Virtual On: Cyber Troopers

I'm pretty sure Hoshiko would play this game. 👆

The Combo

• Aesop's Pawnshop, Cybertrooper Talut, Paladin Poemu and Patchwork. Each turn you can gain three credits from trashing one of your breakers with Aesop's and then reinstalling on the cheap with Paladin and/or Patchwork. Many times when this is set up I feel like I'm playing in the Bloo Moose days. The econ engine is amazing. On top of that you get this really nice benefit of breaking hard to break ice for 3/6 credits instead of the 6/9. There is the case when trashing Paperclip is an ok move but for the most part you never trash it because it doesn't have a ton of benefit to do so.

Game Plan

• Starting hand - Depends on the matchup but generally you want an econ card (Dueces, Sure Gamble), Draw card, (Peddler, Deuces, IHW, DreamNet) and Patchwork. DreamNet is a really good card to have early as it naturally synergies with Hoshiko and effectively gets you two cards a turn if you are running every turn... One from DreamNet and one from Hoshiko's ability. Seeing it early is very important. (Read my thoughts below about running 3x or 2x)
• Ability - Early on it is good to flip back and forth to get the bucks. By the late game you always stay in digital form. Usually the turning point is when you have DreamNet online.
• Early Game - Set up your board and get your combo pieces online. It's ok to let some things go in the first few turns. Let that first City Works Project go you will catch up quickly.
• Mid Game - One of your goals is to get to the late game quicker than the corp can set up. Do this by drawing with cards like IHW, DreamNet, and Deuces and then setting up your board. At this point you should have your key resources down and should start contesting remotes and poking centrals.
• Late Game - Recycle key cards, trash ice, camp remotes, and get Stargating. This part of the game is a blast and a sad time for the corp.

Card Choices

• Cybertrooper Talut and Aesop's Pawnshop - These are your combo pieces so... don't cut them.
• 2x DreamNet - I'm super torn by this. I'm a huge fan of running 3x of cards so that I can see the things I want early. For the 100 games I've tinkered with this deck I had 3x of this card 80% of the time. DreamNet is so incredible for getting set up quickly and maintaining tempo through out the game. If you run 3x of these you are almost guaranteed to see it early which is huge. XeroHouR says I should be on 2x and he might be right. If you go to 2x it allows you to run the Imp and 2 Paladin which is good as well. Otherwise you need to cut one of these and it usually is the Imp.
• Patchwork - "I wonder if Keiko is better money than Patchwork" or "I wonder if Turntable is better here" - I can't tell you how many times this comment has been stated to me after playing a game with someone. I've tried both and Patchwork is still the best choice even though in some games I really wish I had a Turntable. Keiko just isn't good enough money compared to Patchwork. Also I run a lot of duplicate cards like DreamNet so that extra card is worth nothing with Keiko but with Patchwork it is worth 2 bucks. Also getting your breakers into the heap is a great side benefit of Patchwork. Now, I've thought about running Patchwork and Turntable and just selling the Patchwork to Aesops when I need to install Turntable but the slots are so tight I haven't been able to decide what I'd cut to fit Turnable. I'm not Greg Tongue and don't feel confident running two different consoles.
• Imp - ASA Lakshmi is a good deck and trashing the agenda they want to protect with Lakshmi Smartfabrics is a good feeling. It is also useful in other ways in other matchups and you can use Aesop's Pawnshop when you are done with it. If necessary you can Labor rights it back if you need. Dropping this for the third DreamNet is what I normally do.
• Rezeki - This is a useful card if the game goes long. It allows you that long term drip. thebigunit3000 says I don't need it and he might be right but I almost never regret installing it.
• Labor Rights - This card has saved me several times. Bringing back an Imp, or a card that you had to pitch early (Stimhack, Stargate, Turning Wheel, etc). Often I just get back 3 Liberated Account which usually equates to a minimum of 30 credits, but you know I'm not installing them at a cost of 6 so probably worth a lot more.
• Hippo - I'm often surprised to see Anarch decks without this card. I think you all should be running 3x.
• 3 of Paperclip and Black Orchestra - Corps like to be cute and play Ark Lockdown. Just hold these in hand if you feel the corps are trying any of these shenanigans. Also you want to be running early and getting locked out because you can't find a breaker is the worst. #bringbackinject
• Street Peddler - This was a suggestion from thebigunit3000 and I believe is was a good call. This deck already has good draw but the additional quasi draw of peddler is also good. I use to play 3x but I think 2x is fine. You want to play these early in the game to get set up and then use them as Patchwork fodder during the mid to late game. If you get crappy stuff on them just Aesops it for 3 bucks. Otherwise it usually can help you find the pieces for your combo.
• Stimhack - I wish I could fit more but slots are tight
• Deuces Wild - This card has grown on me in so many ways. It has so much versatility. And usually I play it for free with Patchwork.

Cards I didn't include

• No Rebirth - You could drop a Rezeki for it but Hoshiko's ability is good the entire game.
• No The Archivist - You could also try and fit this in. I found I didn't install it enough but having 3 link for most the game is pretty rad.
• No Zer0 - This is maybe one of the best anarch cards IMO but it just doesn't fit here.
• No Odore - Tour Guide sucks to break with MkUltra but if you can control ASA slightly you usually don't have a problem. I guess you could go 1x Mkultra and 1x Odore but I'm not sure if I like it. It's a tough call.
• No Aumakua - I've tried running this because I'm running so much it is nice to have a breaker that benefits from that. The virus hate is so bad right now I never found it worth it.
• No Dirty Laundry and Daily Casts - I'm not sure what to cut to fit them in and the econ is good enough in this deck.

Match Ups

• ASA Lakshmi - IMO This match up is tough for all runners except for Freedom and Apoch decks. It might be the best corp deck in the game. The game plan is to get setup as quickly as you can as the ice really isn't a problem except for Tour Guide. Use Imp to trash the agenda they are protecting with Lakshmi. Stargate is one of the best answers for Project Vacheron.
• Glacier AG, Palana, SSO, GameNet, HB Jinja - They think they can keep you out but your combo is so good they will be surprised at how quickly you recover and how cheaply you get in. You are favored in this match. Just set up and then start poking centrals and trashing stuff with hippo. When you Stargate I really like to trash ice. I know trashing that agenda is tempting but I almost always trash the ice or some impactful operation. The caveat to this is if they have a huge remote and will install that agenda in the remote next turn... trash the agenda.
• CTM - I haven't played against this enough to know. The Deuces are great to clear a tag and the link you have helps a lot. Since they are light on ice your combo isn't as effective here. Stargate is your friend... maybe I need to be on 2x Stargate. In recent months when playing against CTM I keep thinking man I wish I could play a Hacktivist Meeting right now.
• Rude Weyland (Argus, The Outfit, Blue Sun) - You are favored in this match. You have a ton of money and can easily trash their ice. Lean hard on Citadel Sanctuary. Let them score that early City Works Project you will take off soon enough and they can't really win once you are set up. Or at least it is hard for them to win.
• Titan - This match up can be hard if you don't get set up fast enough or they have a perfect start and win in a few turns. The game plan is get accesses and trash ice. Get Stargate online and trash combo pieces or steal Project Atlas. You can also use Imp to get rid of important operations.
• Net Damage decks - This runner deck is a double edge sword. I find that I am winning the game if I am getting through my deck quickly. I find in most games I'm almost always through my entire deck by the end of the game and that is a good thing. However, against net damage decks your entire game plan of trashing your stuff for money slowly moves them closer to their end goal of killing you. Just play carefully and think really hard about using Patchwork's ability for 2 bucks. The question you need to ask is does losing a card to gain 2 credits feel more important than having that card as a single hit point. Often it isn't.

Recent Store Champs

I played this in the small Baltimore/DC store championships. It was small but a stacked field of excellent players. I was very happy with how this deck performed. I dropped only one game on both sides and placed 3rd on SOS behind the thebigunit3000 (undefeated) and osclate (dropping one game to my ASA).

Thanks to xerohour, thebigunit3000 and skry for talking about this deck with me. Your insights were very helpful.

Let me know if you make any improvements to this deck as I want to try them out.