SPALDING WARGAMING CLUB
The object is simple: rampage across the galaxy, attacking space shipping, each other or entire planets, until the deck runs out or someone has 9 Glory Points: the most glorious pirate wins.
There's a very simple mechanic: roll a die and add your ship's Power, roll another die and add your victim's Power; if you equal or exceed your victim, you win. The twist is that you can invite another player to be your ally and add a bonus to your power - and if you attack another player they can call on an ally too. You fix terms and roll - but WAIT: your ally can betray you and side with your victim, dashing the goblet of victory space rum from your lips and forcing you to sup on bitter ashes.
Really, this is an ongoing game of promises, deal-making and backstabbing. There are penalties for reneging on the Pirate Code but, since these are penalties after all, you can bribe the pirates to get rid of these penalties.
Meanwhile, the Space Deck deals down, eventually revealing the hideous Pirate Hunter ships that are tough to beat and lucrative to capture. You cannot betray an ally fighting one of these, which introduces an element of stability.
The essential simplicity of this game is masked by rather murky iconography on the board itself and the attractive-but-fiddly astrolabs that replace the dashboard-and-counters you would normally find in a game like this. The astrolabs reek steampunk-y aesthetics, which is great, but they are a bit awkward to manipulate and slow down uptake on the game.
But that's a minor criticism. METAL ADVENTURES is a rare game that can sit up to 6 players without dragging, coming to a decisive conclusion in well under 2 hours despite the extensive table talk, and offering you loads to do and say while waiting for your chance for piratical mayhem to roll round.
But that's a minor criticism. METAL ADVENTURES is a rare game that can sit up to 6 players without dragging, coming to a decisive conclusion in well under 2 hours despite the extensive table talk, and offering you loads to do and say while waiting for your chance for piratical mayhem to roll round.