Getting the game started takes a while for new players, here is a step by step guide to help you out!
One key thing is you have to load the decks separately. So at the start of the game ask your opponent, "What side do you want to play? (and) go ahead and load up." I also open the Key Reference menu (Help -> Key Reference)
Since I still am no expert… I take the entire deck into hand. (Ctrl + Drag cards from pile into hand) Once there, Flip the whole stack at once (Ctrl + Right Click) and fan them out (“h”).
From here I deploy my Starting Effect, Fear is My Ally for example by dragging that to the table. Then I look at my Defensive Shields, put them in a messy pile so they are all touching each other and NOT touching any other cards… then I stack all the shields together and flip them (“c” to neatly stack a group of cards, and “Ctrl + Right Click” to flip back over) and drag that stack to the “starting cards” square face down and drag your starting effect on top of it (probably still on the table face up).
Now you have probably 59 or so cards in your hand. The next step is to deploy your objective (if you do not have an objective, skip this paragraph… and put one in your deck!). This card of course is purple so is easy to find, drag it to the table and then fish out any cards that may be associated with it. And you do not get a starting location.
If you don’t have an objective, well God help you! I’ll be honest… most players on Holotable are mutant creations from an underground science facility in Russia. They were grown by scientist and genetically engineered to remember every single card in the deck. Umm…. Never mind, at this point deploy your starting location if you do not have an objective.
Then the Starting Interrupt. There are a few of these, for the light an example would be Heading for the Medical Frigate and for the Dark Side, Prepared Defenses. Typically these let you deploy 3 other effects that deploy for free. Those mutants will have 20 cards in front of them, and know what every single one of them does!
So, now you have your stuff on the table… Starting Effect, Objective, Starting Location, Starting Interrupt and any cards that may be involved with those.
It’s at this time I generally ask my opponent, “Mind if I take a second to read your cards?” In the earlier days you will see new cards every time you play… learn them! You are already at a disadvantage because your brain was created by the way Mother Nature intended, good ol’ humpin’ and pumpin’ … not some Russian science lab.
Ask your opponent if they are ready and start the game!
