Originally published at: http://gomorragazette.com/2015/10/28/deckbuilding-on-a-budget-with-the-eagle-wardens/
by Joe Oberbeck
Doomtown: Reloaded’s Immovable Object, Unstoppable Force brings two new factions to Gomorra. The Kung Fu mechanics for the 108 Righteous Bandits and Spirits/Totems for the Eagle Wardens are formed de novo with these outfits. Even as veteran players dive into this expansion, IOUF provides and excellent entry point for drifters encountering Doomtown for the first time. Indeed, one can avoid the steep cost of entry to the game by avoiding previously released saddlebag and pine box expansions and simply acquire IOUF plus one or two Doomtown: Reloaded base sets. For both the 108 and the Wardens, I describe decks built around IOUF plus one base set, two base sets, and finally ‘everything including the kitchen sink’. Part one explores the 108 Righteous Bandits, while this part examines the Eagle Wardens.
Eagle Wardens 1 base set +Faction Pack
For the Eagle Wardens, taking over Gomorra begins by controlling the town square with high influence dudes such as Marcia Ridge and Richard Faulkner. Marcia’s ability saves on movement and also denies opponents the use of their deed’s abilities. Even better, she serves as defense to ensure that even if the opponent sends over some influence to camp your deed(s), you still get to control and use your deeds. Butch ensures that Black Elk has at least one spirit/totem to get off to a strong start. Chief Stephen Seven-Eagles, Laughing Crow, and Three-Eyed Hawk; while expensive have both influence and shaman skills. Since the Wardens already control the town square, go ahead and run a Recruitment Drive or two to minimize the cost of these big ticket dudes. Deeds such as Telegraph Office and Undertaker provide further discounts or additional income to defray the Shaman’s initial costs and subsequent upkeep. The remaining dudes provide the muscle to win shootouts and thus retain control of the town square. Smiling Frog, Laughing Crow, Spirit Guidance, and the home ability help cycle and draw cards. Unboot the town square dude with Missed!
The remaining action cards punish cheaters or manipulate shootouts. Cheatin’ Varmint is always useful, but once the low value spirits attach, Magical Distraction comes into its own as pulls should equal or exceed a five of a kind. Beware, however, of your low value starters returning to the deck as discarded casualties. Among the goods, Buffalo Rifles are the only non-spirits, but they allow shamans to cast spirits at an adjacent location (cough, cough, at home) in a shootout. Spirit Dance, Many Speak as One, and The Pack Awakens provide tokens that protect ‘real dudes’ in shootouts. Yes, Many Speak as One creates a one-influence dude, but it tends to wind up as a meat shield that sops up a pair of casualties.
Sometimes dudes need to move away from the town square. Spirit Trail combines the best features of Surveyor’s Office (conferring adjacency to other Spirit Trail locations) and Shadow Walk (move a dude anywhere). Carter’s Bounties and the Railroad Station also get dudes to where they need to go. For deeds, play out the kings. Playing one each of the other deeds leaves at least two of each diamond value as part of the draw structure.
Eagle Wardens - 2 base sets +Faction Pack
You’ve played with the previous deck list, but now you’ve just gotten your second base set. This deck pretty much dances with brung ya this far. Indeed, it is more of the same – forcing shootouts in the town square. Since this deck absolutely wants to shoot, Travis digs for useful shootout tech and provides a beefier dude to support the initial shootout. Jackson Trouble and Mazatl both have good mobility. The deeds stayed the same, but I sometimes swap out The Union Casino for a Circle M Ranch. With up to four each of a card, Magical Distraction becomes the primary cheatin’ punishment, since the deck pulls high and has plenty of Spirits to throw around. An additional Recruitment Drive pressures town square even more, even at the expense of losing an Unprepared. Realize that one-of cards serve as psychological deterrents, since the opponent cannot ascertain that the deck does not contain more of those cards. A trio of Takin’ Ya With Me ensures that your losing a shootout round still costs the opponent a causalty. The goods department gains an additional Buffalo Rifle and loses Many Speak as One.
As that noted posse Monty Python’s Flying Circus once said, “And now for something completely different.” What the Eagle Wardens have that other outfits lack is affordable influence. Actually, this is more of a ‘splash deck’ that hires a bunch of ringers who just happen to pack a whole lot of influence at the core 2 and 8 values. This deck packs a playset of …It’s Who You Know, turning your high influence dudes into studs. Forcing opposing dudes to rely upon charisma instead of bullets, especially after hitting them with Rumors and Make the Smart Choices helps swing shootouts your way. Your deeds make tempting targets as it appears that you lack studs to defend. Secret Tunnels gets your dudes to those deeds and its extra action allows you to spring the IWYK trap, especially if the opposing dude booted over to your deed. The draw structure is a full stack of twos and eights. Bullets alone will not win this deck’s shootouts, so there are cheatin’ options aplenty to ensure that their dudes end up pushing up the daisies.