Name: I Spy
Commonality: Uncommon
Installationcost: 0
Type: Program - 1 MU
Game Text: [T]: Put a Spy counter in a data fort. A Spy counter exposes all cards installed inside or on a fort containing it. The Corp may remove a Spy counter by taking an action to pay [4]. Use this ability only immediately after a successful run on that fort.
Illustrator: Mark Poole
Sets: v1.0

Card Spotlight by Lutz Hofmann

Lay open Corp's Plans

All cards installed in or on a fort are exposed. The Corp has no secrets in this datafort. Therefore this program is used best on a central data fort. Preferably R&D or HQ. These forts need protection until the end of the game. Therefore it hurts here most. On a early run in the first turn this is done easily.

Drain Money

The Corp can buy its secrecy back using an action and four bits. Having to do this repeatedly puts a drain on the Corp's resources. The element of the unknown, springing traps on the runner is one of the best weapons of the Corp. These traps can be amushes, nasty ice or the drain put on the runner by running a fort which got an upgrade installed instead of an agenda. The Corp can not that easily plant decoys with I Spy counters put all over his forts.

Not as usefull on Subsidary Forts

This course of action is not that useful on a subsidary data fort. As these can be abandoned or used for 'lesser' activities like Rockerboy Promotion, BBS Whispering Campaign or other nodes the runner would not trash out of hand, just for existing. Or they can be used for regions or nodes like Siren, which must be rezzed upon installation.

Best against Ice

As seen above I Spy works best against central data forts. Because there are many nodes and upgrades which must be rezzed upon installation and many nodes or not trashed outright, I Spy disturbs the Corp most, who relies on its ice. What good is a Mastiff lying exposed, when the Runner can adjust by digging for a Dogcatcher? It can spring no surprise on the runner.

Multiple Exposure

I Spy exposes multiple cards with one application. All unrezzed ice on the run fort and all cards installed there in the future. This is different to Cards like Smarteye, SeeYa, and Ronin Around, which only expose single cards and put a drain on the runners resources (bitwise).

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