Game: Buck Rogers - Battle for the 25th Century Game

Thread: Buck Rogers 2.0 is here!

drpetrov — 2008-11-07T07:55:47+00:00

Some of you have seen my house rules here on BGG.

I've been refining my rules for a while and the game is now different enough to create a separate version on BGG.

Here it is:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/39296

All the information and materials you need to play can be found there, as long as you have the original Buck Rogers: Bft25C game. This is a print & Play variant so feel free to print out the materials for your own game.

I'd love to hear from you guys about this variant so please post on the new game section.

Enjoy!

Peet

Image

streaky2007 — 2008-11-05T15:53:23+00:00

Venus setup from the sample game

Image

streaky2007 — 2008-11-05T15:51:06+00:00

Mars setup from the sample game

Image

streaky2007 — 2008-11-05T15:47:57+00:00

Pretty dice

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streaky2007 — 2008-11-05T15:43:16+00:00

Orange dudes waiting for something to shoot!

Thread: Some Basic Strategy Tips

drpetrov — 2008-10-31T20:15:58+00:00

Protect Your Factories.
Losing a factory, especially early in the game, can be a disaster. Not only are you losing production, but another player is generally gaining it. Remember that you can load your factories on to transports. Use this technique to take your factories with you if you have to retreat. When playing your factories at the start of the game, it is usually best to place them next to one another.

Engage your enemy with overwhelming force.
Whenever possible, make attacks against the enemy with as large a numerical advantage as possible. In a battle without leaders, if your 8 troopers engage 4 enemy troopers, not only will your troops likely win but they will probably take only 2 hits doing so. Destroying the enemy is usually not worth it if it also means losing all your own units. Take advantage of an enemy whose forces are spread out.

Develop a Planetary Base.
Securing an entire planet will make your life much easier. Once you have a planet as a base, you can safely build more factories and build orbital defenses. Without the immediate threat of invasion you can use your factories for production instead of bidding.

Take Out the Weak Link.
When it's time to expand and go after someone, the best target is obviously the weakest player. If you can reach him that's the one you should go after. If a player has gained control of a planet early, and has a well-built force, they probably aren't the player to antagonize, unless their own expedition has left their home planet poorly defended.

Thread: 4 player Variant

drpetrov — 2008-10-30T00:34:17+00:00

I played a 4-player game a little while ago and I have to admit it left me a little disappointed. That's because what essentially happens in a 4 player game is that each player ends up taking one of the planetary displays with little conflict at the start. Then they just build for a while until eventually the player who took the Earth/Moon display probably wins, thanks to his economic advantage.

It occurred to me that a way to deal with this would be to have one planet display at the start declared off-limits. If you are just going to say that one planet doesn't exist, then Mercury or Venus would be best for that. Allow slingshots around the planet, but landing on the planet is impossible.

However, an alternate system would be to create a neutral player whose forces occupy the planet in question.

Take 4 cards out of the deck, one for each planetary display (the asteroids don't count). Draw one of these cards randomly. This is the planet that is occupied by the neutral player. Take the rest of the cards for that planetary display out of the deck before dealing cards out to each player for starting positions.

Draw one of the cards from that planetary display randomly. Place 2 gennies and a factory of the neutral colour in that zone. Other zones on the planetary display start the game empty.

Each build phase the neutral faction will build 2 troopers at the zone with the factory, 1 trooper at every other zone on the planet's surface, and 1 fighter at each space object (i.e. Mariposas, Hielo, L4 Colony, L5 Colony, Deimos, and the Space Elevator are space objects). Once a player captures the factory, the neutral faction no longer gets any new units during the build phase.

The neutral units will never move.

If combat with the neutral player occurs, the player who has the least territorial zones chooses how the neutral player fights. Neutral units cannot retreat, however, nor can they hold their fire.

If anyone tries this variant, let me know how it works!

Peet

Thread: Re: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

ScottE — 2008-10-27T00:08:48+00:00

The microbadges are now available. I got a design and so does Pete. Beware that currently Pete's design is in the wrong spelling of the game and shows up under a unique catagory. I've already mentioned this to the MB admin so hopefully it will be fixed soon.

I've added a link on the main description section. Please purchase them so we can send our children to college!

EDIT- Badge now fixed!

Thread: Re: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

drpetrov — 2008-10-26T10:46:50+00:00

My picture wasn't approved because it was too small. Will re-post something.

Thread: Re: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

ScottE — 2008-10-25T20:26:50+00:00

I created a microbadge for this game. But it needs to be approved first. Will post when it's available for purchase.

I made a badge of Buck's likeness in the game. Here's what it looks like-

Thread: Re: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

ScottE — 2008-10-23T21:25:08+00:00

I've done a lot of microbadges myself so could take a crack at it. But your picture link doesn't work.

Thread: Re: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

fellonmyhead — 2008-10-23T20:51:01+00:00

I will give you a microbadge for it; let me know and I'll PM you my address.

Thread: Any way I can get a microbadge for this game?

drpetrov — 2008-10-23T20:29:24+00:00

I was thinking of the Solar System Display since the movement of planets is the thing that makes this game so distinct.

I made a little image that could be the basis of this and and posted it here:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/386394

Drpetrov

Thread: Re: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

drpetrov — 2008-10-23T19:55:38+00:00

It actually seems like only the basic game was actually playtested. The advanced rules and optional rules are in many cases poorly thought out.

Thread: Re: How to start sleeping on the couch.

malloc — 2008-07-25T21:31:40+00:00

Frankenfletch wrote:
Best title for a session report I've seen in a long while, great story as well.

You should ask her to play again tonight and every night until she agrees. then wipe the board with her a second time.

-M

Thread: Re: How to start sleeping on the couch.

Frankenfletch — 2008-07-25T15:38:29+00:00

Best title for a session report I've seen in a long while, great story as well.

Thread: Re: How to start sleeping on the couch.

harris_family — 2008-07-25T14:16:35+00:00

That is a great story and you have my sympathy. It should be some small consolation that your wife *does* play games and doesn't harbour the thinly veiled conviction that you are some puerile weirdo for indulging in this hobby of ours.

Simon

Btw - this a terrific game that doesn't get to my table often enough!

Thread: Re: How to start sleeping on the couch.

Harv — 2008-07-25T11:16:37+00:00

GreyLord wrote:
Which is why I am now sleeping on the couch instead of in my bed.

I thought this only happened on TV?

Thread: How to start sleeping on the couch.

GreyLord — 2008-07-25T04:47:53+00:00

Well, I just got this dandy awesome space game that I played once with a friend, called Buck Rogers: Battle for the 25th century, and I just had to play a game tonight. However, this isn't my normal game night, and there's only one other person to play with in the house, my wife.

Now that's actually not bad, she loves playing games normally, and was up to playing it against me...or so I thought.

We dealt out the cards, twelve territories with two players, which means there's a lot less troops for what you have to guard...and the game almost instantly went cut throat, which should have been a warning to me.

My wife got lucky and got almost all the Earth territories with the exception of Independant Arcologies, Australian Development, and Africa Regency. She put a factory in the American Regency, and since I had the Independant Arcologies, I put in some troops to make her think I was going to battle her over the Earth (I DID want the Earth, but didn't think I stood much of a chance of getting it). She also had several territories on Venus, and three territories on Mercury. I got the Moon, and Mars, and some Asteroids.

I picked up all my troops from the earth first turn, as she proceeded to conquer most of the Earth, as well as Venus and Mercury. I went for Mars and the Moon.

I started building another factory for Mars, and a Killer Satellite for the Moon, whilst she went and built up troops. I sent most of my troops along with a leader and the transport and all my fighters off to Venus.

They arrived and I went straight for the factory that she had there. I took it over, in the middle of production...and she glared at me. She was NOT happy at my taking one territory in Venus (Nevermind that she had all of Earth and All of Mercury, and was working over the outer satellites of Earth going satellite hopping, and had fighters ready to go off to the moon it looked like.

That should have been a sign to me...a sign that perhaps not all was well. IN fact, she wasn't just unwell, she was rather furious. She even expressed that she was angry.

Now a smart husband would have let go and either stopped playing, or decided maybe another strategy was in order. But not me. She had tried sabatoging her factory, but with no success, which had made her even angrier, because not only did I steal her territory, but it came with one of HER factories.

Meanwhile her assault on the moon didn't looks so well due to all the Gennies I had built there, and my position looked a little better, as I contued to make factories on Mars, and now with the other one on the Moon which I was devoting purely to defense in making Gennies, and the new on I just took over on Venus, it was looking like I might stand a chance.

I had 3 factories on Mars and built a small group of 2 fighters, which took off for Earth and took over one of the satellites there as my wife reeled from the loss of the Venus factory, and the troops that I had rolling across it. Buck Rogers was there however, and he held firm at not letting me attain her final property on Venus.

Meanwhile, she had 4 fighters swoop in on my two over at the L-5 colony, and a massive battle ensued where she had all 4 miss the first round (which is why luck in games can be so interesting, you never know exactly what may happen). I managed to shoot down one of her four, and then she had 3. The next round I shot down 2, and she shot down one...which left us on even ground. One each. It went several more rounds with neither of us scoring a hit, finally she got lucky and I did not, and I lost the L-5 colony as my second fighter went down in the vacuum of space.

However, I now had 4 factories on Mars and it was getting near the end game. I also had a transport planet hopping through the Astroids, and I had a small invasion force that had entered the inner orbit of Mercury to take the satellites.

She on the otherhand had built a gigantic invasion force of her own on Earth, with four factories, to counter the four factories I now had ON Mars. In the final round, I with four Battlers and four Fighters, met her two Battlers and 3 fighters and three transports full of invasion forces, blocking her in Earth's outer orbit for a final massive battle.

I won! I shouted in victory...and she literally stomped off and...made me feel bad as she turned out to take this loss excessively badly.

Which leads to the moral of the story as I sit here out in the Living Room. Sometimes it's not all about winning, and sometimes it's not even about enjoying the game. Sometimes it's about knowing when to hold, Knowing when to fold them, knowing when to walk away...and knowing when to run.

I may have won the game...but in this instance I lost the war...

Which is why I am now sleeping on the couch instead of in my bed...and my wife at least has that final victory over me.

Thread: Re: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

ScottE — 2008-06-01T23:06:49+00:00

Thanks all for the comments. It's strange the leaders are so unbalanced and that didn't show up in playtesting. I'm not sure how you normally would pick them but if its just random that seems harsh. Maybe a draft system work work better. Maybe they felt since each player only gets one hero that the special ability wouldn't come up enough to matter over the full game.

I like the concept of the leaders since it gives each side some flavor. Maybe if each leader could only use the power every other turn. So if you use the power you flip a marker that gets unflipped the next turn.

Anyway, I hope the game is as fun as the rules seem to indicate. I love the design and the solar system rotation is very original.

Thread: Re: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

ipgyst — 2008-06-01T15:44:07+00:00

The basic game is fun enough. When you get tired of that, add the other stuff.

Thread: Re: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

Sphere — 2008-06-01T15:23:40+00:00

The leaders are interesting but pretty unbalanced, so if you're playing competitively I wouldn't add the leader rules. Other than that, just have at it. Fun game.

Thread: Re: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

GROGnads — 2008-06-01T11:35:39+00:00

Just start OFF with the "Basic" version then, until you get familiarized with that ALL, before commencing to "tackle" the more advanced RULES. Have plenty of fun with that also.

Thread: Just got the game, any ideas for first game?

ScottE — 2008-06-01T10:42:05+00:00

I found this game at a local game con flea market last weekend. Been eyeing it for awhile on BGG. Was surprised when I saw it so asked the woman behind the table what she wanted for it. Expected $50+ and was shocked when she said $10! She said it was complete but didn't even look in the box, bought it right away. Glad I did too since the guy behind me wanted it. It was missing one green player control marker but there was a spare blank marker so created a new one. What luck!

So anyway, want to get this to the table soon. There's many advanced and optional rules and was curious what people recommend. Was thinking of the advanced rules without the leader powers since people have commented they are unbalanced. What about all the optional rules? And noticed a suggestion to keep the transports at 4 movement.

Would like to hear thoughts for our first game. It will be a 4 player game and all of us are experienced gamers.

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

jorbradshaw — 2008-05-15T01:21:18+00:00

harris_family wrote:
jorbradshaw wrote:
Verdict: Awesome!
So you've happened upon this game and want to know what it's all about? Well, the rules are posted on the geek, so you know it's a conquer the solar system game. You build ships, troopers, transports and what not, then fling them about the solar system smashing the crap out of everyone.
I've always liked this one, always thought of it as Axis & Allies in space. Plus you can see this game in Nexus Ops family tree - another fave!

jorbradshaw wrote:
Plus, it's got great little toys that double as game pieces. You can buy a ton more from this science supply website (linked on the game page). I bought enough for 10 Buck Rogers games. I dunno why...
The bits are, indeed, wonderful! I did notice that they were being used in playtesting of the upcoming Galactic Emperor. Thats got to be a compliment given it's age!

jorbradshaw wrote:
Everyone should play until a clear victor emerges. We always play with a common home rule, if the majority of players agree that one person is the inevitable winner, then the game ends right there.
Although I can see the attraction of this variant, it very much goes against the 'game end' as written in the rules. Basically, it's when ONE of the following criteria are met;
1 - control 15 zones at the end of your turn
2 - have the last surviving leader
3 - mutual surrender of all other players
4 - whoever controls most areas at the end of one Earth 'year'. In other words after Earth has made one complete revolution of the sun which takes eight turns.

To be sure, the 8-turn rule limits turtling but I have never seen anyone *totally* out of the running by the end of the 'year'.

Nice review all the same - as Matt said, nice to see older games getting an airing! One last bit of advice I would give to anyone dusting this one off - ignore the advanced rules! Some of the leader powers are widely accepted to be *very* unbalanced.

Simon

I see those ending conditions, and I'm sure they are in the rules, but we usually play until the majority of players still in the game vote for a winner. A sort of 'galactic counsel' sort of thing. It's similar, but not the same, as win condition 3 above. We never end after a year or any other artificial means. We stop when most of the survivors wish to declare me the winner...or sometimes someone else is declared, but that doesn't happen hardly ever!

EDIT: We play Shogun the same way. We end the game when WE say it ends, not by some artificial mechanic. Hate it when the game ends and I still have an invincible army of death waiting to crush all comers.

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

jorbradshaw — 2008-05-15T01:09:30+00:00

harris_family wrote:
Sphere wrote:
jorbradshaw wrote:
Not too complicated, with a sweet planetary rotation mechanism that effects adjacency.

To clarify, the planets orbit in the game, which affects proximity in a periodic manner as one would expect. Planetary rotation doesn't come into play.
Ahah! The old revolve vs rotate discussion.

Simon

Ha. Didn't even notice that. Yes, he is correct. They revolve!

EDIT: Here is the link to buy pieces.
http://www.sciplus.com/search.cfm You may have to search for 'Buck Rogers' to get to the right spot.

EDIT2: I have no idea about any kind of 'face lift'. If there is a new version coming out, feel free to lemme know. And buy me one.

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

Barry Kendall — 2008-05-14T13:48:43+00:00

Good to see enthusiasm for this good old highly underrated (is that an oxymoron?) game. It is "Axis & Allies in space" indeed! Approaching it with no assumptions about the "Buck Rogers Backstory" makes for enjoyable play.

Oh, and I, too, ask: What facelift?!

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

harris_family — 2008-05-14T08:45:34+00:00

Sphere wrote:
jorbradshaw wrote:
Not too complicated, with a sweet planetary rotation mechanism that effects adjacency.

To clarify, the planets orbit in the game, which affects proximity in a periodic manner as one would expect. Planetary rotation doesn't come into play.
Ahah! The old revolve vs rotate discussion.

Simon

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

Sphere — 2008-05-14T04:25:20+00:00

jorbradshaw wrote:
Not too complicated, with a sweet planetary rotation mechanism that effects adjacency.

To clarify, the planets orbit in the game, which affects proximity in a periodic manner as one would expect. Planetary rotation doesn't come into play.

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

ScottE — 2008-05-14T01:59:07+00:00

Robrob wrote:
With its recent total "fashion makeover" I predict this game will be getting a lot of new fans.

Fashion makeover? What do you mean? Did someone redo the graphics like what was done on Merchant of Venus?

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

autumnweave — 2008-05-13T23:56:59+00:00

jorbradshaw wrote:
Verdict: Awesome!
Plus, it's got great little toys that double as game pieces. You can buy a ton more from this science supply website (linked on the game page). I bought enough for 10 Buck Rogers games. I dunno why...

Where is this link? I couldn't find it. (Which means that it's someplace obvious staring me in the face and I'm jsut missing it.)

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

Robrob — 2008-05-13T23:18:00+00:00

I always liked that the palnets and asteroids rotated.

With its recent total "fashion makeover" I predict this game will be getting a lot of new fans.

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

harris_family — 2008-05-13T22:44:37+00:00

jorbradshaw wrote:
Verdict: Awesome!
So you've happened upon this game and want to know what it's all about? Well, the rules are posted on the geek, so you know it's a conquer the solar system game. You build ships, troopers, transports and what not, then fling them about the solar system smashing the crap out of everyone.
I've always liked this one, always thought of it as Axis & Allies in space. Plus you can see this game in Nexus Ops family tree - another fave!

jorbradshaw wrote:
Plus, it's got great little toys that double as game pieces. You can buy a ton more from this science supply website (linked on the game page). I bought enough for 10 Buck Rogers games. I dunno why...
The bits are, indeed, wonderful! I did notice that they were being used in playtesting of the upcoming Galactic Emperor. Thats got to be a compliment given it's age!

jorbradshaw wrote:
Everyone should play until a clear victor emerges. We always play with a common home rule, if the majority of players agree that one person is the inevitable winner, then the game ends right there.
Although I can see the attraction of this variant, it very much goes against the 'game end' as written in the rules. Basically, it's when ONE of the following criteria are met;
1 - control 15 zones at the end of your turn
2 - have the last surviving leader
3 - mutual surrender of all other players
4 - whoever controls most areas at the end of one Earth 'year'. In other words after Earth has made one complete revolution of the sun which takes eight turns.

To be sure, the 8-turn rule limits turtling but I have never seen anyone *totally* out of the running by the end of the 'year'.

Nice review all the same - as Matt said, nice to see older games getting an airing! One last bit of advice I would give to anyone dusting this one off - ignore the advanced rules! Some of the leader powers are widely accepted to be *very* unbalanced.

Simon

Thread: Re: An Average Jo Review

mattlaclair — 2008-05-13T21:12:54+00:00

Glad to see there's someone else reviewing older games, Joe. Keep up the good work.

Thread: An Average Jo Review

jorbradshaw — 2008-05-13T18:46:08+00:00

Verdict: Awesome!

So you've happened upon this game and want to know what it's all about? Well, the rules are posted on the geek, so you know it's a conquer the solar system game. You build ships, troopers, transports and what not, then fling them about the solar system smashing the crap out of everyone.

Plus, it's got great little toys that double as game pieces. You can buy a ton more from this science supply website (linked on the game page). I bought enough for 10 Buck Rogers games. I dunno why...

It's great. Really. Not too complicated, with a sweet planetary rotation mechanism that effects adjacency. It should also be noted that having at ton of territory doesn't add to production much, you need factories for that. But remember, if you own it, no one else can, and smashing is the name of the game.

Everyone should play until a clear victor emerges. We always play with a common home rule, if the majority of players agree that one person is the inevitable winner, then the game ends right there.

It should be noted that this is NOT a Euro or Eurotrash game. It is FIRMLY in the Americana or Ameritrash genre. There is direct conflict and interaction galor, and the rules are based on the theme. You roll bucket loads of dice, and player elimination is very much part of the game. If you are looking for a nonconfrontational efficiency game, this is not for you.

Sincerely,
Jo

Image

race9 — 2008-04-02T05:29:00+00:00

Near Moon Orbit

Thread: Re: "Battlefield EARTH!"

GROGnads — 2007-12-18T09:08:28+00:00

CharmlessMan77 wrote:
Although I have pulled it out and sorted out all my chits and ships in to the proper area in the provided polystyrene sort trays. Yeah, WE 'know' that "feeling" as we had to go through this as well, BEFORE commencing our playing. I've often wondered if it might be feasible to "extend" THIS to some of the outer 'planets'? Perhaps, that would then allow yet some MORE 'races' to become "created"!

Thread: Re: "Battlefield EARTH!"

CharmlessMan77 — 2007-12-11T03:37:07+00:00

Tremendous session report. This is one of my favourite games. I managed to pick up my old copy from the UK this time last year. Although I have pulled it out and sorted out all my chits and ships in to the proper area in the provided polystyrene sort trays. Now I have a more regular gaming group I am hoping this one actually hits the table pretty soon.

Thread: "Battlefield EARTH!"

GROGnads — 2007-12-10T20:48:58+00:00

Our "power" had been knocked out the previous day here-(Dec.3rd) and since nobody could get online or anything using such, then we resolved to PLAY out a "game" of this while we had "daylight" for that. This time, I had my nephew Kevin-(yeah, the guy that WON the online Contest last year with the movie premiere involving 'M-I-3'!), with myself for it all then. We decided to have 2 "colors" for EACH of us, with the proviso of also having to obtain '20'-Areas in order to WIN for any "color". This was also the BASIC "Game" that we were playing, since it is much easier for those of us that hadn't played it in some time then. These "Allied" forces also didn't have to 'BATTLE' with one another either, such as within "Near Orbits", but that did restrict "Moves" just the same. They also couldn't combine with one another, nor could they take over any of another's "Allied" AREAS. I'll denote what our initial placements were and their general dispositions with these here to begin with.

GROGnads:
BLUE: I 'got': 2 "rocks"!-(Asteroids); 2-"Venus"; 1-"Mercury" Space Station; and 1-"Mars" I had "Buck Rogers".
GREEN: I got: 1-"rock"-(Asteroid); 2 "Earth"-(adjacent); 1-"Earth Moon"; 1-"Earth" Space Station; 1-"Mars Moon" I have "Wilma Deering".

Kevin
TAN: 1-"Venus"; 1-"Mercury" Space Station; 1-"Mars; 1-"Earth"; 1-"Earth" Space Station; 1-"Earth Moon" He has "Black Bart".
YELLOW: 2-"Earth"-(non adjacent); 1-"Venus"; 1-"Mars"; 1-"Earth Moon"; 1-"Mercury" He has "Killer Kane".

I had a fairly decent concentration for placements in the "Earth" system, as did HE, and that is where we concentrated most of our forces. We both had placements on "Mercury", while I had "Venus" & "Mars" with the "rocks" pretty much all to myself as well. As it eventually transpired, then we focused on bringing our forces to bear at "Earth"!

1st TURN:
YELLOW was to go 1st, and they abandoned "Earth"! They had to leave behind a "Factory" with 4-"Troopers", while taking off and ending up with the remainder, or bulk of their forces in the "Near Earth Orbit" of which included a "Factory", as well with having a 'Leader' with 2-"Troopers" on the "Moon"!

GREEN was 2nd and just had to 'pounce' on the YELLOW 'Leader' and forces on the "Moon"! They also went after the TAN "Earth" forces in order to consolidate that as quickly as possible.

TAN was 3rd and went after the BLUE "Mercury" Space Station Forces, while abandoning "Venus" & "Mars" and sitting still upon the "Earth Moon"-(since they couldn't reinforce the YELLOW forces there!)

BLUE wisely abandoned the "Mercury" Space Station-(but had to leave behind some Defenders), and made for the 'surfaces' instead, while they then went around claiming AREAS on "Venus", "Mars", and the "rocks", as there wasn't much they could do in the meantime.

1st "Turn" BATTLES:
"Earth"-GREEN defeats TAN forces handily-(GREEN also had their 'Leader' present.)
"Moon"-GREEN defeats YELLOW and renders the remaining forces *INERT* due to the LOSS of their 'Leader' in this!
"Mercury"-TAN defeats BLUE "Space Station" defenders.

YES! What certainly appeared to BE a "walkover" for the "Earth" system-(as regards the disparity of forces between us ALL as allocated from the start), then it had been turned around now! In retrospect, then we agreed that HE should have gone onto "Earth" instead, and then build UP from there.

2nd "Turn" and afterwards:
YELLOW was wiped out completely in the "Earth Near Orbit" Zone, along with their "Earth"-bound forces by GREEN, who also gained a "Factory" out of that, despite the attempt for 'self destruction' with this.
TAN held onto the "Moon", whilst trying to get BACK onto "Earth", although by then there was that pesky "Killer Satellite" of which destroyed 2/3rds of some "Near Orbit" forces of his when it was built!
GREEN had consolidated on "Earth" and was prepping for some future "Conquest of the MOON!"
BLUE plodded along taking over AREAS here and there whilst slowing amassing the required '20' for eventual "Victory"! They did manage an "Assault" late in the "game" against some TAN forces holding out on an "Earth" Space Station and gained that, including a "Factory" there.

In Conclusion: By around "Turn" '8', then we had one last *gasp* 'BATTLE' on the "Earth's Moon", in which TAN and GREEN went at it against one another. The TAN "Earth Moon" "Killer Satellite" even took out a "Transport" fully loaded with GREEN "Troopers", with eventually surviving forces of TAN's as a result from this. During that same "Turn", then with BLUE plopping down upon unoccupied enemy "Moon" AREAS, and garnering the final few of that in which to end UP with '21' of those for the WIN! Overall, it was quite exciting as we had some decent 'BATTLES' that helped keep away one another, in order to amass what we would require for that "Final Battle" showdown.

Thread: Re: Offensive Gennie Variant

Mozai — 2007-10-04T17:41:43+00:00

I incorporated this variant into my houserules, giving the Gennies the "first strike" power as long as they target troopers. I also gave them the ability to land from a transport in orbit, much like "space marines."

Here's a direct link:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/file/info/26834

Thread: Re: New Leaders

Mozai — 2007-10-04T17:39:38+00:00

OK, my houserules v. 1.22 is up on the board. I included these two leaders as well as two more which I just made up.

Here's a direct link:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/file/info/26834

Thread: Re: House Rules test

Mozai — 2007-10-04T04:56:17+00:00

OK, my house rules file has been approved and is now on the board.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

Liumas — 2007-09-22T17:22:50+00:00

GROGnads wrote:
We're BOTH 'correct' on these
Right!

GROGnads wrote:
"Good Gamings for YOU!"
Any minute now...

Fun game!

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

GROGnads — 2007-09-22T09:04:49+00:00

Liumas wrote:
Please show me in any place that I am wrong here. In the event that you believe that I am not correct.
While YOU had already provided this "proof", and I just verified this when I read through the RULES myself about it all. Now, glimpse at the diagrammed "example" that they'd provided in the Rulebook on page 11. You'll notice that the 'Transport' of which had picked UP the 'Factory' then has to LEAVE the planet's "surface" in order to DELIVER that '2' "T.Z." spaces away. Otherwise, then it would be FORCED to deposit this in the 1st "T.Z." that it "Moved" into with such, as was stated that it HAS to! I also just took notice that in this, there is Case H) where it does state that you CAN "disembark" SOME 'Troopers' during the "Transportation" procedure, and then continue ONWARD with the remainder so there we have it now! We're BOTH 'correct' on these, because thanks to that "example" provided, then it clearly illustrates HOW to get around the "restrictions" with what we'd been discussing here, eh wot? oh yeah, and:
"Good Gamings for YOU!"

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

Liumas — 2007-09-22T07:01:35+00:00

GROGnads wrote:
I don't dispute that this is a fine & dandy "House Rule"
I'm so glad that we can talk all civil like (New York is one of the most crime free states in the nation). Unlike some of what goes on in this website.

I hate to rain on your parade and aLL that, but this is no hou$e rule. This is the rules as written. Just finally been able to interpret it so that it makes sense and aLL that. I thought you were agreeing here, and offering up supporting data. I agree that you are free to roll your own, not just the rules say so, but you own the game, thusly.

Please show me in any place that I am wrong here. In the event that you believe that I am not correct.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

GROGnads — 2007-09-22T00:29:27+00:00

Liumas wrote:
All of what you say is cool, GROG, all great clarifications. None of this contradicts anything I've said here. My 'condensed rules' in the file section are correct and has not required any updates.

I'll point out that in my first post above I mentioned '4 Troopers' - this was just an example, and has nothing to do with the fact that a Transport can carry up to 5 Troopers. The point for me is that a Transport can move 4 Troopers to 4 different Territorial Zones in a single turn; this is barring other factors you mention such as the presence of enemy units.

I enjoy the new GROGnads Avatar, though I found your prior Avatar to be particularly sassy. Oh sure, and I don't dispute that this is a fine & dandy "House Rule", but it isn't THE 'Rule', as that is what I was pointing out. It should be even brought UP and mentioned upon BEFORE play commences, so that anyone involved for such doesn't misunderstand the ramifications with it ALL. What you propose makes greater 'sense' than what IS already the considerations on that. I see where nothing is "written in stone" for whatever, so having an 'Amended' version of this doesn't detract, but, in FACT contributes to an "improved" sort then. I fully agree with what shall thusly create a better understanding with implementing this complementary feature, just so's we're ALL in concomitances for it.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

Liumas — 2007-09-21T23:57:08+00:00

All of what you say is cool, GROG, all great clarifications. None of this contradicts anything I've said here. My 'condensed rules' in the file section are correct and has not required any updates.

I'll point out that in my first post above I mentioned '4 Troopers' - this was just an example, and has nothing to do with the fact that a Transport can carry up to 5 Troopers. The point for me is that a Transport can move 4 Troopers to 4 different Territorial Zones in a single turn; this is barring other factors you mention such as the presence of enemy units.

I enjoy the new GROGnads Avatar, though I found your prior Avatar to be particularly sassy.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

GROGnads — 2007-09-21T22:30:57+00:00

While THIS also compelled myself to delve deeper into that all, and to clarify matters further. In the "Basic" RULES, then a 'Load'-(either a single 'Factory' or UP to 5 'Troopers') can't be "Moved" more than ONCE with a 'Transport'!~ Page-11 Para.3 1st-Line. There is an additional "Restriction" for this that once you "Move" into a 'Territorial Zone' with ENEMY 'Units', then you END this there now as well. Keeping in mind with the aforementioned "Unloading" strictures, then basically those preclude the ability to 'drop off' anything except for ALL aboard! The "example" that they state along with the ONE on display shown for this isn't sufficiently clear enough, while the "No more than being 'Transported' ONCE per Turn" then should make it out as such. Now, granted that it is true they have stated what you'd also said, regarding the 'Transports' being capable of performing their "Loadings/Unloadings", yet you still have to perform those within the other aspects also proscribed.

I shall also point out that in the "Advanced" RULES, then you are allowed to "Move" things around more than ONCE per 'Turn', as long as you have another different 'Transport' to conduct that with~ Page-10 Section-I "Transport Hopping", but it still doesn't permit the "Loading/Unloading" of partial amounts. They also will give these 'Troopers' a FREE "Move" after they disembark~ Page-10 Section-J "Movement After Unloading", unlike the "Basic" RULES for this.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

Liumas — 2007-09-21T19:51:54+00:00

GROGnads wrote:
feel obliged to state here that your alternative then ceases the 'Transport's' "Move" when and where it unloads the 1st of any "cargo"!
The rules are saying when a Transport stops moving on a 'Territory' (as in Land, not Space) zone then all aboard is considered 'Unloaded'.

How I interpreted this 'way more fun' is correct, as can be seen by the following additional quote from the rules.

"Loading and unloading are free and can be done at any time during a Transport's move. The Transport can load and unload units as often as the player wants as long as the load limit is never exceeded and the Transport doesn't move more than 4 zones."

What hung me up at the time was the later rule, "Units are considered Unloaded as soon as a Transport lands at a Territorial Zone." In light of the prior quote, this should be interpreted to mean, "Units are considered Unloaded as soon as a Transport ends it movement for the current turn at a Territorial Zone." Here, 'lands' is not the same thing as 'stops' - as long as the Transport is still moving it can load and unload units. (all emphasis is mine.)

Sometimes it is possible to overthink things. Made worse by poor word choice in rules text.

This here is different than the other games you site, but Thanks For Replying! It made me respond here and clear this up once and for all with supporting rules quotes.

Thread: Re: Transport Unloads?

GROGnads — 2007-09-21T04:16:25+00:00

While I shall feel obliged to state here that your alternative then ceases the 'Transport's' "Move" when and where it unloads the 1st of any "cargo"! With the other means as pointed out, you would be able to continue "Moves" for that 'Transport', thereby allowing for this to perhaps seek SAFETY with some other nearby force, or back out into "Orbit"! I understand that you're desiring some latitude in loading/offloading with partial amounts, but they may have already considered that aspect, and decided whereupon this ought to LIMIT the players in this manner. It brings to my mind about the 'Transport' "Rules" for the "Axis & Allies" games, where you could pick UP at several places as that moved along, but then you HAD to "disgorge" any and ALL into just one *spot*! NO matter that maybe a "Sea Zone" might be adjacent to 2 or more placement opportunities where a 'Transport' was within reach for such, it was felt that the individual "vessel" just couldn't BE at 2 locales in the amount of "effort" allotted for this at the time. I also realize that this doesn't SOLVE your 'problem' for the most part, yet you'll just have to WORK with what you have available then, or try some "House Rules" in the meantime.

Thread: Re: House Rules test

Mozai — 2007-09-21T00:46:54+00:00

OK, I've finally uploaded version 1.22 of my house rules in .zip format. included are images for new leader cards. Hopefully it will be approved by the moderator soon and you can all have a look.

BTW, who is the moderator for this game? I'd like to erase previous incarnations of my houserules if possible.

Peet

Thread: Re: New Leaders

Mozai — 2007-09-16T02:31:52+00:00

As written, the leader powers are unbalanced. But a few fixes and you're all set. You need to Nerf Ardala and Kane, and beef Huer (a lot) and Barney (a little).

I just posted my v.1.2 houserules which have the modified powers that I use. I've worked it out and it seems pretty good. I'm going to post v.1.21 soon which includes these two new leaders as options.

Peet

Thread: Re: New Leaders

harris_family — 2007-09-15T19:13:24+00:00

Barry Kendall wrote:
Even without the leaders, I've always thought this was a better game than it got credit for. Nice to see it getting some attention.
Barry / Peet,
I'm with you guys on this one - this had completely slipped off my radar. A&A in space? sounds good to me! And the self-limiting timescale of one Earth year (i.e. 8 turns) really does stop all that faffing about with "oh, maybe I'll attack next turn". We never got around to playing with 'player powers' (despite it being a favourite mechanic of mine) - I was led to believe by other 'geeks' that they were a bit unbalanced.

Thread: Re: New Leaders

Barry Kendall — 2007-09-15T01:37:45+00:00

Even without the leaders, I've always thought this was a better game than it got credit for. Nice to see it getting some attention.

Thread: New Leaders

Mozai — 2007-09-15T01:22:59+00:00

I've been looking at some old Buck Rogers stuff and I think there are a couple of other leaders that could be introduced.

In particular, these characters from the 1930's films:
Prince Tallen of Saturn
King Grallo of the Martian Tiger Men

Of course, you'd need to come up with some custom figures or just use the unused leaders to represent the new ones.

Here are the powers I've come up with:

King Grallo:
When King Grallo is in a battle, during the first round you may ignore one casualty of your choice. All troopers and gennies with King Grallo get +1 to hit.

If all the units with King Grallo are killed in the first round, then he must choose a unit to preserve immediately; otherwise he may wait until all units have fired before choosing how to use his power.

Prince Tallen:
When Prince Tallen is in a battle in a territorial zone, he may fire at enemy units as if he was a gennie. Prince Tallen controls the Saturn Factory at the start of the game.

The "Saturn Factory" represents the fact that Prince Tallen can call on reinforcements from Saturn. It is only used if Prince Tallen is in the game. Saturn is connected to the solar system display by a line with one dot on it that connects to the starting position of Ceres, at the top of the solar system display. However, travelling a space along this line requires a ship's entire movement for a turn. If a ship has less than 4 movement points remaining it cannot travel down this line and must wait until the next turn.

The Saturn Factory does not count as a space on the board for victory purposes, but units are built there by the Prince Tallen player as if it was territorial zone with a factory there which cannot be removed. The zone begins play with a transport, a fighter, and a control marker. The Prince Tallen player can build there normally. If another player conquers the space he gains nothing and from then on no units can be built there; the only purpose for another player to invade the space is to prevent Prince Tallen from using it.

If Ardala steals prince Tallen, the Prince Tallen player may not build units at the Saturn Factory, nor may he move units that are at Saturn.

If anyone tries these variant leaders I'd love to hear how it went. Also, if anyone could find appropriate artwork for new leader cards that would be awesome.

Peet

Image

randywilburn — 2007-05-05T20:23:54+00:00

Fighters

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randywilburn — 2007-05-05T20:22:41+00:00

Battlers

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randywilburn — 2007-05-05T20:21:03+00:00

Transports

Image

randywilburn — 2007-05-05T20:18:09+00:00

Playing Pieces

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randywilburn — 2007-05-05T20:16:44+00:00

Leader Character