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I did watch most episodes when BG was on the television the first time around.
However, I was not that much of a fan, except for one part of the show.
That was when Lucifer would say "by your command". Still to this day
that voice send shivers down my spine. I always thought that Vincent
Price had a scary voice, but Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith from 'Lost in
Space') just drips evil. The gist of the books and series is that the
Cylons (mostly robots) want to exterminate the last of the human race.
So, in the game you're playing either a Cylon or human pilot doing your
best in tactical battles during the war. I am sure I am butchering the
BG universe for those of you who are aficionados.
The
first thing you will see when looking at the box is the absolutely
amazing four minis that come with the game. You get two Cylon Raiders, a
Colonial Mark II Viper, and Apollo's Mark II Viper. The craftsmanship
that goes into these four is absolutely amazing. You will, (I know I
did), examine them in depth with a magnifying glass. Let's see what comes in the
box:
- Rulebook
- 1 Scenario Booklet
- 4 Spaceships with Gaming Bases
- 4 Control Panels
- Maneuver decks
- Pilot Cards
- Spaceship Cards
- Special Cards
- Rulers
- 2 Dice
- Counters, Tokens and Markers
 |
| Apollo's Viper |
The game is set up to have you up and shooting in no time. The Quick Start Rules start on page six of the rulebook and go to page twelve. For such a complex thing as warfare between starships in the vacuum of space, the rules are easy and elegant. The starships are treated just like WWI or WWII fighters, meaning that you have to aim your ship at the enemy in order to score a hit. There are no smart munitions to worry about. Nothing that can lock on and track you. The steps that you go through in the quick start rules are:
1. Plan your movement
2. Execute your spaceship movement
3. Fire your spaceships weapons
The
hexagonal movement cards show the player the exact route the players'
spaceships will move in following the players plans. You use a ruler, as in naval miniatures etc, to find the range and effectiveness of your fire. The control panel
that is used for each spaceship is a very innovative approach for aerial
games. With these there is no keeping track on the board or having to
write all of your moves etc. down.
The
Complete Rules start on page thirteen and go to page twenty. These
rules only add to the complexity of the quick start rules. The Optional
Rules go from page twenty to twenty-three. These add the following:
Aiming
Blank Maneuver Cards
Fuel
Three-Dimensional Space
Tailing
 |
| Cylon Raider |
The
game is excellent from the moment you open the box. I know I raved
earlier about the minis, but they are so good I have to continually say how incredibly impressive they are. The rules are very well written and walk the player through them in an easy manner. The game really shines when
you use the Complete Rules, and then add in the Optional ones. There are
a lot of these games to choose from. Do yourself a favor and at least
check this game out. Ten to one you will end up picking it up. Thank you
Ares Games for letting me review this excellent game.
I know there is probably some sort of rule where I am not supposed to mention or, heaven forbid, post something from someone else's review in your own, but the writing and sentiment is so good I can't help it. Of course, I have always had a problem with rules. Not to mention the fact that I have worn through three copies of Also Sprach Zarathustra. Along with being completely jealous that I didn't think of it first. Here it is:
"I'm raving about this game anywhere and everywhere I can, but admittedly I feel like Zarathustra come down from the mountain trying to convince people of the coming of the Uberspiel."
This is from Michael Barnes from his review:
Robert
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