Tax, Tag... or Trash?
Keeping an eye on the runners credit pool can provide the corp with the corp with good timing to rez City Surveillance. Since it can result in either or taxing the runner 1 or giving a tax each turn, City Surveillance can possibly open the corp to some decent synergy options.
Combos
Rezz timing: essentially the runner's credit pool is a combo. If timed right rezzing City Surveillance when he has no credit in hand can be a devastating tempo hit basically taking away 3 of 4 s for the runner to get rid of the tag.
Keep the runner poor: More often then not the runner will maintain credit to pay the 1 tax, that in itself can make the runner sad, putting a Sure Gamble just out of reach requiring yet more clicks! Spark Agency: Worldswide Reach is an interesting combo that puts a lot of control over the runners credit pool into the hands of the corp (possibly generating income for the corp at the same time) as the corp can rez any number of advertisements throughout the game when most inconvenient for the runner. Taxing ice such as Tollbooth etc can be placed judiciously where the runner needs to run the most.
Punish with tags Late-mid game it is conceivable to have 2-3 City Surveillance installed taxing the runner up to 3s per turn, this would be difficult for many runners to overcome eventually pressuring the runner into eating tags. It's helpful to have some tag-based options to punish the runner, SYNC: Everything, Everywhere is an identity custom made for adding salt into the runner's wound whose been tagged, additionally to possibly finish the game off, cards like Dedicated Response Team which can potentially shut the runner down from running at all, Psychographics to score agendas rapidly or Private Security Force to grind the runners grip down etc, really any number of tag-based options can really make life miserable for the runner if the credit isn't there to defend against them. (Not to mention other methods to tag the runner sooner SEA Source, Breaking News etc)
Anti-trashing: 1-3 rezzed instances of Encryption Protocol can potentially make City Surveillance's affordable 3 cost out of reach making it more likely that all assets stick around and continue to confer their benefits.
(Did I miss something obvious, I'd appreciate suggestions in the comments below, I may add it to this review)
Pros
Credit denial There is not doubt that City Surveillance can be a integral part of a denial strategy helping to keep the runner poor up to 3 per turn.
Timing: Control of the rez timing can make a significant difference in a game possibly denying the runner momentum.
Tags There also no doubt that getting a tag (or even the threat of getting a tag) can really mess with a runner and possibly open a number of game-ending scenarios in the corps favor.
Cons
Costly: At 5, City Surveillance can usually only be guaranteed to affect the runner for one turn, if the runner trashes that first turn, corp loses net 1 (perhaps not so bad if the runner took a tag instead)
Trashable As an asset, City Surveillance with its 3 is a no-brainer for Whizzard: Master Gamer (or perhaps Imp etc). Basically each instance of City Surveillance needs to be in play for at least 2 turns before the corp can see a return on investment.
Summary
So for the runner the choice affecting the next turn is, accept the tax, take a tag or trash it now, in either case it's going to cost. Denying the runner credit can be a fun strategy but fraught with risk. City Surveillance can be an integral part of a denial strategy that obviously benefits the corp the sooner it is setup rather than later. A rich runner however may even thank you for putting in City Surveillance instead of using the deck slot for some other card.
--It just saddens me when I see cards with no reviews. If you appreciated this review, please give a heart and I'll be encouraged to write more.
