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 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.

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.

Card List

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

SHIVA nukes

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. 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.

Plasma Torpedoes

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. 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, where X is ship strength. If roll is <2X, 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 <2X, 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 <2X, ship is destroyed. All players then do the same for their ships in play.

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 Covenant 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 a Covenant ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Earth is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 a Covenant ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Reach is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 Spirits: 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 Banshees: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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 Spirits: 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 Banshees: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 Orbital Bombardment: When a Covenant 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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

35

Human Cruiser(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: MAC Orbital Bombardment: When a Covenant 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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

50

Covenant Capital Ship

Thing - Covenant

Action: Energy Projectors: Dissipate the shields of one Covenant ship WSA or destroy one Human ship or Covenant ship WSD. Action: Launch Spirits: 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 Banshees: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

45

Human Flagship

Thing - Human

Action: Super MAC gun: Dissipate the shields of one Covenant ship WSA or destroy one Human ship or Covenant ship WSD. 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: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

45

Covenant Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Spirits: 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 Banshees: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

45

Covenant Carrier(Ship)

Thing - Human

Action: Launch Spirits: 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 Banshees: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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 SHIVA 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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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 SHIVA 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. Action: Orbital Defence: Can be played onto an Objective for it to be considered shielded from boarder type Actions. Ships attacking objectives must spend one extra turn to destroy it.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.

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 also be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Objectives are considered to be unshielded.