Official V:EKN Newsletter for Anarchs – November, 2003



I. Introduction



Anarchs.  The word incites groans from collectors and scoffs from

players.  Despite a few cards that most will agree are generally

useful (Aranthebes, some of the Holds, some of the equipment), many

people rank this expansion dead last in value.  Unlike Bloodlines,

which seemed to challenge skilled players to find uses for its strange

combinations of powers and new rules, the Anarchs as a sub-sect and as

an expansion have largely been written off by the V:EKN community.  In

an effort to foster a dialogue on the strategic possibilities of the

Anarchs, I am taking the topic on in Newsletter format.  I know there

are a lot of people out there who feel that "Anarchs suck", so I ask

you to read and respond thoughtfully, but please do not use this forum

as a place to whine and complain about the Anarchs as a sect or as a

card set.  Thank you.



II. Vampire of the Month:



Marlene, the Infernalist

Ventrue Antitribu

Group: 2

Capacity: 6

AUS dem DOM for tha

Sabbat.



A vampire destined to be an Anarch if ever there was one.  Like many

of the mid-cap !Ventrue, Marlene has what at first seems a strange mix

of disciplines that turns out to be absolutely perfect with Anarch

3-ways.  She can use Improvised Tactics with aus, The Mole with dom,

Smash and Grab with dem (which is great for cycling that card if there

are no locations, allies or retainers to attack), and Diversion with

both for and tha.  The only 3-way she can't use is Skullduggery, but

this not necessarily a huge drawback.  In addition, she is perfectly

suited to being a Baron, and her clan-based cards and AUS can help

overcome other vote decks if you are going that route.



III. Card of the Month:



Diversion

Combat (3-way)

Requires a ready anarch

cel: gain one additional strike

for: prevent up to 2 damage

tha: Strike: ranged.  Steal 1 blood with an optional maneuver.



Widely regarded as the most useful of the 3-way cards, most people

nevertheless do not use this card to its full potential.  Many people

see that each of these abilities is quite powerful for only requiring

the basic level of the discipline.  Some people who have tried using

Anarchs will therefore include it when it matches up with something in

their discipline spread.  Daughters of Cacophony who become Barons,

for instance, are often seen preventing damage with a few of these. 

However, the great utility of any 3-way only becomes apparent in the

blend of disciplines across your crypt, and so this month's deck

attempts to show how one can use 3-ways, particularly Diversion, to

substantial effect.  I have surprised many people with the Thaumaturgy

aspect of Diversion, particularly when it's performed by Marlene or

Vincent Day.



IV. Deck of the Month - Anarch Dom/For (The Diversion Deck)



Crypt (Min 16, Max 30, Avg 5.42)

Dylan		 aus cel dom for pro, +1 Bleed – !Ventrue 6

Earl		 dom for pro – Ventrue 4

Hrothulf	 dom pot pro CEL FOR PRE, burn edge to attack – Ventrue 8

Ian Forestal	 AUS DOM THA, play cards of any discipline – !Tremere 8

Ingrid Russo	 for DOM – !Ventrue 4

Jan Pieterzoon	 pot pre DOM FOR, +1 Bleed, Reduce hand size – Ventrue

7

Joseph O'Grady	 aus cel DOM FOR, +1 Strength, Blood for vote –

!Ventrue 7

Kyoko Shinsegawa aus cel dom for, hunt off other vampires – Tremere 5

Lana Butcher	 dom for – Ventrue 3

Marlene		 dem for tha AUS DOM – !Ventrue 6

Vanessa		 aus pre DOM FOR – !Ventrue 6

Vincent Day	 aus dom for pot tha, Edge gives add'l vote – !Ventrue 6



Library (90 cards):

Masters (16)

Anarch Free Press

Anarch Railroad

6x Blood Doll

3x Galaric's Legacy

Hospital Food

2x Regarhagan's Hold

Seattle Committee

Sudden Reversal



Actions (12)

4x Border Skirmish

4x Govern the Unaligned

2x Scouting Mission

2x Smash and Grab



Action Modifiers (24)

3x Bonding

12x Conditioning

2x Daring the Dawn

7x Dawn Operation



Combat (22)

Amaranth

15x Diversion

4x Improvised Tactics

2x Pulled Fangs



Reactions (16)

6x Deflection

4x The Mole

2x My Enemy's Enemy

4x Wake With Evening's Freshness



Comments:

Some crypt changes may be made to suit personal taste, but note that

with the 3-ways, you shouldn't be concerned about getting out any one

particular vampire.  You might, for instance, double-up on Ian rather

than tossing in Hrothulf.  I just think Hrothulf's ability has the

potential to help out in certain situations.  He's definitely not an

"always-influence" like Marlene and Vincent are, but every once in a

while he can be handy.  Also, this crypt was designed before Black

Hand, which may change things.  (Charice may replace Vanessa, for

instance.)  One major caution I have is that, as tempting as it is, do

NOT bring out Ian first unless you have a Seattle Committee or

Galaric's in your hand.  Most everyone knows to block Ian Forestal

trying to go Anarch, and he really can't be effective until he is (but

when he is, he can be devastating).  The Regarhagan's Holds are in

there of course to deal with bouncy preys.  Try not to use Bonding or

Daring the Dawn unless essential, or if you have determined that your

prey cannot bounce.  The Governs and Scouting Missions are mostly for

bringing out more friends, not for bleeding, so having one of the

higher caps with DOM is somewhat important.  The deck's primary

weakness is being preyed upon by vote decks, but those will usually

need one or two turns to get going, and by then you should be in a

pretty good position to go forward a lot faster than a vote deck can.



V. Closing



Hopefully this has been somewhat helpful, and hopefully I can slowly

begin to break Anarchism out of its current corner-case status and

inspire some new ideas for the sect.   Next month I will take a look

at the only two vampires who are inherently Anarch – Merged Jeremy

MacNeil and now Merged Dominique, and I'll talk about the most

powerful card in the Anarchs' arsenal: Firebrand.





Eric Simon

Prince of Chicago