Decoys are cards installed in a fort, which are solely there for the purpose of luring the Runner to run on this would-be-agenda. Either to
force a nasty ice on him or let the Runner spend her bits. Such that later the real agenda is in no danger of being accessed, because of the
missing funding for the operation of icebreakers.
One action allows to reveal the freshly installed card in a fort. There is no need to run on every installed card. For one action the Runner
can save bits, used otherwise to run that fort, for other things. An ambush is spotted, a decoy revealed. With this knowledge the Runner can
sit back and built his position by gaining bits, drawings cards etc.
concentration on counting runs
ometime in the future the corp has to advance its agenda, therefore it has to be installed instead of the decoy or ambush. If it is not
advanced to completion in the same turn, it sits there for revelation by Mouse. This will be the signal for the Runner to run this fort in
order to liberate it. All the bits hoarded in previous turns by not running are now available for this run, where points are up for grabs.
One can also prepare that run with a Prearranged Drop in order to recoup the expenses.
Similar in this regard is Technician Lover, which lets the Runner look at the top card in R&D. Over the
course of the game the memorysavvy Runner knows what the Corp is able to throw at him.
do not depend on it
But a word of warning. Do not depend on Mouse and reveal everything. With a bit of experience what a given Corp can do. There is no need to
reveal everything. Consider a fort with Olivia Salazar, Dr. Dreff,
Misleading Access Menus, Washed Up Solo Construct,
Coyote, Rio De Janeiro City Grid etc. Another installed card in the fort
is likely to be another upgrade like these: e.g. Jenny Jett. Rather get a card, gain a bit or install something
in order to run this fort before there is some nasty ice in the HQ to be thrown cheap at you.
Hunt Club BBS can help to supplement Mouse. For one bit it reveals three cards in one action. These can even
be ice.
Also forts solely consisting of a card installed in it should be run instead. Either you are willing to take the chance or are able to deal
with ambushes or this is the last chance to trash an advertisement etc. before it is to expensive. Think about
Rockerboy Promotion, BBS Whispering Campaign or
South Africa Mining Corp etc.
no bits to activate
Fortunately Mouse does not cost a bit in comparison to its cousin SeeYa, which exposes ice as well. I do not
think that exposing ice is that important, because if it is not rezzed it does not affect the runner. In contrast to cards installed in a
fort they cannot be trashed just for bits. And a Runner should be able to pass any type of ice rezzing before him. With just a sentrybreaker
there is currently not much that can harm a Runner. Most ices of the other two types only end the run.