A search of Galorndon Core has revealed the wreckage of an aging ship; the:
The Pi's uses:
"Heroes Get Stuck In!": There is no easier way to get into play than by downloading, so any ship which can be downloaded has a significant advantage over those which cannot. The Pi is one of those unusually blessed craft. With the new Launch Portal and Scout Encounter, the Pi can be downloaded without so much as a card play--almost a ship for nothing. In addition, Launch Portal can be used to download Engage Shuttle Operations, which allows one to use the Pi in the same fashion as the Borg Sphere--as a range-enhancement and throw-away vessel.
Guppies And Sharks: The Pi pays for its frill with attributes. 4 Weapons and Shields is preposterously low. With Future Enterprises, I.K.C. Fek'lhrs, and Haakonas rushing about the spaceline, why include such a miserably flimsy ship?
The answer is simple: Whereas other Romulan ships have to use a cloaking device to hide, the Pi can hide in plain sight. No need to decide whether or not to cloak; no need to berate oneself for cloaking at the start of the turn and then not being able to beam down to a planet later. Since its attributes are so low, the Pi rarely attracts much attention. If there is a larger ship on the same side of the table, that ship is far more likely to be battled than the Pi. A Lilliputian in a land of giants, the Pi can often run between the giant's legs when larger vessels would have no choice but to stand and fight.
And Run It Can: The Pi's combat-dedicated attributes are low, but its Range is quite high. Hence, it can speed from mission to mission, keeping a low profile while completing its appointed tasks. In this respect, the Pi is perfect for use against the Borg; small enough to escape the unwanted attentions of the mighty Borg Cubes, the Pi is fast enough to complete missions the Borg have helpfully scouted.
You can fool some of the people some of the time, but sometimes you find somebody you just can't fool:
Tonight's Event: Lilliputian vs. Giant: Unfortunately, some players are more resistant to having the wool pulled over their eyes. With pathetic Shields, the Pi is extremely vulnerable. In fact, almost any standard combat ship will be able to score a "direct hit" on the Pi--and then it will be rubble escaping the opponent's attention.
Final Analysis: The Pi is less susceptible to attack than other ships because it seems so unlikely to cause trouble. Hence, the Pi gets the best of all mission-completing worlds; superb Range, extremely low staffing requirements, and relative safety. Mix in the many ways in which one can download the Pi, and this small craft becomes an attractive option in a Romulan deck (or any deck using the Quantum Singularity Lifeforms-Scout Encounter dilemma combo).
Next Week: The Spacedock retrieves the cryogenically frozen crew of the I.K.C. T'Ong--again at the request of Baran.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Feel free to e-mail Phalanx
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