Admin: New hub: 2009 VS to Virtual Blocks remap; Fifth Anthology/VS18 path via Reflections IV; open research kept

2026-09-24T01:46:09Z

New hub: 2009 VS to Virtual Blocks remap; Fifth Anthology/VS18 path via Reflections IV; open research kept

New page

{| class="wikitable expansion-infobox"
! colspan="2" | 2009 Virtual Block Reorganization
|-
! Game
|| Star Wars CCG
|-
! Publisher
|| [[Players Committee]]
|-
! When
|| Soft announce '''August/September 2009'''; Reflections IV PDF '''4 September 2009'''; Block PDF stamp '''7 December 2009'''
|-
! What changed
|| Numbered '''Virtual Sets''' (Original era) → thematic '''Virtual Blocks''' 1–6 (later Legacy Blocks 1–9)
|}

:''Also known as: [[Virtual Sets to Virtual Blocks]]. Not to be confused with the [[2014 Virtual Card Pool Reset]], or with modern [[:Category:Current Virtual sets|Current Virtual]] set numbers (e.g. [[Virtual Set 18]] from 2022).''

In '''2009''' the [[Players Committee]] reorganized the '''original numbered Virtual Sets''' (the 2002–2009 PDF-slip era) into six thematic '''Virtual Blocks'''. This page is the wiki hub for that packaging change, with a dedicated section on '''Virtual Set 18: Fifth Anthology''' — previewed as the 18th Virtual Set, never shipped as a standalone <code>VirtualCards18.pdf</code>, and released inside '''Virtual Set 6: Reflections IV''' (later [[Virtual Block 6]]).

This is a '''fan encyclopedia''' page. It cites primary PDFs, the Polish Fifth Anthology preview, CDN probes, and PC virtual-slips. It does '''not''' invent a full VS→Block card-by-card diff (that work is pending — see [[#Open research|Open research]]).

== Background: numbered Virtual Sets (2002–2009) ==

From '''2002''' through early '''2009''', the Players Committee published printable Virtual game-text slips as '''numbered Virtual Sets''' (VS1–VS17 on the surviving CDN / virtual-slips library).<ref name="vslips">[https://www.starwarsccg.org/resources/virtual-slips/ Virtual slips], starwarsccg.org — Legacy Virtual Sets list '''VS1–VS17'''</ref><ref name="vc17">[https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualCards17.pdf VirtualCards17.pdf] (Virtual Set 17: The Force Unleashed; HTTP '''200''')</ref>

Full set index, legal/official-text stamps, and era caveats live on [[Virtual Sets (2002-2009)]]. That page is the chronological hub for the pre-reorg slips; this page focuses on '''how those sets were reorganized into Blocks''' and what happened at the VS18 boundary.

== August/September 2009 reorganization into Blocks 1–6 ==

A Players Committee homepage snapshot from '''18 September 2009''' (Wayback) carries contemporary news about '''Reflections IV''' together with virtual-set realignment.<ref name="reorg2009">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090918131415/http://www.starwarsccg.org/ starwarsccg.org homepage], Wayback '''18 September 2009'''</ref>

The firm PDF stamp for the Block packaging intros is '''Official text as of 7 December 2009''' on [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock1.pdf VirtualBlock1.pdf] (same blurb on VirtualBlock2–5). That intro states:<ref name="blockreorg">[https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock1.pdf VirtualBlock1.pdf] (official text as of '''7 December 2009''')</ref>

: ''“Since the reorganization of the previous 18 virtual sets, there are now six blocks structured by theme. The first three blocks cover the classic trilogy, block 4 expands the expanded universe, the fifth block buffs the Old Republic, and block 6 is a mix - Reflections IV.”''

{| class="wikitable"
! Block !! Theme (per Block 1 intro) !! Wiki hub
|-
| 1–3 || Classic trilogy || [[Virtual Block 1]], [[Virtual Block 2]], [[Virtual Block 3]]
|-
| 4 || Expanded universe || [[Virtual Block 4]]
|-
| 5 || Old Republic || [[Virtual Block 5]]
|-
| 6 || Mix — Reflections IV || [[Virtual Block 6]]
|}

Later Legacy material continued as Blocks '''7–9''' (and [[Virtual Shields]]); those are post-reorg expansions, not the original six-block remap. PC virtual-slips separates '''Legacy Virtual Sets (2002–2009)''' from '''Legacy Virtual Blocks (2009–2014)'''.<ref name="vslips" />

'''Important:''' Block packaging is a later organizational / presentational layer for the pre-[[2014 Virtual Card Pool Reset|2014 Reset]] pool. It is '''not''' a silent rename of every old VS PDF, and it is '''not''' the same as post-Reset [[:Category:Current Virtual sets|Current Virtual]] numbering.

== What happened to Fifth Anthology / planned VS18 ==

'''Framing used on this wiki:''' Fifth Anthology was '''previewed as Original-era Virtual Set 18''' (June 2009), '''never released as a standalone <code>VirtualCards18.pdf</code>''', and its preview material '''shipped inside Reflections IV / Virtual Set 6''' (PDF official text '''4 September 2009'''; later Legacy '''Virtual Block 6'''). This is '''not''' the same status as '''VS19 Galaxy at War''' (Polish ''niewydany'' / unreleased). The '''2014 Reset''' does '''not''' explain the missing VS18 PDF (~5 years later).

=== Preview (8 June 2009) ===

A Polish fan preview dated '''8 June 2009''' states that '''Fifth Anthology''' is the '''18th virtual set''', with premiere '''planned for July 2009''', and shows '''six''' preview cards marked '''Virtual Set 18''':<ref name="plfifth">[https://star-wars.pl/News/10466,Preview_Fifth_Anthology.html Preview Fifth Anthology], star-wars.pl, '''8 June 2009'''</ref>

# Luke Skywalker, Strong In The Force [A Jedi's Concentration (V)]
# Jabba's Prize (V)
# Maneuvering Flaps & Nick Of Time
# Marquand In Blizzard 6
# Tarkin's Bounty (V)
# We Have A Prisoner & I Can't Shake Him!

The same Polish note reminds readers that Decipher-era previews often had white borders and that '''texts could change later''' — so this wiki does '''not''' assume every preview line is final without a primary PDF check.

=== No standalone VirtualCards18.pdf ===

* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualCards17.pdf VirtualCards17.pdf] (The Force Unleashed) returns '''HTTP 200'''.<ref name="vc17" />
* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualCards18.pdf VirtualCards18.pdf] returns '''HTTP 403''' / is not hosted on the PC Legacy CDN path used for VS1–17.<ref name="vc18miss">CDN probe of VirtualCards18.pdf (HTTP '''403'''); contrast VirtualCards17.pdf HTTP '''200'''</ref>
* PC [[V-slips|virtual-slips]] '''Legacy Virtual Sets''' still list '''VS1–VS17 only''' — no Fifth Anthology PDF row.<ref name="vslips" />

Whether any ephemeral VirtualCards18.pdf ever briefly existed off-CDN is '''unknown''' (Internet Archive CDX hits were empty in the research pass that sourced this page — absence of IA hits is '''not''' proof it never existed).

=== Released inside Reflections IV / Virtual Block 6 ===

'''Virtual Set 6: Reflections IV''' was published as [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock6_1.pdf VirtualBlock6_1.pdf], stamped '''Official text as of 4 September 2009'''.<ref name="vb6pdf">[https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock6_1.pdf VirtualBlock6_1.pdf] (titled Virtual Set 6: Reflections IV; official text '''4 September 2009''')</ref>

All six June preview '''titles''' appear on the Legacy [https://res.starwarsccg.org/cardlists/VBlock6.html Virtual Block 6 cardlist] under Reflections IV packaging ('''not''' under a Fifth Anthology / VS18 PDF).<ref name="vb6list">[https://res.starwarsccg.org/cardlists/VBlock6.html Virtual Block 6 cardlist], res.starwarsccg.org</ref>

Spot-checks of the Reflections IV PDF against the Polish preview (high confidence for these two only):

* '''Luke Skywalker, Strong In The Force''' (#67) — Pilot 3 package: while piloting Red 5 or Rogue 1 (or armed with Luke's Lightsaber), may add one destiny to total power or attrition, and ''I Have You Now'' is canceled; when leaving table, place all your cards on Luke in Used Pile; immune to attrition < 4 — '''matches''' the June preview (verified against PDF).<ref name="vb6pdf" /><ref name="plfifth" />
* '''Maneuvering Flaps & Nick Of Time''' (#81) — vehicles with a pilot character or gunner aboard are not hit when 'thrown'; during deploy phase, may reveal an unpiloted combat vehicle from hand to its matching pilot character (or vice versa) and deploy both simultaneously; whenever you play Desperate Tactics, Lucky Shot, On Target, Rapid Fire, or Steady Aim, may draw top card from Reserve Deck; may not be suspended — '''matches''' the June preview (verified against PDF).<ref name="vb6pdf" /><ref name="plfifth" />

The other four preview titles are present on the Block 6 cardlist; full gametext parity vs the June preview is '''not claimed here''' without cleaner primary renders (multi-column slip PDFs scramble under naive OCR).

=== Polish inventory vs cancelled mark ===

The Polish Virtual Sets inventory lists '''VS18 Fifth Anthology''' '''without''' ''(niewydany)''. On that page, '''only''' '''Virtual Set 19: Galaxy at War''' carries the ''(niewydany)'' / unreleased mark.<ref name="plsets">[https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/1963,Star_Wars_CCG_Virtual_Sets.html Star Wars CCG — Virtual Sets], star-wars.pl</ref>

'''Do not''' list Fifth Anthology as fully cancelled like Galaxy at War. Prefer: naming & PDF note on [[Cancelled Virtual Sets]]; full story on this page + [[Virtual Sets (2002-2009)]] + [[Virtual Block 6]].

=== Block intros still count “previous 18” ===

Even though no <code>VirtualCards18.pdf</code> is hosted, the December 2009 Block intros explicitly count a reorganization of the previous '''18''' virtual sets.<ref name="blockreorg" /> That matches treating Fifth Anthology as the 18th set in the reorg narrative while packaging its content through Reflections IV / Block 6.

=== Not caused by the 2014 Reset ===

The PC article '''Reset of Standard Format''' is dated '''25 July 2014''' — about '''five years later'''. It does not explain the missing VS18 PDF and is a separate product-history event ([[2014 Virtual Card Pool Reset]]).<ref name="reset">[https://www.starwarsccg.org/reset-of-standard-format/ Reset of Standard Format] (live) — [https://web.archive.org/web/20170306155342/http://www.starwarsccg.org/reset-of-standard-format/ Wayback]; byline '''25 July 2014'''</ref>

=== Modern Virtual Set 18 (disambiguation) ===

[[Virtual Set 18]] (released '''21 April 2022'''; Current Virtual) is a '''different product''' from Original-era Fifth Anthology. Do not merge the two.

== Galaxy at War / planned VS19–21 vs Block 6 ==

'''What this wiki states with primary/high confidence:'''

* Polish inventory marks '''only VS19 Galaxy at War''' as ''(niewydany)''.<ref name="plsets" />
* Block 6 is described in PC Block intros as the Reflections IV '''mix''' after the reorg of the previous 18 sets — not as “Galaxy at War renamed.”<ref name="blockreorg" />

'''Secondary / careful:''' Some encyclopedias and BoardGameGeek moreinfo paraphrase that after the August 2009 reorg, what were to have been Virtual Sets '''19–21''' became known as '''Virtual Block 6''' instead, and that VS1–18 existed then were reorganized into Blocks. Those claims are '''secondary'''; BGG moreinfo in particular '''overstates''' a standalone VS18 relative to the missing CDN PDF. Prefer the primary PDF intros + Polish preview + CDN evidence above until a primary PC announce for the VS19–21 wording is recovered.<ref name="bggsec">[https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/thing:1270:moreinfo BGG moreinfo] — '''secondary'''; overstates standalone VS18</ref>

Do '''not''' equate Galaxy at War with Virtual Block / V-set '''9.2''' (that is a 2014 Reset-era wording issue — see [[Cancelled Virtual Sets]]).

== Open research ==

A '''card-by-card compare''' of Original Virtual Set PDFs / the June 2009 Fifth Anthology preview against Virtual Block PDFs (which titles changed, which were dropped, full six-card gametext parity) is '''pending''' and intentionally '''not''' claimed on this page yet. Related open items:

* Soft Aug/Sep 2009 PC homepage wording beyond the Wayback hub cite already used for Reflections IV / realignment.
* Whether any ephemeral <code>VirtualCards18.pdf</code> ever briefly existed off the current CDN.
* Primary PC source for the secondary “VS19–21 → Block 6” paraphrase.

== See also ==

* [[Virtual Sets (2002-2009)]] — pre-reorg numbered VS index (includes Fifth Anthology row)
* [[Virtual Block 6]] — Reflections IV / Block 6 hub that absorbed Fifth Anthology preview material
* [[Cancelled Virtual Sets]] — Galaxy at War ''niewydany''; Fifth Anthology '''naming/PDF note only''' (not framed as a full cancel)
* [[Virtual Set 18]] — modern (2022) Current Virtual set; not Fifth Anthology
* [[Virtual Block 1]] … [[Virtual Block 9]], [[Virtual Shields]]
* [[:Category:Virtual Legacy sets]]
* [[2014 Virtual Card Pool Reset]] — unrelated to the 2009 reorg / VS18 PDF gap
* [[History of the Players Committee]]
* [[Formats]] — Legacy vs Standard
* [[V-slips]]

== Sources ==

* [https://star-wars.pl/News/10466,Preview_Fifth_Anthology.html Preview Fifth Anthology] (star-wars.pl, 8 June 2009) — VS18 preview; July 2009 plan; six Virtual Set 18 cards
* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock6_1.pdf VirtualBlock6_1.pdf] — Virtual Set 6: Reflections IV; official text 4 September 2009
* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/cardlists/VBlock6.html VBlock6 cardlist] — preview titles under Block 6 / Reflections IV
* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualBlock1.pdf VirtualBlock1.pdf] — “previous 18 virtual sets” reorg blurb; official text 7 December 2009
* [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualCards17.pdf VirtualCards17.pdf] (HTTP 200) vs [https://res.starwarsccg.org/legacyblocks/VirtualCards18.pdf VirtualCards18.pdf] (HTTP 403)
* [https://www.starwarsccg.org/resources/virtual-slips/ Virtual slips] — Legacy VS1–17 only
* [https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/1963,Star_Wars_CCG_Virtual_Sets.html Star Wars CCG — Virtual Sets] (star-wars.pl) — Fifth Anthology without ''niewydany''; only Galaxy at War marked unreleased
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090918131415/http://www.starwarsccg.org/ starwarsccg.org homepage] (Wayback 18 Sep 2009) — Reflections IV + virtual-set realignment news
* [https://www.starwarsccg.org/reset-of-standard-format/ Reset of Standard Format] / [https://web.archive.org/web/20170306155342/http://www.starwarsccg.org/reset-of-standard-format/ Wayback] — 2014 Reset (unrelated)
* BGG moreinfo — '''secondary''' only

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Players Committee]]
[[Category:Meta]]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Virtual Legacy sets]]

2009 Virtual Block Reorganization - Revision history

Admin: New hub: 2009 VS to Virtual Blocks remap; Fifth Anthology/VS18 path via Reflections IV; open research kept