Quick question about wormhole research. Is the destroy ships part of the agenda mandatory if the agenda passes? The card states “Each player who has 1 or more ships in a system that contains a wormhole may research 1 technology. Then, destroy all ships in systems that contain an alpha or beta wormhole.” Why would the research be optional (when would you not research?) if it was not connected to second effect. I ask because Ghosts are my favorite race and this seems like a random and obscenely strong kneecap against them.

The second effect must be played, no matter what you choose in the first effect.

Sigh that’s a frustrating oversight by the designers. Wormhole Research has come up in a bunch of games I have played. Stinks to have a wild card in the agenda deck that utterly destroys one race.

Yes, this is an unpleasant effect, but not fatal

One must also keep in mind that ships in the Creuss Gate and/or Home World would not be destroyed. Unless, I would imagine, one or both of those systems had a Slave Wormhole placed there.

15 minutes ago, Fnoffen said:

One must also keep in mind that ships in the Creuss Gate and/or Home World would not be destroyed. Unless, I would imagine, one or both of those systems had a Slave Wormhole placed there.

Yeah, I don’t see how it effects creuss spectacularly more than anyone else. Probably a bit, but the agenda doesn’t effect their “D” wormholes at all.

The Creuss ARE voted "most likely to hang around Worm Hole Openings" though and since ALL ships in ALL Alpha and Beta Wormhole Systems are destroyed, this WOULD hit the Ghosts harder than anyone else.

It wouldn't be as big of a deal for the Creuss if it was worded "1: For EACH System containing a Wormhole you have at least one non-fighter ship in, you may research one Technology for which you have the prerequisites. 2: Destroy all ships in any system containing an Alpha or Beta Wormhole."

That wording might be wildly unbalanced though... Slightly less if the techs learned this way can not be used as prerequisites for eachother.

It would still be a hefty blow to have most of your ships wiped out but at least you'd get more than 1 tech out of it.

I played the Ghosts yesterday and this came up and wiped me. I built another fleet and went on to win, but it was looking grim for a round or so.

14 hours ago, Silverlee said:

Sigh that’s a frustrating oversight by the designers. Wormhole Research has come up in a bunch of games I have played. Stinks to have a wild card in the agenda deck that utterly destroys one race.

This is NOT an oversight. Most races have agendas that can utterly kneecap them (I don't know if it is still in the game, but in TI3 there was a law that said you could only have 2 ships of every type per fleet, including fighters. Good luck playing Naalu like that), as well as those that ONLY help that race. Laws are supposed to hurt occasionally and you have to be willing to pay if you want to prevent them.

It also kneecaps ghosts particularly hard because of the racial tech which creates more wormholes (which I feel is necessary for them) and thus makes them even more vulnerable to this card. I don’t believe there is an agenda card that affects any race as catastrophically as this one. I have had the Public Execution card played against me and lost 7 action cards and that didn’t feel as bad as losing 8 ships and five fighters to this card.

Silverlee, how do you feel about the "Enforced Travel Ban" Agenda that prevents Wormholes from working, which limits every races ability to use Wormholes except for the Ghosts?

It’s awesome for them but are people at the table ever going to let that one pass? Would require a mix of fortuitous circumstances and significant bribery.