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Gaming => Reviews => Topic started by: Arnu on 11 January 2009, 21:42:35



Title: Battlestar Galactica The Board Game
Post by: Arnu on 11 January 2009, 21:42:35
(http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/image/comgames/4142.jpg) (http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/gamesin.php?UniqueNo=4142)

Battlestar Galactica is based on on the Re-imagined TV Series and has captured the theme really well.

The game is for three to six players.  Each player take the role of one of the characters from the show (Gaius Baltar, Lee "Apollo" Adama, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, Karl "Helo" Agathon, Sharon "Boomer" Valarii, William Adama, Saul Tigh, Tom Zarak, Laura Roslin and Galen Tyrol).

The idea of the game is to get from Caprica to Kobol.  This is done by advancing the jump track to the point you are able to make a FLT (Faster than light) jump, which means you can turn over the next card which gives you the next destination once you have made eight or more points worth of jumps you reach Kobol and the Humans win the game.

This may sound easy but there are many things that can stop the Humans achieving their destination.

Each player gets a Loyalty Card which tell each player whether or not they are a Cylon (the Cylon card overides the not a Cylon card).  Each player has to keep their Loyalty secret (although a Cylon player can choose to reveal their identity during the game).  All Players gain a second Loyalty card once the fleet has made four or more points worth of jumps.

During each players turn a Crisis Card is put in to play and the players must play cards (played face down) and two cards are added to the pile (also face down), each of these skill cards has a colour/type and a value the players add the value for all the cards of the colour(s)/Type(s) that match the Crisis Card and deduct the skill cards colour(s)/type(s) that don't match the Crisis Card.  If the value equals or exceeds the target value on the Crisis Card then the players pass the Crisis and something good (or more likely less bad) happens, if they fail then something bad happens.  During this phase Cylon players who have not revealed their identity can secretly play card to make the Humans fail the Crisis in play.

The Crisis card also dictates whether or not the jump track increases or if the Cylon ship (if there are any present) attack.

On the players turn the humans can move around the Glactica or Colonial One going to different location where they can take various actions (including improving morale, repairing the ship, firing weapons, attacking Centurion Boarding Party).

Revealed Cyclone players have Cylon Locations that they can create various crisis or attacks against the Human Fleet.

The Humans lose the game if any of the four resource dials reach zero (the four dials are, Morale, Food, Fuel & Population) the Humans can also lose if the Cylon Centurions reach the end of the Boarding Track.

The game reflects the series very well and the sense of paranoia over which player might be a Cylon only adds to the atmosphere of the game (The Ceylon's in the game can be different to the TV series).

I personally enjoy the game and had the privilege to be a play tester for the game.


Title: Re: Battlestar Galactica The Board Game
Post by: EvilGinger on 12 January 2009, 06:46:48
Not being a Batlestar fan I played the game because it was an new game, and I have to say that it  It drew me in sufficiently that I would and have recommend it to anyone who wanted a cooperative game with a strong theme of Paranoia and betrayal, Even if the Battlestar theme did not apeal.


Title: Re: Battlestar Galactica The Board Game
Post by: CardcoreGamer on 21 April 2012, 01:29:20
As someone who never saw the show I went into this game with no real expectations and what I found was that it stands up or falls down on the group you play with. I can't say that I find the mechanics of the game particularly fun, nor interesting, but that's not really the point; the point of BSG is the 'meta gaming' of suspicion and accusations, of finger-pointing and corruption.

It's also about being damned sure that you throw the right person out of the airlock.

So while I think the game can be excellent, it's one which I feel will either be tremendous fun or fall totally flat depending on who you're playing it with. As in most cases, beer will probably improve the experience :P