This issue came out February 2005.
Inuyasha TCG:
Two deck lists included. First, "Seventh-Grade Win":
4 Kagome, the Student
4 Yuki, Kagome's Friend
4 Eri, Kagome's Friend
4 Ayumi, Kagome's Friend
4 Hojo
3 Buyo
3 Inuyasha, Demonic Half Breed
3 Kaede, Village Priestess
2 Kagome's Mom
2 You Think He Likes You?
2 Caretakers of the Shrine
2 New Age Technology
2 Kagome's Birthday Present
2 Be As One
1 Going To The Other Side
1 I'll Never Let You Go
1 Change
1 Thank You For Showing Me Mercy
1 You Tried To Kill Me!
1 I Didn't Say Get Naked!
1 Returning Home
3 School Girl Outfit
2 Pieces of the Puzzle
2 Tetsusaiga
2 Kagome's Backpack
1 Kagome's Bicycle
1 The First Shard
1 Medic Kit
3 Tokyo
2 Kagome's Junior High
This uses only cards from the first set, and focuses on the school kids, apparently. Use Kagome as the focal point of the offense, and combine with Kagome's Junior High to get the pieces you need.
"I Leave Them To You":
3 Jaken, Sesshomaru's Pawn
3 Jaken
2 Sesshomaru, Aristocratic Assassin
3 Sesshormaru, Transformed
3 Un-Mother
4 Hiten, Enraged Demon
4 Manten, Bald Demon
3 Staff of Two Heads
1 Medic Kit
2 Hiten's and Manten's Thunder Cloud
2 Tetsusaiga, Transformed
3 I Leave Them to You
3 Give Me My Clothes!
3 Halt!
1 I Didn't Say Get Naked
1 Thank You For Showing Me Mercy
1 Enraged
1 Burst of Power
1 Here He Comes To Save the Day
1 Returning Home
1 Charge
2 Take That!
2 What? Broken?
2 Defeated
2 Falling
2 See You in Hell!
1 Inuyasha's Destructive Path
3 Sacred Tree
This one focuses on different characters, and what seems like disruption and control.
My Thoughts: This is yet another game that I've never played (although after reading this, I ordered some cards off of eBay to learn the game). One thing I found worthy of note is that although the Inuyasha card game doesn't apparently have limits for the amount of any particular card in your deck, both decks chose to limit themselves to 4 of any particular card. I remember watching the cartoon on Adult Swim when I was in college, and it was alright, I'm glad to see the game seems to have had enough complexity to be worth looking into (although only a 5.5 rating on BGG doesn't speak great for it). We'll see!
Legend of the Five Rings:
"Moving On Up":
Stronghold: The Meeting Place
Sensei: Tomorrow Sensei
Wind: Black Heart of the Empire
Dynasty:
1 Doom of the Dark Lord
1 Regions of Rokugan
1 A Favor Returned
3 Barley Farm
3 Gifts and Favors
1 Shrine to Daikoku
3 Treasure Hoard
1 A'tck
2 Ch'krit
2 Chithith
3 D'gr'n-ki
3 D'nir'ch
1 Ik'krt (Experienced)
1 Ikm'atch-tek
1 Kan'check
3 Ratling Conjurer
2 Ratling Raider
3 Set'tchr'foo
1 Te'tik'kir (Experienced)
1 Te'tik'kir (Exp. 2)
1 Musume Mura
1 Plains of Otosan Uchi
Fate:
2 Ambush
1 Armed and Ready
3 Feign Death
3 Heart of a Hero
2 Into the Darkness
3 Outer Walls
2 Overwhelmed
3 Refugees
3 Return for Training
3 Ten Thousand Swords
3 The Path of Wisdom
3 The Tribes Gather
3 Tireless Assault
3 Crippled Bone Runner
3 Suitengu's Uncertainty
My Thoughts: I think I own most of the cards for this deck! This is a combo deck of sorts. Send everything to a big battle, bump everything up, use Suitengu's Uncertainty to move them to other provinces, and depend on send home to win the battles and take out all the provinces. This would have been tough to do back in the day... in the current eternal format... man, I have no idea. But heck, I do have the cards. If I can get my opponents up for it, I'll give it a shot.
Lord of the Rings TCG:
"The Age of Man"
Ring-Bearer:
Boromir, Bearer of Council
The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles
Adventure Deck:
Anduin Banks
Crags of Emyn Muil
Fangorn Glade
Cavern Entrance
Pelennor Fields
Caras Galadhon
Helm's Gate
Osgiliath Reclaimed
The Prancing Pony
Free Peoples:
1 Arwen, Elven Rider (starting)
1 Faramir, Ithilien Ranger (starting)
1 Aragorn, Strider
1 Aragorn, Guide and Protector
2 Madril, Ranger of Ithilien
4 Ranger of Westernesse
1 Anduril, Flame of the West
2 Sapling of the White Tree
1 Scroll of Isildur
1 Gwemegil
3 Gondorian Blade
2 Armor of the Citadel
3 Gondor Bowmen
2 Noble Leaders
2 A Ranger's Versatility
4 Battle Cry
3 Elf-Song
2 The Highest Quality
Shadow:
2 Archer of Harad
2 Armored Easterlings
4 Column of Easterlings
2 Ferocious Haradrim
2 Fletcher of Harad
4 Patroller of Haradrim
4 Rampaging Easterling
2 Strange-Looking Man
2 Throng of Harad
4 Long Battle Bow
2 Pavise
2 Lathspell
2 Wielding the Ring
2 Elevated Fire
My Thoughts: Believe I've mentioned before, I really need to play this more. This is using cards from the Shadows expansion, to showcase on all the Men tricks. I don't know how well it does, because my experience at present is literally a single game.
Won a 12 person tournament, Oct 23, 2004 (piloted by Tim Long):
Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms
The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles
Steps of Edoras
Rohirrim Camp
Hall of Kings
Pelennor Plains
Stewards Tomb
Minas Tirith First Circle
Ruined Capital
Northern Ithilien
Dagorland
1 Faramir, Ithilien Ranger
1 Legloas, Greenleaf
3 Aragorn, Elessar Telcontar
1 Garrison of Gondor
1 Aegnor, Elven Escort
1 Cirdan, the Shipwright
1 Arwen, Queen of Elves and Men
2 Aragorn's Bow
2 Faramir's Bow
1 Phial Galadriel
1 Asfaloth
1 Ranger's Sword
4 Elven Bow
1 Nenya, Ring of Adamant
1 Citadel of Minas Tirith
1 The Last Alliance of Elves and Men
1 Shadow Between
2 Feathered
2 Company of Archers
3 Reckless We Ride
1 Orthanc Champion
3 Uruk Crossbowmen
1 Elite Crossbowmen
4 Uruk Crossbow Troop
3 Ranged Commander
2 Orthanc Assassin
3 Lurtz, Servant of Isengard
1 Desert Lord
1 Ulaire Enquea
4 Cloud of Arrows
1 One of You Must Do This
4 Weapons of Isengard
1 Siege Engine
1 Greed
1 Tower of Orthanc
Star Trek 1st Edition:
Won an 11 person tournament, October 15, 2004 (piloted by Jeremy Commandeur)
1 Expose Covert Supply
1 Secret Salvage
1 Espionage Mission
1 Unseat Dictator
1 Inversion Mystery
1 Salvage Operation
1 Space Time Portal
1 Transwarp Network Gateway
2 Q The Referee
1 Mission Debriefing
1 Defend Homeworld
1 Delta Quadrant Spatial Scission
1 Chula: The Lights
1 Chula: The Chandra
1 Friendly Fire
1 The Nexus
1 The Whale Probe
1 Magic Carpet OCD
1 Volcanic Eruption
1 DNA Clues
1 Hippocratic Oath
1 Dead End
1 Hanonian Land Eel
1 The Weak Will Perish
1 Lethean Telepathic Attack
1 Ferengi Infestation
1 Kelvan Show of Force
1 Ankari "Spirits"
1 Unscientific Method
1 Ferengi Bug
1 Female's Love Interest & Garbage Scow
1 Spacedoor
1 Transwarp Hub
1 Blugill Infestation
1 Three of Nine
1 Two of Nine
1 First
1 Fifth
1 Seven of Nine
1 Third and Fourth
1 Q's Tent
1 Adapt: Negate Obstruction
1 Salvage Starship
1 Divert Power
1 Shape-Shift Inhibitor
1 Borg Tactical Cube
1 Four of Nine
1 Borg Data Node
1 Borg Vinculum
1 Maturation Chamber
1 The Big Picture
1 Strategema
1 Temporal Vortex
1 Fair Play
1 Add Distinctiveness
10 Awaken
1 Borg Nanoprobes
1 Cranial Transceiver Implant
1 Nanoprobe Resuscitation
1 Ready Room Door
1 We Are The Borg
1 Lower Decks
1 Regenerate
1 A Change of Plans
1 Assimilate Counterpart
1 Assimilate Species
1 Assimilate Table
1 Assimilate Planet
1 Eliminate Starship
1 Assimilate Homeworld
1 Borg Scout Vessel
1 Third and Fourth
2 First
2 Three of Nine
2 Fifth
2 Two ofNine
2 Seven of Nine
2 Borg Queen
1 Four of Nine
1 One of Eleven
1 Ten of Nineteen
1 Eight of Fifteen
1 Eight of Eighteen
1 Eleven of Twelve
1 Second
1 Calibration Drone
1 Gowron of Borg
1 Eleven of Nineteen
My Thoughts: I basically wrote it out as it was in the magazine. Kind of tough to read as is, haha. I'll clean it up some day.
Star Trek 2nd Edition:
"All Borg"
Missions:
1 Fissure Research
1 Intercept Maquis
1 Plot Invasion
1 Restock Ketracel-White
1 Unicomplex, Root of the Hive Mind
Dilemma Deck:
2 A Royal Hunt
1 Assassination Attempt
1 Casualties of War
1 Center of Attention
2 Chula: Pick One to Save Two
2 Exposed Power Relay
2 Gomtuu Shock Wave
2 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
1 Kelvan Show of Force
1 Maglock
1 Personal Duty
1 Picking Up the Pieces
1 Plasma Shock
1 Rogue Borg Ambush
1 Secret Identity
2 Talosian Trial
2 Training Accident
1 Traitor Exposed
1 Tragic Turn
2 Tsiolkovsky Infection
2 Whisper in the Dark
Draw Deck:
2 Adapt
2 Borg Cube
2 Borg Queen, Guardian of the Hive
2 Computation Drone
2 Endangered
3 Expand the Collective
2 Five of Twelve, Secondary Adjunct of Trimatrix 942
1 Guidance Drone
1 Heightened Perception
2 How Would You Like a Trip to Romulus?
2 I Don't Like to Lose
3 Information Drone
2 Invasive Drone
2 Locutus, Voice of the Borg
1 Locutus' Borg Cube
2 Machinations
1 Queen's Borg Cube
3 Reconnaissance Drone
2 Seven of Nine, Part of the Greater Whole
1 Stir Crazy
2 Storage Compartment
1 Tempted by Flesh
1 The First of Many
3 Transwarp Drone
3 Unexpected Difficulties
2 Unyielding
2 You've Always Been My Favorite
My Thoughts: To start with, I really have no idea what's going on with the dilemma deck. I almost never see any decks with two copies of dilemmas, it's always one or three. There's a mix of stuff in here, but that's just about how every dilemma deck I ever build looks, myself.
The draw deck is a bit easier to understand. Basically, do Plot Invasion, then use Expand the Collective on either Restock Ketracel-White or Intercept Maquis (or both) for the points to win. Use Borg tricks to get through dilemmas. This deck came out just after Fractured Time was released, so there are a lot of toys that would help make this even better, now.
Warlord: Saga of the Storm:
"Yedraw's Counter Attack"
Starting:
1 Yedraw
1 Kayle Rowan
2 Tyren Ruskin
2 Brine Fiend
Characters:
2 Devourer
2 Halo of Fire
3 Kabal Spire
2 Kayle Rowan
3 Mothusi Rahsaan
2 Ivaas
3 Sarakian Ooze
2 Titan
Items:
2 Mind Gate
3 Yedraw's Tooth
2 Footman's Pike
3 Altar of the Mind
Actions:
3 Tzin's Attention
3 Retaliation
3 Knife After Dark
3 Perfect Focus
3 Mental Assault
My Thoughts: No idea, yet. I did go out and buy some Warlord starters though :)
Wars TCG:
"Space Shi"
Locations:
1 Seyal/Light Side (starting)
3 Ganymede/Harvesting Camp
1 Ganymede/Pilgrims' Camp
1 Ganymede/Traginium Source
2 Mercury/Untapped Planet
1 Seyal/Dark Side
1 Vesta/Covered Rock
Ships:
4 Damir Quarrel
4 Reliable Quarrel
4 Tilak Quarrel
3 Jikoku
2 Zocho
Characters:
4 Ranarti-Anant
1 Devanar-Damir
4 Kizen Sentinel
4 Sumadar-Damir
2 Tavang-Damir
Weapons:
2 Assailing Vatarma
2 Daunting Vatarma
Interrupts:
4 Easy Prey
3 Expansion
Assets:
2 Cerebral Incursion
2 Premeditated Reaction
1 Vestiges
2 Aggressive Stance
My Thoughts: Focusing in one arena, but putting enough out to help mitigate drains in the other (space/ground) seems to be the way to go in WARS, and this focuses on using the great Shi fighters, along with help from Gongen capital ships (giving the Shi some reaction abilities when combat starts), with Tavang Damir in a ship keep the ground drains to a minimum. Seems like it would make a pretty good start, and there was help in the first expansion for this, I believe.
Won a 6 person tournament, October 15, 2004 (piloted Rich Parrott)
2 Ganymede/Triangium Source
1 Ganymede/Occupied Tunnels
1 Ganymede/Core Shaft
2 Ganymede/Vantage Point
3 Ganymede/Frontier Camp
5 Ganymede/Hunter's Camp
1 Luhustika
2 Takha Quarrel
3 Katal Life Ship
2 Volt Scourge
2 Quay Navigator
1 Sitka
1 Luhus Mauler
2 UV - IR 739
1 Talkan
4 "Two-Way" Berson
2 Tanka Chuluk Squad
4 Alnak
2 Kulak
4 Certel Legate
4 Revenge
3 Capture
4 Fuel Theft
3 Reaping
Won a 9 person tournament on October 16th, 2004 (piloted by Jason Luminella)
1 Alnak Station/Launch Bay
1 Ganymede/Occupied Tunnels
1 Ganymede/Vantage Point
1 Ganymede/Triaginim Source
1 Ganymede/Mining Platform
5 Ganymede/Hunter's Camp
1 Frozen By Fear
2 Luhus Dalaka
2 Natural Talent
2 Arhnaknak
2 Reaping
3 Makal Shrieker
3 Talkan
3 Rising Dread
1 Makaltika
2 Tahka Chuluk Squad
1 Portent
2 Kulak
3 Alnak
4 Sitkatika Hekaton
2 Volt Scourge
2 Kucha
1 Frenzied Luhus
1 Luhustika
3 Tahka Life Ship
3 Makal Claw Beast
2 Tunnels
3 Luhus Mauler
2 Revenge
Won an 11 person tournament on October 16th, 2004 (piloted by Will Raiman):
1 Alnak Station/Captured Base
1 Alnak Station/Launch Bay
1 Alnak Station/Hallway
2 Pallas/Asteroid Stronghold
1 Ganymede/Traginium Source
1 Ganymede/Vantage Point
3 Ganymede/Pilgrim's Camp
2 Expansion
1 Tamon
4 Tamon Fighter
1 Zocho
2 Zocho Fighter
4 Jigoku Fighter
3 Komoky Fighter
2 Taihu
2 Amorian Ship Yard
2 Ikazuchi
2 Ikazuchi T.S.V.
2 Shikami
3 Shikami Follower
2 Higen Orochito
2 Plasma Cannon
2 No Bot Battle Sword
2 Junshi
3 Kulak
2 Sitka
3 Waylaid
1 Cloak of Fear
1 Chuluktika
2 Tunnels
Won a 6 person tournament on October 17, 2014 (piloted by Carlos Fernandez):
1 Themis/Mobile Asteroid (starting)
1 Titan/Raving Red's Refuge
1 Europa, The Gambler's Hideaway
1 Mercury/Untapped Planet
1 Ceres/Belt Hideaway
1 Earth/Humanity's Home
1 Ganymede/Traginium Source
3 The Gambler
2 Ace McCallister
2 Misty Miller
4 Racing Sloop
4 Nimble Jockey
2 Maverick Bot
4 Razorjack
4 Vulture
4 Plundering Bandit
3 Modded Type IV
1 Hawk's Wing
4 Fifth Ace
4 Traginium Heist
2 Simple Wager
2 Chicken
2 Mechanic's Grip
1 Reload
1 Price Of The Game
1 Clanton Grau Grenade
1 Over Burdened
1 Aggressive Stance
1 Chained
Won a 14 person tournament, October 17th 2004 (piloted by Jed Hamphries):
2 NoBot Battle Sword
1 Plasma Cannon
2 Shikami
2 Junshi
1 Zocho
4 Tamon Fighter
3 Higen Orochito
3 Zocho Fighter
4 Jikoku Fighter
1 Ikazuchi
3 Shikami Follower
1 Jikoku
1 Komoku
1 Amorian Shipyard
1 Rising Morale
1 Loremaster
2 Cloud
2 Jet Pack Attack
1 Ganymede/Vantage Point
2 Ganymede/Underground Bunker
1 Alnak Station/Hallway
1 Alnak Station/Launch Bay
1 Pallas/Asteroid Stronghold
3 Ganymede/Pilgrim's Camp
1 Alnak/Captured Base
3 Talkan
2 Kulank
1 Tunnels
2 Sitka
1 Cloak of Fear
1 Waylaid
1 Chained
Won a 6 person tournament on October 17th, 2014 (piloted by Andy McClure):
2 Expansion
3 Anant Aeronaut
3 Nimble Jockey
1 Sultry Opportunist
3 Kizen Sentinel
3 Stinger
3 Well-Concealed Charge
2 Ore Hound
2 Irgma-Vishul
4 Sudeva Quarrel
4 Seyalshi Veholder
2 Ranarti-Anant
3 Assailing Vatarma
3 Jilak Quarrel
1 Davanar-Damir
1 Traginium Heist
1 Squadron Land
1 Easy Prey
1 Mechanic's Grip
1 Panneen Provider
1 Squadron Wad
1 Hellcat Aviatrix
1 Selfless Protector
1 Price Of The Game
1 Ganymede/Forward Base
1 Ganymede/Vantage Point
1 Ganymede/Traginium Source
1 Tremis/Mobile Asteroid
1 Seyal/Light Side
3 Ganymede/Frontier Camp
3 Ganymede/Harvesting Camp
Won a 11 person tournament, October 17, 2004 (piloted by Ben Robinson):
2 Jack Wilgress
2 The Gambler
2 Starhawk
1 Misty Miller
1 Ace McCallister
3 Boxer
2 "Two-Way" Berson
1 Tamon
1 Zocho
1 Jikoku
2 Guardian-Class Carrier
2 Tamon Fighter
1 Zocho Fighter
1 Jikoku Fighter
1 Hawk's Wing
1 Vulture
2 Racing Sloop
1 Chijo Katana
2 Aggressive Stance
2 Amorian Shipyard
1 Ensnared
1 Simple Wager
1 Overburdened
2 Fifth Ace
2 Rising Morale
3 Trumped
3 Junshi
2 Themis/Mobile Asteroid
2 Expansion
1 Europa/The Gambler's Hideaway
1 Titan/Raving Red's Refuge
1 Ganymede/Frontier Camp
1 Gongen/Pilgrim's Haven
1 Pallas/Asteroid Stronghold
1 Vesta/Coveted Rock
1 Mercury/Untapped Planet
2 Ganymede/Pilgrim's Camp
1 Ganymede/Underground Bunker
Seems like there might be a bunch of typos here, but that might be from copying from the magazine. Will correct as I look closer at these some day.
The 10 Most Important Collectible Games:
Who doesn't love top 10 lists?
- Magic: The Gathering
- Pokemon
- Star Trek CCGs (1st and 2nd Editions)
- Mage Knight
- Legend of the Five Rings
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Heroclix
- Star Wars CCG
- Jyhad/Vampire
- Vs. System
My Thoughts: This is 'Most Important' and not 'Best' or any other metric. These are the games that did the most to make the collectible game hobby what it was in 2005 (and what it is today, really). It's actually kind of nice to see that all of these are still around in some form or another (Star Wars, Star Trek and Jyhad all are actively supported by Player Committees, and L5R will return in 2017 as an LCG).
Top 10 Selling CCGs:
- Magic: The Gathering
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Vs. System
- Lord of the Rings TCG
- Pokemon
- Dragon Ball Z/GT
- Inuyasha
- Warlord
- Game of Thrones
- Legend of the Five Rings
My Thoughts: Because of this issue, I went out and bought Inuyasha and Warlord starters, to get some exposure to those games. The other ones I've played and have cards for, other than Yu-Gi-Oh, which I can't seem to scrounge up interest for.
Final Thoughts:
One of the things I find... maybe not enjoyable, but certainly interesting about reading these magazines is what they discuss as the future for some of these CCGs, knowing as I do now their final fates. For instance, the Wars TCG talked about the release of the upcoming Edge of a Sword expansion, which was never released (although you can find the cards online, without art). They also mention an upcoming 330 card Motion in Mind set that was to come out after that. Just a shame that they never came out. Speaking of which, a lot of Wars decks were mentioned, giving anyone a good starting point.
VS System gets a couple of decks, which I don't include because they aren't compatible with the current VS 2PCG. One thing I do find interesting is how different these cards are. Plot Twists with costs, Locations that are more interesting than just providing resources, Equipment. It'd be nice to see some of this make its way into the current VS game.
