Crane Cops

This is my second project (1st being the Dark Crab). The experiment with the Crane magistrates started as a playtesting need, to see the new dueling mechanism and test against it. Fortunately, Dueling right now is quite demanding and the duelists that can kill easily with Steel on Steel are expensive and fragile. Unlike CE where a 2g textman could kill your Champion, now you need high printed chi people to do the work for you.

The Aerie
Border Keep - exp
Bamboo Harvesters


# Dynasty (41)

--Events (2)
1 Imperial Gift
1 The Ruby Championship

Celestials (1)
1 Ryoshun's Guidance

# Regions (1)
1 The Second City

-- Holdings (14)
3 Marketplace
1 Chugo Seido
2 Traveling Peddler
3 Magistrate's Stipend
1 Falling Rain Dojo
3 Heavy Infantry Dojo
1 Stolen Merchandise

# Personalities (21)
3 Doji Shigeyuki
1 Doji Hakuseki - exp2
3 Doji Genshin
3 Takayuki
3 Kakita Idzuki
3 Kitsuki Nubane
1 Kuronada - exp2
3 Doji Yoshitada
1 Doji Makoto

# Fate (41)

# Strategies (32)
3 The Light of Justice
3 Discovering a Conspiracy
3 The Slow Death
3 Steel on Steel
3 Entrenched Position
2 Sneak Attack
3 Nakanu Technique
1 Creating Order
1 A Game of Dice
3 Of One Instant
1 Fruitless Search
2 Final Confrontation
3 Duel of Haiku
1 Relentless Conviction

# Followers (3)
3 Singh Remnants

# Items (4)
3 Wyrmbone Katana
1 Hunger

# Rings (2)
1 Ring of Fire
1 Ring of Water


The project, however, did not stand a chance as a passive honor runner, since the gold cost of the duelists is quite high for one to invest on buying them for full. Also, Magistrate actions are some of the best military actions printed in EE and additionally they do have access to the best kill (Steel on Steel). We ended up building a mid-range military deck out of the Aerie which did amazingly against certain matchups while had some issues with others.

Of course the deck has a problem of force, since you are paying for 3-4F people that you are getting into battle. So you will need attachments to prolong their time in the field. Wyrmbone Katana is a no brainer since it makes a random nobody to PCF material, provides +1C and a potential kill action. Hunger is amazing and add a touch of corruption, making Crane cooler than they are. Singh Renmants are amazing in here, and Nakanu tech is easily one of the best surprises in here (since people gets too excited about shooting down naked cranes in a battlefield, and usually falls for it).

The weak spot of the deck is swarm decks. The strong point of the deck is other mid range military and of course honor runners which it literally decimates. Aeries action, to dishonor and bow a defender is a nightmare to face along with the dishonoring going on with Haikus and Discovering a conspiracy. I don't remember this list losing a game to honor ever. As far as the weak spot is concerned, I have to say that the only action that helps a lot against swarm is catching them without a Caught in the Act and play a Final Confrontation to bow 2 units (since their Chi is low). Otherwise you get in the shoes of the defender and hope for a big massacre battle that will give you the game. It's a very very tough game though.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.