Conflict: Danger in the Deep
by Trent McCrow

As more and more of the enemy’s massive war machines touch down on the surface the first wave of attack is nearing your perimeter defenses. As you look towards the surface you notice that it is getting darker as the oncoming SCUBA troopers block the sun like a solar eclipse. You realize you might not be as safe as you once thought. You start to feel that the heavy armor plating around your command center is turning from your castle into your prison. You look on as the white wave creeps ever closer, as it breaks over your outer defenses it pushes ever onwards, approaching like an unstoppable tidal wave. You begin to wonder why you aligned yourself with Count Dooku and the other Separatists but then realize none of that really matters anymore. Your fellow officers shriek out and alert you to the Jedi Master who has his gaze set upon your very position. Wide eyed you stare as he evades your laser fire and cripples your offensive options. As he prepares to deliver the final blow you close your eyes and realize for you this conflict is over.

'In the fourth Independent Development Committee (IDC) expansion, Clone Wars: Republic At War (CW: RAW), the fate of the Republic is in your hands. A fierce war has begun like the galaxy has never seen before. The Clone Wars are spreading all across the galaxy, directly affecting many systems but all feel the effects of the war. As the heat of war grows so too does the prowess of the chosen one, who is about to face one of his darkest moments. Today I'll introduce you to the first two preview cards from the Clone Wars: Republic At War dream card expansion set developed by the Independent Development Committee as we build up to the biggest release in the history of the IDC!

The Aquatic subtype was first introduced in WOTC’s expansion The Phantom Menace (TPM) and they later touched on it again in their final expansion Revenge of the Sith (ROTS) and then the IDC further expanded the subtype in their premier expansion for the SWTCG, Fall of the Republic (FOTR). Almost all of the Aquatic cards available to us are centered on the Ground arena with the notable exception of Nos Monster from ROTS. With the IDC’s fourth expansion solely based on the animated series Clone Wars Volume One and the goal of representing each of the chapters in the critically acclaimed series, new Aquatic cards would be on the way representing the Conflict on Mon Calamari.

Energy Lance, the first card previewed today, represents the IDC’s continued commitment to making Equipment both playable and worthy of valuable card spaces in your deck. For a 1 build investment (once completed), Energy Lance provides any of your Aquatic Ground or Character units with +2 power and Stun 4. For a long time Stun was one of the weaker keyword abilities because it often proved useless unless coupled with high speed and high power. The IDC’s introduction of Stealth, however, has reinvigorated units with Stun as many decks now run slow ‘tank’ units in order to deal with Stealth units and now Stun has become an important part in winning once more. The most interesting part out Energy Lance is that it can be equipped to both Ground and Character units hinting that there will be at the very least a few Aquatic Characters that can utilize this Mon Calamari weapon.

Keelkana, the second CW: RAW card previewed today further develops the Aquatic subtype by providing arguably the best Aquatic unit to date! With a build cost between the Colo Claw Fish and Opee Sea Killer (assuming an Aquatic Location is in play), Keelkana is the middle ground option when it comes to equipping your Ground arena with creatures from the deep. Unlike Colo Claw Fish and Opee Sea Killer, Keelkana is not overpriced if you do not have an Aquatic Location in play. With stats like 50/4/4 for only 4 build Keelkana is already a solid when compared to other ground units but with the addition of two great abilities Keelkana becomes a demon of the deep!

If an Aquatic Location is in any arena, Keelkana gets +10 speed and +1 power. This is an improvement on other Aquatic units, as previous Aquatic specific bonuses required an Aquatic Ground Location. Speed is still an important part of the game and when Keelkana is roaming the seas at 60 speed with 5 power it can provide a killer punch. The second inbuilt ability on Keelkana is just as valuable if not more so! Whenever you have a Pilot on Keelkana and Keelkana would be damaged, one of that damage is automatically prevented! So now you have a 4 build unit with great stats and 2 great abilities, let’s see what happens when you use a few other cards in combination with Keelkana.

With just 11 build points you can turn Keelkana into something much more like the Sando Aqua Monster! When Keelkana is piloted by Star Corps Gelagrub Rider, equipped with an Energy Lance, and when Utapau Sinkhole is in the Ground arena, these cards combine to form this:

Keelkana
Ground – Mon Calamari Aquatic Creature
70
7
4
Accuracy 1
Stun 4
Whenever this unit would be damaged, prevent 1 of that damage.
Each Ground unit gets -10 speed and -1 power unless it’s Aquatic or a Creature.

Keelkana is already a great unit but when used in its natural habitat, an Aquatic deck, Keelkana turns into a true terror of the deep!

The conflict at Mon Calamari is under way and with these two cards from the IDC’s fourth expansion Clone Wars: Republic At War at your disposal you will be able to win battle for superiority of the seas. Join me next week as we reveal two more new and exciting cards from Clone Wars: Republic At War.

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