Hidden Base - Another Solution.
I think Hidden Base is the MOST powerful of the Objectives so far. It
has frightening potential once the Operatives leave power. Until then, I
believe this is the best solution for the Light Side. While it isn't a
guaranteed solution, Hidden Base has probably pulled out more victories
against DS Ops than any other deck. How can a Hidden Base deck make an Ops
deck beatable? Well, let's take a closer look.
The first way is to canabalize Hidden Base for it's ability to make you opponent have to pay to draw. These decks have two copies of one system (one to put aside as your Hidden Base) that can not be deployed to (like Clak'Dor VII). Then they go Heavy ground. I think this might work, but could be put to better use by adding one more location... Dagobah. By adding this Gem, you can play The Planet That It's Farthest From (hopefully sooner than) later. It also allows you the option of putting Yoda's Hut and Yoda to drop attrition by 2. Then the rest of the deck is devoted to ground forces, either draining or battling. Tatooine is the most obvious choice since you can get A GIFT going. This idea sounds promising, but I have yet to see it work well enough to conquer Operatives.
The other method is going pure space. This is the method I have chosen and it seems to work well. If you can get this deck going quickly, it can hurt a Ops deck with the ability to cancel up to two drains. Not only that, but Rebel Fleet allows you to cancel yet another drain. Add in Presence of a Skywalker and you can really diminish what Operatives can drain for.
Both of these decks can be vulnerable to another game mechanic... inserts. A few of these can really hurt in a mains and toys deck and you should include Ultimatum as one of the effects in the deck.
The Imperial Spy Network - ISB Operations
This deck is possibly the equivalent to Hidden Base. Like the
Operatives, this deck thrives on speed. By starting with Coruscant, A
Bright Center to the Universe (ABCTTU) can be pulled out with a Starting
Interrupt in order to slow the operatives down. Flip ISB ops while ABCTTU
is still on the table and the Operative drains are zilch. With a quick
start, this deck could be painful for the Light Side... even more painful
against a Local Uprising/ Liberation deck.
Invite Them to (be) Dinner - Creatures
Operatives are the biggest incentive to play with creatures. Special
Edition brought about some new ones. Perhaps the best choice is Bubo. He
can make dandy snacks out of the little LS Operatives. But a new choice
is the use of Womp Rats. While they are limited to three on the table,
they are selective and their ferocity= a destiny +1 for each womp rat at
the same site. This means three shots to snack on Operatives. The power 2
Light Side Operatives are guaranteed meals.
Unfortunately Worrt, the Light Side counterpart to Bubo, does not have a high enough ferocity to munch on the Dark Side Operatives. But fear not Special Edition brought the non-unique scurriers, little rat-like creatures that are ferocity 4 at Spaceport sites. I would like to remind you that the dark side has 4 spaceport locations out of 7 which means those little vermin might eat well too. The best part is they are non-unique and are selective!
Decipher has inadvertently increased the need to play with creatures. More and more players will play with creatures in order to deal with Operatives. Start taking a look at those creatures you stuffed away. They could be useful.
So What to Do About Their Retrieval?
The biggest problem is that these decks can retrieve for a load! Fortunately there are a couple of solutions for this as well. Surprise and I have a bad feeling about this (Dagobah) can hinder their retrieval. These interrupts can retarget abyssian ornament and the Wind Chimes to other non-unique characters. I know of many LS Ops decks that use Ithorians to increase their drains. Retarget the Wind Chimes to the Ithorians. They retrieve 3 force even if they do succeed.
The big problem is the ability to retrieve one force every time an operative is deployed. Out of Commission is a nice little destiny 5 Used Interrupt that can help by randomly placing one card from their lost pile out-of-play. This means any unique characters (or any persona of that character), vehicles, weapons, devices, or starships placed out of play cannot be deployed for the remainder of the game. If you happen to get a Vader in the process all the better.
Give Them A Present And Other Stuff
The Light Side has the distinct advantage of Being able to give "A Gift" and reduce those drains by the operatives. The problem is getting this going before it is too late in the game. Because you have to find two Tatooine locations (including the Audience Chamber) not to mention a droid and A Gift. Artoo or the Signal can help by pulling A Gift out quicker.
The Planet It's Farthest From and A Bright Center from the Universe can help decks too. By cancelling the force drain modifiers, it could allow time to get other strategies going. There are obvious decks that can take advantage of this such as ISB Ops and Dagobah Training, but with some careful planning, it can become a component in other decks too.
If you can't beat 'em... Join 'em
Perhaps the best solution is making your own Operatives deck.
Unfortunately the Light Side has the disadvantage here and may have a
tought time pulling out a victory over Dark Side Operatives. DS Operatives
are the rage right now while Light Side Ops are vying for a position to
beat its counterpart nemesis. The Dark Operatives are better because the
are more powerful and so are less vulnerable to creature attacks. They
also stand up better in a fight.
Expect to see Insert in several versions of these deck. Three or four insert being retrieved can seem like a hundred. This can hurt if you aren't prepared!
The Bag of Tricks
There are many ideas floating around to deal with Operatives. Weapons, particularly repeaters and disruptors, are quick solutions. The EPPs may lend nicely to this solution as well, but also have the disadvantage of adding to the Operatives power (except for Fett). The new Vader has a good shot at choking the operatives, Obi and Move along can send them running, and CPI could just end the deck altogether. Just remember, as you piece these things together, the biggest factor is speed. If it isn't quick, it probably won't work.
Beakman