[STARTUP] Cold Site Morph: Endless Ganks

Telos 11

TL:DR; Install Cold Site Server or Manegarm Skunkworks to protect your scoring server, install Ansel 1.0 and Ganked! wherever the runner is going = Prosper.


So I was casually reading NetrunnerDB card pages (as you do) and happened upon the page for Ganked!.

Now I never really thought this card was particularly great, maybe had some niche uses with Tyr in Startup, but suddenly the top comment catches my attention. @verumvenati points out that there is an INFINITE LOOP if the runner accesses Ganked! and is forced to encounter Ansel 1.0.

Basically, if they can't break Ansel 1.0 then, it trashes ANY runner card, installs a card from Archives (i.e. Ganked! is back) and prevents trashing or stealing. The thing is, the runner never actually leaves the server, so they access Ganked! again IMMEDIATELY. And the cycle continues in an Endless Iteration of Ganks (perfectly fitting this identity)!

Needless to say, I wasted no time scouring NetrunnerDB for decklists of MirrorMorph: Endless Iteration using Ganked! and Ansel 1.0, and I will tell you I was shocked, SHOCKED at how few attempts were made (or at least posted here).

So then, here's my first (and most certainly poorly conceived) attempt at a deck on NetrunnerDB!

This deck takes most inspiration from Cold Site Skunkworks and Boa Constrictor, both much better conceived decks imo.

But anyways, let's lay it out there:

WIN CONDITION:

Get a remote server with Ansel and Ganked on it AND/OR Cold Site Server and/or Manegarm Skunkworks. Slow advance an agenda from this server that is too taxing (or dangerous) for them to run, then dance around the room in glee that it somehow worked.

THE RUB:

You need Ansel 1.0, you need Ganked!, you need Cold Site Server or Manegarm Skunkworks. If the runner can shut any one of these down or overcome them then it's really unlikely you can win.

It's soooo fun when it works though, I swear it's worth it.

Minimal agenda footprint with maximum value. This is not a fast advance deck. It moves at a snaaaails pace and relies entirely on its tax servers (Cold Site and Manegarm or Ansel and Ganked) to ensure they get scored. You could try to switch out Project Vitruvius for Offworld Office.

The big danger above having credits is losing your wincon though, and you may need Project Vitruvius to rescue an errant Server or Dragon that wandered off into archives. False Lead is splashed in just for the lulz, it might occasionally help make sure the Endless Ganks go off, but it's not particularly important.

Your eco is Hedge Fund, Tranquility Home Grid, Nanoetching Matrix, and Hortum. (I know what you're thinking, wtf are these flowers doing here? I'll get to that.) Install and use them liberally until the runner trashes em.

Red Level Clearance makes this actually a bit viable. You almost always will want to use Red Level Clearance to draw and install so you can get ice out while still triggering your identity. Unless that 1 is the next advancement you need to win, you probably should be doing this every time.

Nanoetching Matrix, Vaporframe Fabricator, and Cold Site Server help trigger your identity efficiently. Before you get these you'll want to always take the , but once you're set up you'll have that glorious fourth action every corp has dreamed about.

Any runner that knows what's good for him will run these assets to trash them, which will set you back but (hopefully) give you more time to set up (emphasis, HOPEFULLY). And if they don't, more , more for us I guess.

Now, wtf is Hortum doing here and wtf there are 3 of them? Bear with me, you need A LOT of cards to make this work (ideally all four) and there really isn't a whole lot of options for the corp to find them in Startup. Enter Hortum, glorious Hortum. Not only does it give you the bountiful you long for, it has an ETR AND can search R&D for not one but TWO cards AND ends the run. All for the low price of 3 advances. With Seamless Launch, not only does Hortum serve as a reasonable target, it can also help trigger your identity again! Beautiful! Just try not to let them see Ansel and Ganked together, or they'll know what the dealio.

If you don't like it though, you can strip em out for an Anoetic Void. That can save your bacon if your Cold Site Server ain't doing it. But honestly, if that's not working then I don't see much hope.

IDEAL STARTING HAND:

No agendas. That's about it tbh. This deck is so slow, even a single agenda is a liability and a hand with no agendas means you can focus on securing R&D while you get your scoring server setup. If you do draw some agendas and have Cold Site Server or Manegarm Skunkworks, you can try to score em out to see how the runner approaches things. But honestly, it's probably better to over-install and trash them to archives or over draw and discard them, then spin em back into the deck later.

THE COMBO:

What you've all been waiting for, the Endless Ganks. It's actually pretty simple, install Ansel 1.0 or Ravana 1.0 (if Ansel is on the board) protecting the server, install Ganked! (preferably 2 if you can) and make sure that the runner reaches the root of the server. This is critical, don't get overexcited and have them jack out before the real fun begins. If the runner is poor enough or clickless enough that they can't fully break Ansel 1.0 TWICE then lul yourself to heaven as their entire rig is trashed before their very eyes.

If you double install Ganked! then they have to be rich enough to break it THREE times. Remember, you can also set this up on R&D or HQ. So if the mean ol' runner is ignoring you, then focus on those while you slow advance in the remote.

This isn't a super competitive deck, but it sure is fun as all heck! I hope you like it.

2 comments
16 Feb 2022 Diogene

I really like the idea of using Hortum with Ganked!. It is innovative!

Considering that agendas are a problem in the early to mid game, did you try to lower the density by using Send a Message + Project Vacheron + Luminal Transubstantiation? This would free 3 cards slots. And with Send a Message, you could rez for free Ansel 1.0. You get more ice and/or econ (like more Ravana 1.0 and Eli 1.0).

This is a good write-up. Keep on sharing! Cheers!

17 Feb 2022 Telos

@DiogeneThanks so much for the kind words! That's high praise coming from a veteran ^^

I did try Send a Message in early iterations of this build. It opens up a slot for another Vaporframe Fabricator or even Calvin B4L3Y which can help with tempo. The problem is that Ansel 1.0 and Hortum are essentially the only viable targets for it so it never felt great if you somehow scored without them on the board. It also felt much worse to get one stolen. I also tried to make Architect Deployment Test work in the deck but it was also inconsistent and didn't feel great.

Since Anarch is so popular, and this deck's ice is particularly vulnerable to it, Cyberdex Sandbox is kind of a requirement.

Also with Stargate and Conduit being so prevalent in the startup meta, it's likely you'll lose an agenda to a random R&D run and I'd rather it be a 1 or 2 pointer.

I'll keep trying to improve my decks, thanks for the feedback!