So I finally got my game on Thursday so I decieded that we must play it on our Friday Board Game evening. It was propably one of the first games in our country because they dont even sell it here yet.

It was kind of sad that none of my BSG fans friends could not come this week so I was the only player who saw more than few part (I saw all of them ) and there was also one guy that wasnt really good in english so that made the game even more difficult. But I think we all enjoyed it.

So I took a while (about 1 hour) to explain the game, since I didnt even know about all of the rules but I studied thoroughly, few weeks before.

Game #1

In 5 players. We had Helo, Starbuck, Gaius, Boomer and me as last got XO (and I got You are the Cylon right away). I wanted to go easy on the since thos was a first game. But right in second Crisis the current played got chance to look at Admirals Loyalty card (me) and could see that I am CYLON. What a lucker. Since that I spent half of the game in Brig helping the humans trying to convince them I am one of them. I only didnt help when it seem they could lose morale, since that was the resource going down fast. Later on a got out of Brig and I propably should reveal myself but I didnt, so next round we jumped and the Secret Agent phase I got second You are Cylon card, that really sucked, knowing I have no fellow toaster among the fleet. Before I got chance to reveal myself I was in Brig once again. Humans almost made it when travelled distance 8 but wasnt able to jump last time since morale went out. 1-0 for Cylons.

Game #2

In 4 players. We had Sturbuck (same guy, he seems to like her ), Laura, Old Man and me as Apollo. This time we started easyli and after few runs It seemed that there in no Cylon among us. They still put me in a Brig just to make sure. Sucked But then heavy raiders striked, Starbuck could handle them and I was still in Brig, I manage to get out but too late, the boarded Galactica. I failed to kill them with armory and they vented us in space. Even before Sleeper agent phase. 2-0 for Cylons.

Game #3

In 4 players. This time Starbuck again, Helo, Laura and I tried Chief. Beeing chief really sucked in the beginning, I had almost nothing to do, since my Engeneering cards were no use and I ould keep only 8 in my hand each time. There was no Cylon in the beginning again. So it seemed really good for us. After the Sleeper Aged phase it still looked OK. We were a little low on resources but still ok. But then Laura put me in the Brig, by that time we were sure she is Cylon, but we failed to put her in Brig, she reveald herself putting Helo in Brig. Very funny that Starbuck was the only player NOT in Brig. But then t he Destiny didnt wish us good luck. We lost Armory during Baseship Attack and I could get out of Brig since destiny was against me as well as Laura - Cylons 5 Leadership card. They she played SuperCrisis, we failed and were boarded. By that time I knew we are doomed. 3-0 for Cylons.

So my Questions:

Is it really that hard to win for Humans? What is propably the best player count to win as human?

Very important one. When Heavy raider is activated to board Galactica and there are e.g. 3 Heavy raiders in that area, do we get 3 Cylon Boarding Markers or just one? Beacause you activate them every round it is very hard to destroy them then. And since rules says the are activated every round, what if the crisis card activateds them as well? Do they get activated twice or just once?

When piloting a viper and want to stay in viper, I just give up my Movement oportunity? Moving a viper is considered as Action right?

Can Weapon control shoot only Base Ships or also Raiders and Heavy R.?

Seems that Executive Order isnt as good as it seems. I give up my Action to give someonle else other action if he does not move. So basicly we used it only to give it to Starbuck so she could with 3x Max.Firepower attack 12 times. I could not see other use.

Can all humas player end up in Brig?

One last but very important. When Raiders are activated all Raiders perform one action right? And it is up to current player to decide? So when there is an area in space were 3 Raiders are one Viper, one Civ Ships is the the right course od action? 1 raider attacks viper, we roll a die and viper is destroyed, second attack civ ship, auto kill, 3rd raider moves to nearest civ ship then.

Thank for your answers.

Rozy.

Rozy said:

You could have revealed yourself, go to the Resurrection Ship and then use the location to give your unrevealed other Cylon card to another player, getting yourself an ally.

Rozy said:

The game is geared slightly towards the Cylons. The humans can only win if they stick together, work together and try to single out possible Cylons as fast as possible. I am not sure what you mean with "best player count". The actual number of players does not change the game's difficulty.

Rozy said:

You will get three Centurion markers. However, Heavy Raiders and Centurions are NOT activated automatically every round. Instead, they are only activated when the crisis card shows a Heavy Raider activation symbol.

Rozy said:

Yes and no. Activating an unmanned Viper will let you either launch, move or attack with it. If you pilot a Viper, you have one movement automatically each round in addition to your normal action - with which you can, too, move. So if you pilot a Viper, you can either move twice or move once and attack once.

Rozy said:

You can target any Cylon ship, including Raiders and Heavy Raiders.

Rozy said:

Executive Order is very powerful. Remember, that it gives the target player either move + action or two actions. Somebody in Control would be able to launch four Vipers, for example. Or, alternatively, the president at the President's Office could draw and play two Quorum cards or simply draw four Quorum cards.

Executive Order is the key to unified human victory.

Rozy said:

Yes. And if they do, they should probably change their current playing strageties.

Rozy said:

This would be correct.

Oh, it seems I overlooked the rules about the Heavy Raiders activation, that happens when we play in late night

Seems a lot easier when we can attack H. Raiders with Weapon Control

Beeing able to move the Viper and then attack makes is easier too

But still I have doubts about the Executive Order (EO), why I would give the some player an EO so he could lunch 4 Vipers, when I can move there and lunch 2 right now and he can lunch 2 later. I would logicaly say that lunching 2 now and 2 later is better the only 4 later, when a lot of things can happen right now.

Also I have Question about the Communication, I dont think we ever used it in 3 games. Is it good to you it, seems there is a lot other thing to do. Specialy in 4 players when one i still in Brig

Rozy said:

IYou move to comman and give him an Executive Order - he can launch 4. Then he gives you an Executive Order, and YOU can launch 4, too. Viola, double the Viper number.

Communications is important once Raiders close in on civilian ships - or if you're a cylon and want civilian ships to be moved into the direction of incoming Raiders.

Mike said:

Am I missing something? Due to my understanding EO is ACTION. So I use my ACTION to give someone EO, so he would then only lunch 2 vipers as his first ACTION and the other ACTION would be to give EO to me. So i could lunch 4 raiders. So if i sumarize it I use 2 EO in 3 ACTION WINDOWS to lunch 6 vipers. Without using EO I can still lunch 6 vipers in 3 ACTION windows.

No, you are right, I missed that one. But it doesn't necessarily have to be the player after you that gives you the EO. Remember, that there may be other characters somewhere else that might be better suited (for example a president that does not want to get off Colonial One to get to Command to launch Vipers).

Staying with the example, two players would use two turns to launch six Vipers. Without EO, you would need at least three turns. That is a pretty big win.

Mike said:

Ok the first part makes sence but from what I have observed there is not much time to play safe and nice, you have to sacrifice yourself or you will be destroyed.

In the second part I think you are wrong again. Staying with the example, you forgot one more ACTION and that is someone has to start with giving the EO (1st turn), then lunch 2 and give EO (2nd turn), lunch 4 (3rd turn).

So I stay with my original statement that I dont see so much use of EO. I think that the non-action Skills like Strategic Planing is far more usefull. I would find EO far more usefull if it was non-Action Skill (maybe with one per round restriction), maybe that way it would be to strong...

Rozy said:

You might be missing something from the FAQ. There can be only 1 EO played on a turn. If (for example) Adama is in the Command location, and Balter gives Adama an Executive Order, then Adama could take two actions, activating 4 vipers. But, Adama can not use his second action to play another EO.

TK

OK, thanks for clarification I have not seen that.

And one more Question for you guys. If there are 3 Cylon Bording Party Markers and I succesfuly use Armory to destroy them, I destroy them al right, not just one.

Still Rozy is right. I forgot the action to play EO again. I should drink more coffee.

To end this discussion - EO is *the* card to go with for the humans to win. Obviously I can construct a lot of situations in which it is not as valuable - but the game is ultimately decided on the game board. And from what we all know, the game board doesn't adhere to constructed situations.

With EO you have to be inventive, but if you are, you will win the game.

Rozy said:

Too bad, human! One good shot from the Armory kills only one Centurion. Yet another good use for the Executive Order!

TK

"If there are 3 Cylon Bording Party Markers and I succesfuly use Armory to destroy them, I destroy them al right, not just one."

You only destroy one centurion for each activation and successful dice roll on the armory. In other words, if you have three centurions on board, you will need to activate the armory at least three times to get rid of all of them (unless I have completely misunderstood the rules).

EDIT: I'm too slow...

YUKI is correct. Which means, if you get a Centurion infestation, then stock up on your Executive Order and Strategic Planning cards (so you can give other players' double activations in the Armory, and increase their dice rolls by 2, making each attempt a coin flip rather than a 1 in 4 shot.

Rozy said:

Rozy said:

We had Sturbuck (same guy, he seems to like her ), Laura, Old Man and me as Apollo.

Rozy said:

They still put me in a Brig just to make sure. Sucked But then heavy raiders striked, Starbuck could handle them and I was still in Brig, I manage to get out but too late, the boarded Galactica. I failed to kill them with armory and they vented us in space.

F50 said:

Rozy said:

They still put me in a Brig just to make sure. Sucked But then heavy raiders striked, Starbuck could handle them and I was still in Brig, I manage to get out but too late, the boarded Galactica. I failed to kill them with armory and they vented us in space.

Putting someone in the brig without evidence can seriously hurt the team. Not only do you lose a bunch of skill cards, but you lose the skill cards that the other person gets until that person gets out. Your loss due to Centurions is probably explained by your misunderstanding about Executive Orders. Executive orders gives someone the move and action parts of their turn *instantly*, with the added bonus of being able to exchange your move step for another action (extremely useful). from the executive order card itself:

But it is so much fun to toss innocents into the Brig!

Seriously... a game where accuses don't fly right and left over the table by turn two is a boring game.

"Choose any other player. He may [implied: now] move his caharacter and then take 1 action OR not move and take 2 actions."

If you had only put one person in the armory and just executive ordered him/her, that would roughly double your chances of sucess. If the order-giver is Helo, I believe he may re-roll one die during any action step done under his order as well.

Also, there is a couple quorum cards "Authorization of brutal force" which allow you to instantly kill a centurion for a chance of loosing population.

Rozy said:

Rozy said:

I've heard six is best for humans. It isn't quite that hard to win as human. The humans won a (2players simulating 4players) test game against the cylon by spamming "investigative commitee" and riksing population to jump early since we hardly lost any population otherwise. That game we could have died because of centurions if the president didn't have the brute force quorum card. Most of the heavy raiders were dealt with by using stratigic planning and maximum firepower. As other players have pointed out though, it depends on the group of people. If they are willing to toss you in the brig "just because", then you aren't as likely to win as human.

Rozy said:

you may move *your* viper as part of your movement step. You may move your or any unmanned viper as an action.

Rozy said:

It can shoot things other than base stars, but you don't get any boneses from using it to blow up other ships (its the same as a viper attack).

Rozy said:

Yes, and it would suck. They would eventually get out though if the Cylons didn't win before then.

Rozy said:

Raiders only get one action per time raiders are activated. The current player decides which region of the board activates raiders first, but the raiders move and shoot according to an algorithm described in the rulebook and on the back of the rulebook.

sorry for the multi-post, but for some odd reason, my posing operation would silently fail if I did it in large chunks. This may have been because a few of my [ Q U O T E ] tags were done improperly, but in all of the other forums I've been in, that simply results in it not looking right. The forum also lacks a preview button

Why do you put such a value on politics cards? In my experience tactics cards are most used to pass skill checks, and politics cards can be drawn easily on colonial one.

Once the cylon(s) is/are reveled, Executive orders can nearly double the number of actions humans take over the course of the game.

Gaius Frakkin Baltar said:

Agreed. If you're in a situation where Centurions are marching on the bridge, or there's plenty of Cylon ships about, having people sit in the Armory, Weapons Control, or [the place that lets you perform two unmanned Viper activations], and then giving them the card equivalent of a strong cup of coffee, makes a huge difference.

The Executive Order card itself reminds me of an old Chinese parable...if people want, I'll post it in a separate topic.

F50 said:

Source? I believe this is not possible.

Big Head Zach said:

Vespers said:

Yes, pls. I am kind of sick hearing that EO doubles your actions when it actualy does not, unless you play them as non-action cards, which is wrong