A Royal Farewell 🐢 (2-1 @ Worcester Holiday Casual)

It is 2014.

My friend Brandon has spent the past month trying to get me into Netrunner. On the third attempt it clicks, and I’m now invested in this thing that will be a mainstay in ways I can’t yet see. Brandon invites me to a tournament (the first of many), and gives me two decks I haven't seen until the day of: GRNDL Supermodernism, and Toolkit Reina. A handful of games prior is the only indicator I have for faction preference. They take me through swiss to 3rd place. I never do so well again, but I am hooked.

Over the next year I am playing Netrunner constantly. Local tournaments, traveling to regionals, kitchen table casuals. Online play during work at the blue shirt day job. An hour drive in heavy snow for a store championship. No other game occupies so many of my waking hours, and during all this the Red Queen is an easy favorite. I knew quickly how much I favored Anarch - everything about Reina just made it richer. Being able to tax the corp while maintaining an aggressive playstyle was a perfect fit for how I approach this game. There are other identities I love in each of the factions, but she’s easily at the top.

After two years, I get out of the game. I sell my collection and move on. I borrow decks to play at conventions or events when the mood strikes but I’m never playing like I used to. Still, nothing else hits quite like Netrunner.

It is 2024.

The game came back into my life the previous year in a big way. I started playing regularly on jnet and drove out to New Hampshire for my first tournament in years. Started streaming a bit, then went on hiatus. Now I’m content to show up every now and then, playing with the local crew. There’s a bunch of great folks here in the collective New England meta and it’s always a joy making it out to an event.

With Dawn and rotation looming however, I see the opportunity to play one identity that’ll I’ll never get to again - Reina Roja. I haven’t found any kind of deck I’d been happy with in the current pool, so I opt for the blue shell and to see what happens. Even if I placed poorly I’d be glad to play the cards that made me fall in love with Netrunner the first time around. The new year arrives, and with it one of the last circuit openers before the rebrand.

Game 1 (v. NotAgain’s The Outfit) - L

Given how much money the Outfit generates, I wasn’t sure how this match would play out. Early runs scored me a handful of points, but after getting locked out and unable to find enough ice destruction left me in a hard spot. The influence spent on DooF and the third Turtle feels worthwhile - not having Boomerang still sucks when you need it.

Game 2 (v. Booshy’s A Teia) - W

Turn 2 The Price lands me the Xanadu, and an early turtle with five counters for any spider face checks means I can just run the board. Forcing or greatly discouraging rez was the game now. I’m at a comfortable five points when the corp has to click purge. This time Crew + Charm show up when needed and I get the Fujii off of R&D.

Game 3 (v. Cannister’s PE) - W

I hadn’t played PE in ages, but some things stay the same. This is the first game I installed Patchwork, and while I’m not sold on it as the console of choice for Reina it keeps my econ where I need it to keep the pressure on. DJ Steve keeps my hit points up, but without Pinhole I’m left staring at a ticking Prana Condenser behind unknown ice. Fundamentals and fortunate snipes get me the win before flatline.

I only placed 6th since I continue my trend of bad Corp picks, but glad how things turned out Runner side. I’d swap -1 Window, -1 Cupellation, +2 Boomerang for future games. I shouldn’t need to point out Hosh is definitely the better pick. Unsure about Ice Carver? Dunno what I’d use the slot for though.

Thanks as always to revengeanceful for organizing the Worcester meetups, and thanks to everyone for coming out to our neck of the woods. Rotation is coming and there’s a bunch of cards I’ll miss so I’m grateful for these eleventh hour meetups to play them one last time.

Gracias por todo, Reina Roja.