Hello,

my friend and I started some days ago with Android Netrunner Core Set and played some matches with the core decks. We made ofc errors, but it was a nice trial&error experience so far (we both played M:TG and are aware of LCG/TCG and other strategy games, so we're not completely noobs).

After that we started the Terminal Directive campaign, where my friend chose the Seidr and I chose Ayla. I used a suggested deck from this: https://netrunnerdb.com/en/decklist/42823/terminal-directive-starter-ayla#64471

We played 6 games so far, and it stands 0:6 for me. There were games where it was really close, like 6 Agendapoints for me and 5 for him, but in the end he won still.

We didn't pla without any mistakes of course, but it feels that Runner is underrated in this campaign and this feeling has also my friend and from others I've heard that TD isn't really balanced.

Do you have the same experience? Or maybe you can write down your general strategy with Runner for this campaign? It is already written where the suggested deck is, and I think the deck is really good, but I have several problems:

I am trying to build up my ICE-breakers, Laguna/Ubax and so on, but I can't wait forever, because at one point I have to do a run, for example if Seidr plays this upgrade where all agendas cost 1 less. So with this card he can install and score a 2point Agenda in the same turn for example.

In one game he had like 2-3 Agendas in his hand, but I didn't think about to make a run to his HQ instead of trying to make a successfull run vs the mentioned installed upgrade card for example.

It feels that Seidr/Corp has nothing to do but just to build a big wall of ICES everywhere and play just passive and wait.

For me, some guys said that from the runner comes the aggressive part so it's stronger, but it just doesn't feel so:

If there are hidden cards on the Remote (maybe Agenda/credit card protected by some ICEs), then I have to have like 10+ credits before I even should try a run, and then I have to have the right ICE-Breakers to match his ICEs, otherwise I can't interact with the ICE and pay for the subroutines. If the first ICE has subroutines like "Destroy a program" and I don't have the right ICE-Breaker, then it's kinda GG for me.

Or- I run into a trap in the end of the run and the Corp is allowed to destroy 2 programs.

For example, if the Corp is advancing just once in a round, then it will be more likely an Agenda and I am forced to make a successful run in the next turn.

It feels also that the Runner isn't allowed to make any mistakes and all, because then he either would lose programs or gain damage and so on, whereas the Corp is easier to play.

I am not crying about this game don't get me wrong, I'm a competitive player and want to progress and get better (even if it's only PvE/campaign), but I feel kinda lost here.

Any suggestions for strategy, decks are welcome, even criticism hehe ;D

Thanks in advance!

Hey!

Overall, the TD campaign is definitely skewed in favor of the corporation once they start getting some of their upgrade cards (and the Runner Cautions are just brutal).

However, earlier in the campaign, the runner can definitely put a lot of pressure on the corp. A lot of the cases end up being basic netrunner skills that need to be worked on:

A netrunner game is roughly split into three game phases, the big goal of the game is manipulating the phases to your favor.

• Early Game: Runner has an advantage here. The corporation has relatively light defenses and a light amount of money (5 to 9 credits typically). The runner can usually get into at least one server repeatedly. The runners goal here is to pressure the corporation and keep them poor. Run early, run often is a common mantra. Honestly, run 1st click is often very useful. The corporation can't trash any programs if you don't have any installed. If they rez ice, they lose money and you now have information on what kind of breakers you'll eventually need to get. HOWEVER, don't get too focus on running, you still need to establish your board-state and economy. Sea Source + Scorched Earth is still a problem if you get too aggressive. Early aggression is often key, but be careful as you may need to play around some hate cards. If the runner can force the board to stay in this phase (Vamp, Parasite, Account Siphon, etc) then they have a great chance of winning.
• Mid Game: At this point the corporation economy might have stabilized and they have a few pieces of ice rezzed. Runner doesn't have all the tools out to get into servers. Here the corp is looking to open scoring windows and get their point out while the runner is scrambling to get setup. Often a corporation will want to try to accelerate through the early game and maintain a mid-game state. Keeping the runner too broke to install their tools can help here.
• Late Game: At this point both Corp and Runner economies have stabilized, but the runner has all the tools they need. They can get into any server they need to....yes they may only be able to get in only once or twice a turn.....but everything is a threatened here. On the runner side, being able to split the corporation attention by challenging all centrals (Siphon, Vamp, etc on HQ; Medium, Maker's Eye, Deep Data Mining, etc on R&D; Datasucker, Sneakdoor Beta, etc on Archives) as well as the remote are all key. Force them to split their attention. On the corporation side, the goal is entirely on opening scoring windows (or kill windows). Faking the runner out, or forcing them to spend a lot of money so that they have to spend a time getting money or cards gives you a window to score out. Cards like Aggressive Secretary (as you've found out), can also bump a late game state back to a mid-game state. As the runner, you'll need to read what is a bluff and what is a scoring attempt. Unfortunately that takes experience. A big question I usually ask myself is, "If the corporation just installed an agenda, do I care if they score it? Will it set them back on money so I can attack other servers? Do I run the server to force them to rez defenses just so I can attack somewhere else? Is it a trap? Do I care if it is a trap if running puts me at an advantage? If I ran, could the corp have defended it better (example, did they avoid rezzing ice because they want the run successful?) and should I jack out?

A lot of times as the runner, I'll not care if the corp scores an agenda or two. Often I'll run a remote run with the intention of failing to get, especially if it makes the corp poor enough that they can't defend another server. For example, if the corporation has everything iced up and you have a medium to play. Corp installs and advances in a remote. Go ahead and run the remote. If they rez something scary like an Ichi, well, you can just click through it and they have to rez something else. Maybe it's a wall of static. In any case, they now have spent money and time to rez ice AND to advance the agenda. A big ice like Ichi and Eli 2.0 will end up with them spending 8 or more credits and 5 clicks (install and advancements) to score. That can give you a great shot at installing the medium and then pummeling R&D.

A huge part of the game as runner is bluffing the corp into spending money defending some location when you are actually getting ready to attack from a different direction. Bluffing isn't just for the corporation, you can very much bluff as the runner.