Let's assume for a minute that no one plays Thermal Deflectors.  I haven't seen a copy in years.  And you can always nullify it on the off chance that someone does use it.  So, with that assumption, what does this dilemma look like?  It's really a superior Armus: Skin of Evil, it kills one person at random when encountered, and then keeps on killing as long as you keep personnel there.

There are basically 2 ways to feed personnel to this dilemma:  1.  Trap the away team on the planet somehow.  For example, Duonetic Field Generator, or Scanner Interference downloads.  The trouble is that these can be nullified or avoided with a landable ship.  Also, there's nothing from really stopping that away team from finishing the mission.  So, we have solution 2, just keep stopping the personnel they attempt with. Follow Volcanic Eruption with a number of walls.

What walls work best?  Punishment Box is a good way to guarantee personnel on the planet next turn, even if they do beat all the other dilemmas.  The trouble is that it's not a very powerful wall, and you need to rely on luck, since killing anyone but Officers will not delay the mission attempt.  Walls like Cardassian Trap, Vendetta and Chula: the Game are good because they require obscure skills.  Or, choose walls like Berserk Changeling, Flaxian Assassin or Chula: the Lights, and speed up the elimination of the away team.

What other cards back up this dilemma?  Villagers With Torches is a good choice to prevent redshirts.  Yeah, you could just seed a leading wall at the mission, but then that's one less wall after the Eruption. Mission Debriefing is a definite addition here, since you can get one last personnel after the attempt is finished.  Temporal Vortex is needed to counter Distortion of Space/Time Continuum, if the opponent wants to try to get those stopped personnel of the planet.  I hesitate to mention Alien Groupie, but, well, it would work...  :-)

Another great way to stop personnel on the planet is 1 Tribble.  That also removes one more personnel who could attempt the mission and maybe pass the wall.  And if you're playing 1 Tribbles everywhere, there's some great wall dilemmas that get even better with the cunning reduction, like Clan People and Chula the Dice.

The only drawback to this dilemma is if the opponent has a planet facility there.  There are 2 easy solutions:  1. just stack 1 copy, since most people don't play two HQ's.  2. Swap it for a Q Flash with Beware of Q.  Or, you could stack 2 and just assume that IF the opponent is playing a Headquarters, they will have 2 other planet missions to choose from.  (Remember, all Outposts are in space, regardless of what the picture on the Kazon outpost looks like.)
Email Chris "Rom" Brennan