A tutor card is a tutor card, and it is a little surprising that this isn’t seen more. There is a little surprise that this was never in an AstroScript Pilot Program train deck, but that may be because influence was too tight, and lets face it - Fast Track is just better for that purpose. The requirement to score an agenda first makes Aggressive Negotiation harder to use - not only does the corp have to score something, but they have to have the card in hand at that same time. Predicting scoring windows is not that easy to do, and who knows what RD is going to hand up.

However, unlike Fast Track it doesn’t have to be revealed, and it doesn’t have to be an agenda. Need that last bit of kill for the combo? Or whatever other card is in that crazyness? This can find it. It is also in faction with Project Atlas, which while a bit harder to get off, can do the same thing - without the click. That fact that not only does an agenda need to be scored but a free click has to be left to use this card is what has really hampered Aggressive Negotiation from getting play.

Still, in a cambridge style deck (Jinteki: Personal Evolutionn or even Argus Security: Protection Guaranteed) there may be a place for it.

(Written as Chrome City was just released . )

Another Weyland Core set card that has seen almost no use. Security Subcontract is a very interesting card that may see some use as new ICE such as Little Engine comes into play. ICE that is good for a while, then a huge drawback once the runner has the tools needed.

The main problem is that even if the ICE is not stopping the runner, its taxing them, even if that tax is only a credit or two. Once that ICE is rezzed it’s not costing the corp any money to keep it up, but it costs the runner every time they go through it. With ICE like Little Engine however, there comes a point where the runner is probably breaking even to get through it, making it not even worth as a tax. If there is more ICE like this that is worth playing, Security Subcontract could be worth a slot to at least get some of the money back. Of course, because the corp can just trash ICE whenever they install new ones on that server, which not only removes the problem, but also gets a new piece of ICE that may actually tax the runner, is usually a far better choice than a simple four credits.

(Written as Chrome City was just released . )

While Posted Bounty received some use early on as a way to tag the runner for the Bagging that would come shortly after, it unfortunately suffers from a lot of problems to make it a worthwhile card. First off, as a three for one, it must be advanced over two turns to score it. While that could mean a score, Scorched Earth Scorched Earth combo on the second turn, it also requires a scoring window. Then because the corp must wait for a window, it sits in HQ where it can easily be stolen, messing up the plan.

Second, it must be forfeited immediately when scored, so if the rest of the kill combo is not in hand, then it is a hefty price - not only a lost potential agenda point, but a Bad pub that will make scoring future agendas harder.

That being said, the right playstyle around it can work - If say a SEA Source was in hand with the two Scorched, it could be used as bait. The runner heads down a taxing remote, and steals the agenda that was IAA’d. Then they are too low on credits to stop the SEA Source. Or if they don’t run down, advance, score, scorch scorch. That is a four card combo however, which makes it tricky.

Posted Bounty has too many problems to make its upsides (The chance of a dead if you do, dead if you don’t scenario) worthwhile.

(Written as Chrome City was just released . )

For most of the history of the game, Hostile Takeover is an essential agenda for Weyland. A huge credit boost, that can be scored with no protection. It is then a cheap and available agenda to rez Archer. That is why it has been such an integral part of Weyland decks for so long - Archer is simply a very good piece of ICE. Cheap (ish) to rez, very taxing to break, and if its subroutines land it can really set a runner back. The need for cheap agenda’s to sacrifice to it is very important, and anything bigger than Hostile Takeover is generally not going to be worth the gain rezzing an Archer is going to bring.

Hostile is also great for that seventh point, after six points have been scored Hostile can close out the game quick and easy like, and that is a very good point in its favor.

The problem comes with the Bad Pub. Bad Pub is something that has also been Weyland’s thing - We’re gonna make money and we don’t care what you think about it style of playing.That Bad Pub however means that making taxing servers (such as using Archer) are not nearly as taxing, leading to problems keeping the runner out. That makes Hostile at the same time a synergy for Archer and an anti synergy, which puts Weyland in a difficult place.

Hostile will continue to be used for a long time. It is a five credit gain and an agenda point, and it is well worth it to turn on Archer most of the time. Perhaps it will fall out if another 1 point or even a 0 point agenda for Weyland is printed, but until then it is unlikely to stop being used, even at the drawback.

(Written as Chrome City was just released . )

Comparison to other Economy Events

Stimhack - One brain damage and the credits, while a 9 credit gain, are only good for one click.

Easy Mark - 0 Investment, but only 3 credits

Infiltration - 0 Investment, but only 2 credits

Freelance Coding Contract - A possible 10 credit profit for 0 investment, but requires five programs in hand to make that much use out of it. And ways to recur those programs from the Heap

Dirty Laundry 2 credit investment, 3 credit profit, requiring a successful run. Not to hard, but not always a guarantee and by far the least profit gaining, unless combined with the likes of Datasucker, Desperado, Security Testing to maximize the effect of that run

Queen's Gambit - Risky, but possibly a 5 credit gain (second click of the double costs 1 credit) - but could be very risky. - Same profit as Sure gamble but less flexible.

Power Nap - Can generate absurd amounts of credits (I've seen it generate 17+) but requires a very specific deck.

Lucky Find - 3 credit investment, 5 credit gain (the extra click costs 1 credit) - so better profit for less investment, which is what makes Lucky Find so popular. But the influence costs can be troublesome.

Calling in Favors - 0 investment and potentially a large profit, but requires a certain deck.

Inject - 1 Cost investment, potentially 3 credit gain. Better to be used as a draw card than economy.

Day Job - 2 credit, 3 click investment (5 credts?) for a 8 credit (5 credit?) profit. Can be useful for bursting upwards in a safe moment and closing scoring windows.