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. One final card from We'll Always Have Paris...
PICTURE: Is that... purple? I'm afraid the early printing process wasn't up to the task of translating this blacklit shot into a clear image. It comes out looking over-exposed and out-of-phase. With the dilemma further being passed by Data before our very eyes, it really lessens its effectiveness. Plus, it's probably one of the worst shots ever of Data's wig. A 2.4, and only because the composition is generally sound.
LORE: Perhaps a bit too specific to Manheim's laboratory throughout, but well written. An okay 3.2.
TREK SENSE: The forcefields are indeed a wall, but what about the targeting lasers mentioned in the lore? They don't seem to have any effect at all. There are various ways to pass the defenses, and I'm afraid they're not all satisfying. For example, Jenice Manheim, who lived in the aforementioned laboratory complex, is mentioned, but not Paul Manheim who probably designed them. In any case, since the dilemma will never be at the Manheim laboratory (no mission for that episode), how either of them could pass someone else's "Security Precautions" is beyond explanation. An android works, just like in the episode, since apparently they can all project the magnetic fields required to bypass the defenses. A phaser or disruptor, presumably to destroy the defenses, reads like a cop-out because if a simple gun could stop them, why would Data have to fiddle around with field modulations. A phaser hit and it would have been done. 3 Security makes more sense - they ARE trained in this kind of thing. Less than half sensical. A 1.9.
SEEDABILITY: Decipher was generally careful not to replace one card with another, that is to say, to make a better version of a card rendering the original card completely useless, in every context. This time though, they dropped the ball. Berserk Changeling is just like this one, except it's tougher to pass (twice the hand weapons, asking for non-existent cards or artifacts, and an affiliated personnel requirement) and it kills one personnel! Why would you use this thin paper wall outside of sealed play? There, it'll do some damage unless a hand weapon is present, since androids and SECURITY are rarer in that format (not to mention Jenice), but otherwise? Berserk Changeling it is. And this used to be one of my favorites too... just a 2 now.
TOTAL: 9.5 (47.5%) Defenses are down!
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