This is one of those cards I just looked at when it got spoiled and went "... Christ, what were they thinking". And many others thought the same.

The act of tagging a runner has always been an interesting process. Text on corp tag cards varies wildly, but with very few exceptions (a Data Raven counter is the only one I can think off atm) they always require the runner to have initiated a run and/or to have dealt with an agenda. In that sense there has always been an interesting choice in runner vs tag corp matches. You can sit back safely and risk he corp scoring out, or you run knowing you could get tagged, with all the misery that entails.

SIU turns that dichotomy on its head by making waiting just as dangerous as running. If the trace is successful, the runner is tagged, runs be damned. The only restriction is having it survive on the board for a turn, which is easy to do unless the runner checks every card. A gargantuan and perilous task vs many asset spam decks, which is where this usually finds a home in. And after the runner is tagged, the corp has 3 clicks left to do nasty things with, not the usual 2 after they successfully fire SEA Source.

Sure, if the runner finds this in R&D or HQ it is trivial to trash. And yeah, the unfront credit cost is not totally insignificant. But the decks that use SIU (Gagarin and CTM come to mind) usually have no lack of funds. It is a win con on its own and one that forces runners to make unintelligent plays that go against what I think is fun about Netrunner.

I was happy when this card got restricted and I wouldn't be sad to see it go again.

Not much to say about this one, it is a strictly (much) better Cloak. Both cost 1 credit, take up 1 MU and are 2 influence out of faction. However, this covers all your program needs, not just icebreakers, such as using SMC or Misdirection.

On top of that, it ALSO pays for using hardware, most notably the newly spoiled Mu Safecracker for the stealth archetype and Rubicon Switch for credit denial decks. Maybe we could see a criminal deck that does both? How is our boy Az doing?

So yeah, definitely a very welcome card with the rotation of Cloak, and one I look forward to using in Smoke.

On the surface, this card doesn't give amazing value. Spending 4 cards and 1 click to gain 3 credits and 3 cards means you only get an actual value of +1, which is worse than many runner staples. Also, since you are required to pay the trash cost upfront, playing this will require you to get rid of most of a 5 card hand, including anything you'd rather keep.

Of course, anarchs are the masters of not giving a flying F. That's why Faust used to be so popular. They can afford to dump some cards to gain speed. Especially since the heap breakers are still very populair. Dumping a Paperclip, MKUltra and a second copy of your console in exchange for 3 cards/credits is very cash money.

I think this card will be best when played in combination with Earthrise Hotel or I've Had Worse. Draw into a large hand first, then dump the trash and keep drawing, and use the credits to install fancy new stuff. All in all, a very solid card. No Inject but that card is too strong, so it doesn't need to be.

This card shines with Friday Chip in Anarch, netting you 2 credits per card per trash, (up to 12):

Knobkierie and Imp will trigger them most runs.

Trypano, Hippo, and other ice trashing.

Gravedigger makes every install trash give you clicks for mills.

Heat up the orb to catch the runner.