Jukebox 2024 (OtG 3rd in Swiss / 7th overall)

Back in 2018, I traveled to Seattle for my first Netrunner National Championship. A new ID called Asa Group had just come out a few months prior, but nobody was really playing it. I brewed up THIS DECK, focusing on click denial with cards like Ikawah Project, Enhanced Login Protocol, Mason Bellamy & Strongbox. I came in 2nd in the event & it was the best Asa performance to-date.

Fast forward to the release of RwR & when Active Policing was spoiled, I knew I had to bring the architype back. Most of the old tricks were gone, but you still had a few good cards to support it. MCA Austerity Policy is a star. Pulse shines in the deck & Skunk Void is old reliable. M.I.C. is basically purple Border Control.

The Game Plan:

• You ideally want to score two 4/2’s before you install an unstealable Ikawah. 2 Offworlds is great for accelerating the money (but you also have the most busto corp card is Fully Operational to help with that). Scoring a Luminal with Wage Workers out is extremely busted and usually leads to a tempo burst that is hard to overcome.

• The Cohorts are there to either help you NA your 4/2’s, or just to keep the foot on the gas. I prefer these over something like Tatu-Bolo, because you do want a certain amount of installables to trigger the ID.

• Against anything but Sable, I usually start building my Pulse Skunk Void remote early and jam my Rashidas or MCA’s in there while I wait for scoring windows. However, I think it’s best to save the Pulses until you really have a reason to keep them out. Typically this is the winning agenda or a 2-counter MCA.

• In all 3 of my wins (vs a Lat & 2 Sables), I was able to trigger WW twice in a turn. There was many turns where I was able to play multiple MCA’s, or play an MCA & also trigger Active Policing with the extra click loss. Starting the runner’s turn with 1 click when you almost half your agendas are Ikawah’s is pretty sick.

The main back and forth on the deck slots really just came down to how many Brans vs Eli’s vs Ansels vs Drafters. Since I decided to play only 8 agendas (felt good), I wanted to have a few targets for Send a Message & settled on 2 Bran, 2 M.I.C. & 1 Ansel as targets. I don’t really have any regrets, but I did think that Eli 1.0 was incredibly strong & kind of wished I had stuck with 2 (probably would cut the Magnet). My buddy Stephen E played the same list but switched to the all Harmonic ice suite, which I thought was pretty cool.

All in all, it was a great weekend, although a disappointing finish. I finished 3rd in Swiss & didn’t even get to play my corp in the cut. Bowing out after blowing 2 matchups with Esa vs Kill N.E.H.

Big thanks to Orbital Tangent, who was the star of the show. Holler at CTZ for being my travel buddy & to Nykride, Tak & Tyrell for helping me test. Shoutout to Kris for a great final game before the cut & representing the bay with me.

Congrats to SebK for a dominating performance. I hope to see you all at next year’s OtG!!