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. For "Conspiracy", we got three cards, starting with...
PICTURE: Laughable. The parasite's got little bitty arms and a little bitty head and it's soooooooo pink... It's silly, that's what it is, and it has a distracting background. And yet, I kind of like it so a 3.2.
LORE: Good explanation of the facts and doesn't fail to mention the "gills" which might have linked this card to other "Bluegills" (as hinted at on Alas, Poor Queen), but alas, it never did. A 3.5.
TREK SENSE: First, this could just as easily been a space/planet dilemma. It can be justified that this represents INITIAL infection on the home planet. But since infection doesn't continue beyond that first ship (in effect, the Parasites just go away before the turn even ends), that can't be too credible. Secondly, why does Integrity figure in the equation? The officers infected on the show were by all accounts respectable and honorable men and women. Cunning or even Strength (since the hosts are inhumanly strong and have tried to force a parasite on someone) might have been better. Third, common sense and logic find fault with the card. The best way for this dilemma to hit is if a redshirt gets infected and beams back aboard infecting the entire crew. So if I understand this right, a big away team (full of Integrity) will avoid infection, but a large crew (full of Integrity) won't. That one host is pretty fast at assimilating the others! Bluegill Infestation would do better. A big fat 0.5.
SEEDABILITY: It's a risky dilemma to use, but fun if you've prepared for it. I especially like to stock Auto-Destructs so I can blow up the ship as soon as it's taken over. Other things you can do is attack other ships or strand personnel across the spaceline costing your opponent some time (stunt only works if Range isn't exhausted). Unfortunately, it's mostly good against redshirting or small Away Teams (nice after a few filters). Super-Away Teams (the Feds only need about 5 personnel to pass it) go through unharmed. A mix: 3.8.
TOTAL: 11 (55%) Trek sense kills this campy favorite.
Comments