New Hand, New Life

It was a dark and stormy night ...

Actually, it wasn't but I always wanted to start a story like that.

Late in the development of Captain's Log, I was reviewing some of the packaging and came across a trend I didn't like too much. It seems we were using a bit too many images on the packaging that did not show up on cards in the expansion. One of the images had to become a card. That is how Starting Over came to be a card. It was on the booster flow wrap and it was probably the easiest image to turn into a card.

But one should just not add a card into an expansion late in the process. If a card is added late, it should be something that can be tested easily. Simple and clean game text. Nothing broken and maybe even over costed.

But this card was added so late that not really any testing could be done. In fact, the most testing this card got was in the first edition environment.

But why stick in a card that doesn't have redeeming quality? Ah, but Starting Over isn't just another D'Arsay Archive or a big Severed Link. It actually has some neat effects on the game.

Unique Love

From the start of Second Edition there is always worry that players will not play many copies of unique cards or that extra ship cards will clog hands and frustrate players. This is why cards that tweak and cycle cards through a players hand were added to the game.

Starting Over does the same but with an added bonus if one commands a Borg personnel. Remember, not just the affiliation has Borg personnel. The Voyager sub-affiliation gets Seven of Nine and I heard a rumor that some people play with non-aligned Borg like Crosis, Fanatical Lieutenant, Goval, Follower of the One, and Morik.

Bajorans Like Borg Too

Sure, the Bajorans don't draw cards via events very much - and they shouldn't since they can get plenty from the discard pile already - but they do like Starting Over's ability to put cards into the discard pile. Many Bajoran players already know the benefit of using a Days of Atonement to put a high price personnel in the discard pile for Borum, Selfless Hero to grab later. Or to get an event in the discard pile for the Talnot to protect.

But with Starting Over, the Bajoran player can get card into the discard pile faster for cards like Leeta, Rebel Supporter. And don't worry about discarding cards you need because the best Kira in the game can get another copy of them ... or there may be some other Bajoran use card that can get a card one needs from the discard pile.

Surprise Finish Not bad for a card that was not in the expansion until the last moment.