Frank Stole Well - 1st, Edinburgh Abomination

2018 Abomination Series

Card draw simulator
Draw: 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 all Reset Odds: 0% – 0% – 0% – 0% more

Derived from
None. Self-made deck here.

Inspiration for
None yet

Sauronsbeagle1 80

This deck surprised the hell out of me and went 4-0 at Edinburgh's Abomination Series event, brilliantly run as ever by Black Lion Games. On the bus journey to the venue I must've changed my mind 3 or 4 times about whether to play this, or a more robust looking Desolation Row deck which I was far more confident of playing. Fortunately, at the last minute, I decided to have fun with Protection Racket regardless of the consequences.

The deck makes the most of the fabulous Frank Stillwell and his super-annoying ability to run away from those angry at his racketeering. The idea is to sit Marion Seville on your own Five Aces Gambling Hall early on, then send Frank over to an opponent's deed (even better if it's out of town). If they fail to wrest control of that deed back from Frank right away, that's an easy 3GR to add to your already considerable starting stash.

From there you have plenty of cash to pay for deeds, or the deck's considerable number of cheap dudes - in this deck even Barton Everest and Marion are relatively expendable as the game goes on, as there are plenty of others waiting in the wings to irritate your opponents.

As I say, I didn't really expect much other than some fun interactions with this, but it held up well against a good variety of decks - Steve's The Sanatorium, Rob's Blessed Law Dogs, Mark's The Spiritual Society, and Dave's Morgan Regulators feat. Calling The Cavalry (boo!). Other than Frank, Bottom Dealin' was the real star. Five Aces Gambling Hall was great as an early location to run the Racket, and for the constant threat of wanted dudes joining fights. And Heist was fun, mainly for allowing out of position dudes to run it and then set out again from home.

I'd probably make a few changes if playing this deck again. I never felt the need to use Burn 'Em Out and might have been better served by throwing in a Sun in Yer Eyes. I really like Hostile Takeover, but I ended up holding on to it more often than I played it, so I'd maybe switch out one of those for another Bottom Dealin'.

12 comments
Nov 26, 2018 Fineas von Landingham This is a fantastic deck! I think the movement abilities in/around Protection Racket are so underrated. Your comments regarding Burn 'Em Out and Hostile Takeover make a lot of sense. I'm wondering if you'd also switch the Quarter Horse out given the drop in jobs? How useful did you find the Mustang? Lastly, as someone who is trying to do a lot of similar things, do you think the deck shoots well enough to play the movement game without risking too much? Thanks for sharing! So much hope for this deck type.
Nov 26, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 Cheers! Switching out Quarter Horse would definitely be an option. I never saw it in my hand in any of the games, so still unsure of how fantastic or disappointing it could be here. I think if I was dropping one Hostile Takeover for a Bottom Dealin' having that extra cheatin' res might tempt me to drop the Disarm in favour of another Heist. In that case Quarter Horse still might be good. On the other hand, money never seemed to be a problem so another Shotgun couldn't hurt either. The deck shoots pretty well - it has plenty of bullets, quite a few ways of making studs, and enough warm bodies to throw into fights while influential dudes sit on deeds. And Willa Mae MacGowan is there in case it all goes wrong early in the game. It also helps, as the game goes on, that you don't mind throwing four of the off-value cards into a hail of bullets for the greater good! Not Alice Stowe, though. Never that.
Nov 26, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 Forgot the Mustang! It came in handy a couple of times - again, the deck's ridiculous economy helps.
Nov 28, 2018 Harlath Congratulations! Excellent use of Frank Stillwell and bravo on back to back tournament wins. :) Nice to see Heist, Hostile Takeover and Burn 'Em Out - both thematic and effective, despite the comments on switching some of them out. From our game and other matches I watched, your potential changes match what I saw, with Heist frequently being effective for you once dudes were spread out. This deck really plays up the chess/movement element of Doomtown.
Nov 29, 2018 jordan caldwell Love this deck name!
Dec 03, 2018 oortje Xiaodan Li should be changed to Luke, the Errand Boy. I see no reason why he is preferred. The rest looks fun. I wiil try it.
Dec 04, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 `@oortje` That is a very good point! I have no excuse for the oversight, other than a personal distaste for those low down, no good Morgan types.
Dec 05, 2018 Antonlion How do you get that 3GR by keeping Frank in an opposing deed? I think I missed something.
Dec 05, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 `@Antonlion`Assuming Frank is controlling the deed he's at, you boot Marion at your own Five Aces Gambling Hall for the Protection Racket ability, making you 1 GR for the deed Frank controls, plus 2 for your opponent not owning 3 deeds yet. :)
Dec 05, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 `@Antonlion`Assuming Frank is controlling the deed he's at, you boot Marion at your own Five Aces Gambling Hall for the Protection Racket ability, making you 1 GR for the deed Frank controls, plus 2 for your opponent not owning 3 deeds yet. :)
Dec 06, 2018 Antonlion Oh, I always misread Protection Racket and always thought you either gained 2 GR or 1 per deed you control but don't own. Nice!
Dec 06, 2018 Sauronsbeagle1 `@Antonlion` You're far from alone in that!