I just started playing BSG - have played about 6 games so far. One thing I've noticed is that it's very easy to give yourself away by accident, because of the size of the cards. Humans have no reason to ever consult their Loyalty cards, because they don't contain any information, but a newbie trying to decide what to do might accidentally consult their Loyalty card multiple times if they are a Cylon, because they don't know what it says. Since it isn't the same size as the skill cards, it's not something you can keep in your hand with your other cards to consult secretly. Does anyone have an obvious solution to this? How do you deal with the fact that humans only need to look at their card for a few seconds after receiving it, while Cylons would need longer to absorb the information?

Cybrown,

This is in fact a problem with new players. The more experienced players in your group are probably the key to helping new players not give themselves away. Here are a couple of potential approaches:

1) The entire table makes a deal; they agree to look at their loyalty cards for a long period of time at the start of the game and again at Sleeper (say, 10 or 15 seconds). Explain why you are saying this and emphasize the importance of reading it and then setting it aside.

2) Pass around all the cylon cards at the start of the game (there are only five, after all) and discuss them at great length. Answer all questions that the new players have about their powers and practical applications. Encourage players to try their best to commit these five cards to memory so they can associate the picture with the ability should they receive the card in game.

3) Buy Exodus. It has Conflicted Loyalty cards, which even experienced players need to consult from time to time. Post-Exodus, I don't consider it an overstatement to say that checking Loyalty is no longer suspicious.

Hope this helps!

We wait ten seconds before placing the Loyalty Cards down also.

Another thing I tell new players is remember that the negative effect only kicks outside the brig and just keep the buzz word in the back of your mind (Sickbay, Moral, Galactica, Etc.). Worry about the details after you reveal.

Also, anyone staring at their facedown Loyalties is probably focusing on what they say, so avoid that too.

There's a really well thought out post about being a Cylon on BoardGameGeek.

boardgamegeek.com/thread/360492/what-humans-find-suspicious-or-how-to-remain-the-s

Best bet is probably to let everyone leave the room for a min or two to look at their loyalty card; it prevents everyone from seeing the reactions players have to their cards and gives everyone a chance to read the card as thoroughly as they want. It also prevents Human players who see Baltar on their card from watching the others, since it is pretty easy to see someone's eyes moving down the text if one is so inclined. Like BrandonCarpenter implied, it shouldnt be hard to remember what your card does since they are all very simple reveal effects.
Also, keep in mind that there is nothing that requires a player to look at his or her loyalty card at the start of the game. You don't need to worry about a poker face or anything if you haven't looked at your loyalty card. I often don't look at mine until I reach a point in the game where I have the potential to really hurt or really help the Humans. This could be the very beginning of the game if I start with a Support the People (best card to start with imho) or it could be more than halfway through the game. The more you play the game, the more you'll realize that the game is brutal enough for the Humans and a Cylon player can spend the first half of the game helping the Humans out, never once doing anything damaging, and Cylons can still win pretty handily.