What a Card: Mirror Dagger

Being a look back at cards from the Star Trek CCG, and what I thought of them back when they were fresh and new... in EPISODE order. I know it's Christmas Eve, but there's no Star Trek Christmas Special!

EXPANSION: Mirror, Mirror

PICTURE: You can tell the blade has some futuristic design, but Sulu's Dagger is both blurry and shot against a dull gray background. The red-orange shirt "burns" the camera lens. I do like how it is hefted, but the technical aspects disappoint. A 2.3.

LORE:
Lovely. The first couple of phrases describe it plainly, as well as its role in the Mirror Universe, and then it's on to the last sentence, which not only makes fun of the way promotions work in the MU, but also helps with the game text! A deliciously malicious 4.2. Points off for the blah title.

TREK SENSE: People don't wear Daggers anymore, but in the OS-era Terran Empire they did. Of course, anyone can use a blade, so there's no actual limit on what personnel can get its bonus, and with an Alternate Universe Door out (or STP), anyone could report it. There's no mystery behind its fabrication, you see, unlike, say, an OS Phaser, which isn't manufactured anymore. Dagger technology can't have advanced too much, and I think it's safe to say that all affiliations have some version of the short, easily-hidden blade weapon. It's still no particle weapon, so +1 to Strength is fine, though we still have the problems with cumulativity. Can you really fight with 3 or more Daggers? Actually, I'll give them this one, because a Dagger could be thrown and thus lost. Your effectiveness in battle just might rely on the number of Daggers you have with you, giving you longer range options you wouldn't have with just one. How many Daggers represented by the card is still an issue however. We can't even talk about the advantages of cover fire in this case. The bonus couldn't possibly go to more than one personnel. Since this WAS used by Mirror personnel primarily (and I don't dispute its use in the 24th Century as well), there has to be an incentive for crew to be armed with them. They report for free to Mirror facilities (I guess the Alliance isn't above using them either) and to just-initiated personnel battles that feature Mirror personnel. That last effect shows how easy it is to hide such a weapon on your person that you can surprise an opponent by pulling it out of your trousers (or skirt). High marks not often afforded a hand weapon: 4.1.

STOCKABILITY:
Just a +1 boost, but since it reports for free in 2 possible instances, its cumulative nature will help you without it costing you any card plays. It helps every personnel you have present regardless of quadrant, affiliation or Emblem, but it's better for your Mirror icon personnel. When they initiate battle, you can drop whatever Daggers you have in hand right to the battle. Comm Officer Uhura even downloads you an extra one. Don't want to wait because maybe you want them for mission attempts? Unload them one by one or all together at one of the many Mirror facilities in the game (Outposts, HQs, even Terok Nor). Furthermore, its OS icon makes it able to report for free (once per turn) at Deep Space K-7. It's still a hand weapon for those cards that require such (like Kressari Rendezvous, the Bok'Nor, Captured, etc.), though not a phaser or disruptor. And though the bonus is slim, its flexibility and swarming abilities keep it handy. A good 3.7.

TOTAL: 14.3 (71.5%) Classic weapons seem to do well.

Comments