So, looking at the preview for Attack Run , I was saddened by the realization that while it will make it finally possible to send Red Five on a Trench Run, the objective set has no synergy with Trench Run at all due to the ruling that "the Death Star dial is not an objective" means only objective damage and the unopposed bonus affect it. Smugglers and Spies make a better Trench Run deck than pure Rebels.

Then I realized that Smugglers and Spies might actually make a pretty good Trench Run deck. Here's my first draft.

Affiliation: Rebel Alliance

2 Mobilize the Squadrons

2 Questionable Contacts

2 The Last Defense of Hoth

2 Raise the Stakes

2 Across the Anoat Sector

The idea is to play out somewhat like a basic Unblockable Smugglers deck, and that's how it wins if I don't see an early Trench Run. Blockade Runner and Sleuth Scout slip past enemy defenses, and Rebel Assault, Swindled, Renegade Squadron X-Wing, Cloud City Operative, and even Han Solo, Crossfire, and A Stinging Insult can clear out the smaller units my ships can't outrun. If I do manage to send my blockade runners on a Trench Run, however, that's when things get intersting. Across the Anoat Sector, Raise the Stakes, and Don't Get Cocky all grant my ships extra damage that will hit the Death Star Dial, and my tempo cards only have to hold out long enough for my ships to get in two or three good runs.

Any thoughts? Cards and interactions I might've missed?

Anyone can easily say nothing has good synergy with Trench Run since no triggering effects/events can work with it, just Blast and Unopposed. That being said, I think Running the Trench has a good synergy with Trench Run.

Consider this: Instead of attacking three separate Objectives, which makes for some decisive engagements about who to send in as an attacker/defender with which Objective, using Trench Run means you are setting up for big attacks on a single Objective. The Dark Side player has more of an advantage to defend against a single attack than 3 attacks in 1 turn.

As the Light Side player, you're putting all your chips on the table, so to speak. Having the option to use your blast damage against enemy units with Red 5 can be better for destroying participating enemy units that would otherwise destroy Red 5 or any of your other units. We know there are units coming that can affect ships that are not piloted, so having Luke in the cockpit will prevent any nasty stuff from that end. If not, Luke would definitely help as either another attacking unit or for his 3 Force Icons for the Edge Battle against the Death Star. Rebel Assaults can further take out/damage any defending units that may try to stop your attack. R2-D2 is definitely a welcome enhancement, giving shielding and healing damage on Red 5 to keep it in the game as long as possible. Rookie Pilot, in my opinion is the best unit to use in combination with Covering Fire, for shields on your other units. X-Wings are always handy, 1 cost for 2 health and a unit and blast damage. I Have You Now, again, a great card for fighting a single edge battle, provided that you win it of course.

In my opinion, Trench Run should say that it cannot be targeted by events instead of the "engage as an objective but it is not an objective" hoopla. If it were to say that, I think most issues that people have with it would be cleared up. Sure, you wouldn't be able to use Rebel Assault against it but you would be able to use so many other things against it, including Luke's Interrupt.

As far as your deck goes, I think that instead of Col Serra's set, 2x of Dash Rendar would work well. Any extra Blast Damage will get you that much closer to blowing up that dreaded space station.

Normally, I'm a big fan of Dash (or at least Holding All the Cards), but I don't think I really want him here. The idea is that I get past the fact it's easier to defend just the Death Star dial by simply preventing my opponent from defending at all, and Dash doesn't have evasion. Col on the other hand comes with a pair of Swindled-on-a-stick, A Stinging Insult to give me another way to clear out potential blockers before I send my blockade runners on a Trench Run, and Don't Get Cocky to give them two extra unit damage.

Personally, how I'd hoped the ruling would go is that only abilities that refer to the "engaged objective" would affect the Death Star dial as if it were an objective, though your proposed change does have the advantage that you'd be able to damage the Death Star dial with the Balance of the Force.

Hm. Funny enough, the Ewoks from Tribal Support and Impersonating a Deity would help you deal with their defense as well, discarding edge stack cards and declaring certain units unable to defend.

As far as Trench Run goes, my idea basically makes it a slightly better version of Heart of the Empire, just without the 3 resources the Objective provides.

This has been a pretty popular deck type for a while (though usually with Defense of Yavin 4 instead of Mobilize the Squadrons... and occasionally with both of them for 4x Rebel Assault). It could definitely be an interesting meta option at worlds if you're expecting more big mains from the DS and think you can slip through.