ABOUT THIS THREAD

This thread is the first of 7 threads (1 per faction) that I hope to update as I become more experienced and the LCG evolves.

This first instalment of this thread looks at Haas-Bioroid and its evolution from 1 Core to 1.5 Core + WLA.

• 1.5 Core means gaining the 3 ^rd card of doubles from a friend who buys a 2 ^nd Core set.
• 2 Core means getting the 2 ^nd card of a single so you are that friend who buys a 2 ^nd Core set

Currently, no Corp deck needs more than 1.5 Core (I envisage a deck with 3 Zaibatsu Loyalty when more ambushes arrive).

WLA gives each Corp a better agenda to replace Private Security Force (as neutral hardware Carapace obsoletes it). This further weakens tags, now only Closed Accounts and Psychographics (beyond resource removal). Weyland has a great new agenda but needs its first ambush (e.g. Sabotage thrashes hardware) to compensate for Carapace countering Scorched Earth, an unsubtly direct silver bullet (like Rabbit Hole vs. NBN). Haas-Bioroid arguably has the best new agenda plus Ash. It seems data packs drastically alter balance, creating windows for factions to dominate before new cards alter balance again. I hope FFG try to always maintain balance between the factions. Unlike multi-player A Game of Thrones where players compensate by allying with weaker houses, Netrunner must maintain its asymmetric balance (this is challenging to design) else it will lose its charm due to over-dominant decks.

I am new to the game (got it for Christmas, analysed it thoroughly, only limited play). Please excuse my hubris. Whilst I expect net damage backlash from veterans enraged by my chutzpah, my user tag shouting my location will hopefully not result in meat damage (thankfully rarer in the UK). Why do I write a handbook-style thread? For the ego massage, of course! Also, there’s not much else to do during the Christmas to New Year period working for a huge multinational. Please do not hesitate to vocally disagree and gleefully point out errors. I will survive the mental scarring brain damage…

HAAS-BIOROID: Core cards

Haas-Bioroid (core identity) is an economic powerhouse, running minimal events (max. 12) to collect 1 credit per turn (even a ruse that is later trashed unrezzed) except for turns when all actions are spent to score agendas. It has Adonis Campaign, a 1-action money generator temporarily filling your remote server fort when not used for agendas (or late game traps). It also has the excellent credit/action-saving agenda in Accelerated Beta Test (ideally set-up by Jinteki’s Precognition), promoting both quantity and quality of ice, perfectly synergising with Priority Requisition, so include Weyland’s Archer and/or NBN’s Tollbooth.

For events, Haas-Bioroid has Biotic Labour, allowing instant scoring of 3-advance agendas for 4 credits and the versatile Archived Memories to transmute to any archived card for 1 action cost 0. Need money fast? Recall the Hedge Fund. Need money slow? Recall an Ad Campaign. Need to use Precognition set-up again? Need to mess with the runner’s mind? Recall Aggressive Secretary then install it or a Private Security Force and advance it 1. Archived Memories also protects an unguarded Archive from any Accelerated Beta Test that trashes an agenda. Shipment from Mirrormorph wastes installation credits and is best for NBN (installing an agenda, SanSan City, and a Red Herring in your remote fort, next turn Anonymous Tip to refill hand).

The current meta-game where program-light Criminal is popular makes Aggressive Secretary a potent ambush. It is also the only ambush that guarantees hurt with 1 advance as it is targeted removal (unlike random damage). 1 advance threatens a next turn Private Security Force (requisite until WLA) or Priority Requisition with Biotic Labour. Installing ambush is usually a late game play. Prior to WLA, an ambush can never be advanced over 2 as this invests too many actions on an agenda that can be stolen hence must be an ambush. The example below demonstrates an optimal use of an ambush (also some ice-building rules and mind tricks).

You have 4 agenda points and have a 3 level remote fort (say Enigma at the front to absorb Inside Job and leech extra credit then Ichi then Heimdall at the back). The runner has 3 ice-breakers to break through but insufficient credit/actions (due to you stacking Bioroids of different types). You however suspect he has a Lucky Gamble, a Stimhack or a Bank Job on your PAD Campaign. With only 4 credits, you confidently install a card (+1 credit) in the remote fort and advance it 2 (-2 credits), 3 credits left. The runner must now play Infiltration (unlucky) or use his fast money card to run at the remote fort as you threaten the win by advancing Priority Requisition to 5. Because on the table it looked like the server could not be accessed, this further reinforces his suspicion you are going for the win. He plays his quick money surprise, only to access a Secretary, losing 2 key programs (ideally out-of-faction). Cue “I Robot”-style female computer voice: “I am sorry, Gabriel. Crime deserves punishment.”

When choosing ice, choose the most cost-efficient vs. best 3 ice breakers: Corroder, Ninja and Gordian Blade (WLA adds no better ice breakers). You must also consider Yug 5.0 so minimal low strength code gates. This is because every runner should play 3 Special Orders for consistency. You want an even distribution between the 3 types as you ideally want to stack 3 different types in 3 central servers plus your remote fort. You are playing a defensive long game and you may suffer a few hits early on before stabilising, leveraging a superior economy. Beware stacking program-thrashing ice without “end the run” at the back, else a runner with no programs could just walk in. Finally, Haas-Bioroid needs at least 12 ice with explicit “end the run”, the primary purpose of ice!

Note there can never be an optimal deck list. The very fact that a deck list becomes popular makes it weaker as it is more predictable, especially in a bluff-heavy game. There is an argument that the Corp deck should have as many different installable cards as possible to maximise the surprise factor when rezzing (also runner must keep track after exposing). But this needs to be balanced by having a consistent strategy. Bioroid ice are powerful but can be bypassed by first action runs. This can be mitigated by stacking them hence more of the same helps this.

HAAS-BIOROID: 1 Core

Agendas (9)

3x Accelerated Beta Test

3x Private Security Force

3x Priority Requisition

Assets (8)

3x Adonis Campaign – install in remote fort between agendas

2x Aggressive Secretary – install in remote fort when at 4+ points

3x PAD Campaign – unprotected servers (ruse ICE vs. Criminal)

Upgrades (1)

1x Corporate Troubleshooter – install first in empty remote fort, recall from archives

Events (10, 6#)

3x Biotic Labour

2x Precognition (6#)

2x Archived Memories

3x Hedge Fund

Barriers (8, #3)

3x Ice Wall (#3) – surprise 1 credit rez (rarely advance)

3x Wall of Static

2x Heimdall 1.0 – avoid at front vs. Criminal

Code Gates (8, #6)

3x Enigma – place in front of a bioroid

2x Viktor 1.0 – stack with other bioroids

3x Tollbooth (#6) – avoid at front vs. Criminal

Sentries (5)

2x Rototurret – ambush first action blind runs

3x Ichi 1.0 – stack with any barrier or code gate (does not end the run)

18 of your 21 ice end the run (cue robotic “thou shall not pass”); 14 of them not bypassed by spending actions. The order that you build your data fort depends on who you are facing and whether you start with an agenda in hand, also if you want to telegraph misinformation (this and other generic tactics will be detailed separately).

An even more defensive build is to substitute the Troubleshooter with a Melange Mining Corp, probably better for new players who want to bore the runner to death. Archer is another option but it over-relies on agendas and is vulnerable to Forced Activation Order. 5 code gates are vulnerable to Yug 5.0 so 3x Tollbooths is obligatory, leaving no room in the inn for Archer. With 1 Core set, Haas-Bioroid is the strongest Corp (Jinteki is more fun).

HAAS-BOIROID: 1.5 Core

The 1 Core deck is so competitive that the 1.5 Core deck only gains consistency but at the cost of predictability. Enigmas, less useful wasted behind bioroids, are dropped to minimise vulnerability to a Yug 5.0 brought out by Special Order (also stacking the 9 bioroids lessens their action-intensive weakness). With 1.5 Core sets (WLA unreleased), Weyland and NBN (with crucial 1 Core set doubles) catch up with Haas-Bioroid as competitive.

3x Accelerated Beta Test

3x Private Security Force

3x Priority Requisition

3x Adonis Campaign

3x PAD Campaign

2x Aggressive Secretary

3x Biotic Labour

2x Precognition

3x Archived Memories

3x Hedge Fund

3x Ice Wall

3x Wall of Static

3x Heimdall 1.0

3x Viktor 1.0

3x Tollbooth

3x Rototurret

3x Ichi 1.0

HAAS-BOIROID: 1 Core + WLA

This is a big upgrade on the 1 Core deck and may need explanation for some.

3x Accelerated Beta Test

3x Priority Requisition

3x Mandatory Upgrade

3x Adonis Campaign

3x PAD Campaign

2x Project Junebug

3x Ash 2X3ZB9CY

3x Biotic Labour

2x Precognition

2x Archived Memories

3x Hedge Fund

1x Ice Wall

3x Wall of Static

2x Heimdall 1.0

3x Enigma

2x Viktor 1.0

3x Tollbooth

2x Rototurret

3x Ichi 1.0

Ash is unique but you can multiple install in your remote fort (a link 0 runner needs at least 10 credits to trash 2 copies of Ash if 1 is rezzed). Just before server is accessed, rez Ash to divert run. Assume trace is won and that rezzed Ash is thrashed. The runner does not see the other 2 cards there so runs again, only to find another Ash protecting agenda. Best with a Tollbooth as runner could have insufficient credits to thrash Ash, a disaster run. Use Ash to score Mandatory Upgrade (claim extra action when scored), after which the game is probably won.

The existence of Mandatory Upgrades means your assets may be advanced to 3, making Project Junebug a nice game-winning surprise. Nobody runs at action-hungry Bioroids with 7 cards. The less ICE, down to a mere 19, also makes accessing that remote server a tad easier. Obviously central servers need to be protected to hide their existence and, if revealed and thrashed, fear is enough to risk investing 3 advances on assets. Ash upgrades also help misread installs in empty remote fort. If runner has not seen Junebug, install it in empty remote fort server. He probably reads it as Adonis or Ash and leaves it (else invests action and credits breaking through the ice for your 1 action). Advance it to 3 next turn (with credit left to activate). Fearing a Mandatory Upgrade which will help you win, without an Infiltration, he has to come in and is blindsided by your off-faction trap. Alternatively, if he has seen Junebug and you currently score less than 3, you can do the same but with a Mandatory Upgrade, leaving it (further confirming it is an Ash in runner’s mind who then starts hoarding) until runner has 3 cards in grip when you advance it 3. Barring Diesel, he cannot go to 7 cards to safely access it. Instead of risking defeat, he leaves it for you to score, the match turning in your favour. Junebug also synergises with prior bioroid brain damage accepted as collateral. If playing the same opponent repeatedly, after a Junebug flatline, surreptitiously exchange them for Ice Walls. That player is forever scarred; the fear of another flatline will now be sufficient

HAAS-BOIROID: 1.5 Core + WLA

Again this is a tiny improvement on prior 1 Core + WLA deck. A 3 ^rd Archived Memories is great for recycling Ash (as well as other options). But ice is down to 18 (6 of each type, 3 of each type with explicit “end the run”) so it is more vulnerable to early losses. A player less confident with ambushes should trade them for Ice Walls.

3x Accelerated Beta Test

3x Priority Requisition

3x Mandatory Upgrade

3x Adonis Campaign

3x PAD Campaign

2x Project Junebug

3x Ash 2X3ZB9CY

3x Biotic Labour

2x Precognition

3x Archived Memories

3x Hedge Fund

1x Ice Wall

2x Wall of Static

3x Heimdall 1.0

3x Viktor 1.0

3x Tollbooth

3x Rototurret

3x Ichi 1.0

I like the deck lists you've offered and the analysis about hb's strengths is solid but I'm not sure that I agree that wla weakens tags. Yes, the carapace counters one scorched earth but no scorched earth deck wins only by flatlining. Playing the carapace is a significant tempo blow to counter just one card and doesn't even counter the second scorched (which means you still need more than three cards in your hand at almost all times). Plus,with no side board, the card is dead weight against, say, hb.

Best deck building thread on the city grid…When are you gonna update it?

Great article. I hope to see Trace Amount updates.