Halo: Starside deck

Halo: Starside
Designer	Xahn Borealis
Date	3/11/2008
Players	2+
This is an untested deck. Its cards are complete, but it hasn't yet been tested.
To play Dvorak: Draw five cards each and leave the rest as a draw pile. On your turn, draw a card from the draw pile and play one Thing and/or one Action. (See the full rules.)
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This deck is locked. Further cards should not be added - leave feedback on the talk page.

Choose your side and conquer your enemy in a tactical battle, picking off ships with your heavy guns, or leave things to chance and plunge headfirst into battle, hoping your maneuvers will be enough to save your ships.

This is a deck based around the space combat that takes place in the Halo novels and the limitations of that universe(Slipspace, nukes, shields, prowlers, etc). This is my first deck, so please leave opinions, criticisms, war stories, etc in the talk page. One more thing...no Halo Installations, Flood, Master Chief or Forerunners. It would just complicate things to try and tie this in with the whole Halo story arc.

Winning Conditions

Destroy all of an opponent's ships in play to eliminate them. You can use any method to do this, including: boarder type Actions, Objectives, Direct Engagements or good old fashioned SHOOTING.
Survive to win. Surrender is not an option, whichever side you play, so this means either eliminate all opponents or make a tactical retreat of 3 or more ships into Slipspace.

Special Rules

A player must choose a race and allegiance at the start of the game. These are: Human(UNSC), Human(Insurrectionists), Covenant(Sangheili/Elites) and Covenant(Jiralhanae/Brutes) Each race has card limitations and advantages, i.e. the Insurrectionists cannot use Spartan teams, but can use the Black Market or Piracy to easily procure ships.

Basically, the UNSC and Sangheili can use things like boarder type Actions to instantly destroy ships, but the Insurrectionists and Jiralhanae can use their specialist Actions to gain(or regain) more ships. So you can choose your style of play AND what race you want to use without being tied to any specific way of playing.

Then draw until you have three ships if you are Covenant, four if you are Human. This balances out the whole Covenant-has-shields-and-plasma-weapons against the Humans-have-nukes-and-not-many thing. Make sure to draw your race's ships, i.e. Covenant start with Covenant ships. Discard enemy ships if drawn and draw another card. Maximum hand size is seven.

Slipspace

Your hand is considered to be anywhere away from the battle. When you put a ship into play, it transitions into and out of slipspace to get to the battle. If you have SHIVA nukes or HORNET mines in your hand when you put a ship into play, the resulting Cerenkov radiation will clearly reveal any prowlers making the jump, rendering their stealth technology useless(place them into your hand). You must discard SHIVA nukes or HORNET mines or both if you have them, for your prowlers to remain invisible. You cannot move ships from your hand into Slipspace unless you play Transition to Slipspace.

Shields

All Covenant ships are considered to be WSA(With shields active) at the start of the game. When Covenant shields are dissipated by an enemy attack, they are considered to be WSD(With shields dissipated) for the rest of the game. Playing any ship(including prowlers, which remain in your hand when you play them, unless you have nukes in your hand(see Slipspace)) onto an Objective protects it in this manner, each ship adding another layer of shielding. Glassing and MAC Orbital Bombardment cannot be used on the Objective until each ship on the Objective is removed from it. However, any ships on an Objective cannot use any of their Actions until put into play somewhere else.

Card List

WSD = With shields dissipated. WSA = With shields active.
Card cornervalues represent ship strength.

FENRIS nukes

Action - Human

Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may also use this if you are Jiralhanae.

HORNET mines

Action - Human

When Direct Engagement is played, play this to destroy one random enemy ship, regardless of dice rolls.

NOVA bomb

Action - Human(UNSC)

Play only when your Objective is destroyed. Enemy fleet that destroyed your objective is reduced to one.

Slipspace tracking drone

Action - Covenant(Sangheili)

Play only when your Objective is destroyed. Enemy fleet that destroyed your objective is reduced to one.

Plasma Torpedoes

Action - Covenant

Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may also use this if you are UNSC.

Pack Leader Call To War

Action - Covenant(Jiralhanae)

Search the draw pile for a Covenant ship and move it into your hand.

Pack Leader Call To War

Action - Covenant(Jiralhanae)

Search the draw pile for a Covenant ship and move it into your hand.

Black Market

Action - Human(Insurrectionists)

Search the discard pile for a Human ship and move it into your hand.

Piracy

Action - Human(Insurrectionists)

Play this when you destroy an enemy ship to gain control of it. If it is Covenant WSD, its shields remain dissipated.

Transition to Slipspace

Action

Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.

Transition to Slipspace

Action

Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.

Transition to Slipspace

Action

Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.

Direct Engagement

Action

All players place all their ships into play. Then roll 1dX for each ship you own in play, where X is ship strength. If roll is <(X/2), ship is destroyed. All players then do the same for their ships.

Direct Engagement

Action

All players place all their ships into play. Then roll 1dX for each ship you own in play, where X is ship strength. If roll is <(X/2), ship is destroyed. All players then do the same for their ships in play.

Direct Engagement

Action

All players place all their ships into play. Then roll 1dX for each ship you own in play, where X is ship strength. If roll is <(X/2), ship is destroyed. All players then do the same for their ships in play.

Install AI

Action - Human

Play with Spartan Team to ignore the effects of the first dice roll. You may choose the effect performed. Play against enemy boarder type Actions to negate effects.

Hunters

Action - Covenant

Play with Active Camo Elites to ignore the effects of the first dice roll. You may choose the effect performed. Play against enemy boarder type Actions to negate effects.

Archer missile salvo

Action - Human

Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.

Archer missile salvo

Action - Human

Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.

Pulse laser turrets

Action - Covenant

Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.

Pulse laser turrets

Action - Covenant

Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.

Spartan Team(boarder)

Thing - Human(UNSC)

Play onto a ship to indefinitely negate the effects of enemy boarder type Actions. Action: If you have a Human transport, discard Spartan Team and roll 2d9. If first roll is 8-9, gain control of target Human ship or Covenant ship WSD or dissipate shields of Covenant ship WSA. If first roll is 1-7, destroy target ship. If second roll is 8-9, do not discard Spartan Team. If second roll is 1-7, discard Spartan Team as normal.

Reach Orbital Defence Grid(Objective)

Thing - Human(UNSC)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Earth is in your hand or in play, discard this card and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Earth Orbital Defence Grid(Objective)

Thing - Human(UNSC)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Reach is in your hand or in play, discard this card and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

40

Covenant Cruiser(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Glassing: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Covenant Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.

40

Covenant Cruiser(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Glassing: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Covenant Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.

Reach, CASTLE BASE(Objective)

Thing - Covenant(Sangheili)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Azure Coast is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Sigma Octanus IV, Azure Coast(Objective)

Thing - Covenant(Sangheili)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Reach CASTLE BASE is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Active Camo Elites(boarder)

Thing - Covenant(Sangheili)

Play onto a ship to indefinitely negate the effects of enemy boarder type Actions. Action: If you have a Covenant transport, discard Active Camo Elites and roll 2d9. If first roll is 8-9, gain control of target Human ship or Covenant ship WSD or dissipate shields of Covenant ship WSA. If first roll is 1-7, destroy target ship. If second roll is 8-9, do not discard Active Camo Elites. If second roll is 1-7, discard Active Camo Elites as normal.

35

Human Cruiser(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: MAC gun Orbital Bombardment: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Human Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.

35

Human Cruiser(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: MAC gun Orbital Bombardment: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Human Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.

50

Covenant Capital Ship

Thing - Covenant

Action: Energy Projectors: Destroy one enemy ship. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

45

Human Flagship

Thing - Human

Action: Super MAC gun: Destroy one enemy ship. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

40

Human Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

40

Human Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

45

Covenant Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

45

Covenant Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

30

UNSC Prowler(Ship)

Thing - Human

UNSC Prowler does not have to be put into play to use Actions or when Direct Engagement is played, unless you have FENRIS nukes and/or HORNET mines in your hand, in which case discard both or either(whichever applies) for UNSC Prowler to remain in your hand. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

30

UNSC Prowler(Ship)

Thing - Human

UNSC Prowler does not have to be put into play to use Actions or when Direct Engagement is played, unless you have FENRIS nukes and/or HORNET mines in your hand, in which case discard both or either(whichever applies) for UNSC Prowler to remain in your hand. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.

Eridanus II, Rebel Base(Objective)

Thing - Human(Insurrectionists)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Camp New Hope is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Victoria, Camp New Hope(Objective)

Thing - Human(Insurrectionists)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Eridanus II is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Harvest(Objective)

Thing - Covenant(Jiralhanae)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Centennial Orbital Elevator is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

Earth, Centennial Orbital Elevator(Objective)

Thing - Covenant(Jiralhanae)

When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Harvest is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.

40

Human Destroyer(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: SHIVA missiles: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.

40

Human Destroyer(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: SHIVA missiles: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.

40

Human Destroyer(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: SHIVA missiles: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.

40

Covenant Destroyer(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Plasma torpedo: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Covenant Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.

40

Covenant Destroyer(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Plasma torpedo: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Covenant Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.

35

Human Frigate(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.

35

Human Frigate(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.

40

Covenant Frigate(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.

40

Covenant Frigate(Ship)

Thing - Covenant

Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.