Poisonblade Rogue isn’t really an option with the risk of Nullcraft, unfortunately. Thieving Imp is awkward from a stats point of view, since Nullcraft / Battle Suits gets the kill. Alternatively, Boot Camp on Imp gets a River kill, but I’m assuming Bomber would want to play that on the Mox.
Do I definitely want to go for Taxman here? Alternatives are Fencer + Two Step, or Gargoyle for sniping the expected Onimaru. I could afford a Gargoyle + Imp next turn, I’ll try that.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Gargoyle, Gunpoint Taxman
Get paid - (6)
Worker - (5)
Tech I - (3)
Thieving Imp, you discard card #4 of 5 - (0)
Pestering Haunt
Discard 2, reshuffle 7, draw 4
Thieving Imp 2/2+1A River L1 2/3
Pestering Haunt 1/1 (unstoppable; can’t be sacrificed or patrol; attack capped at 1)
Ok, plan begins… annoyed about Imp though. Looks like I’ll be discarding some more. I have
a lot of power though, so maybe I can break graveyard next turn. Or return Imp to hand.
Damn, if I’d taken Fencers I could have used River’s midband to kill Onimaru here. Oh, well.
Next turn is probably Tech II + Gargoyle. Do I think I’ve done enough to go for Gunships? I’m not sure, but Anarchy II might be nice anyway for stealth attacks against Garrisons / Tech I. Monkey or Lizzo? Probably Monkey, if I want to go for Tech III. Hopefully I can keep the Pestering Haunt around to hit the 4 damage threshold.
Taxman goes in front, since I could afford to midband River and replay it instead of Gargoyle if I need to.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Gargoyle, Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Disguised Monkey, Steam Tank
Get paid - (7)
Worker - (6)
Thieving Imp returns from Graveyard, you discard card #1 of 4 - (3)
Gunpoint Taxman - (1)
Expensive Deteriorate, Neo Plexus is 1/1+1A this turn - (0)
River kills Neo Plexus, takes 1
Pestering Haunt hits Tech I to 4
Discard 1, draw 3
Yep, still discarding. I think I can anarchy rush here, maybe. Just have to hold out for a little longer. Onimaru will die, but I don’t need my tech 2 to survive.
Ooh, Anarchy mirror. OK, I hit Tech III before Bomber does, so in theory I have the advantage as long as I don’t get blown up by Sharks or something. I’m guessing Bomber isn’t bothering with Tanks / Monkeys so he can hang on to the Juggermox, so preparing for Sharks is the priority here. Unfortunately, I don’t know how easily I can do that, while also killing Onimaru to stop the Boot Camps.
Either I play the Gargoyle, or I midband River to efficiently attack. Sideline Cadet, Taxman trades with Onimaru, Imp trades with Cadet, replay Imp for 2 gold using the stolen float. That leaves me with only 3/4 River + 2/2 Imp on patrol, against a 3/3 Mox and a potential Surprise Attack. Basically, four attackers against a patrol that requires three patrollers to wipe, and no extra gold to boost damage with a Nullcraft / Battle Suits. That seems fine.
I draw 4 cards out of 8, that’s a C(6, 2)/C(8, 4) = 6!4!/2!8! = 3/14 chance of drawing both Gunships next turn when I can’t play them. If I do, then I can’t easily draw reshuffle for another chance on the next turn, unless I get Vandy down to attempt to fetch a Dark Pact, and tech the other one and an Appel Stomp to be sure. Is that worth the risk of teching both now? I think so.
…
EDIT: I really don’t want just Thieving Imp on patrol, Surprise Attack would destroy me. Another way to kill Onimaru is Sacrifice the Weak to kill Imp and Cadet, Taxman trades with Oni, replay Taxman instead of Imp, patrol with Taxman and River. Or midband River and hit the Tech II down to 1, heh heh. It depends on how much I value having a strong patrol over keeping Bomber’s card count under control. As long as I don’t get hit with a Surprise Attack into a tech break this turn, I think I’m looking good, and this alternative gives me two 4-HP patrollers, so a Mox might kill someone with Battle Suits, but Mox + Surprise Attack will only kill my patrollers. Losing ground in the card economy is a shame, but I think it is worth having a safer Tech II turn, and I have Graveyard to make up a bit for the Boot Camp draws.
…
EDIT 2: Nope, can’t do that either because of the multicolour penalty. I’ll go back to the original plan, but not trade the Imp with the Cadet. That way, I can have both units on patrol. I still get blown up by Surprise Atttack, even more so with the Cadet around too. In fact, Nullcraft is bad too, because then maxband Zane allows a Tech II break. I can put Imp in Scavenger to try to prevent that + worker, though.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Gargoyle, Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Disguised Monkey, Steam Tank
T4: 2 x Pirate Gunship
Get paid - (8)
Worker - (7)
Tech II: Anarchy - (3)
Midband River - (1)
River sidelines Overeager Cadet
Gunpoint Taxman trades with Onimaru, you reshuffle 7 and draw, I steal your float, River hits level 3 (midband) - (2)
Gunpoint Taxman returns from Graveyard - (0)
Pestering Haunt hits your Tech II to 4
Discard 2, reshuffle 8, draw 4
River L5 3/4 (exhaust: sideline a Tech 0/I patroller; Tech 0 units cost 1 less gold)
Pestering Haunt 1/1 (unstoppable; can’t be sacrificed or patrol; attack capped at 1)
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger: Fading Argonaut*** (2/3)
Technician:
Lookout:
Graveyard HP: 3 (4+ units: is destroyed)
River L1 2/3