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Official VEKN Newsletter for Anarchs |
http://anarch.co.uk |  |
I. Introduction
Anarchs. The word incites groans from collectors and scoffs from players. Despite a few cards that most will agree are generally useful (Aranthebes, some of the Holds, some of the equipment), many people rank this expansion dead last in value. Unlike Bloodlines, which seemed to challenge skilled players to find uses for its strange combinations of powers and new rules, the Anarchs as a sub-sect and as an expansion have largely been written off by the V:EKN community. In an effort to foster a dialogue on the strategic possibilities of the Anarchs, I am taking the topic on in Newsletter format. I know there are a lot of people out there who feel that "Anarchs suck", so I ask you to read and respond thoughtfully, but please do not use this forum as a place to whine and complain about the Anarchs as a sect or as a card set. Thank you.
II. Vampire of the Month:
Marlene, the Infernalist
Ventrue Antitribu
Group: 2
Capacity: 6
AUS dem DOM for tha
Sabbat.
A vampire destined to be an Anarch if ever there was one. Like many of the mid-cap !Ventrue, Marlene has what at first seems a strange mix of disciplines that turns out to be absolutely perfect with Anarch 3-ways. She can use Improvised Tactics with aus, The Mole with dom, Smash and Grab with dem (which is great for cycling that card if there are no locations, allies or retainers to attack), and Diversion with both for and tha. The only 3-way she can't use is Skullduggery, but this not necessarily a huge drawback. In addition, she is perfectly suited to being a Baron, and her clan-based cards and AUS can help overcome other vote decks if you are going that route.
III. Card of the Month:
Diversion
Combat (3-way)
Requires a ready anarch
cel: gain one additional strike
for: prevent up to 2 damage
tha: Strike: ranged. Steal 1 blood with an optional maneuver.
Widely regarded as the most useful of the 3-way cards, most people nevertheless do not use this card to its full potential. Many people see that each of these abilities is quite powerful for only requiring the basic level of the discipline. Some people who have tried using Anarchs will therefore include it when it matches up with something in their discipline spread. Daughters of Cacophony who become Barons, for instance, are often seen preventing damage with a few of these. However, the great utility of any 3-way only becomes apparent in the blend of disciplines across your crypt, and so this month's deck attempts to show how one can use 3-ways, particularly Diversion, to substantial effect. I have surprised many people with the Thaumaturgy aspect of Diversion, particularly when it's performed by Marlene or Vincent Day.
IV. Deck of the Month - Anarch Dom/For (The Diversion Deck)
Crypt (Min 16, Max 30, Avg 5.42) Dylan aus cel dom for pro, +1 Bleed – !Ventrue 6 Earl dom for pro – Ventrue 4 Hrothulf dom pot pro CEL FOR PRE, burn edge to attack – Ventrue 8 Ian Forestal AUS DOM THA, play cards of any discipline – !Tremere 8 Ingrid Russo for DOM – !Ventrue 4 Jan Pieterzoon pot pre DOM FOR, +1 Bleed, Reduce hand size – Ventrue 7 Joseph O'Grady aus cel DOM FOR, +1 Strength, Blood for vote – !Ventrue 7 Kyoko Shinsegawa aus cel dom for, hunt off other vampires – Tremere 5 Lana Butcher dom for – Ventrue 3 Marlene dem for tha AUS DOM – !Ventrue 6 Vanessa aus pre DOM FOR – !Ventrue 6 Vincent Day aus dom for pot tha, Edge gives add'l vote – !Ventrue 6 Library (90 cards): Masters (16) Anarch Free Press Anarch Railroad 6x Blood Doll 3x Galaric's Legacy Hospital Food 2x Regarhagan's Hold Seattle Committee Sudden Reversal Actions (12) 4x Border Skirmish 4x Govern the Unaligned 2x Scouting Mission 2x Smash and Grab Action Modifiers (24) 3x Bonding 12x Conditioning 2x Daring the Dawn 7x Dawn Operation Combat (22) Amaranth 15x Diversion 4x Improvised Tactics 2x Pulled Fangs Reactions (16) 6x Deflection 4x The Mole 2x My Enemy's Enemy 4x Wake With Evening's Freshness
Comments:
Some crypt changes may be made to suit personal taste, but note that with the 3-ways, you shouldn't be concerned about getting out any one particular vampire. You might, for instance, double-up on Ian rather than tossing in Hrothulf. I just think Hrothulf's ability has the potential to help out in certain situations. He's definitely not an "always-influence" like Marlene and Vincent are, but every once in a while he can be handy. Also, this crypt was designed before Black Hand, which may change things. (Charice may replace Vanessa, for instance.) One major caution I have is that, as tempting as it is, do NOT bring out Ian first unless you have a Seattle Committee or Galaric's in your hand. Most everyone knows to block Ian Forestal trying to go Anarch, and he really can't be effective until he is (but when he is, he can be devastating). The Regarhagan's Holds are in there of course to deal with bouncy preys. Try not to use Bonding or Daring the Dawn unless essential, or if you have determined that your prey cannot bounce. The Governs and Scouting Missions are mostly for bringing out more friends, not for bleeding, so having one of the higher caps with DOM is somewhat important. The deck's primary weakness is being preyed upon by vote decks, but those will usually need one or two turns to get going, and by then you should be in a pretty good position to go forward a lot faster than a vote deck can.
V. Closing
Hopefully this has been somewhat helpful, and hopefully I can slowly begin to break Anarchism out of its current corner-case status and inspire some new ideas for the sect. Next month I will take a look at the only two vampires who are inherently Anarch – Merged Jeremy MacNeil and now Merged Dominique, and I'll talk about the most powerful card in the Anarchs' arsenal: Firebrand.
Eric Simon
Prince of Chicago