Enter Subroutine - Tournament

A brief introduction:
Hello everyone! You can call me Ashtaroth and I’ll be writing for you, from now on, regarding my personal experiences with Android:Netrunner. Maybe I’ll deviate one time or another, but I intend to mainly write about tournaments I participate, the decks I choose, analysis on such decks, testing conclusions, strategy and a little bit of flavor as well.
I currently reside in Lisbon, Portugal, where the Android: Netrunner community is just blooming! Which is also another thing I’m willing to share with you. The evolution of the game I’ll experience here, that is.
But enough of chit-chat. You can reach me anytime through the comment section or just PM me through the website system if you have any queries.
Let’s get on with the article.

Enter subroutine: Tournament

I crashed in my space after a long day of work, I got on my rig, NBN broadcasting their obnoxious news, apparently another “so called cyber terrorist” was scorched to death. Closed it and went for the music. Smooth jazz. The Wyldside vibe would have to wait. My girl entered a couple of minutes later, she sat at the sofa and fiddle with her PAD. I entered the net, and funnily enough, after searching unsuccessfully for it for weeks, I now stumbled upon:

Android: Netrunner, tournament, this next Sunday. The drum player hit the crash in a climax following the crescendo. “Damn, the drummer’s good” I thought. I stare at the screen and read the announcement again. This was what I was waiting for! I looked at the window, smiling, the city looked back at me, its bristling lights flashing through the night. I was so anxious to participate in a tournament since I started playing the game. So I set the goal. I immediately started looking through my cards to choose what deck to play. Bearing in mind I don’t have all the expansions, I had to work with what I had. I built my two decks and went to my local store to do some test runs. After testing I reached the final version of the Corp deck first, so I found it fitting to talk about the Corp deck I ran first.
Without further ado, here is the list:

Total Cards: (49)

Identity:
Haas-Bioroid: Engineering the Future (Core)

Agenda: (9)
3x Accelerated Beta Test (Core)
2x Efficiency Committee (Creation and Control)
1x Priority Requisition (Core)
1x Project Wotan (Creation and Control)
2x Sentinel Defense Program (Creation and Control)

Asset: (15)
3x Adonis Campaign (Core)
3x Cerebral Overwriter (Creation and Control)
3x Jackson Howard (Opening Moves) â–  â–  â– 
3x Project Junebug (Core) â–  â–  â– 
2x Thomas Haas (Creation and Control)
1x GRNDL Refinery (Fear and Loathing) â– â– 

ICE: (19)
3x Eli 1.0 (Future Proof)
1x Heimdall 1.0 (Core)
2x Heimdall 2.0 (Creation and Control)
3x Enigma (Core)
3x Viktor 1.0 (Core)
2x Viktor 2.0 (Creation and Control)
1x Grim (Opening Moves)
1x Ichi 2.0 (Creation and Control)
3x Rototurret (Core)



Operation: (4)
1x Biotic Labor (Core)
1x Hedge Fund (Core)
2x Blue Level Clearance (Fear and Loathing)

Upgrade: (2)
2x SanSan City Grid (Core) â– â– â–  â– â– â– 


So, as one might’ve guessed, this deck wants to install a lot of stuff to get the credit the identity gives. Pretty standard. I reckon that, there are other cards which would be better, there are choices which are really subpar, but again, I was building with what I had. And here lies one beauty of this game, you don’t automatically lose for not having X card or Y card. It’s your misreading and non-optimal plays that might lose you the game. Anyhow each cards was a well thought choice and the cards that made the list were the ones I absolutely need to make my strategy work.

The choices:

Agendas
Accelerated Beta Test – Since I don’t have all the 3/2 HB agendas I first thought on ditching Accelerated Beta Test in favor of a glacier all 5/3 agendas deck. But in the end, as I ended up including Jackson Howard, the ability on Beta Test becomes really good, and sometimes fantastic (free rezzing Heimdall 2.0 from the top). I also carry 2 Sansan City Grid, so I can force through 2 points if need be. All the utility this agenda offered convinced me to run 3 so I would always see at least one.
Efficiency Committee – This cards is pretty good. There’s even a combo going about, with another HB identity that allows the Corp to close a game in a couple of turns. That’s how dangerous this card is, although pretty fair. However, it has little to no use in this deck. But still, I can draw more with Howard, offset the double click needed to play the Blue Level Clearance, prepare a more robust server through extra installing and credit gains. I did run Gilas Hand’s Arcology at some point, which was cute to get 6 credits in one turn, but not very efficient. In the end this agenda sounded more useful than any other 4/2 I had available, so in went 2 to ensure I’d see it mid to late game.
Priority Requisition – This card is a real pain to score, even with an active Sansan, but the reward is good enough to include one. It also gets better running amidst my other traps. Since all my assets can be advanced (except Adonis Campaign), I could sometimes mask it as a trap and score it under the Runner’s nose. It also saved me some slots to include more cards, such as the mentioned traps.
Project Wotan – It serves a similar purpose as Priority Requisition. I added one instead of the second Priority to have the variety of its effects. It adds a lot of pressure to the Runner, forcing him to spend more money and clicks altogether just to go through an Eli 1.0 with 4 “End the Run” subroutines, or an Heimdall, or Grim which becomes an heavy Rototurret. It felt a lot like the Jinteki agenda Nisei, it also is a high point agenda and opened some space for more cards.
Sentinel Defense Program – This agenda is here to turn Cerebral Overwriter into a surprise win condition and to prevent the Runner in the late game to just stomp through Heimdalls with clicks and take one or two brain damages. I had one game in testing where I scored two, with the help of the city grid and then, all of the sudden the Runner could not afford to go through my Heimdalls. I liked that, although marginal, this agenda added some value to my overall cards so I decided to run two.

Operations
Yes, I have very little operations as my game progresses by building really long 3-4 ICE servers, so the reasons are:
Biotic Labor – The surprise agenda score for 7 credits (6, actually), or the simply the additional click to advance the already installed agenda late game to close the game felt very potent to leave it aside. Initially I started with 3. But then I found them rotting in my hand and sometimes even discarding them to later throw back in the deck 1 or two. So I eventually shaved the number down to 1. I’m pretty happy with just the one. You usually see it mid to late game, when you have the credits for it to shine.
Blue Level Clearance – I need a card that boosted my economy. I started with Celebrity Gift, but I install so many cards my hand normally is in between 3 and 4 cards. This gives me a little boost to the economy AND draws me cards. I take 2. Why only two? Because one always draws the other! In a more serious analysis though the double click is a real cost and even if I have the Efficiency Committee play to offset that, 3 copies may turn some draws into very clunky hands.
Hedge Fund – If I saw it in my initial hand I’d be happy to use it, if not I wouldn’t mind too much, as I start every game at more or less 7 – 8 credits, which is not that far from a first turn Hedge Fund. I like the little boost, but I prefer to advance cards. As such Hedge Fund gave me the credits to advance such cards. It’s also better than a third Blue Level Clearance because it only needs one click and keeps the flow of the deck rolling.

Assets
Now the fun part begins! This deck normally installs 2-3 very taxing servers. One to run economies, one to score agendas and/or do nasty stuff and a third for flexibility. The cards:
Adonis Campaign – Early game strong drip economy. With the free credit, you can install 2 ICE in front of it, which is enough to deter runs early game and almost assuredly grant you the 12 credits. 3 it is!
Cerebral Overwriter & Project Junebug – These traps help hide your costly agendas. I usually prioritize the Cerebral over the Projects, because the latter becomes so much better if the former fires off for 2 or more. If the Runner sees them it’ll start respecting more your “Install, advance, advance” play. You can score an agenda easily once the Runner is aware and starts playing around them. During testing I sometimes planted a Cerebral Overwriter on the active Sansan City Grid server and advanced a 5/3 agenda on a separate server. This gamble paid well and the Runner got a migraine. I also had times where I’d just install them for the credit gain. Since this gives me more board presence it can also be threatening to the Runner, who’s trying to control the game state. Therefore this play also meant a full click and credits from the Runner as he/she ran the server to see what the card was, even if it is not advanced to fire off, the tempo gain might be crucial to achieve the win. In my meta I didn’t expected a lot of expose effects, which also made me more determined to take 3 of each trap. This educated guess paid off very well.
GRNDL Refinery – This card loads your coffers like nothing else! It’s a shame it’s so slow, which is why I only ran one. I had a game I went to install this card, advanced it twice, the Runner opted not to run it, as the server was strongly built and he was playing around a trap, next turn I advanced it two more times before rez-trashing it and: Boom! 16 credits. Even the play of installing and next turn advance, advance, rez-trash for 8 credits (9, actually) is pretty good. It functions more or less like a Melange Mining Corp., but it can escalate dangerously.
Jackson Howard – I think enough has been said about this card. In this deck in particular, turns Accelerated Beta Test triggers viable, draws me a million cards with Efficiency Committee, recurs Thomas Haas, GRDNL Refineries and traps, may waste the Runner’s time running on Archives and last but not least, it gains me 1 credit in addition to his usual stuff.
Thomas Haas – This cards is the nutter-butters! It allows you to advance him carelessly. If the Runner runs him, then, you can, before access, rez-trash him for the sweet credits. He is free to rez (as you gain 1 credit to install him) and he’s an important mind-game! You install him and starting advancing him like mad. The runner will find it weird and a) not run it, which then you just keep advancing him until you feel satisfied and reap the reward runs him and you gain the credits wasting one click on the runner (if you installed it naked the Runner gains no Desperado credit, as the runs, immediately ceases to exist). Also, by seeing him, when you install a trap and start to advance it, you may persuade the Runner into believing it’s another one and then you catch them off-guard. He’s detrimental to your early to mid game and manipulates the Runner just by being in your deck. The trash cost is pretty cheap though. I had two as you only want to advance one per game. I could definitely think of running three.

Upgrades
Sansan City Grid – The pressure SanSan gives the Runners helps the strategy of this game. It also helps you to close out games, after your servers are strongly built, either by fast advancing an agenda or hurting them badly with a trap. When you’re at match point, the Runner tends to run more carelessly and is, by consequence, more susceptible to be caught in a trap.

ICE
Yes, my ICEs are easily breakable by clicking through, this fact led me to use Thomas Haas and the traps, which you don’t mind too much if the Runner goes to the server to poke them, you just sac Thomas before access and the traps, well, they do their stuff. Adonis is more fragile, but you can normally build a 2 ICE server without much problem since you’re gaining credits by installing cards. The scoring server normally has one of the Heimdalls, an Eli or Viktor to tempt them into clicking through and some other ICE like Ichi 2.0 or Rototurret, etc. It is also worthy to note that all my ICE have at least 2 subroutines (being Grim the only exception, but then again I only run 1). This was done on purpose, as I wanted to tax the runner whether on clicks or credits as I’d suspect he/she’d be getting in my servers easier than in servers of other Corporations. This also makes the AI breakers a less attractive proposal and I did run against a lot of “Katman”.
Barriers
Eli 1.0 – It’s just a good early game ICE. Even if the Runner goes through him with clicks, doing so is a real cost and reduces the Runner’s actions immensely.
Heimdall 1.0 – I like the 2.0 version better, but he’s here for its cost of 8, which is a lot less than 11. This helps the economy management. And lowers the ICE curve cost.
Heimdall 2.0 – Forget the barrier breakers like Corroder and such. If the Runner is breaking through your Heimdall profitably with those breakers, you’ve already lost. 6 credits to break it with Knight is not fantastic. Two clicks and 2 credits is also not very appealing bearing in mind I’ll have a Viktor, or some other nasty stuff above him. Three to bypass it with Femme Fatale is more dangerous. Deus Ex is very, very annoying. Nonetheless, the number of Runners that this ICE forbade entrance in the realm of beyond is greater than the number of Runners who went in successfully. He’s a bit lenient letting in the dumb and small-minded, but then again, he may be opening them a Realm of Junebugs and/or mind swiping events. He’s an ICE which I often found myself rezzing mid game on the scoring server. And closing said game while the Runner dug for an answer. The numbers on this card are very powerful.

Code Gates
Enigma – Standard code gate. Easy to rez and the ability is annoying if you catch the Runner unaware of it. Very good on HQ against Criminals.
Viktor 1.0 – Viktor alone is not great. But he’s better used on top of a server. For example Viktor into Eli 1.0 or Rototurret. You’ll never fire the brain damage off of it, but if you look at it as a code gate which burns two clicks and play accordingly it gets better in value.
Viktor 2.0 – The same as Viktor, only a bit different. For starters, he isn’t Yoggable per se, the Trace subroutine is quite good: to have a brain damage at your disposal is pretty fantastic but seldom happens. If you build your server properly the Runner may not have clicks to go through it with easy, which, by that point you gain time to advance your gameplan while the Runner digs for an answer.
Sentries
Grim – One grim serves as a bit of a surprise ICE with teeth. I also like him over Archives which sometimes is enough to deter runs altogether. It’s the only Bad Publicity card in the whole deck, so play it with some caution (only the necessary to ensure that free credit won’t cause you more harm than fragging into bits that annoying program).
Ichi 2.0 – This ICE has been the most amusing one for me, because no one seems to expect it, every subroutine on him is bad and the Runner may find himself/herself in a bit of a pickle. Normally I put him in the middle of the server. Viktor-Ichi-Heimdall is pretty good!
Rototurret – Cheap ETR ICE which may also happen to trash any pesky Datasucker or program. Sucks against parasite, but you can play around parasite. If it becomes useless (too much parasite recursion), just ditch them in favor of other ICE.

Afterthoughts
Being more familiar with this archetype, I would now run 3 Thomas Haas, maybe 1 more GRNDL Refinery, ditch the Sansan City Grid and opt for a 3 point only agenda suite. 3 Priority Requisitions, 3 Project Wotan and the Sentinel Defense Program if I chose to keep the Cerebral Overwriters.
I’d also run more Ichi 2.0, maybe 1 more and swap the Grim for an Ichi 1.0.

If I’d had all the expansions I would run something like this:

Total Cards: (49)

Identity:
Haas-Bioroid: Stronger Together (What Lies Ahead)

Agenda: (7)
3x Priority Requisition (Core)
3x Project Wotan (Creation and Control)
1x Sentinel Defense Program (Creation and Control)

Asset: (12)
2x Adonis Campaign (Core)
1x Aggressive Secretary (Core)
2x Cerebral Overwriter (Creation and Control)
3x Thomas Haas (Creation and Control)
2x Jackson Howard (Opening Moves) â–  â– 
2x GRNDL Refinery (Fear and Loathing) â– â–  â– â– 

ICE: (18)
3x Eli 1.0 (Future Proof)
2x Heimdall 2.0 (Creation and Control)
1x Wotan (Second Thoughts)
3x Viktor 1.0 (Core)
2x Viktor 2.0 (Creation and Control)
2x Ichi 2.0 (Creation and Control)
1x Swordsman (Second Thoughts) â– 
3x Fenris (True Colors)
1x Tsurugi (True Colors) â– â– 

Operation: (12)
2x Archived Memories (Core)
3x Hedge Fund (Core)
2x Successful Demonstration (Creation and Control)
3x Punitive Counterstrike (True Colors) â– â–  â– â–  â– â– 
2x Blue Level Clearance (Fear and Loathing)

Upgrade: (0)


That’s it for the Corporation deck. Next time we’ll look through the Runner choices!