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Xenoshyft: Onslaught

NorTec Military versus Hive

In nine rounds the bases on the planet that is mined for Xenosanthem ore - must be defended against the recurring attacks of the extraterrestrial hive. It is not necessary to eliminate the enemy, it is sufficient for the defenders to survive three attack waves of the monsters.

Each player controls one division of the NorTec Army – Research, SanArea, Weapons Arsenal, Weapons Research, Garrisons and Central Command. The game features Item cards and Unit cards with information costs and effects as well as monster cards and division cards with information on bonuses that you can use. After detailed preparations you play rounds: First there is a Draw phase with replenishing hand to six cards – Supply/Resources phase with receiving Xenosanthem-ore-cards of values 1, 3 and 6 in attack waves of 1, 2 and 3 and buying resources of your choice – deployment phase with setting out enemy and unit cards on the board tracks, maybe even on boards of other players – Combat phase for each individual player with revealing enemy, reaction, combat, advance and aftermath - and, should the basis have life points left - a Wrap Up phase for card management in hand and on boards.

A fantastic game – I am tempted to say, as usual and only to be expected from Cool Mini or Not – in which everything is just right and as it should be – graphics, topic and mechanisms, there is challenging and thrilling interaction from cooperation and discussion, the chance factor from drawing cards exists, but is not dominant. The three attack waves are an enormous challenge and will take a few games to master, and this in turn also enhances the replay value of the game.

Players: 1-4

Age: 14+

Time: 60+

Designer: Keren Philosophales, Michael Shinall

Artist: Alejandro Raul Mirabal, Jonathan Gonzalez Gomez, Jeff Yu, Fiona Johnson

Price: ca. 52 Euro

Publisher: Cool Mini or Not 2015

Web: www.asmodee.de

Genre: Deck building, resources, conflict

Users: For experts

Special: 1 player

Version: de

Rules: de en es

In-game text: yes

Comments:

Fantastic design

Topic nicely implemented in the mechanisms

Lots of interaction and cooperation

High replay value

Compares to:

Deck building games with conflict topics

Other editions:

Cool Mini or not (en), Edge Entertainment (es)

Chance (pink): 1

Tactic (turquoise): 3

Strategy (blue): 3

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 0

Interaction (brown): 2

Dexterity (green): 0

Action (dark green): 0