Siskoid's Rolodex.......Rules of Acquisition (4)



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To see the cards themselves, check out this Card list for the Rules of Acquisition expansion set.

#1076-Ikat'ika, Personnel, Dominion, Ketracel-dependent, Gamma quadrant, RoA
"Jem'Hadar First under Deyos. Leader of detachment assigned to Internment Camp 371. Fought Worf as part of training exercise. Skilled combatant."
-OFFICER, Honor, Leadership, Anthropology; Your Jem'Hadar present are STRENGTH +1 in battle; Command icon
-INTEGRITY: 8, CUNNING: 8, STRENGTH: 12

PICTURE: While I like the character, and his noble expression is well captured, the photograph reveals badly done Jem'Hadar make-up. To start with, I was never in favor of bright orange marks on Jemmies. If they are meant to look like tribal paint, I'm afraid they only manage to look like open sores. Too much of that here, and the color matches (perhaps even "reveals") the actor's skin color around his eyes. Bang, you've got a guy in a rubber suit. The Jem'Hadar in the back is also a little distracting. I can only swing a 2.5.

LORE: The "skilled combatant" line is a little weak, I thought, and the rest simply the usual backstory. Nothing too witty on this one. A 2.9.

TREK SENSE: Officer, Leadership, Command icon, they're all associated with his First status. By admitting he could not beat Worf (only kill him), he showed Honor, and indeed, it's fitting that it would be his first listed skill. Anthropology makes some measure of sense because he had to be aware of different (Alpha Quadrant) species, their strengths and weaknesses, or else would have studied them in the camp. Because he sent all his men in the ring to face Worf (and Martok, and others), he gets that bonus to their Strength in battle. I can see it, since he was a trusted leader, and one that could guarantee you'd see combat, gee, even in a prison camp. He certainly keeps them trained in battle at all times, thus the bonus. The attributes all make sense, including the Strength higher than Worf's. No false notes for a good 4.4.

STOCKABILITY: A STRENGTH booster that can't be Disruptor Overloaded or stolen? Always nice for a battle-heavy affiliation like the Dominion. If your opponent wants to take that bonus away, he'll have to kill a STRENGTH 13 (the bonus applies to him too) Jem'Hadar to do it. Add Ixtana'Rax for another +1 across the board, then some hand weapons... ok, never mind, you keep your bonuses and I'll just stay on the run all game. Is that ok with you? Ikat'ika is also a fair mission solver, since OFFICER, Honor and Leadership enjoy some redundancy on Jem'Hadar and their missions. Anthropology is definitely a rarer skill for them, but could come in handy when either spying on the Federation (for example) or making use of Historical Research and The Guardian of Forever. Attributes are sky high and make a wonderful addition to any attribute pool. A simple, yet excellent addition to your assault teams at 4.

TOTAL: 13.8 (69%) And then the Vorta just had him disintegrated...

#1087-In the Pale Moonlight, Dilemma, space/planet, RoA
"In a desperate attempt to spark Romulan participation in the defense of the Alpha Quadrant, Benjamin Sisko enlisted Elim Garak's effective, but questionable, methods."
-To get past requires a personnel who has INTEGRITY<4 OR a Federation personnel who has Treachery OR any Garak OR a Founder.

PICTURE: How to represent something as abstract as a truly moral dilemma? Sisko talking into the camera? Not generic enough. The PADD with Senator Vreenak's bio is a way to focus on the moral choice itself, and a hommage to the character who had to die because of that choice. The image itself isn't any more than average though, with a lot of muddled blurry script and an inconsequential background. Even the not-so-hidden 47 can't help it. A still respectable 3.3.

LORE: Describes the episode by the same name (GREAT title, both for the episode and the card) in a nutshell. Not very generic, but you get the jist of what this dilemma represents. See below for more. A 3.3 here again.

TREK SENSE: This dilemma represents your Away Team or crew's capacity to make a less-than-moral, but effective, choice. For Sisko in the episode, his choice was illegal under Federation law and got a few people killed along the way, but it was the only way to get the Romulans in the war, which was his "mission". Now apply this to any mission. Sometimes, it requires a certain ruthlessness to move ahead. Well, Garak is the perfect choice and is named in the requirements. A Founder is also pretty ruthless, and since most dealings in the game would be with solids, they don't even consider those true sentient life. More generically, a personnel with very low Intregrity is considered ruthless, yes, and for the Feds, the very fact they'd have Treachery would make them ruthless in comparison. So how did Sisko pass it? He had Garak of course. The man is so devious, he allows a perfectly Integrious personnel to make the morally ambiguous choice. I really like this dilemma not only because it's rather well constructed, but because it's the kind of thing that really could happen anywhere, unlike El-Adrel Creatures and such. A strong 4.5.

SEEDABILITY: Certainly puts some life into the Non-Aligned AU Garak, since he's the most universal way to pass this dilemma, and one of the easiest. This is one fat wall. Not that many personnel have Integrity 3 and under, and those that do exist are easily targeted by Firestorm and Strange Bedfellows. The Federation can try for Treachery personnel, but unless using Mirror universe people, they're gonna have a little trouble. Delta Quadrant players are a little better off, what with their crews being full of Equinox crewmembers and former Maquis. The Dominion may be the most immune, with their Founders, but all but the universal changeling will be killed off by Firestorm too. And if players try to ward off Firestorms with the usual INTEGRITY builders, well, then they won't pass In the Pale Moonlight. At a planet mission, they won't know where to jettison Kukalaka. I say the Cardassians are the best off solving this mission, though I somehow doubt some version of Garak will necessarily be on hand for every mission attempt. The dilemma's lost some steam in recent expansions, especially due to more and more Treacherous Feds, but it's still a 4.2.

TOTAL: 15.3 (76.5%) Great line from Batman too...

#1098-Incoming Message - Ferengi, Interrupt, RoA
"Messages and directives are sent, faster than light, on subspace radio signals amplified by networks of relay stations."
-"Your ship must immediately return to the nearest Ferengi outpost, full speed." Place on one Ferengi ship until outpost reached, then discard.

PICTURE: Different than other Incoming Messages in that it actually shows the recipient, and isn't broadcast on a big viewscreen. It's too bad in a sense, because I wish Star Trek had exploited more the notion of those early meetings with the Ferengi with the intimidating close-ups on a brightly light white background. But we instead get the Nagus communicating with Quark on a tiny screen surrounded in terribly gaudy colors. It's not too bad, and is somewhat more à propos since the Nagus is in a good position to call you back to outpost (though he's technically at a Headquarters). Incoming Messages have typically used shots where the various people were communicating with the Federation, but here, it's Ferengi-to-Ferengi. Of course, there's absolutely no ship involved here. These various observations pull the card to a score of 3.2.

LORE: Same as all the rest. Imagine, it was old by the time I collected all the Premiere ones. Ancient by Deep Space 9. In Rules of Acquisition, I was ready to write my own version and put post-it notes on each one I pulled. And it was quite possible to tailor each one to its specific affiliation, or so I thought. If the DS9 versions got 0.3, this one deserves 0.2 (I'm keeping a threatening 0.1 ready in case they pull another one of these for the Kazon or whoever).

TREK SENSE: Well, again I have to repeat myself, since there's little difference between this card and the Cardassian version, for example. On the one hand, the textual message in the game text helps the storytelling a bit, and there's nothing inately wrong with an outpost calling a ship home for some reason. On the other, there IS NO REASON given, which is compounded by the fact that nothing happens when you do get there. It further makes your opponent somehow control your Nagus, and undermines the Ferengi entrepreneurial spirit (they just don't have such a clear chain of command, especially the many non-military personnel). Never mind that Star Trek is built on a strong tradition of ship captains disobeying orders when it comes to heading home. And Ferengi on a Non-Aligned vessel? Nope, you can't call 'em in. But still, there's nothing inately wrong with such a message. A 2.8 from this vantage point.

STOCKABILITY: Binder trash. While it could be semi-useful in slowdown strategies, Ferengi is only one of over a dozen affiliations your opponent might choose to play, and since they don't have Treaties with anyone, the use of one of their ships by another affiliation would be exceedingly rare. So why stock a card that you have (probably) less than a 1 in 12 chance of being able to use? No reason. If you were so lucky (maybe the player's handle is Grand Nagus X or something), it's still not a done deal. While the Ferengi have 2 types of Outpost, one of them (the Trading Post) can be dangerous to play because opposing personnel can use it. The other is severely outclassed by the Ferengi's other options. One of these is their HQ which is a powerful reporting engine for them. The other is one of 2 Nors, either Empok Nor which can be commandeered quickly with Brunt's Shuttle, or one of the DS9/Terok Nors which has Quark's Bar. Any of these options are more attractive than a regular Outpost (Cargo Bays, Ferengi Conferences, Dabo...), and make all Ferengi ships immune to Incoming Message. An off-chanced 0.4.

TOTAL: 6.6 (33%) A stinker of a message.

#1109-Inglatu, Personnel, Dominion, universal, Gamma quadrant, RoA
"Typical male Dosi. Violent and impatient negociator. Threatened to kill Quark because of the Ferengi's annoying tenacity."
-CIVILIAN, Greed, Acquisition, MEDICAL, Geology; Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 5, CUNNING: 7, STRENGTH: 11

PICTURE: The lantern-jawed Dosi fares pretty well, with a complementary background that makes use of similar lines and colors as those found on his face and costume. His red face shows off his volatile nature and is an interesting make-up effect. 3.5 from me.

LORE: Everything there is true, and I see they conveniently omit the nature of what he deals in, which'll come in handy when they try to justify his skills. Lying by omission is still lying though, so just a 3 here.

TREK SENSE: Inglatu is first and foremost, a merchant. So Civilian certainly applies, as does Greed and Acquisition. It's unfortunate that the rest of skills aren't as relevant. See, his deal with Quark had everything to do with tulaberries, and I don't see that here. I don't dispute that he might also traffic in ore, but that wasn't established, so neither was the Geology. And the Medical? Did he set your bones after breaking them? I somehow doubt it, and the appearance of the skill is more than a little ridiculous here. Some might wonder if the Dosi should be Dominion-affiliated since they state in their single appearance that if you want to do business in the Gamma Quadrant, you have to go through the Dominion, as if they weren't part of it. They could still be under Dominion rule though. Attributes look good, with enormous Strength being quite evident, Integrity that tells us he's not really a bad guy but has few scruples when it comes to inflicting pain, and Cunning that's reasonable for a negotiator. And with all those very distinctive abilities, is he really TYPICAL of male Dosi? Just too many unanswerable questions makes for a 2.5.

STOCKABILITY: With both Greed and Acquisition, Inglatu is the all-around, universal user of Rules of Acquisition for the Dominion. Hanok can download one of them, but Inglatu is best suited to using them. And he's got the STRENGTH to fit nicely into a Jem'Hadar smack-down deck (34th Rule anyone?), but without that pesky Ketracel-dependency icon. Throw in a universal MEDICAL for an affiliation that's a little deficient in the classification, and you have a winner. Geology has its uses in mission solving and dilemma passing, and his Integrity is Firestorm-proof (break out the Genetronic Replicator to save his friends). An excellent and versatile non-Jem'Hadar who can hold his own in a fight. We weren't going to get many like that until the Breen came along. A 4.

TOTAL: 13 (65%) Glad he's not in the room to react to this lukewarm score.

#1120-Ishka, Personnel, Ferengi, RoA
"'Moogie' to Quark and Rom. Financial genius. Wears clothes. Earns profit. Secretly helps Zek run his empire."
-CIVILIAN, Acquisition, Computer Skill, Honor, Music; Your Gold-Pressed Latinum may report here, for free; While Grand Nagus Zek is here, doubles his skills
-INTEGRITY: 8, CUNNING: 10, STRENGTH: 4

PICTURE: I, for one, was disappointed to see Cecily Adams in the role of Ishka in place of the brilliant Andrea Martin. Adams was cast in the role because she could do the voice, but she never had Martin's expressiveness. The pic is from the Dominion hostage crisis, which isn't an episode centered on Moogie too much. Lighting and focus are very clear, so it's not a total wash, just not as appropriate as others might have been. A 2.8.

LORE: Telegraphic style, but it gets to hit on a lot of points in only two lines. You've got her "crimes", her relationship to her sons and to Zek and everything. Some of those relationships even have game play uses. A 3.4.

TREK SENSE: Ishka is a Civilian since females can't attain much else in the Ferengi Alliance. Her Acquisition skills are well supported, but they were on par with Quark's and should have been x2 here. She needed the Computer Skill to deal secretly and hide her accounts. Honor is there because of her duty to a civil rights cause, and her turning the Alliance into a very liberal place (it shows selflessness on her part, in a greed-run society). Music? I think there's a reference to her signing lullabies to her sons, but not much more than that. A little forced. Her making lots of money is represented by free Latinum reporting, which simply means she has the bars on hand. It's no different than having a concealed hand weapon, but a limit to her earnings might have been a good idea. Her pockets can't be bottomless (ah, but how many pockets does she have?) As for the doubling of Zek's skills, it's your usual justification, but a bit better. It's not uncommon to see one lover boosting the other in some way, but Ishka really did help the Nagus with his affairs, especially when he couldn't take care of them himself. It looks like she could reasonably boost all the skills there, helping with Law, Diplomacy and Acquisition, while encouraging his Greed and influencing his Leadership. A CUNNING boost would also be indicated, but this will do fine. For her high Integrity, see her Honor, but I do think her abuse of Quark deserves one point less. Her high Cunning is for her financial genius and deserved (I really think Acquisition x2 would have been appropriate). And the low Strength might have been lower still. She's an old woman on the order of past 100 years old. Feisty perhaps, but in no way a fighter. A 2 for her Strength, a 3.5 for her Trek Sense score.

STOCKABILITY: Ishka is definitely one of the Ferengi mains. Her skills aren't great, but they're fair. Acquisition is always useful, and not just in using Rules of Acquisition. Computer Skill is likewise useful, if common. Honor and Music aren't very important to the Ferengi, but may come in handy when dealing with certain dilemmas, or to Bribe your way into an unlikely mission. Their very rarity on Ferengi cards makes them useful on that level. Ishka's got very good special skills however. Reporting Latinum for free definitely speeds up the Ferengi deck (and Ishka's a CIVILIAN that downloads to Ferengi Conference), as it is used to fund a large number of their fetish cards, from cargo runs (with the Equipment buys) and Bribery, to Purchase Moon and Credit Exchange. She's best used with Grand Nagus Zek, making him Acquisition x2, Greed x2, Leadership x2, Law x2 and Diplomacy x2, and works well with his special download as mentioned above. Together, they actually do have mission solving power. You can send her to the draw deck for card draws or ship/equipment downloads by playing the 6th Rule of Acquisition on either Zek or Quark, that's useful too. Other bonuses include her high attributes, gender (a bit rarer for Ferengi) and ability to report for free to the Tower of Commerce if Quark's Bar isn't your thing. A strong 4.4.

TOTAL: 14.1 (70.5%) The Ferengi have some great-looking, and now great-playing, females.

#1130-It's Only a Game, Incident, Hidden Agenda, Referee icon, RoA
-Seeds or plays on table. Limits each non-Borg report with crew action to four total personnel/equipment. Limits Red Alert to one Personnel, one Ship and one Equipment card per turn. Limits probing and doubling for Visit Cochrane Memorial to once per game per persona. Also, whenever opponent draws three or more cards in one turn, you may download (even from discard pile) Scorched Hand, ignoring Computer Crash.

PICTURE: The image is pulled from the instant Fallow here says it. Compositionally, he's well framed in a triangle of lines, though those shaps coming in from the right make the card entirely too busy. A basic 3.

LORE: N/A (score will be adjusted accordingly)

TREK SENSE: Well, none really. Under Trek Sense, the actions of our personnel are only rarely ever a "game", and none of the effects have anything to do with games of any sort (and certainly not Chula). That leaves us with conceptuals, but they don't get us very far. Let's start with the icons. The Hidden Agenda is functional, yes, but it's also a wink to the fact that Quark didn't know it was a game. The Referee icon is purely mechanical in nature, of course. The effects? The card limits a number of strategies which can be made abusive, and these strategies have only one thing in common: they limit NUMBERS of things (cards drawn/reported, times probed, etc.). But "It's Only a Game" is something one player says to the other, not anything that happens in your private Trek universe. Or does it? It could be rationalized that when this incident enters play, any actions taken by the players' forces are merely simulations. It's not a real Red Alert, so fewer personnel report, etc. This is extremely dubious however, and needlessly reduces the drama of those events. Besides, shouldn't personnel respond to a drill as effectively as they would a real Red Alert? The only points I'm handing out here are for the Hidden Agenda icon: 0.2.

STOCKABILITY: A far-reaching magic bullet... I mean Referee card, It's Only a Game limits what aren't truly abusive strategies, but potentially very powerful ones nonetheless. As usual, the card can be donwloaded/discarded/recycled by Q the Referee, making it less of a gamble to include in your deck. I say gamble because any counter card's usefulness is dependent on your opponent's actions. So what does this puppy derail? First, there's reporting with crew, which'll work on anyone but the Borg, but is pretty limited to Space-Time Portal's effect. Other means, such as Barzan Wormhole, Caretaker's Array, Shuttlepods and Bajoran Raiders, already have a built-in personnel limit. The only other card without such a limit is Brunt's Shuttle, and I should mention that the effect can also be nullified entirely by Temporal Micro-Wormhole. So basically, it only affects the Ferengi and affiliations with plenty of AU personnel, and still only limits reporting to 4. Red Alert, in my opinion, had plenty of counters already (Yellow Alert, Deactivation, Mirror Image), but this finally nails it down without killing its usefulness altogether. The biggest counter though, is the limit to Visit Cochrane Memorial. Now it's impossible (with the card in play) to leave a human ENGINEER on Earth and reap the benefits of VCM probing every turn. You would now have to change ENGINEERs each time you wanted to probe. This was one trick getting a little out of hand because of Barclay (FC)'s doubling skill. I'd say this is THE reason to include It's Only a Game and is a serious inconvenience to VCMers everywhere, especially non-Federation ones which have a very limited human ENGINEER pool. The last function may be a little more useful to counter reporting with crew and Red Alert strategies than the first 2 effects. Namely, when your opponent wants to drop a large number of personnel and hoard them in their hand until it's possible to do so, you get to download Scorched Hand to discard more than half that hoard. It's also where the Hidden Agenda icon will do the most good/harm. Bottom line, I don't think it affects the meta-game too much since it doesn't actually kill any strategies, only curtail them or almost rewrite unbalanced cards (something I like better than magic bullets Writ large, if you get my meaning), but its effect on VCM is an important one, and you might actually get to use it in other ways. It's a strong 4.5.

TOTAL: 10.26 (51.33%) Also seems to be a message to players who don't like their cheese being targeted.

#1140-Jovis, Ship, Non-Aligned, RoA
"Zibalian transport and merchant vessel commanded by Kivas Fajo. Houses his collection of rare and one-of-a-kind objects. Used to imprison Data in 2366."
-Zibalian Class[1 Staff] Once per game, may capture an android on an undocked ship here; SD Kivas Fajo
-RANGE: 7, WEAPONS: 3, SHIELDS: 6

PICTURE: Much better than the rear-end view of the universal Zibalian Transport (still the lowest Ship score in the Rolodex), it's actually got a personality and doesn't look so much like a garbage scow. The bronze finish looks a lot like leather, which is odd, but the windows add scale and color. Calling this a 3.3.

LORE: Again, a good effort. It gives us a matching commander (Kivas Fajo), the stuff about being a museum of sorts, and its context within the story of "The Most Toys". A little redundant in calling it both a transport and a merchant vessel however, so a 3.3.

TREK SENSE: With its special abilities, I can understand wanting to require staffing on this boat, but is it warranted when the universal Zibalian Transport requires none? Well, Kivas modified the ship somewhat, making it a little faster (+1 Range), stronger (+1 Weapons) and tougher (+2 Shields), so that may account for it. It may also represent added Security to protect his collection. I WOULD have liked some connection to Fajo's Gallery, perhaps even making it a repository of artifacts in some way. After all, the android-capturing stuff has little to do with the ship itself and more with its commander. As the ship is the prison, and was instrumental in getting Data aboard, I can see the effect as an extention of Kivas Fajo's abilities, but the fact he doesn't have to be present does hurt the card. The jist of the skill means to emulate the events of "The Most Toys", which, I believe, would require a shuttle to be destroyed, etc. There's just no room on the card to do this ability correctly. The download of Kivas Fajo is a fair one, bypassing Ready Room Door, but I can see why. See, matching commanders are expected to be on their vessels, but could be reassigned by the service. Kivas Fajo actually OWNS and lives aboard the Jovis. He's not going to trade up easily. That isn't supported by other cards, but that's their problem. A difficult birth at an even 3.

STOCKABILITY: Transports are good for cargo runs, Delivering Supplies and Establishing Trade Routes. While these cards also accept other ships (most notably freighters), the majority of them are either quadrant-specific, very weak and/or require more staffing than the Jovis here. This ship is probably the best staffing deal for a Non-Aligned ship of its kind. The Rigelian Freighter requires a Command icon, and the Xepolite Freighter, both a Command and a Staff. The Jovis only requires a Staff icon and pretty much downloads it in the form of its matching commander, Kivas Fajo (Command icon). It saves you a Ready Room Door which could be used to grab a captain's order card like Captain's Log or Dedication Plaque, and Kivas makes the ship 9-6-9 with both those cards in play, matching the Xepolite's awsome RANGE and the Rigellian's high SHIELDS. It's not like Kivas Fajo is a bad personnel, especially combined with cargo run and other merchant strategies. There's also a chance you could use the ship's special ability to capture an android. This is not considered an attack, so the Feds can't retaliate, and you can deprive them of their Data (including the powerful Sherlock Holmes and Carlos versions) or other android. Lore is also a personnel you want out of the way, and all androids are, in fact, useful personnel. Finding yourself in the Delta Quadrant, you'd even have those Crvaic and Pralor Units to nab, possibly crippling their ships. Establish a Brig on the Jovis and make Kivas hire a SECURITY/Treachery personnel to Interrogate, Torture or Brainwash the android in question. And hey, it actually gives you a reason to use the awful universal Zibalian Transport: download that scow with Spacedoor, then break a bottle of '45 Dom Perignon over its hull to turn it into the Jovis. Ready for that cargo run, Mr. Fajo! The best of its kind at 4.1.

TOTAL: 13.7 (68.5%) A far cry from the baseline model.

#1151-Karemman Vessel, Ship, Dominion, universal, Gamma quadrant, RoA
"The Karemma conduct trade operations for the Dominion. Their vessels can be found throughout the Gamma Quadrant. Hanok commanded one."
-Freighter Class[1 Staff] Tractor Beam
-RANGE: 8, WEAPONS: 5, SHIELDS: 6

PICTURE: Lots of fine detail on this model, it's nicely lit and photographed, and has an original enough hull design. I never noticed the Karemman "symbol" on the wing, but there's something there. Looks like a calygraphic squiggle to me, but it probably means more than that. A good-looking 3.7.

LORE: Kind of amateurish in its syntax. I mean, there's a line about the Karemma themselves, not the ship. Then just a statement on how common the ships are. Then a pretty lame matching commander attribution. That attribution IS worth points, of course, since it affects the game, so this becomes a 3.

TREK SENSE: The way the lore talks about the ship, I think universality is pretty much proven fact. It's a freighter, yes, and definitely large enough (judging by the windows along the hull) to warrant both staffing and a Tractor Beam. If found all over the quadrant, I guess they have to be swift enough. 8 will do. Weapons and Shields are a bit high for a merchant vessel, but let's not forget the Gamma Quadrant is more militarily-minded place thanks to the Dominion, and that the Karemma sell weapons to the Jem'Hadar. Stands to reason they could apply some of that technology to their own ships. You'd think they'd even go higher on the Shields. Not perfect, but sensible at 3.6.

STOCKABILITY: The Dominion's own freighter, it can report to their native quadrant unlike similar Non-Aligned ships they might have wanted to use. Sure, it's not their style, but you can't deny Hanok's usefulness in bringing Acquisition-related abilities to the warlike affiliation (mostly the 34th Rule). The ship can go on cargo runs from a commandeered Nor, not something unheard of for Dominion assault teams. Hanok may serve as matching commander of the ship, downloading to it as required via Ready Room Door and boosting it upwards of 10-8-9 which is as high as a larger ship's attributes. Staffing is as low as an Attack Ship, but with more RANGE, so it's generally useful in that sense. An all-out military strategy might not see the use for the Karemman Vessel (not beyond downloading Hanok, then the 34th Rule anyway), but it opens up possibilities for the Dominion. A 3.5.

TOTAL: 13.8 (69%) I'll buy it.

#1161-Kasidy Yates, Personnel, Non-Aligned/Bajoran, RoA
"Freighter captain for Bajoran Ministry of Commerce. Smuggled weapons for the Maquis in 2372. Loves baseball. Romantically involved with Benjamin Sisko."
-CIVILIAN, Navigation x2, Smuggling, Transporter Skill; May add 2 cards to "cargo runs" she completes; Maquis icon; Command icon
-INTEGRITY: 7, CUNNING: 6, STRENGTH: 4

PICTURE: An elegant enough composition thanks to the background curve, but Kasidy's not in the best possible light, tightly bunned in this early appearance. Of course, that's all counterbalanced by the exact choice of moment: One of my favorite Star Trek comedy bits of all time is when she gets told that moving to the station is "a big step... a very big step". This is that moment, a defining one in her relationship with Sisko, so a 3.8 in all.

LORE: A number of bits make up a whole picture, with her actual job (post-"Indiscretion"), the all-important Maquis bit, her romantic involvement, and a cute bit about baseball. That last part is phrased the same as on Benjamin Sisko, further drawing them together. A very good 3.6.

TREK SENSE: My feeling is that humans should pretty much be baseline Federation, but I guess there are some that work outside the bounds of Federation space and authority. Kasidy is one of them, I suppose, though she also works for the Bajorans and may benefit from that affiliation. I think that as soon as she became the Emissary's woman, she should have become Federation right then and there. Human... dating a Starfleet captain... even going on assignment aboard a Federation starship once... Fed. Sisko even says so point blank in "Way of the Warrior"! She commands the freighter Xhosa, so the Command icon is warranted (still waiting on the ship, of course), but Maquis? Remember, she wasn't a member, just enough of a sympathiser to sell them medical supplies. If the Maquis icon represents membership, then it shouldn't be here. If it's meant to represent contacts (a bit like the Resistance skill), maybe, but I've yet to see another Maquis personnel that uses this definition. Basically a merchant, she's a Civilian. Running cargo to various systems, including braving the Badlands, gets her the Navigation, though I'm somewhat skeptical of its x2 value. She's a smuggler, as demonstrated by her Maquis deals. And Transporter Skill? Well, she had to make do with a really old model on the Xhosa, which probably means a lot more legwork on the part of the operator. I'll buy it. Adding 2 cards to cargo runs is a wink to her role as the only "main" freighter captain, but is it sensical? More or less. Cargo runs in and of themselves are a bit on the conceptual side (card draws as resources), but her ability could be taken to relate to smuggled cargo... under-the-table deals that get her more resources. I kind of like that explanation. In the attributes section, I agree with the high average Integrity. Sure, she went against the Feds by selling to the enemy, but they medical supplies to help refugees, and she did come back to face a prison sentence as promised. Cunning's a little harsh though. She was a pawn of Eddington, but I wouldn't hold that against her, and I have a hard time believing Sisko would choose to wed someone he didn't find intellectually stimulating (and he's an 8). Finally, no problems with the Strength. In general likeable, but some key elements are out of whack... enough for a drop to 2.9.

STOCKABILITY: Though she can turn Bajoran (benefitting from various affiliation bonuses), she's of practical use to almost any affiliation when Non-Aligned. Badlands decks will enjoy her presence, as she both protects against Plasma Storms and has a good deal to offer mission attempts in that region. Speaking of skills, the double Navigation is red hot, helping with a variety of problems, including Gravimetric Distortion. It also allows her to report or download to Cargo Bay from where she can start off on a cargo run (more on that below). Smuggling and Transporter Skill are both rarer second-generation skills (i.e. weren't in Premiere), so can be valuable. At Verify Evidence, for example, she can solve the mission alone with a tricorder. Deliver Supplies asks for her specifically! Transporter Skill is a little more useful than Smuggling, indeed of use with Invasive Beam-In as well as passing a few dangerous dilemmas. Don't forget the Maquis icon, which has more and more uses, including being boosted by Ro Laren and Captain Chakotay, and staffing the Liberty (to which she can report, even in the Delta Quadrant). A cargo run deck, however, is where she shines most. She can make each Equipment card transported "buy" a minimum of 3 card draws instead of 1, vastly increasing your profit. Cycling through a deck is much easier. Combine with the Bok'Nor for a greater choice of Equipment. Attributes are lukewarm, but she's got more than enough to offer, working very well with a number of affiliations and for a number of different goals. Ready to give her a 4.2.

TOTAL: 14.5 (72.5%) Worthy of "Mrs. Emissary".

#1171-Kazago, Personnel, Ferengi, RoA
"First officer. Shocked by DaiMon Bok's free gift of the derelict USS Stargazer to the human Picard. Placed Bok under arrest for using an illegal thought maker."
-OFFICER, Leadership, ENGINEER, Honor; Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 7, CUNNING: 6, STRENGTH: 8

PICTURE: Furs are a more interesting uniform for the Ferengi than those ugly gray things with the big golden ring in the center, that for sure. Kazago sports better fashions (fur and chainmail headgear), and his smile/sneer is interesting, but they have to do something about those terrible backgrounds. A 3.5.

LORE: His role in the episode is spelled out in a couple of sentences, without mistakes I don't think, though I have the feeling Bok was arrested more for the gift-giving than the thought maker ;-). A fair 3.2.

TREK SENSE: The first thing I notice is the Staff icon which doesn't go at all with his First Officer status. Come on. Especially one that had the authority (and I accept Leadership fully) to arrest a DaiMon. The fact he sided with the Enterprise against Bok has warranted Honor, sure, though that might just have meant he didn't have Treachery, you know? I'm on board with the high Integrity on that basis though. Engineer? Don't remember him showing any aptitude. It's possible, and he knew what a thought maker was, but not implicit. Possible special skills might have included nullifying Thought Maker or capturing a Ferengi with Treachery, but hey, there's none of that here. Cunning's low as is often the case for TNG Ferengi, though I'm left to wonder if it's because he was easily convinced to switch sides by the Feds. If that's the case, he shouldn't have Honor. Can't have it both ways. Maybe it's because he allowed himself to be beamed over to the Enterprise, which is imprudent at best. Strength is very high for a Ferengi, but he had some guts and possibly the means to back them up. Unfocused in parts, questionable in others, Kazago only scores a 2.

STOCKABILITY: A Ferengi DiHoLe? Yep. For Bribing your way to those Klingon and Federation missions that require those skills, he's invaluable. Leadership and Honor are getting to be on their fair shares of dilemmas in any case, and the latter is quite a bit rarer on Alpha Quadrant Ferengi. ENGINEER is never a waste, and in combination with another classification, even better. And great attributes! The Ferengi have plenty of CUNNING, so he doesn't really need it. They're kind of low on INTEGRITY and STRENGTH though, and that is has. Maglocks aren't too difficult for him. Not big in redundant decks, Kazago is the kind of personnel that patches the holes your affiliation naturally has. I'd say that was enough for a 3.5.

TOTAL: 12.2 (61%) And he slides home... he's safe!

#1181-Krajensky Founder, Personnel, Dominion, Gamma quadrant, RoA
"The changeling appearing as Ambassador Krajensky seized the USS Defiant in an effort to start a war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi."
-VIP, Diplomacy, Law, Leadership, ENGINEER, Treachery; SD Issue Secret Orders; Federation infiltration icon; Command icon
-INTEGRITY: 4, CUNNING: 8, STRENGTH: 5

PICTURE: Where the real Krajensky is pictured on a bright green background, the evil body snatcher taking his place is on a dark, eerie background. The shifting hues and shadows on the card have that certain changeling quality, and the look is pretty mean. An atmospheric success at 4.

LORE: Basically his role in the episode without any kind of descriptives or trivia information. There's not much room for it of course. "Seized" is not the word I would have used to describe his operation, but it's ok. I'll call this an average 3.

TREK SENSE: One of the things which may or may not be a problem depending on how you view the Link is that Krajensky Founder should be considered the same persona as Odo Founder. On the other hand, any Founder could impersonate the pictured individual, so the card becomes a disguise that can be adopted by anyone. Then again, that infiltrator can walk around in a Dominion Away Team or crew without reverting to a more natural form so... There's just no winning on this one. Similarly, you have to ask yourself how Founders reshuffle skills and attributes exactly. Being a thing is to know its existence, bla bla bla. Can they really mimic a person so well, they suddenly gain actual skills? Probably not. The Link ("ocean") would have had to bone up on the subjects and imbue them into the infiltrator ("drop"). But still, this Founder rates his Strength at 5, but impersonated Odo rated at 10, and in his normal (universal) form is rated at 7. Reigning it in as part of the disguise? Ok, but why stay weak when working with a Dominion Away Team? And how about that Cunning? 8 as Krajensky and 7 as Odo? What makes him dumber? At least Krajensky has a classification and some skills which your run-of-the-mill Founder would have even when not infiltrating. So he's still a Leader and a VIP (it's odd when the Vorta and Jem'Hadar just don't believe these to be a given when the Founder has a non-VIP/Leadership humanoid form). He pretty much copies the real Krajensky, with such skills as Law, Diplomacy and Engineer. That last skill is interesting because it was probably more true of the Founder than the Ambassador. It was never, in my opinion, proven that Krajensky had any Engineering expertise, but the Founder did Install an Autonomic Systems Parasite at key points in the Defiant's structure. Treachery is, of course, a given for an infiltrator, and the special download suits him since this was his little gambit, and he's even pictured on the card. The drop in Integrity from the original personnel is usual (they're all 4s). The Founder himself is sensical, and my only qualms are about the changeling/infiltrator mechanics themselves, so no less than a 3.5.

STOCKABILITY: As a Dominion personnel, he supplies a number of interesting skills - Leadership and Diplomacy are always useful, ENGINEER is a great extra classification, you can never have enough Law, and Treachery's redundant enough to build your deck around. Where Krajensky Founder shines, however, is as an infiltrator. The Ambassador won't see that much play, I don't think, especially if your opponent didn't seed Risa Shore Leave, so you need not fear exposure too much. He's one of, what now, 4 Federation infiltrators (try to expose them all!) and has a useful download once he's in an opposing crew. Issue Secret Orders can interrupt a mission attempt or whatever else the crew's doing, and force them to go out and attempt another mission. It wouldn't be a bad idea to include dilemmas requiring the very same skills Krajensky has and using Counterintelligence to remove these skills from the Away Team. Law in particular is a rare one, even in the Federation (the others, not so much). Of course, that all hinges on your opponent using the Feds (a common enough occurence), but Krajensky  is still a good skill-horse for the Dominion itself. A good 4.

TOTAL: 14.5 (72.5%) Built on a good foundation.

#1191-Krax, Personnel, Ferengi, RoA
"Son of Grand Nagus Zek. Missed his chance to show his father he could be a good nagus when he tried to seize power quickly, rather than accumulate it quietly."
-VIP, Youth, Greed, MEDICAL; May serve as Nagus (if your have no Nagus in play); Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 6, CUNNING: 6, STRENGTH: 3

PICTURE: That dark background suits the sly-looking Krax, and his card comes off as a rich blend of earth tones supported by an original and effective expression. A good 3.5.

LORE: The coda of "The Nagus" and wise advice from the episode are related here, taking up most of the lore, and it sounds great. The familial history may be useful for 6th Rule strategies, so the lore is also game-useful. A 3.7.

TREK SENSE: Ok, Krax is a young, impatient turk definitely deserving of the Youth skill, and his Greed is obvious. I'm surprised that Treachery isn't also part of the skill load since he did try to assassinate Quark. The Medical is an odd choice in fact, though related to the pheromone-guided locator bomb (that may just be a bit of Biology though... Medical's a stretch). And though it may seem like turning him into a Nagus if no Nagus is present (i.e. Zek is dead or making believe he's dead), that kind of heriditary titling doesn't quite compute. While Zek MIGHT have made Krax Nagus eventually, he gave the title to Quark in the episode. And when he stepped down in reality, he gave it to Rom! So Krax was NEVER going to be Nagus (he didn't pass his father's test). The VIP classification informs us that being the Nagus' son carries some privileges, and the Staff icon seems fine given his actual status and ability to work technology. As for attributes, 6 is a bit high on the Integrity pole, and the Strength could have been a touch higher simply because he was a little dangerous, but the low Cunning is just fine. Quark was able to outwit him through sheer luck alone! Stuff missing, stuff not quite right and stuff not working at all... that's a 1.9.

STOCKABILITY: Attributes are laughable, but the skill list is at least okay. That is to say that VIP allows him to report for free to the Tower of Commerce, Greed is highly redundant on Ferengi support cards and missions, and MEDICAL is never ever a waste (in fact, relatively rare on Ferengi). Youth is much less interesting, but has its occasional uses. Krax's big chance then, is as Nagus proxy for when Zek or Gint are either not out yet, have been killed, or aren't in your collection. After all, a Nagus is instrumental to your Ferengi's success. He passes some dilemmas, downloads cards to Ferengi Conference, enables the 59th Rule, gets your free Rules through the Scepter (and protects them from nullification), and more. Krax can do all this so long as his dad (or Gint) isn't there. If Zek later makes an appearance, you can use the 6th Rule to exchange him for card draws or downloads. And the more Nagi you have in your deck, the better your chances of starting (and upholding) your Rule-related strategies. Krax thus gets a 3.5.

TOTAL: 12.6 (63%) Plenty of cracks...

#1201-Krayton, Ship, Ferengi, RoA
"Marauder commanded by Tog. Briefly imprisoned Lwaxana Troi, whom Tog had abducted from Betazed following the 2366 Trade Agreements Conference."
-D'Kora-Class Marauder[1 Command, 2 Staff] Holodeck, Tractor Beam
-RANGE: 9, WEAPONS: 8, SHIELDS: 8

PICTURE: Though head-on pictures of Marauders tend to have more teeth, the Krayton isn't bad either. There's a clear shot of its Ferengi icon and a peek at its energy cannon. The ship's in a good pose given that it was escaping from the Enterprise through most of its episode, and is best known for its Range. Suffers from sizeable blurring, but still a 3.4.

LORE: First off, Tog is mentioned as matching commander, which of course is important to the Lore score. The lore then goes on to talk about Tog's crime at length, almost as if it were his own card here, but it does do so through the ship. A fair enough 3.3.

TREK SENSE: The only difference between the Krayton and the universal Marauder is +1 to Range. That's it, that's all. And as I hinted above, that's fine given its flying away from Betazed at top speed for most of "Ménage à Troi". The rest is pretty standard, and a little something extra might have been nice. Like what? I dunno... how about a built-in Brig or something. I'm not really panning the card on the strength of that argument, but I do find it less than original. Worth about a 3.4.

STOCKABILITY: Tog's a good enough personnel (an uncommon!), especially when running a capturing strategy, and he can boost his ship to 11-11-11 with Defiant Dedication Plaque and Captain's Log, or report aboard via Ready Room Door. Pretty usual. Why this Marauder rather than another? Well, it's one of the Ferengi's quickest ships (only equaled by the much weaker Quark's Treasure), which affords it speed in mission solving endeavors, as well as in escaping with Tog's captive Empath. The Holodeck finally can see some use thanks to the NA holos from Holodeck Adventures, and the Tractor Beam can pull in your Ferengi shuttles. Nice attributes overall too. I'd say it scored 3.6 here.

TOTAL: 13.7 (68.5%) Just a tad under the universal model.

#1211-Kreechta, Ship, Ferengi, RoA
"Ferengi marauder. Under the command of Bractor in 2365, interrupted a mysterious battle between the Federation starships Enterprise and Hathaway."
-D'Kora-Class Marauder[1 Command, 2 Staff] Holodeck, Tractor Beam
-RANGE: 8, WEAPONS: 9, SHIELDS: 8

PICTURE: Just slightly less toothy than the universal D'Kora Marauder, its pose is similar, but its lights aren't on (or it just doesn't have windows). That makes it a bit less attractive as does the strange optical illusion caused by the pose, the back end of the ship looking lopsided as a result. I think it's fair to call it a 3.

LORE: The first short snipet sounds a bit redundant given that both affiliation and class is given elsewhere. How does it proceed from there? Well, it names a matching commander which is always a plus, and I like how they give the Ferengi point-of-view about the Federation wargames. It was only "mysterious" to them. Does sound like they're talking about the OS Starship Enterprise though... Hopefully, no card will take this into account. A sound 3.4.

TREK SENSE: Pretty much your regular Marauder, but with one difference - one point higher in Weapons. That works fine given that Bractor was quite the aggressor in "Peak Performance", and that the Enterprise had trouble with it. Indeed, at this point in the series, the Ferengi shot first and asked for latinum later. Nothing much to comment on other than that as the Kreechta basically has its class' strengths (well-gauged size and attributes) and weaknesses (Holodeck never proven). Call it a 3.5.

STOCKABILITY: The Ferengi have a couple of nice smaller ships, but they're likely to keep at least one Marauder on hand as a show of strength (or for holograms). If they only use one, should it be the Kreechta? Well, it's not as quick to put into play as the universal model, but you do have a matching commander for it which can up its stats to 10-12-11 with Plaque & Log. Bractor's not a bad personnel to Ready Room into play, but he's no game-breaker. Another Marauder also has a matching commander, so it's a matter of which ship attribute you'd like to focus on. The Krayton has more RANGE which may well put it over the top in mission solving, and that's probably more important than a +1 to WEAPONS in this case. It's a fine ship, but nothing really puts it ahead of others. 3.3 should do it.

TOTAL: 13.2 (66%) There's a reason why Bractor would want to commandeer another ship ;-).

#1221-Krozh, Personnel, Non-Aligned, universal, RoA
"Typical Nausicaan bodyguard. Protects FCA Liquidator Brunt. Doesn't mind working for Ferengi cowards as long as the money is good."
-SECURITY, Navigation, Treachery, Guramba; May report where you have FCA present; Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 3, CUNNING: 5, STRENGTH: 10

PICTURE: Though the color palette tends towards reddish earthy hues almost exclusively, the web-like lattice behind him adds to his animalistic looks. Now if only his hair didn't look like he was in an 80s heavy metal band... Just kidding, it's a pretty good 3.5.

LORE: The first phrase isn't a throwaway as it establishes his universality and makes him a bodyguard, something that can work with other cards. Then, we get more specific. I really like the last sentence which not only explains why a Nausicaan might work for the Ferengi, but does so with all the attitude such collusion would require. A very funny 4.

TREK SENSE: Krozh is a universal ("typical") bodyguard, so Security makes sense. Nausicaans pretty much work for the highest bidder, which might involve Treachery, but I think Greed would have worked better. Guramba is the Nausicaan cultural skill, and it's not one that inherently makes sense in the way it functions, but I've discussed that before. It's not explicitly told anywhere, but we'd have to imagine that he was Brunt's pilot as well, which would explain the Navigation and Staff icon. Fair enough. As for the special reporting skill, is it ridiculous to think that FCA personnel regularly use Nausicaan bodyguards? I don't think it is, as the Ferengi are quite prone to trend-setting AND fashion-following. Once Brunt did it, I'm sure it caught on (if Brunt wasn't already copying from someone else). As for attributes, it all makes sense. High Strength (he took darts in the chest!), low Cunning (he thought this was fun!) and very low Integrity (you didn't get a sense of loyalty from him). A good effort, where the invention makes sense too. Here, I'll give 4.1.

STOCKABILITY: There are other universal bodyguards, but none are Non-Aligned and can serve any affiliation. Indeed, Krozh can be quite the personnel battle deterrant/counter/participant thanks, not only to being a bodyguard, which allows him, with the Incident, to exclude some of your weaker personnel from battles, but with the rest of his make-up as well. He's got that high STRENGTH, for one thing, and the Guramba which forces opposing teams to have 2 leaders instead of one to initiate battle (they'll usually have them, but killing enough leaders could prevent subsequent attacks). For the Ferengi, Krozh can be especially useful since he reports to your FCA personnel directly, protecting them wherever they might be (and to the Cargo Bay, if that's your fancy). Have yet to drop Writ on the table? You don't want your FCA personnel to take a bullet before you can, right? Just to make him more flexible, he's got some fairly useful (if common) skills, and let's not forget he can save one of your personnel from A Fast Ship Would Be Nice (plus the few instances where Guramba is called for, including Tulaberry Wine Negotiations). All that, and universal too, so you could have an army of Nausicaans at your beck and call. Enough for a 3.8.

TOTAL: 15.4 (77%) No link to In the Zone? Aww.

#1231-Krunk, Personnel, Ferengi, universal, RoA
"Transporter technician under the command of Lurin. Guarded a USS Enterprise transporter room during his DaiMon's unsuccessful takeover attempt."
-ENGINEER, Physics, Computer Skill, Transporter Skill; Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 6, CUNNING: 6, STRENGTH: 5

PICTURE: There's heavy blur on this gray figure, as you can tell especially from his pearly whites. The color palette is dark and dreary, the character is butt ugly (which doesn't hurt, it just doesn't help) and the pose and expression don't do much for me. Not much more than a 2.3.

LORE: While mentioning Lurin is always good for game purposes, Krunk gets one of the least funny lores in the affiliation. No real mistakes aside from not acknowledging universality, but dull. A 3.

TREK SENSE: Krunk stands as the universal transporter chief of the Ferengi. As such, he has - big surprise - Transporter Skill. Transporter specialists are most always Engineers, and he is that too. Running that console requires Computer Skill, yes, and undertsanding what's happening in the matter stream requires Physics. Well done, and very generic (i.e. universal). In fact, the only less-than-universal aspect is from the lore which attaches him to Lurin and begs the question: "Just how many transporter technicians did Lurin need?" That said, as part of a pirate outfit (or call it what you will), his Integrity is a little too high. At the same time, he's from that tradition of easily manipulated Ferengi simpletons whose naïveté may bring his Integrity up. His low Cunning isn't so low as to ignore his rather difficult skills, but still gives us the impression that he didn't know any better. Strength 5 is normal for a non-descript Ferengi male in the "military service". Not especially original, but well designed. I give him a 3.7 here.

STOCKABILITY: The Ferengi have many good ENGINEERs, but Krunk is their only universal, and that's his unique niche. This common, disposable ENGINEER also offers the rare Transporter Skill, good for dilemmas and boarding cards, but also for a number of Ferengi missions like Runabout Search and Deliver Supplies. Physics is getting more demand and won't be a waste either, and Computer Skill is always good. Your Lurin deck can indeed make use of his Computer Skill for its commandeering efforts. And since he does mention Lurin, you can convert him to equipment downloads or card draws via the 6th Rule of Acquisition. Attributes are lame, but the Ferengi are used to that, and that's what Lower Decks is for, right? Good support for the affiliation at 3.7.

TOTAL: 12.7 (63.5%) And hasn't been replaced yet.

#1241-Kukalaka, Equipment, RoA
"Beloved childhood companion (and first surgical patient) of Julian Bashir. Loaned to, and especially treasured by, Leeta. A timeless symbol of innocence and security."
-Your non-Borg personnel present are each INTEGRITY +2, or +3 if Leeta present. Also, each player is limited to one Brain Drain OR one Going to the Top every turn. (Unique.)

PICTURE: The beaten-up teddy bear is in its rightful place, not long after Jake and Nog rescue it from Leeta's grasp, and makes for a fun picture. The other items in the corner add color, but not much interest since we don't know what they are, though they do kind of look familiar (the domed pot looks like the buildings on the "Quickening" planet, and so forth, but I'm projecting here). A purposely cute 3.5.

LORE: While Kukalaka has one of the worst names in all of teddy beardom, his description is a lot of fun. I'm really glad they thought to name him as Bashir's first patient, and his link to Leeta also gets copy. The syntax, much like my own, is a little convoluted however. Finally, the last sentence attempts to explain the game text in a way, and we'll soon see if it succeeded. For now, let's call it an amusing 4.

TREK SENSE: The biggest problem this card faces is that while Kukalaka is unique (there's only one of him in the universe, even if there are countless teddy bears), you can't really believe anyone BUT Bashir or Leeta would ever bring him on an Away mission, and even there, Julian would probably draw criticism. Certainly, the Romulans wouldn't be hanging around with a stuffed toy, nor would the far away Kazon. So as Equipment, Kukalaka leaves a lot to be desired. The effects of the card themselves are a mixed bag. If more innocence = more Integrity, and I think a case could be made to prove it even if the lack of moral choice inherent to innocence would drive the attribute down, then the presence of the bear could drive up the stat. Again, this would be fine for someone who has an emotional tie to the toy, like Bashir, whose heart is made lighter just be looking at it or handling it (the idea that it might represent, to any leader, "what we are really fighting for" etc. is good, but doesn't easily transcend affiliation borders). Leeta loves it even more, and almost regresses to childhood while cradling it, so +3 for her. But that's exactly it, it's not +3 for her, it's for everyone present (same for the +2 when she isn't there). Such a boost is ridiculous since attitudes towards the bear would vary greatly. Naomi Wildman might be charmed by it, whereas Tuvok would be more likely annoyed, and that's not even going into non-Federation personnel! At least the Borg have realized that childhood is irrelevant. The other abilities are totally conceptual in nature and ask the players to be "innocent" by forbiding them certain abusive strategies. That's all THAT is. Can't go above 0.9, I'm afraid.

STOCKABILITY: Hand weapons boost STRENGTH, and PADDs boost CUNNING, but what about INTEGRITY? That's where Kukalaka comes in. At +2 to each personnel present, he not only helps the good guys pass INTEGRITY requirements, but the bad guys too, and they've always had a harder time of it. Think of Firestorm, one of the better killer dilemmas against Romulans and other INTEGRITY-impaired affiliations - sometimes, a +2 is just enough to get personnel over the bar and allow them to survive. Watch out: You can only have one Kukalaka in play at any time, so it can only help one crew/Away Team at a time. Centralized mission solving would seem to be in order. Just being in play does afford you a couple of Referee-like abilities though. One of these is limiting Brain Drain to once per turn, a card that, in multiples, can really kill an Away Team's effectiveness. Of course, Writ of Accountability destroys Brain Drain much more, but Kukalaka may be an softer pill to swallow if YOU want to use Brain Drain too. Going to the Top is likewise limited to once per turn, preventing your opponent from mass downloading his entire deck. Julian Bashir and Leeta both download the bear, suspending play to do so, so you can cut off your opponent just as he tries to do either of these things, or get the toy as early as you want to help with mission attempts. For the Bajorans, Leeta doesn't just download it, she gives it an extra +1 (for a total of +3), adding to the numerous attribute boosters available to the affiliation. The Ferengi can use Leeta too, and more generally, for protection against low INTEGRITY hosers, Kukalaka is da bomb, and really, the only blanket way to boost that particular attribute. He's a 3.8.

TOTAL: 12.2 (61%) Unfortunately conceptual, which sounds the death toll for something as tangible as an Equipment card.

#1251-Leck, Personnel, Ferengi, RoA
"Professional assassin called an 'eliminator'. Doesn't crave latinum, but doesn't like being cheated. Brunt called him a psychopath during the 2374 Ishka rescue."
-CIVILIAN, SECURITY, Exobiology, Treachery; Once per game, may kill any one personnel present; Staff icon
-INTEGRITY: 2, CUNNING: 8, STRENGTH: 7

PICTURE: He's got the darkest of Ferengi jobs, so the dark and moody lighting really suits him. At the same time, the humor comes through thanks to expression, pose and costume. A nicely photographed 3.6.

LORE: While the outside quote from Brunt seems a little unnecessary, it is an interesting way to retell the Ishka rescue story. The first two sentences are stronger, giving some insight into the strange Ferengi, and not forgetting to explain the term "eliminator". It's a 3.5.

TREK SENSE: Assassins fall into the Security category, but since Leck isn't part of any "service", he's a Civilian first. Fair enough. Since he's a killer, you'd better believe he's got Treachery and low Integrity. It almost goes without saying. You won't find Greed on this guy (he doesn't care about latinum), but you will find Exobiology which helps you know where to make your incisions. It's all part of the trade. And he IS an assassin in the game. He can kill one personnel outright each game. If that personnel is present, high Strength or not, they're a gonner. Only once per game? Well, it's like any hired killer. They've got their assignment and aren't going to go on killing sprees (no matter what Brunt's opinion is). None of the Magnificent Ferengi should have gotten particularly high Cunning on the strength of that episode, and Leck only appeared there. Still, if he's that good an eliminator, he can't have been stupid all his life. Strength seems about right, and I'll certainly buy the Staff icon. Everything works with a modicum of justification, so a strong 4.3.

STOCKABILITY: Leck is a pretty useful fellow that I'm sure makes a fine candidate for Temporal Micro-Wormhole just so other affiliations can use him. See, it's that special skill. Kill any personnel regardless of their STRENGTH, of Bodyguards, or affiliation attack restrictions. Obvious targets are those super-STRENGTH personnel that won't let you win a personnel battle, the Borg Queen (followed tightly by Alas, Poor Queen), or a strong mission solver who has the only skill to pass an oncoming dilemma. If Leck is there, they're toast. He can even do away with one of your own personnel if, for example, a dilemma has made them a problem, or if their dying can score you points at the end of the game (like Aamin Marritza). It's a strong effect to be sure. Skill-wise, Leck isn't a waste either, since both SECURITY and Exobiology are useful in overcoming dilemmas, while CIVILIAN and Treachery have some use in combination with Ferengi-centric cards. Treachery will allow him to use some Rules, such as the 6th that could send Brunt (with his special download already used) to the bottom of the draw deck in exchange for downloads or card draws. CIVILIAN allows him to report for free at the Tower of Commerce, or download directly to a Ferengi Conference. He's got better than average STRENGTH for a Ferengi, and good CUNNING. I'd say Leck's a 4.1.

TOTAL: 15.5 (77.5%) The only dilemma is to figure out which personnel to bump off.

#1261-Leeta, Personnel, Bajoran/Ferengi, RoA
"Bajoran dabo girl. Formed the Guild of Restaurant and Casino Employees with Rom. Amateur sociologist. Was formally separated from Julian Bashir on Risa in 2373."
-CIVILIAN, Anthropology, Youth, Computer Skill, Leadership, Music; SD Dabo OR Kukalaka
-INTEGRITY: 7, CUNNING: 6, STRENGTH: 4

PICTURE: I remember someone saying, when this card was first revealed, that I'd have to give it high marks, and guess what? I can't. Leeta's severe expression and muddled Risan background make painfully clear that this is not the best shot of her in the series. Sorry. The flowers and her costume do have the same unifying color, but that's the best I can say about this bottom-heavy composition. A disappointed 2.9.

LORE: All parts have a function. You've got, in order, the dabo girl title which is useful in the game, details from her first episode of note, a brief explanation for one of her skills, and a context for the picture (as well as being a romantic involvement mention). It's almost like the bulk of Leeta's story happened after the release of her card, but that isn't the case. Still better than average at 3.5.

TREK SENSE: Leeta has greater claim to the Ferengi affiliation icon than other dabo girls do, what with her marrying Rom and all, but since this is a version of her before she even got involved with him, the point is somewhat moot. The official explanation has to remain the same: The Ferengi affiliation being run more like a business, the employee of a Ferengi counts as part of the affiliation. I'm fine with that, mind you. A dabo girl is just a Civilian, of course, and one with Youth to attract the most customers. Leeta's Anthropology is showcased in a few episodes, including "Facets" where she knew all about Trill rituals, and later, "The Assignment" had her be the source for information on the pah-wraiths. Computer Skill is more iffy, stemming from, what, writing up contracts? I'm not sure I see it. Leadership is from her leading the Guild, but though she showed a bit more backbone than Rom at times, it was really HIS thing. I seem to half-remember her musical ability, but can't put my finger on it (from "He Who Is Without Sin?", or is Chase Masterson the actual singer?). Another dubious skill. Her special downloads are ok, with Dabo being her job, and Kukalaka her favorite stuffed toy (it was in her possession for a good while). Her Integrity hits a good-hearted 7, but she's sort of a dumb belle (even if Quark should give her more credit when he pokes fun at her "brains") so the 6 sticks. Strength's about right for a fit woman of her age with no battle experience. Well done, but the designers perhaps loaded her up with too many skills. A 3.5 also.

STOCKABILITY: With her full skill box, Leeta shouldn't be underestimated. Sure, Youth and Music aren't the most useful of skills, but the rest are pretty solid. CIVILIAN/Anthropology, for example, will easily pass Primitive Culture. The Anthropology alone can be found on a few Ferengi and Bajoran missions. She's got the Leadership to initiate battle, as strange as that may sound, but it's another great dilemma buster, and there's always a call for Computer Skill. If trying to commandeer Deep Space 9 from Quark's Bar, for example, her Computer Skill can be downloaded to the Bar directly by forfeiting a card play (or else, there's always Ferengi Conference). She's a dabo girl so can report there directly if you're in no hurry. Once there, she can enable the 211th Rule, or download Dabo with which she also works. It's not seedable, so downloading it through Leeta gets the card drawing engine into play at the earliest possible convenience. Other dabo girl perks include getting a boost from her colleague Aluura, and penalizing anyone who kills her at Quark's. If not using Dabo (maybe you're playing the Bajorans and no Bar), she can instead download Kukalaka, boosting your personnel's INTEGRITY at the equipment's maximum of +3. That's good for the Bajorans who are eminently boostable through a variety of means, but perhaps even better for the Ferengi who might have a bit more trouble in the INTEGRITY department. Indeed, she provides a number of things which are rarer in the affiliation, including her gender and Music skill. You know, just the dabo girl stuff is worth a lot already, and she's got lots of skills to add to that. A 4.1.

TOTAL: 14 (70%) Yeah, she's cute... I'm trying to be objective here.

#1272-Lemec, Personnel, Cardassian, RoA
"Gul in command of the Reklar. Clashed with Captain Edward Jellico over troop and ship movements along the Federation-Cardassian border."
-OFFICER, Geology, MEDICAL, Music, Transporter Skill; Command icon
-INTEGRITY: 6, CUNNING: 7, STRENGTH: 8

PICTURE: I like this one. It's a clear shot of Lemec, right down to insignia details, the expression on his face is great, and the lights in the background lead to his face (good for composition). It's a good, almost creepy 3.7.

LORE: Though technically a matching commander, the Reklar has yet to be made, so Lemec flies or dies pretty much by the rest of his lore. And it's not too bad, telling the story interestingly. Might have included the reasoning behind the Music though (see below). A 3.1.

TREK SENSE: The reasoning behind the Music would have been cool, but guess what - the reasoning behind ANY of these skills would have too! Aside from Officer/Command icon, I don't know where any of these was applied in the show. I was so mystified, I went to the IMDB database to check his other credits... He played a couple of "Doctors" on "Angel", could that account for the Medical? The Geology could very well come from his role as a miner in Voyager's "Critical Care" (or had it even aired when the card came out?). He played one of the snaky Selay in "Lonely Among Us", but there are no skills deriving from that. Can't see the source of the Music anywhere, nor the Transporter Skill at all. On the other hand, where's the Diplomacy? He played the game with Jellico. Security and Treachery might also have been acceptable. Anyway... His Integrity's a tad high seeing as he was fairly duplicitous. Can't argue with Cunning and Strength however, so there's at least that. For the most part, you have to wonder what episode they were looking at. A poor showing indeed at 1.

STOCKABILITY: They obviously built Lemec to patch some holes in the Cardassian skill base. The OFFICER/MEDICAL combo is always a nice one since it allows OFFICERs with Medical Kits to become MEDICAL x2 personnel, great against any number of dilemmas as well as with Genetronic Replicator. For the Cardassians, extra classifications like this allow your OFFICERs to report/download to Ops without the need for too many extra Sites (like Infirmiry, in this case). The other skills are also good for dilemma resolution, especially given their relative rarity in the Cardassian Union. (Even the MEDICAL is rather rare with them.) Geology's a requirement for Forced-Labor Camp to boot. None of the attributes are liabilities, so they're good too. Reporting for free at Central Command isn't bad either. His ship isn't in the game yet, but a Maquis/DMZ-related expansion would probably contain it, we'll have to see. For now, Lemec's got a lot of the skills the doctor ordered. A fine 4.

TOTAL: 11.8 (59%) Sacrifing Trek Sense on the altar of Stockability won't win any points with me.

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