I was kindly invited to play Battlestar Galactica, the board game, last night by some very nice people.
Firstly a big thank you, it was a lot of fun.
I have previously had my doubts about this game. Being a fan of the TV show, (for the most part) , I was dubious about it translating to game format. I was wrong.
Game set up takes some time and with 9 players, some of which had not played before, the initial turns inevitably were bogged down in rules and game mechanics explanation. Luckily we had two or three experienced people guiding us.
Once everyone was familiar with the turn mechanics it was easier to concentrate on what makes this game really shine. Player interaction.
The basic premise is that the battlestar has to make a certain amount of “jumps” before it runs out of resources, (food, fuel, population etc) , is destroyed by Cylon raiders and base ships or betrayed from the inside by Cylon infiltrators and this is where things get really interesting.
Interesting because anyone of the players could be a Cylon. Dun dun derrrrrrrr
That’s right YOU could be a cylon or the player next to you or opposite and you would never know. It’s genius.
Each player takes the role of one of the main TV show characters from Adama to Starbuck and right at the beginning of the game you get an additional loyalty card telling you if you are a cylon or not.
Shhhhh. Tell no one your loyalty. Let them guess at your motives for not supporting the president. Let the paranoia build and most of all let the game mechanics that bogged the game down in the first couple of turns disappear into the background.
What comes next is a series of risk management choices which each of the players can choose to help or hinder depending on their loyalties.
In order to either get the battlestar to its objective or try and destroy it players use their skill sets and character traits to stave off ever increasingly dire crisis events in a tense bidding system.
As the game progresses the cylons reveal themselves subtly or otherwise and make a play to take control and the brave crew try to stop them.
The building tension, the feeling of barely getting through each crisis each turn and the clever character cards with traits that match the TV characters makes for a compelling game.
I played the part of Saul Tigh, EXO to Adama, staunch cylon hater and alcoholic. All traits of his in game. My twist, I’m a cylon. OMFG. Imagine that, Saul Tigh a cylon!
I revealed my loyalties at a key point and almost brougt the battlestar to its knees but was thwarted by the ever vigilant President Rosalyn.
Highlights were revealing my cylon status to gasps of hatred from the other players. Watching Adama save the day multiple times by “rolling a hard 6”. The whole group cheering spontaneously when we barely scraped through a crisis. You don’t often hear cheering during board games these days.
Give this game a go. I would suggest say 4 to 6 people. Two “getting to know the mechanics ” games where you try to experience all aspects of gameplay. Then fire up the FTL and … jump
Great game, great company and I hope to play again soon.
