Negotiated Surrender
No Escape
Paying for Sins
Personal Involvement
Refugees
Repairing the Past
Retribution
Reverse Advances
Rivalry
Wear and Tear
Wounded

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc news:

• "A conflict is not considered uncontested unless it was successfull."
• A Forced Impaired Jason Ironhart has a Psi of 10.  (I think this ruling might change, after all, he already gained the enhancements...)
• Inevitable Destiny is a potentially good card - I'll see about working out the strategy.. unless, of course, one of you beats me to it.
• Finish the War clairifications:

You are at war when:
-@ 5 tension (M -> H) Yes
-after changing agendas - Yes
Again: No effect that would stop the war has any effect while the tension is at 5.  (while the agenda is in play, of course)
• New Promo Cards (so far):

Evidence of Shadows - new Duelist
Unrelenting Pressure - from "Tuff Stuff Collect!" magazine (strange name for a magazine IMHO)
Beureaucratic Controls - supposed to be in "Tuff Stuff Games" but has been found in "Tuff Stuff Collect!" at _comic stores_  It's still a strange name for a magazine.
• Reminder = you can not attack your own characters.. even if they have been naughty.
• Finally, for aftermaths:

Conflicts resolve in the order they were played (or is it initiative?  clairification?) With one pass through players by initiative to play any number of aftermaths.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• There are good suggestions posted about a Minbari War deck and a Human Psi deck.. including a recognition of Cynthia Torqueman's abilities - see Martin Franz's Card of the Week page (http://www.amducias.com/babylon5/main.html) to see what it can do.
• Poking Holes in the Rulebook: What does uncontested mean?  Probably exactly what you already think it means - no opposition w/ support, but we still need Precedence's opinion.
• Additional Rounds?  ("Clean Up, Mercenary")  More and more steps to the game, eh?  Some of them obsolete in most games?  I personally like Plague and Pestilence's way of handling it: Roll, Draw, Play (done)

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Discarding is virtually worthless except vs Soul Hunters.  In the future, perhaps a big hand will hurt you.  ('Don't like the sound of that, personally)
• Members blame all on the B5 testing crew ;)
• Bidding actions (for mercernarys / Conflicting Loyalties) requires no rotation - just spend influence (although for CL you have to promote the character, if possible)
• Inevitable Destiny reacts to text restrictions -- what about conditions??
• Captain Pierce should read:  "Target a character leading a fleet.  That character does not become neutralized if the fleet becomes neutralized."
• Counter intelligence is not cumulative (multiples used on one character d/n help.)
• You can not attack your own characters!
• Passing is an action
• Planetary Defenses do not make planets involved in clonflicts.
• New Babylon 5 Promo "Evidence of Shadows" in the May Duelist.
• With the Grey Council Fleet The only time you can do military conflicts w/ someone is when you are at war w/ them.
• Tourney:

April 26 - Berekley, CA (Sealed Deck)

• Lots of letters that sum up to: Enhancements arn't limited.
• Damn cool use for Glory:  Use As It Was Meant to Be and Sheridan to keep gaining LOTS of destiny marks from conflicts (keep recycling Glory to your hand.)
• Leaders of fleets that are targeted by Shadow Strike are not discarded.
• Neutralized characters' marks still count.
• Morden lowers costs for cards which cost/require Shadow marks for the whole turn.
• Lennier takes damage for any Delenn character
• Conflicts of discarded agendas resolve normally.
• Advice on how to get rid of TuPari (at least temporarily) for the Centauri: Concealed Weapon on Londo - attack TuPari if he ever attacks someone in your structure.

The human Destiny deck is eating up tournaments - Scyre might be publishing one such deck which won in Canada, but hopefully we can get it first!
Perhaps the webring works now too!!

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Paradoxes!

-Temptations vs Luxeries of the Homeworld... Does Luxeries count to fulfill inner circleness of Tempations?  No, but Medical Aid might..
-Conflicting Loyalties/Confusion in Chaos/Not Meant to Be.....
• Forced Impairment does not affect duplicates (a reminder)
• Doug reaffirms As It Was Meant To Be/Higher Calling combo
• There's a Vorlon Deck posting with interesting sections on strategy and opening.. one use for Monitored Deal - cancel the conflict your opponent promised to sponsor.
• Somebody got a response from Precedence!!! (although it was negative)
• There's a detailed Explaination of Strength in Adversity - what it can do (give you some extra support or opposition, PERHAPS keep your opponent from winning in a pinch), and what it can't do (win the game, give you power if diff > 4.)
• Players ask Sheridan the hard questions about his arrival into B5 - How to play Sheridan

-Sinclair is gone forever
-Replacement does not cost influence
-Replacement is done from the hand
• Your host makes the mistake of responding to mail before reading the responses to that same post..

There's some interesting news on The Great Machine site - Precedence IS shipping a second printing (probably w/ corrections), and the shipping date for Shadows: April 30th.  At least they have a date - let's hope it doesn't change.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• You can't replace disabled uniques that are in play.
• Events (like Contact w/ Shadows) are like sex: All that is important at the time is what's there then... the effects, however, last forever (unless the text says otherwise).

The human Destiny deck is eating up tournaments - Scyre might be publishing one such deck which won in Canada, but hopefully we can get it first!
Perhaps the webring works now too!!

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Paradoxes!

-Temptations vs Luxeries of the Homeworld... Does Luxeries count to fulfill inner circleness of Tempations?  No, but Medical Aid might..
-Conflicting Loyalties/Confusion in Chaos/Not Meant to Be.....
• Forced Impairment does not affect duplicates (a reminder)
• Doug reaffirms As It Was Meant To Be/Higher Calling combo
• There's a Vorlon Deck posting with interesting sections on strategy and opening.. one use for Monitored Deal - cancel the conflict your opponent promised to sponsor.
• Somebody got a response from Precedence!!! (although it was negative)
• There's a detailed Explaination of Strength in Adversity - what it can do (give you some extra support or opposition, PERHAPS keep your opponent from winning in a pinch), and what it can't do (win the game, give you power if diff > 4.)
• Players ask Sheridan the hard questions about his arrival into B5 - How to play Sheridan

-Sinclair is gone forever
-Replacement does not cost influence
-Replacement is done from the hand
• Your host makes the mistake of responding to mail before reading the responses to that same post..

There's some interesting news on The Great Machine site - Precedence IS shipping a second printing (probably w/ corrections), and the shipping date for Shadows: April 30th.  At least they have a date - let's hope it doesn't change.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• You can't replace disabled uniques that are in play.
• Events (like Contact w/ Shadows) are like sex: All that is important at the time is what's there then... the effects, however, last forever (unless the text says otherwise).

The new deck is here: Kill 'em All!  A deck designed more to have fun than anything else, but I think it shows some important aspects of playing the Narn.. and some of the limitations of playing the Narn.  The two basic Narn strategies: War and Assassinations are both used in the deck (although not so well as to win).  It shows to outline of them, although a good Narn War deck would be a good thing to see for comparison in the future.. anyone up for the challenge??

Something was bothering me about the Vorlon's being able to continually stop the Narn's war conflicts.. after taking a long time to remember where I had read it - this is an important rule to remember when playing against the Vorlons:

After discussion with the rest of the design team, an official clarification on Kosh & purging temporary marks:  you can do it, but when Kosh's mark expires, the character loses 1 Vorlon Mark if he has 1 or more Vorlon Marks remaining. That means, to truly purge a temporary mark, it has to be your last mark on that character.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Major agendas are still Major Agendas after Forced Impairment
• Rotating Z'ha'dum is not official.
• Martyr stays with you.. but on whom, you ask?  I don't know...
• Playing conflicting loyalties on characters that can not be inner circle characters merely means the winner keeps the character.
• Tournaments:
• Tourney Huntington Beach, California (April 4) @ Noon (w/ Rangers)
• Demo in Quincy, Illinois
• Tourney in Reading, England (April 18) w/ some interesting rules beyond (what I know to be) the recommended errata:

--As It Was Meant To Be counts as a Major Agenda
--For Higher Calling and Seizing Advantage, you gain one power for each mark (destiny and doom, respectively)
 

The new deck is here: Kill 'em All!  A deck designed more to have fun than anything else, but I think it shows some important aspects of playing the Narn.. and some of the limitations of playing the Narn.  The two basic Narn strategies: War and Assassinations are both used in the deck (although not so well as to win).  It shows to outline of them, although a good Narn War deck would be a good thing to see for comparison in the future.. anyone up for the challenge??

Something was bothering me about the Vorlon's being able to continually stop the Narn's war conflicts.. after taking a long time to remember where I had read it - this is an important rule to remember when playing against the Vorlons:

After discussion with the rest of the design team, an official clarification on Kosh & purging temporary marks:  you can do it, but when Kosh's mark expires, the character loses 1 Vorlon Mark if he has 1 or more Vorlon Marks remaining. That means, to truly purge a temporary mark, it has to be your last mark on that character.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Major agendas are still Major Agendas after Forced Impairment
• Rotating Z'ha'dum is not official.
• Martyr stays with you.. but on whom, you ask?  I don't know...
• Playing conflicting loyalties on characters that can not be inner circle characters merely means the winner keeps the character.
• Tournaments:
• Tourney Huntington Beach, California (April 4) @ Noon (w/ Rangers)
• Demo in Quincy, Illinois
• Tourney in Reading, England (April 18) w/ some interesting rules beyond (what I know to be) the recommended errata:

--As It Was Meant To Be counts as a Major Agenda
--For Higher Calling and Seizing Advantage, you gain one power for each mark (destiny and doom, respectively)
 

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Major agendas are still Major Agendas after Forced Impairment
• Rotating Z'ha'dum is not official.
• Martyr stays with you.. but on whom, you ask?  I don't know...
• Playing conflicting loyalties on characters that can not be inner circle characters merely means the winner keeps the character.
• Tournaments:
• Tourney Huntington Beach, California (April 4) @ Noon (w/ Rangers)
• Demo in Quincy, Illinois
• Tourney in Reading, England (April 18) w/ some interesting rules beyond (what I know to be) the recommended errata:

--As It Was Meant To Be counts as a Major Agenda
--For Higher Calling and Seizing Advantage, you gain one power for each mark (destiny and doom, respectively)

Another item:  I'd like to start a tournament information section.. if I get any submissions I'll start doing that - on the condition that you'll try to get ahold of the listings of the winning decks.

Recent B5 rec.games.trading-cards.misc summary:

• Several Players list their common starting hands.. I'd list them, but there're quite a few.
• Here's an offer to make any Narn turncoat: become a "Disaffected Narn"! - You might just be a telepath!
• Doom Deck discussion:

Suggested Defense of aftermaths: Consolidated Position
Problem w/ Consolidated Position:  Only protects the ambassador - the nastiest of the anti-Doom aftermaths target the player instead.
Recommended remedy: card-drain conflicts?!?!? (see my comments below)