This month, I'll answer one of the most popular questions about Q the Ref.  And since there were no major rules in the last CR, I'll run down a quick list of overlooked abilities on cards.  (Did you see the 1 Tribble FAQ last issue?)

When can I use Q the Referee?

    You can flip a face-down Q the Ref "at any time", just like other Hidden Agendas.  That means either when it's your chance to take an action, or as a valid response.  However, since the only thing QtR does by itself is give 7 cards Ref icons, it's not a valid response to very much.
    The "once each turn" ability can be used only on your turn.  If you are playing a card with the ability, that has to be done in your card play phase.  If you are recycling a Ref card, that has to be done in your executing orders phase.  You can only use one of the 2 options each turn, no matter how many copies of QtR you have in play.
    The "suspend play" ability can interrupt anything, like all actions that suspend play.  It does not have to be a valid response.  And you can use this action as many times as you want on either player's turn, as long as you have enough QtRs.

    An example.  The opponent plays Kivas Fajo Collector.  You cannot flip a QtR in response to that, QtR does not directly modify the Kivas.  However, if you have a QtR face-up, you can suspend the Kivas to download a Mirror Image.  As with any Hidden Agenda that you download, you show the card to your opponent then play it face-down.  (Special-download Hidden Agendas have to be revealed immediately, but this is not a special download, even though it happens to suspend play.)  Now that you are done suspending play, you go back to the Kivas that's being played.  You can make valid responses to that before it resolves, so go ahead and flip that Mirror Image; it directly modifies the Kivas.
    Another example, the opponent overcomes their own Q dilemma.  If QtR is face down, you have to wait for the attempt to end to flip it up.  If it's already face up, you can suspend their mission attempt to download Writ of Accountability.  Now, if you have a Ferengi FCA personnel, you can flip Writ as a valid response to Q.  If you don't have FCA, flipping Writ to download someone has to be a separate action after the attempt, when it might be too late.
    Moral of the story: have your QtR face-up so you're ready to use it.  Letting the opponent know you can download a Ref card is the cost of getting any Ref card you need into play.  Of course, knowing you have a QtR might be enough to keep the opponent in line to begin with.
 

"I gave them to the Klingons, sir."

    This may seem a little unusual, but it works.  Stopped personnel can beam large (100+) Tribbles while stopped.  Operating transporters to beam other cards is not on the short list of actions you can't take while stopped.  The Transporter Skill personnel is not moving, so that restriction does not apply.  And being stopped is an effect of beaming a large Tribble group, not a cost.  (This is similar to personnel dropping small Tribbles while already stopped.)
    But wait, then why can't you just beam as many large Tribbles as you want with one Transporter Skill?  Well, because the rules for beaming Tribbles say the personnel may beam 1 per skill, is then stopped, and may beam no more Tribbles that turn.  To put it another way, beaming Tribbles is effectively a "once per turn" action.
 

Another Ultimatum

    The last ability of Ultimatum, to get points from destroying a ship, has no limits of once per game or once per turn.  So go ahead, you can use multiple Ultimatums in one game.  You can use multiples in the same turn if you use them on different opposing ships.  You can even seed more than one, if you feel the need to.  Or you can keep reusing the same copy with Palor Toff, the Ultimatum does not go to your point pile, only the ship does.
 

"What do you mean I'm not a ship?"

    Calamarain can not move through the Bajoran Wormhole.  The Wormhole only allows ships to pass, not "things that move like ships".  This means there's a simple solution to opposing Calamarain decks - play a Bajoran Wormhole, perhaps with Examine Singularity.  On the other hand, if you're planning on using Calamarain to damage opposing ships in the alpha quadrant, you probably want to play Explore Interstellar Matter.  This, of course, gives anti-Calamarain decks another counter, they can easily steal that mission; it can't be protected by Fair Play or Defensive Measures.
 

It's a Borg Queen's prerogative.

    2 notes about A Change of Plans.
    1) Discarding your current objective is optional.  ("Any or all of the following…")  You could play A Change of Plans simply to download a new objective, which (unless it's Stop First Contact) would play as a hidden agenda and not conflict with your current objective.  For example, use the Queen to download A Change for an Eliminate Starship, which removes 2 bad probes from your deck.  Or you could just download Eliminate Starships for the simple purpose of making the opponent nervous.
    2) You are not limited to downloading [Borg Use Only] objectives.  Consider getting Operate Wormhole Relays, Beware of Q, HQ Defensive Measures (which helps with those easily stolen dual-icon mission), Reflection Therapy (if you can get some Treachery) or Establish Tractor Lock.
 

"You don't get away that easily"

    Borg players, when downloading Transwarp Network Gateways with their end of turn draws, will sometimes want to play them immediately.  Using a TNG requires the ship to fly from one TNG to another.  (Which is why the ship has to be staffed.)  Therefore, using a TNG requires executing orders, and cannot be done at the end of turn.  So if your opponent has an armada and you want to run back to the Delta Quadrant, you'd better have a TNG in hand already since you can't wait until end of turn to get one with a Transwarp Drone.

Chris 'Rom' Brennan
Rom@wnohgb.com