Another week, another throwback arena. Except everything is different because United: Missions is in the mix. It is time for Frontier Expeditions once again, and seven trade on turn one is still a thing. Here is my article from the last time we ran this format, in July 2018. Armed with that knowledge, you should still tread carefully because the entire game has changed!

Format Rules and Notes About Missions

The Frontier Expedition scenario rule ensures that the scrapping can begin whenever you want, and that dramatic openings are possible for player one and likely for player two.

Each player starts the game with two Explorers in the place of two Scouts in their starting deck.

We’re playing with the Core Set starter and United: Missions expansion pack. Just an 80 card trade deck (as Missions are their own thing), meaning the most-consistent games you will ever see in the Arena.

We’ve posted a long article discussing last week’s client update. It discusses everything from rules changes to how missions work. If you aren’t familiar, please have a look. The most important note is that you can only complete one mission per turn (just like tabletop play), and missions are automatically completed as soon as you meet the listed objective on the card. That auto-completion is like the auto-card draw in the app. Usually it makes playing the game much smoother, but every now and then it will screw with your plans. Be aware!

Missions Aren’t Everything, But…

I have struggled mightily this week. After four Arena runs, I am only 11-8 and that is nowhere near good enough to get this week’s foil. But my last run was a 5-2 (so close!), and the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that missions are a unique challenge that require a new way to think. They are very different than gambits, even though they start in play and are not a part of your starting deck. Gambits generally have an impact on a specific turn. Missions literally can win you the game. Because of this, they need to be addressed throughout the entire run of play.

You can’t see your opponent’s mission cards until they are completed. But you can know what they are by looking in the Card Gallery in the app, or in this article from 2016 when the tabletop version of the set was released. By removing the three you were dealt, and by seeing your opponent’s early purchases from the trade row, you can start to sort out which missions they might have. This is a difficult skill I am still developing, but I am convinced that the best players will be able to “get a read” on their opponent and out-maneuver them.

An easier skill to master is knowing whether to go for a missions victory or not. For me, it depends on the combination of the mission cards you are dealt and the state of the trade row after the first set of turns. Some missions require certain factions, while others don’t technically require them but are much easier in some colors than others.

Below is a list of the 12 mission cards, and my opinion as to how easy or difficult it is to complete them in this week’s format.