Covert Insertion

The To Boldly Go (TBG) affiliation-specific dilemma for the Dominion spotlights one of the lesser-played archetypes in Second Edition: Infiltration. Because so much of this deck type relies on interaction with an opponent's ships and personnel, many players have written it off as being for "fun" only. Covert Insertion gives this deck a leg-up if its owner can successfully filter an unsuspecting team attempting their first mission.

This dilemma is much more effective in the early stages of a game, when resources are usually devoted to getting a team and ship out quickly to attempt missions as soon as possible. By hamstringing an early mission with Infiltration cards like Founder Trap, Set Up, and Under Suspicion, the Infiltration deck is ready to dictate the pace of the game. This is necessary for the Infiltrator's own team and ship(s) to have a chance to get into the game, especially since Infiltrator Founders all cost at least two.

With relatively simple requirements like the rest of its TBG brethren, this dilemma will need to have some help from other dilemmas, such as a filter in front of it (and a wall behind it in most cases). With three different skills needed for either set of requirements, another obvious choice to precede Covert Insertion is Overwhelmed with Urgency, at the very least stopping three personnel, and at best, netting you a free Infiltrator in place to enable all your Infiltration events. In space, Personal Duty can also give Covert Insertion a fighting chance to do its dirty work.

Infiltration decks have yet to see the light of day in high-level Second Edition events such as the Continental or World Championships. This has been mainly because the card intensity required to be effective with Infiltrators has been just too demanding. But with the nudge this deck archetype gets from Covert Insertion, expect to see a few more Founders in your future.