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Private Sidetrack
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Wave 4: Siege II
Number: 23
Common
4★
Useable Stratagems:
Heroic Spotlight
Brutal Conditioning
Heroic Perseverance
Alt Mode
1   3   3   Autobot Battle Patrol Tank Ranged
This has Stealth while untapped.
Bot Mode
2   3   3   Autobot Battle Patrol Melee
↷ Scrap a card from your hand 🠪 Scrap the top 4 cards of your deck. Put all Upgrades scrapped from your deck this way into your hand.
Relevant Rulings
What happens if I use the tap ability and have fewer than 4 cards in my deck?

In that case, scrap all the cards in their deck. Then, setting those cards aside, shuffle all the other cards in your scrap pile into your deck. Then scrap enough cards from your reformed deck to scrap a total of 4 cards. The cards that arent Upgrades will be only cards in your scrap pile when youre done.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-11-08)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Private Sidetrack, Battle Patrol • Demolitions
If I have a Cassette in Bot Mode that is chosen as a defender but flip a Swerve does it fizzle the attack when the character flips to Cassette due to the Stealth on that side as long as another target is legal to attack? Or not, since it's already been chosen as the defender?

Once an attack is legally declared, the defender picking up Stealth wont matter.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-11-09)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Swerve, Stealth
What happens if someone has Brave and Stealth at the same time, like if I played Hiding Spot on Blitzwing while he was in tank mode, do they cancel out, does the newer stays take effect?

They cancel each other out. An attacker is not able to fulfill both conditions, therefore the attacking player can choose a defender as normal.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-08-23)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Brave, Stealth
If you have a Stealthiness attached to Headstrong in his Alternate Mode, what happens? Does Brave trump the Stealth or vice versa?

The opponent can choose to attack any available target; they essentially cancel each other out.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-02-11)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Stealth, Brave
If I use Swap Missions to untap a tapper character and then tap an untapped character, and that same untapped character has a tap ability - does Swap Missions trigger that tapped ability?

No, tap abilities (ones with the tap symbol) happen when the player activates them on their turn and dont happen if the character is tapped in any other way.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-07-29)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
If Im defending with Raider Visper, who is untapped, and my opponent plays EMP Wave, do I get the option of discarding 3 green pips to force them to discard 3 cards? If theyre matching, do I get to draw three? Also, EMP Wave would always make it the turn of the person who didnt play it, correct? Or if Im attacking and play EMP Wave do I get to swing with a character that I just tapped?

No, a Tap ability is something you use on your turn, not whenever the character becomes tapped. If you play EMP Wave on your turn, all characters will be tapped. Your turn continues, and you can play an upgrade, flip a character, etc. At the end of your turn, all characters will untap, and your opponents turn will begin.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-05-02)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
If I have a Micromaster in Bot mode, and I use an action that taps it, such as Inferno Breath or Swap Missions, will tapping it with one of those actions let me activate the Micromaster's Tap ability?

No. Those are mutually exclusive. Tap abilities on Micro Masters are costs for triggering their abilities, so other in-game actions do not allow you to use that ability.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-05-10)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
What is Stealth?

Stealth is a new keyword ability that lets some characters strike from the shadows without fear
of reprisal. When choosing which enemy to attack, you must attack a character without stealth
if able.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Stealth
If my opponent has one tapped character with stealth, and the rest of their creatures are
untapped, which character can I attack?


Stealth doesn’t override the rules for attacking tapped/untapped characters. Since the
tapped character is the only one that can be attacked, that’s where your attack is headed.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Stealth
What happens if a character has brave and stealth?

Brave and stealth essentially cancel each other out. You must attack that character if able,
and you must attack other characters if able. This basically means you must attack a character
you can attack, the same as if those abilities weren’t there.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Stealth
How do I use a Micromaster’s tap ability? Let's say Raider Detour. I tap Raider Detour, then scrap a card with a blue battle icon, and draw my 2 cards. Does that mean I have used Raider Detour and now I attack with one of my other characters?

You can still play an Action or Upgrade if you haven’t and would like to, but then you can move on. Each turn, you can use one tap ability. Raider Detour will not be able to attack because he is tapped. However if he were untapped somehow, he would still be able to attack.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-07-29)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
What are Tap Abilities?

Micro Masters tend to be small, and they’ll often be outmatched on the battlefield. But that
doesn’t mean they can’t help your cause. They have tap abilities that give you an option other
than attacking with them.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
How can I recognize a tap ability?

Tap abilities all have the tap symbol (marked as [t] in text documents like this one) to the left
of the arrow.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
How do tap abilities work?

You can use one tap ability during your turn, before you attack. It’s one of your turn actions,
just like playing an Action card, playing an Upgrade card, or flipping one of your characters to its
other mode. To use the tap ability, the character that has the ability must be untapped. Using
the ability causes the character to become tapped.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
Does using a tap ability also mean the character attacks?

No. Using a tap ability isn’t the same as attacking.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
Do I have to use a tap ability during my turn?

No. It’s your choice. You don’t have to use a tap ability, even if you could.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
If I have more than one untapped character with a tap ability, can I use all of them in the
same turn?


No. You can use only one tap ability per turn.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
Can I use a tap ability, then play an Action that untaps that character, then use that tap
ability again?


Nope. One tap ability per turn.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
Some tap abilities say I have to scrap cards from my hand or other additional costs. Can I use
a tap ability if I can’t pay that cost.


No. For example, if a tap ability says you have to scrap a card from your hand with an orange
battle icon, and you don’t have one, you can’t use that tap ability.
Source: Wizards of the Coast (2019-03-01)    【Link to Ruling】
Tags: Tap
Recent Decks Using This Card
Hulkrunner Is Bulletproof
Deck Traits: Autobot Battle Patrol Tank Ranged Leader Melee Plane
Deck: 40🂠 25★ | Sideboard: 1🂠 0★ Added by MegatronIsAGun Modified on Aug 20, '23

Characters
Private Flak 5★
Artillery • Tactics
Private Top Shot 4★
Artillery • Patrol Leader
Captain Impactor 7★
Special Ops • Wrecker
Private Sidetrack 4★
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Private Sunrunner 5★
Battle Patrol • Air Defense

Sideboard
1 Trithyllium Shield
Actions
Regular Actions
3 Treasure Hunt
3 Rock Toss
3 Two-Pronged Attack
1 New Orders
3 Precision Fire
Secret Actions
3 Bolster
Upgrades
Weapons
3 Sturdy Javelin
Armor
3 Rapid Ascent
3 Scrapper Gauntlets
3 Force Field
3 Composite Armor
2 Emergency Barricade
1 Ghost Shield
Utilities
3 Defensive Configuration
Other Upgrades
3 Crystal of Power
Deck Stats
16 action cards
  13 regular action cards
  3 secret action cards
  0 rolling action cards
24 upgrade cards
  3 weapon cards
  15 armor cards
  3 utility cards

Battle Icons in Deck
30 icons on 30 cards (75%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
6 icons on 6 cards (15%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
13 icons on 13 cards (33%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
Battle Simulator
Set Tough/Bold:
27%
25%
10%
6%
5%
4%
4%
Likelihood of Flipping
+2 Bonus Flip: 29%
Sets Used In Deck
Wave 1: 9 cards
Wave 3: 14 cards
Wave 4: 13 cards
Wave 5: 10 cards
TBA
Deck Traits: Autobot Leader Truck Melee Ranged Car
Deck: 40🂠 25★ | Sideboard: 7🂠 8★ Added by Spark-Kirin Modified on May 17, '23

Characters
Optimus Prime 13★
Battlefield Legend
Rodimus Prime 12★
Worthy Leader

Stratagems
2x Light Our Darkest Hour... 0★
All Characters
Sideboard
Private Sidetrack 4★
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Autobot Roller 4★
Scout Drone
Heroic Spotlight 1★
Autobots
Combat Deck 3★
Trucks
Heroic Perseverance 1★
Autobots
This Shall Be Your Ship 2★
Leaders
1 Noble's Blaster
1 W-5 Gyro Blaster
1 Scout Armor
Actions
Regular Actions
1 Roll Out!
1 Security Checkpoint
1 Espionage
1 Master Plan
1 Press the Advantage
1 Battlefield Scan
1 Daring Escape
1 Counterespionage
1 Give Me Your Face
1 Dare to Believe
1 Menacing Gaze
Secret Actions
1 Dampening Field
1 Swerve
1 Hold the Line
1 Lose the Initiative
1 Speed Trap
1 Loading The Cannon
1 Lost In Transit
1 What Lies Beyond
1 Electro-Static Shielding
1 Cloud Cover
1 Wanna Bet?
Rolling Actions
3 Bracing Up
1 Extended Duration Mission
1 Imminent Breakthrough
1 Lie in Wait
1 Locking it Up
1 Muster the Will
1 Revving Up
1 Summon the Courage
1 Take the Shot
Upgrades
Weapons
1 Enforcement Batons
1 Vamparc Ribbon
Armor
1 Polarity Gauntlet
1 Severed Combiner Hand
Utilities
1 Matrix of Leadership
1 Prime's New Arm
Other Upgrades
1 Crystal of Power
Deck Stats
33 action cards
  11 regular action cards
  11 secret action cards
  11 rolling action cards
7 upgrade cards
  2 weapon cards
  2 armor cards
  2 utility cards

Battle Icons in Deck
14 icons on 13 cards (33%)
16 icons on 14 cards (35%)
11 icons on 11 cards (28%)
24 icons on 24 cards (60%)
15 icons on 15 cards (38%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
Battle Simulator
Set Tough/Bold:
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Likelihood of Flipping
+2 Bonus Flip: 48%
Enforcement Batons: 8%
Espionage: 7%
Master Plan: 7%
Press the Advantage: 7%
Battlefield Scan: 7%
Daring Escape: 8%
Counterespionage: 8%
Hold the Line: 7%
Lose the Initiative: 7%
Speed Trap: 7%
Give Me Your Face: 8%
Loading The Cannon: 7%
What Lies Beyond: 7%
Bracing Up: 23%
Extended Duration Mission: 7%
Imminent Breakthrough: 7%
Locking it Up: 7%
Revving Up: 8%
Severed Combiner Hand: 7%
Cloud Cover: 8%
Vamparc Ribbon: 7%
Wanna Bet?: 8%
Sets Used In Deck
Wave 1: 4 cards
Wave 2: 5 cards
Wave 3: 3 cards
Wave 4: 3 cards
Wave 5: 7 cards
Wave 6: 6 cards
Wave 7: 1 cards
Wave 8: 16 cards
Wave 9: 5 cards
Outlier 1: 3 cards
Deck of the Day #6 (April 6th 2023)
Deck Traits: Decepticon Tank Ranged Melee Autobot Battle Patrol Leader Plane
Deck: 40🂠 25★ | Sideboard: 0🂠 0★ Added by Deck of the Day Modified on Apr 6, '23

Characters
Demolisher 6★
Devoted Decepticon
Private Flak 5★
Artillery • Tactics
Private Top Shot 4★
Artillery • Patrol Leader
Private Sidetrack 4★
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Private Sunrunner 5★
Battle Patrol • Air Defense

Sideboard
None
Actions
Regular Actions
3 Hunker Down
2 Rock Toss
3 Fight For Position
2 New Orders
2 Wedge Formation
2 Precision Fire
2 Shield Crash
Upgrades
Weapons
2 Power Punch
3 Combat Dagger
2 Sturdy Javelin
2 Unflinching Courage
2 Photon Charge
Armor
1 Bashing Shield
3 Composite Armor
2 Increased Durability
Utilities
2 Enhanced Power Cell
1 Polydermal Graft
1 Shard of the Divine Light 1★
Other Upgrades
3 Crystal of Power
Deck Stats
16 action cards
  16 regular action cards
  0 secret action cards
  0 rolling action cards
24 upgrade cards
  11 weapon cards
  6 armor cards
  4 utility cards

Battle Icons in Deck
21 icons on 21 cards (53%)
5 icons on 5 cards (13%)
3 icons on 3 cards (8%)
5 icons on 5 cards (13%)
30 icons on 30 cards (75%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
Battle Simulator
Set Tough/Bold:
18%
11%
7%
7%
6%
5%
5%
Likelihood of Flipping
+2 Bonus Flip: 15%
Bashing Shield: 6%
Wedge Formation: 13%
Shield Crash: 10%
Sets Used In Deck
Wave 1: 4 cards
Wave 2: 3 cards
Wave 3: 7 cards
Wave 4: 18 cards
Wave 5: 7 cards
Wave 6: 5 cards
Wave 8: 1 cards

Notes from Deck of the Day:
"Today's card of the day is Sidetrack from wave 3.

Typically overlooked in favor of better characters at his star cost like Slammer and Brunt, who are also 4-star tanks. Overall, there's just a whole lot of other options for a 4-star character when you have the leftover stars. However, being a member of the battle patrol gives him a nice little damage ability when teaming up with Sunrunner, and interestingly, is one of only a handful of tanks that is melee in bot mode. Additionally, Sidetrack possesses potentially one of the more powerful tap abilities on a character, being a treasure hunt on such a small character is really nice. Most decks that run Sidetrack are battle patrol decks, and most decks that end up going narrower with the battle patrol will cut him out first.

For today's deck, I've decided to go along with the trend and play him with his pals in the battle patrol, along with Demolisher as the support character. Playing four cheap tanks allows for consistent deck traits, which helps immensely during deck building. Flipping Demolisher to alt mode in this deck should draw 2 or more cards in the early game (despite their high defense, these tanks unfortunately don't live all that long), and is a nice way to swing big for his star cost. Sunrunner's Patrol ability is somewhat unique in that it works when you use the battle patrol's tap abilities, allowing you to potentially shoot someone for 2 in a single turn using the ability, and is also particularly devastating on wheel turns when perhaps you could shoot someone for 3 or 4 against a particularly narrow team.

Somewhat unorthodoxly, I've opted for an orange and black shell for this battle patrol deck, looking to get those little pierce hits in with the little guys and some scary demolisher swings late game. As such, I'm running a lot of suboptimal cards that are almost entirely there for their battle icons, cards like Combat Dagger and Rock Toss are likely the worst options in their respective fields, but their icons help the team punch through defensive characters. Likely the most influential card in this deck is Hunker Down, informing a lot of the subsequent deck building decisions throughout construction. In order to make Hunker Down work effectively, a deck has to rely on having a lot of armors available to slam onto your tanks. For this purpose, I am running a total of 9 cards that can get put on the team by Hunker Down including Crystal of Power and the tank exclusive Composite Armor. Another helpful bonus to playing mostly tanks is using Photon Charge and Shield Crash, both cards from wave 6 that befit the high defensive stats of tanks, potentially, a Shield Crash alongside a Composite Armor can make Sidetrack swing for 6 instead of 2 in alt mode, and protect Demolisher from cards like End Hostilities and Overheat in a pinch. Otherwise, the deck is running a lot of health upgrades in order to make the tanks survive a little longer, Polydermal can go on both Demolisher and Sidetrack, and keeping Sunrunner's health high at the end of the game can mean the difference between victory and defeat. "
Overwhelming Upgrades
Deck Traits: Autobot Battle Patrol Tank Ranged Melee Decepticon Helicopter
Deck: 40🂠 25★ | Sideboard: 1🂠 0★ Added by g3holliday Modified on May 12, '22

Characters
Private Sidetrack 4★
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Raider Spinister 11★
Infantry • Aerial Assault
Sergeant Crosshairs 10★
Artillery • Weapons Supervisor

Sideboard
1 Soldier's Blaster
Actions
Regular Actions
2 New Designs
3 Escape Route
1 Overwhelming Advantage
3 War of Attrition
3 Wedge Formation
2 Camien Crash
3 Scouting Mission
Secret Actions
2 Hijack
3 Swerve
Upgrades
Weapons
1 Backup Beam
1 Dismantling Claw
2 Soldier's Blaster
2 Unflinching Courage
Armor
1 Extra Padding
3 Force Field
1 Smoke Cloak
1 Composite Armor
Utilities
1 Spare Parts
3 Immersed In Shadow
2 Spy Satellite Uplink
Deck Stats
22 action cards
  17 regular action cards
  5 secret action cards
  0 rolling action cards
18 upgrade cards
  6 weapon cards
  6 armor cards
  6 utility cards

Battle Icons in Deck
10 icons on 10 cards (25%)
12 icons on 12 cards (30%)
10 icons on 10 cards (25%)
20 icons on 20 cards (50%)
22 icons on 22 cards (55%)
0 icons on 0 cards (0%)
Battle Simulator
Set Tough/Bold:
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
Likelihood of Flipping
+2 Bonus Flip: 44%
Backup Beam: 7%
Escape Route: 22%
Spare Parts: 7%
Dismantling Claw: 7%
Extra Padding: 8%
Hijack: 14%
Overwhelming Advantage: 7%
Soldier's Blaster: 15%
War of Attrition: 22%
Wedge Formation: 22%
Spy Satellite Uplink: 14%
Sets Used In Deck
Wave 1: 2 cards
Wave 2: 5 cards
Wave 3: 6 cards
Wave 4: 24 cards
Wave 5: 7 cards
5 Wide Tanks
Deck Traits: Autobot Battle Patrol Tank Ranged Leader Melee Plane
Deck: 40🂠 25★ | Sideboard: 0🂠 0★ Added by g3holliday Modified on May 12, '22

Characters
Private Flak 5★
Artillery • Tactics
Private Top Shot 4★
Artillery • Patrol Leader
Captain Impactor 7★
Special Ops • Wrecker
Private Sidetrack 4★
Battle Patrol • Demolitions
Private Sunrunner 5★
Battle Patrol • Air Defense

Sideboard
None
Actions
Regular Actions
1 Backup Plan
3 Hunker Down
3 Confidence
1 Marksmanship
2 Press the Advantage
2 Steamroll
1 Brainstorm
2 Diagnosis
1 Daring Escape
1 High Five
3 Mission Briefing
Upgrades
Weapons
1 Flamethrower
1 Noble's Blaster
1 RR Disruptor Blade
2 Erratic Cannon
Armor
3 Improvised Shield
1 Reflex Circuits
3 Composite Armor
1 Increased Durability
1 Ghost Shield
Utilities
1 W-5 Gyro Blaster
3 Immersed In Shadow
2 Minor Medic Kit
Deck Stats
20 action cards
  20 regular action cards
  0 secret action cards
  0 rolling action cards
20 upgrade cards
  5 weapon cards
  9 armor cards
  6 utility cards

Battle Icons in Deck
21 icons on 18 cards (45%)
8 icons on 8 cards (20%)
6 icons on 6 cards (15%)
9 icons on 9 cards (23%)
12 icons on 10 cards (25%)
3 icons on 3 cards (8%)
Battle Simulator
Set Tough/Bold:
6%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
Likelihood of Flipping
+2 Bonus Flip: 29%
Noble's Blaster: 7%
Press the Advantage: 13%
Reflex Circuits: 7%
Daring Escape: 6%
High Five: 6%
Mission Briefing: 19%
Sets Used In Deck
Wave 1: 5 cards
Wave 2: 12 cards
Wave 3: 8 cards
Wave 4: 15 cards
Wave 5: 5 cards