Running Mercs at a tournament next week and trying to figure out my command deck and was looking for community feedback.

List

Bantha

E Tusken

R HK

R Hired Guns

R Nexu

Gideon

C3PO

Temp Alliance

Devious Schemes

Beast Tamer

So this is what I have as locks for the command deck so far

3 - Crush

2 - Jundland Terror

2 - Jundland Terror

1 - Negation

1 - Survival Instincts

1 - Ferocity

1 - Field Tactician

1 - Hit and Run

0 - Opportunistic

0 - Element of Surprise

That leaves me with 3 points left and 5 cards spots open. Here are some of the things I was thinking about.

2 - Inspiring Speech - such a strong opening play(4 focused figures on the first round!)!and I've noticed that my HKs tend to stay back from the fray so Gideon wouldn't have too hard of a time catching up with them if you draw it later. Only downside is none of the units in the list have great surges so extra ones may be wasted. Especially with the Tuskens.

1 - Single Purpose - great for giving Bantha an extra chance to trample or just another focus with C3PO. Have had it in my hand a couple times without having any use for it though.

1 - Strength in Numbers - haven't tested this yet but I though it would be a nice combo with the HK/Tuskens and the Nexu/Hired Guns. Getting in a extra early activation in round two certainly has its appeal. Could also be used with Gideon or 3PO to focus/move and then attack with the focused unit.

1 - Stealth Tactics - adding a white die on defense doesn't ever sound like a bad idea. Not sure if it's worth the point though.

0 - Urgency - Extra two movement is great for grabbing objectives and such early game. Or for throwing the Bantha out even farther than your opponent plans.

0 - Fleet footed - same as above but it doesn't cost an action and only give the single movement point.

0 - Deadeye - get out of jail card for range. Nice for a long shot first turn with HK's on Training ground. Also works well with the Hired Guns or the Tusken Cyclers which both suffer from range IMO.

0 - Rally - no one likes a stunned Bantha. At least no one playing Bantha likes a stunned Bantha. That's about all I would use it for. Maybe a bleed or weaken if it would change the game I guess.

0 - Take Intiative - Always a staple in decks but running Devious Schemes makes it seem a waste. First round you could use it would be the start of round 3 and the game will probably be decided by then.

That's most of the ones I was thinking about and my thoughts on them. Let me know what you think and if I missed something.

I always take initiative, rally, fleet footed and planning for my zeroes.

Didn't include planning because Gideon almost always has something else to do and he is the only leader. And what would be your reasoning on take intiative?

What would be the reasoning NOT to take it? it seems like an auto include since begining of time. There are so many times that you really want to start first and finish somethung off before it finishes you or runs away

If your oponent doesnt draw negation or take initiative himself you have it for round 2 and 3

If your opponent draws Take Initiative themselves then you can't use it until round 4 and the game is almost definitely over by then. And even if they don't it's still not giving you anything for the first two rounds of the game. I understand it's an auto include but the situation is completely different because of Devious Schemes.

I've been trying out the Bantha a bit myself, and am torn between doing what you do there - load up on creature cards and have a second creature, or disregard most of the creature cards because the Bantha will most likely die in the beginning of round 2. That means I've seen at most 5 cards of the deck and at least 3 of them I need at the end of round 1 to really rock it. Granted the Nexu and Tuskens are secondary targets on a couple of them, but would you really spend 4-5 CC points on cards for them? I'm not sure yet myself.

If your opponent draws Take Initiative themselves then you can't use it until round 4 and the game is almost definitely over by then. And even if they don't it's still not giving you anything for the first two rounds of the game. I understand it's an auto include but the situation is completely different because of Devious Schemes.

True. You have a point there. But i, personally, would not risk not taking it because there might be a situation where getting initiative would get you a win. The card saved me too many times

Especially when the selection of effective cards for 0 cost is pretty limited