Race for the Galaxy: Xeno Counterstrike
Finally got my copy of R4TG:XC. Some brief thoughts (having only played the Frontier Game as a prototype last year).
- The difference in card sizes is annoying, but what are you going to do? The new cards are marked anyway without sleeving (because of wear and tear … I originally thought the border had changed color had changed, too; but on closer inspection my old cards have simply faded). I may sleeve, but that would be incredibly annoying to shuffle (and store). I don’t think I can get XI+XS into a single box even if the cards aren’t sleeved, though.
- If I Sleeve I could also put more distinctive backs for each card type … the “Near Frontier” and “Far Frontier” worlds took me a double- and triple- take to tell them apart. (Or I could not sleeve those cards).
- I might use a different box to shove both sets together.
- How much effort I do (sleeving/boxing/storing) depends on how often I think I can get it to the table. I tried to get a few games of Race up over the last year, but it got less than a Dime. 1
- The Frontier Game is “A smidge more race” where you play to 15 cards in a tableau (or break the bank at 15VP/player). IIRC the scores were something like 75-74, and the Frontier Worlds seemed like Bombs. I got a “Oh, I’m definitely going to win” card, then my opponent got an “Oh, he’s definitely going to win” card.
- I hadn’t realized the Full counterstrike game was 90 minutes. After reading Chris Farrell’s review I want to follow the Alan Moon Adage from one of his columns in The General — “A true gamer does not play anything less than the full game with all the rules. No introductory scenarios.” But I’m not sure any locals have played any full Xeno Invasion games (and I think I only have a half dozen).
Full review later (hopefully). Open thread for XC thoughts.
- Joe Huber played 50 games of Acquire during its Fiftieth anniversary, I note that next year is Race’s 20th Anniversary.
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