How to fix up Terminator: Part 2: Production.

[Axlotl]

Now we reach our other bad mechanic.

Production has two flaws - #1: You need too many Drones to make it work. #2: It clogs your deck with non-Drone MCs and Items as well.

To fix problem #1, we can revert to the original playtesting mechanic - Production is not removed each turn. Specifically, I propose these changes: #1: Production tokens are stored at the factory locations they are generated at. #2: The rule that states Skynet MCs are not limit 3 per deck no longer applies to Drones.

To fix problem #2, I propose to once again use the Command Deck. In Future scenarios, SkyNet is allowed to include 7 Skynet characters and/or Items in their Command Deck, Bringing the Future War Command Deck up to 15. These cards are able to be played as if from hand. This enables a few weak strategies, such as building up a "super" Terminator with 7 additional upgrades - consistently, as well as HK swarms or other swarm strats.

In addition to the SkyNet changes for 2, I'd include 7 extra slots for Resistance as well, which includes Resistance Privates which are considered to be in hand OR deck for any cards that specifically find the Privates, as well as Short and Long ranged Weaponry Items, which, once again, can be searched for as if they were in hand.

I have a few other ideas for these Command Decks if I ever do an expansion.

Also, I think the Command Deck should replace the Reserves sidebar from the base game. As a 2-faction game, T doesn't need a sideboard mechanic. So, the Command Deck is renamed Reserves, in that case.

[whiteumbrella]

Those both sounds like some good changes, especially along with the playtest feedback from the Command Deck in the other thread. I was going to ask why remove the limit on Drones, but it becomes fairly obvious - though it does change the playability of Processor Banks if you do so..with only seven Drones in play at a time, the odds of it being worth sacrificing Production for +1 hand size lowers substantially unless you already have most/all of your MC's and Skynet Items in play..

[Axlotl]

Processor Banks is totally busted, but so is Packrat, and Data Stream - even with the nerfs to Drones.

I think all three are potentially ban worthy.

I have an absolutely disgusting Future War Resistance deck with the rare Reese, Dogs, Packrats, Gramps, and Protection. Good luck killing a 5 def 10 resistance (before events!) Reese, that has stockpiled ~15 cards in hand. If you do manage to actually get off a good hit... just use a Dog to cancel it, or the common Medic (Garstin?) to full heal.

Actually, maybe Rec/Sec Reese is the bigger problem...

[whiteumbrella]

Rec/Sec Reese is definitely part of it, but having the bodyguard effect is what makes him Reese. Well, its what makes him T1 Reese, anyways, but that's more of a jab at Genesis than anything else. Granted, not really sure why they felt the need to include both Packrat and the reduction in hand size, when it would have been easier (and less messy) to just not have either?

But yeah, Rec/Sec Reese is just...no. There's too many high-profile Supporting Characters for him to ever be a good idea. Maybe if he had to rotate to do it? I mean, he can't just teleport in the way of every Term or HK in a room...

[whiteumbrella]

Not sure if you've had a chance to playtest any of this, but I had been working on a similar idea to the 7 slots for weapons and Privates for Resident Evil. I was going to let it include any item, but once a Character/Item had left the deck, it was gone permanently from it - if the Generic Stand-In died, they didn't go back to the side deck, they were discarded as normal. Same for one-off Items. I'd be interested in your take on whether that's a plausible idea or not.

[Axlotl]

Yeah, play-tested a couple times. Got some more playtesting coming up, with a twist/expansion that I'll get into later.

Your take on it should work fine. I wanted to keep everything consistent for where used cards from the sidedeck go, and keep draw decks from getting polluted with Skynet Items/MCs and Missions. Without this problem particular to termy, then returning to the sidedeck vs discarding is mostly personal preference, unless there is some other consequence particular to the game.