Source: Inquest #28 (Aug 1997), pp.40-41; author: Jeff Hannes

"The Fog Elementals, Viashino Sandstalkers and Bloodrock Cyclops pack a powerful punch for only three mana.  And for just one mana more, you get a 4/4 Lava Hound with a bad disposition and an eager lust for blood.  Best of all, most of the creatures work well in conjunction with other creatures in the deck.

With four Incinerates at your disposal, the Cyclops drawback can easily be turned into an advantage.  Does your opponent have a high-toughness beast you're having a hard time getting rid of?  Three points from the Cyclops followed by an Incinerate should do the trick.  Normally it's difficult to bait your opponent into blocking a creature they could obviously kill if there's a threat of a Giant Growth, Lightning Bolt, or, in this case, Incinerate.  But since you have to attack with your Cyclops anyway, your opponent will think it's safe to block with their Jungle Wurm.  Let the Cyclops get its kicks in and then boom - blow the Wurm away.

Another key card in the deck is Teferi's Veil.  This simple enchantment seems harmless enough - it phases out your attacking creatures at the end of combat.  So your opponent can't Torch them or cast Pacifism on them.  Big deal, right?  Well there's more to it than that.

First, there's the Fog Elementals.  Normally the Fog Elemental dissipates at the end of combat, but if you attack with one, you can choose to have the Teferi's Veil take effect first, phasing it out and leaving the Elemental alive for repeated attacks.  The Veil also prevents the Viashino Sandstalkers from returning to your hand, saving you three mana per turn.

Not enough yet?  Okay, here's another nasty combo - Revered Unicorn and the Veil.  Every time the Unicorn phases out it leaves play.  Yup, that's right - each time it attacks and lives, you gain life equal to its last paid cumulative upkeep.

Last, but certainly not least, you'll want to set a clear path for your attackers so you can rain on your opponent's parade as quick as possible.  The two Man-o'-Wars with their built-in unsummoning ability are perfect for the job.  Plus, it never hurts to get a 2/2 creature out of the deal.  In a pinch, the Man-o'-Wars can also be used to reset a Revered Unicorn's cumulative upkeep or to plop a Thundermare back into your hand so you can once again shut down those irritating blockers.

And what would a good storm be without some thunder and lightning?  A couple of Thunderbolts offer good protection from cheesy fliers like, oh say, Teferi's Veiled Fog Elementals.  And while Lightning Bolts would be nice, there are none in Mirage, so you'll have to settle for hitting your opponent and their creatures with really, really, really hot weather.

As if all that wasn't enough to put a damper on your opponent's day, there's the coup de grace - Firestorm.  It takes a little planning and timing to use well, but the carnage it can wreak can be devastating for your opponent.  Don't be afraid to blow one of your own creatures away or even target yourself if you need to do an extra point of damage.

Is *that* enough cheese for you?  No?  Well why not double your pleasure with the Bosium Strip.  For a really speedy knockdown, wait until you've got seven mana.  Then you can Incinerate your opponent, activate the Strip and then blast your opponent again.  And if you use the direct damage spells to kill your opponent's creatures, try and wait until the end of their turn.  That way if they respond to your Incinerate with an instant of their own and manages to kill one of your creatures before your turn, it'll go to the graveyard *before* your spell.  (Crazy timing issues - just smile, nod and do as well tell you.)

In the midst of all this foul weather, let us not forget the set's lighter side.  Weatherlight boasts a ton of cards with neat manipulation abilities, and perhaps none are as potent as Ancestral Knowledge.  For a mere two mana, you can set up your next several turns and remove unwanted cards from your deck.

Short on land?  Stack a few lands on top and then let the Ancestral Knowledge go once you've drawn them.  Have too much land?  Strip the lands out of your deck so your draws are more economical.  Already have a Teferi's Veil out and not worried about losing it?  Then get rid of the other one.  Whatever purpose you use this cheap enchantment for, it's sure to keep your deck flowing.

The Mirage / Visions / Weatherlight format doesn't offer as many sideboarding opportunities as standard Type II, but there are still plenty of cards that can strengthen the deck against certain deck types.  If your opponent is playing a weenie-horde deck, counter with Aether Flashes.  You'll want to sub in Talruum Minotaurs for the Sandstalkers so they don't get nuked by the Flash.

If your opponent's using lots of counters, throw in the Mana Webs.  This evil artifact forces your opponent to make a choice - cast something or save for a counter.  Quite the quandry for a blue mage.  Is your opponent light on creatures?  Then the Straw Golems can do some serious damage.  The best way to safeguard them is with Teferi's Veil - they'll be well protected when they're phased out.  If you use the Golems, make sure you back them up with the extra Veil.

Contrary to popular belief, red / blue doesn't *always* have to have counterspells, and this is the deck to prove it."