PLAYED FOR YOU

Space Cadets

Master dangers, complete missions

As a Bridge officer of a space ship we must cooperate in order to optimize our tasks as Helms Officer, Engineer, Weapons Officer, Shield Officer, Sensor Officer or Captain so that we can complete the ship's mission successfully. A round comprises: 1) Discussion and energy distribution (3 min!) - You discuss what to do, Engineering distributes energy according to tiles played in the previous round, and exchange between stations is possible at 2:1 ratio. 2) Preparation - according to discussion and energy received, e.g. maneuver, thrust and speed adaption for Helms. 3) Action (30 sec) - five stations act simultaneously: Helms places maneuvers, shield placed shields, Sensor tries to find the necessary shapes in the bag, Weapons completes the torpedo puzzle and Engineering distributes energy tiles; if a core break threatens it must be repaired or the ship explodes. 4) Resolution for Shields, Ship movement and Sensor Locks. 5) Tractor beam (30 sec) - use it or prepare for later. 6) Weapons Fire (30 sec) - Snip the torpedo disc along the track. 7) Enemy Action - enemy ships move and fire, Nemesis approaches. 8) Jump (30 sec) - prepare for later jumps of jump off the board to end the game. 9) Repair (30 sec).

Missions can be chosen in three different levels of difficulty, all win together when the mission is completed or lose together when the ship is destroyed.

The topic first featured in Space Alert war very nicely varied for Space Cadets, the tension and the challenge remain but the switching between time-limited and unlimited actions results in a somewhat easier game for less experienced players.

Players: 2-6

Age: 8+

Time: 120+

Designer: Brian, Sydney & Geoff Engelstein

Artist: Karim Chakroun

Price: ca. 30 Euro

Publisher: Stronghold Games 2012

Web: www.strongholdgames.com

Genre: SciFi, Cooperation, time-driven

Users: With friends

Version: en

Rules: en

In-game text: yes

Comments:

Very good interchange between time-limited and unlimited actions

Standard topic nicely varied

Attractive mix of mechanisms

Compares to:

Space Alert and other games with time limits for actions

Other editions:

Currently none

Chance (pink): 1

Tactic (turquoise): 2

Strategy (blue): 2

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 3

Interaction (brown): 3

Dexterity (green): 1

Action (dark green): 0