Old Saigon Tea - Back to '59 [2nd at TTT]

I met Robert at his restaurant,
Septième arrondissement
The Doors still echo in the jungle.
He said, “Your mother brought back 45s from Paris in ’65
and we learned ʼem note for note.”

Ah, Industrial Genomics.
A venerable, old house.
But for me, a return to basics.

I started playing Netrunner around 2017 - Mumbad had just about finished releasing, Flashpoint was about to change the meta forever, and people were quitting the game left and right - probably in no small part thanks to IG prison/combo decks that had no interest in scoring agendas.

My first ever Netrunner deck that I had built myself used IG to protect Adonis and PAD Campaigns. I remember getting excited about the prospect of playing Ashigaru (expensive ice has to be good, right?). The deck even won a game or two on J.net.

Testing this deck with tuno, koga and Aksu was an absolute joy. Special thanks to Meryu for guiding me back to 59 cards, and to b4ralai and Silent Arbiter for lending me the key cards I was missing on tournament day.

How this deck works

Fundamentally, there are 3 stages to our gameplan:
I. Setup (Gatekeep)
II. Thriving (Girlboss)
III. Execution (Grinder - but not really)

Think of these as the establishment of a lock that slowly tightens the runner's lines of play until they are left with no outs.

I. Setup

We are very interested in securing archives as quickly as possible, as it is our force projecting server. The better we keep the runner out, the faster we reach II. Thriving. Even 2 facedown cards in archives presents a significant tax to the runner. Aksu's reaction to seeing a Snare with a trash cost for the first time in testing was both 'incredibly cursed' and utterly hilarious. Around 4-5 facedowns is usually all you need for runner to give up trashing most of your cards.

Because of all this, a common opening line has been 1. Draw 2. Draw 3. Ice Archives and discard 2 cards to maximum hand size. Of course sometimes we don't find a piece of ice, and sometimes an opening hand warrants a different strategy. Installing 3 remotes and leaving a Bacterial Programming in one of them can also be strong. Drawing 7 cards when it is stolen can accelerate our game plan enough to almost virtually win the game on the spot. This was also the main reason I contemplated going downt to 49 cards - I wanted to maximise the density of Bacterial Programmings in the deck.

The critical thing to keep in mind for Stage I. is that you are most fragile here, at the beginning of the game. Maneouvering well and thinking about early disruptive threats from runner is critical to reach stage 2.

II. Thriving

Stage 2 looks roughly like this: There are 1-2 ice on archives. Facedowns are beginning to accumulate. Value assets dripping in the remote provide us with a steady influx of cards, credits, clicks, facedowns, and net damage. This is the part of the game where we entrench our position. Put another ice on archives. Secure it with Anoethicc Void.

Keep building value in remotes protected solely by our identity. Pitch any and all agendas you see via CGP. Keep them safe by having Spins on the board, but leave them in archives and only shuffle them back if the runner is about to successfully breach archives.

Turn off problem cards with Crisium Grid, which should by now be approaching a trash cost of 20+ credits. Use Federal FUNdraining to control R&D and feel free to leave an untrashable copy of Snare! on top for the runner to find, if they so desire.

Our lock on the game should now be complete. With a dominant position established, proceed to Stage 3.

III. Execution - where we reap what we sow

Rez 2 copies of Reaper Function at the beginning of your turn
Deal 4 net damage
Use Cohort Guidance Protocol to place an advancement counter on Ronin
Advance
Advance
Advance
Gain a click from Wage Workers
Rez Ronin
Deal the killing blow

The exact nature of the game ending line varies by runner. In the game against lostgeek's Lat on stream I ended up dealing 10 net damage via Reaper F, Reaper F, Ronin, Ronin to overcome 2 copies of Stoneship Chart Room. Even in the typical line outlined above, you can substitute the Wage Worker click for a 2nd copy of CGP advancing the Ronin.

There could be instances where we have to score out using an agenda/Snare shell game - my first game against Kikai almost became such a game - but I was very fortunate to find a kill before Obelus made Zahya nigh impossible to kill.

Critically however, we have no need for Ronins nor Reaper Functions until the endgame, and you can pitch them liberally in stage 1. Kakurenbo and SimReset will recur them gently.

EMEA

I figured EMEA might become the best event of the year, and it sure didn't disappoint. There are too many people to name and thank - a good problem to have, I think, but I'll try. Forgive me if your name has lapsed my mind - and do remind me. :)

@Atien: For providing me with a place to stay, and being a superbly baddass organiser

@Porkobolo: For being a super chill dude with the funniest throwback idea. Here at the Edge of the World, I salute you

@Toron and @Rene for excellent late night talks - your perspectives on the game have been fascinating to hear

@Xiaat: Meeting you in person was my EMEA highlight - let me know about the chocolate too

@koga: Perhaps my favourite mind engaged with Netrunner at present - getting to test Niloufer was an aboslute priviledge, and I haven't spend a whole game laughing with my opponent in maybe ever. Can't wait to cook up more designs with you soon

@ (but we all know who it is): My erstwhile champion. Cuddles, victory, testing and obscure literature discussions - we really had it all. Please remind me of the name of the reccomendation, I would really like to read it

@Kikai: It is wonderful to see you every time. Shoutout also to the Surveyor, Netrunner's primary competitive gazette.

@TAI-Breakers: I ended up having so much fun on Friday evening I forgot my pants at your place. Shoutout to @HaverofFun for getting them back to me, and also for wonderful chats about music and occasionally brews. Big thank you as well to @London and @Santa for their guidance in brewing Thule.

@wowarlok - I'm so happy to have squashed the beef. Also the next time I see you play Netrunner I will literally shoot you (t: insider, affectionate)

@Lukenukem, Jakuza, HerbertKlopstock: Hope we get to do that again sometime. Maybe some Netrunner²?

@Aksu: Hella cracked. Ty for keeping it real and gl winning SweNats.

@AlFlex: 10/10 streaming partner would gush over BacPro for 2 hours again

@Girometics, @Gantzen and everyone who came to test some custom Crim cards: Thank you. I had so much fun, and I've gained a new appreciation for NSG's testing and design teams. Getting this right is really tough, and somehow still rewarding.

@Bridgeman & @ArminFirecracker: Wish we had gotten to hang out more. Hopefully next time :)

Netrunner retirement is pretty cool actually. I'll catch you on the flipside, now don't let me detain you

I didn’t know my mother’s maiden name
That time in Texas when we was detained
And I’ve been back to old Saigon
But how much of you is lost
When they change your name?

• No-No Boy - "Imperial Twist"