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From: marms@sandia.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.board
Subject: Re: Game Recommendations Sought
Message-ID: <167@sandia.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 15:56:43 EST
Article-I.D.: sandia.167
Posted: Tue Mar 11 15:56:43 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 04:07:11 EST
References: <185@altos86.UUCP>
Distribution: net.games.board
Organization: Sandia Natl Labs, Div. 5324
Lines: 42
Keywords: Cosmic Encounters

#include "line-eater fodder"

Andy Hatcher asked for recommendations of great games to play. I MUST
recommend the "classic" game of COSMIC ENCOUNTERS by Eon Products.
The basic set of CE runs for about $20, and there are 9 expansion
sets to date running at $6 each. Yes, I know that this adds up to
be a very expensive game, but not all expansion sets are needed
(some like the moons are even worthless). You can slowly add on to
the game as you play and want more variety and weirdness. The game
plays best with 4 players and can be played in 1 hour easily. It can 
accomodate up to 6 players, but the games tend to take an incredibly
long time to finish (between 3-4 hours) and become very chaotic.
You can also play with 2 or 3 players, but usually one player will
easily overpower the other(s). So play with 4 whenever possible.

In the game, each player draws or chooses an alien race and sets
up in his home system of 5 planets. The goal of the game is to
establish bases on 5 planets external to your starting system.
The first player(s) to do that win. Thus more than one player may win,
although we generally frown upon that as a turkey-win unless the
two have no chance to win on their own (underpowered usually).
Most of the expansion sets introduce another set of 10-15 aliens,
so the varieties of combinations of aliens in the game is almost
always different. Each alien has a power that allows the player
to bend (or break) the rules. And the interaction of players' powers
is always fun to see.

I can't recommend this game enough. To paraphrase Moriarty in net.comics:
   "Why the %#$@! aren't you playing this?!  Buy it or I'll tell
   everyone that your mother swims after troopships!".
A couple of years ago we had a group at work that would get together
to play it at lunch instead of Hearts or Spades. In the course of
the months while I stayed there, we played over 200 games of CE!!!
Yes, the game can easily be played in an hour! And Yes, the game
is fun over and over again due to the variety of powers and other
weirdness! Get this game and the first 3 expansions sets. You won't
be dissappointed!

Mike Arms
Sandia National Labs
Albuquerque, NM 87185
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