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Cosmic Encounter cover
BGG · needs curation

Cosmic Encounter

Avalon Hill · 2000

BGG #4540
2–460 min6.4
In Cosmic Encounter, you play the leader of a colonization effort whose ships are traveling throughout the Cosmos to prove their worthiness for Cosmic leadership. Each player is a race that has the ability to bend or break certain rules in the game. You will use force, cunning, and diplomacy to win success for your unique form of alien intelligence. Battles are determined through the use of cards in addition to assistance from other players around the table. The winner(s) will be the first player(s) to have FIVE COLONIES on any planets outside his or her home system. This is an updated version of the original Cosmic Encounter (1977). Major differences between this version and the Eon version: Terminology was changed for many components and rules: Compromise to Negotiate; Consolation to Compensation; Edicts to Artifacts, etc. Both the Eon version and Mayfair Games' version used tokens to represent players' forces. Avalon Hill changed them to plastic ships, and changed the system pieces as well, and the Hyperspace Cone became a Ship carrier. Mayfair's version used cardback art similar to Eon's, so the two could theoretically be combined. Avalon Hill used all new art on the cards, and the stock is much thinner.
Pixel Tactics Deluxe cover
BGG · needs curation

Pixel Tactics Deluxe

Level 99 Games · 2015

BGG #4541
2–445 min7.2
Pixel Tactics is a head-to-head game of tactical combat for two players. Each player has an identical deck of 25 cards, from which they draft a leader. The leader's abilities alter vastly the strategy and playability of every other card in the deck, making the game playable in 25 different ways. In the game, players take turns placing cards and attacking. Each card can activate in various ways, taking on offensive capabilities in the front rows of the unit, or support powers in the back rows. Cards can also be played as orders – powerful single-time effects that can turn the tide of battle. Play continues until either player's leader is defeated. A typical game is best of three or five rounds. Pixel Tactics Deluxe is a perfect place to start playing the game. This large box contains enough cards for two players, rules, punch tokens, and storage space for all the other Pixel Tactics games in print. Whether you're a veteran of the series, or just looking to get your feet wet, it's a great place to start. All 25 heroes in Pixel Tactics Deluxe are brand new!
Apotheca cover
BGG · needs curation

Apotheca

Knapsack Games · 2016

BGG #4554
1–430 min6.6
Players craft potions in a secret marketplace. Hide ingredients to deceive opponents, and use magical powers to mix concoctions. But beware - your opponents are brewing schemes of their own! Apotheca is played on a 4x4 grid. Players gain points by making matches of three potions of the same color in a row. The first player to make three matches wins. It's easily learned, but the combination of asymmetric powers and secret facedown potions make the game a delicious challenge. On each turn, players take 2 of 4 possible actions: Reveal: Reveal a secret potion and gain a gem of that color Restock: Draw, look at, and place secret potions on the board until there are exactly 3 Power: Use one of your active apothecary powers Hire: Spend gems to hire new apothecaries Whenever a player makes a match, they must place it on one of their apothecaries. This removes that apothecary's power for the rest of the game, so it's important for players to keep revealing potions, collecting gems and hiring new apothecaries... all while keeping their opponents at bay! Deduction is key to Apotheca. Players trap each other with clever spatial moves, bluffing and misdirection. The action economy is very well balanced, so every turn offers an opportunity for strategy and tough decisions. The feeling of the game differs with every number of players: 2 player is the most cerebral and controlled 3 player is the most chaotic, yet still within your grasp 4 player is played in teams, offering neat collaborative gameplay
Phantom Leader cover
BGG · needs curation

Phantom Leader

Dan Verssen Games (DVG) · 2010

BGG #4557
130 min7.5
Phantom Leader - Solitaire Description: Phantom Leader places you in command of a US Air Force or US Navy Tactical Fighter squadron in Vietnam between 1964 and 1972. You must not only destroy the targets but you must also balance the delicate political repercussions of your attacks. If you strike too hard, your air offensive might be put on hold, strike too light, and you’ll be blamed for losing the war. Welcome to the Vietnam Air War! Each of the campaigns can be played with either an Air Force or Navy squadron. The targets assigned to each service are different and change the complexion of the campaigns. Each campaign can be played with three different durations of: Skirmish, Conflict, or War. Each mission takes roughly 30 minutes to set-up, plan, and resolve. Each of your pilots has their own skills. Selecting the right pilots and weapons for a mission is vital to its success. As you fly missions, your pilots will gain experience and fatigue. With experience, their skills improve, but as their fatigue increases, their skills decrease and they might not be able to fly for several missions. For those of you familiar with our modern era Hornet Leader series of games, you might be wondering what’s different about Phantom Leader… The freedom of being able to select the best mission based on military objectives is something that is commonplace for today’s military. Back in Vietnam, the military was responsible for carrying out their orders, while at the same time being extremely limited in the weapons and tactics they were allowed to use to complete those orders. In many cases, the specific weapons, approach paths, and bombing altitudes were generated target-by-target at the White House. The mission specifics were then sent down the chain of command to the individual pilots flying the mission. As you can imagine, this was not the best way to run an air campaign. Every target has a Political value. If you destroy it, you move the Political counter to the right a number of spaces equal to its value. As the counter gets moved to the right, your future target choices are reduced to those that are less politically sensitive. Which target you choose not to attack is also important. You get to move the Political counter to the left a number of spaces equal its Political value. [this last sentence is not in fact true for the game, though it appears in the game blurb; confirmed by the author] This means that while you might like to flatten a big enemy target and rack up the victory points, it might be better for you to choose a pointless target and move the Political counter in your favor instead. Another difference is in combat power. For the last couple decades, the US Air Force and Navy have enjoyed air superiority due to training and technology. Such was not the case in the skies over Vietnam. The enemy had different, but just as capable, equipment. They also had the training and will to use it to its utmost. They soon became aware of the limitations placed on the US forces by the politicians, and used those limitations to their advantage. For example, at times, US pilots were not permitted to fire on enemy aircraft until they were visually identified. This negated any range advantage conveyed by the radar-homing AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. It was also a common limitation that enemy aircraft could only be attacked in the air. US pilots were not allowed to attack enemy airbases. US aircraft were also limited to flying predictable flight paths, at set times. This made setting up ambushes much easier for the enemy. So, while you might be a Hornet Leader ace, Vietnam is a whole different ballgame! Components: 110 Full color Cards 12 F-4 Phantom IIs (USAF) 8 F-105 Thunderchiefs (USAF) 2 F-105G Wild Weasels (USAF) 4 F-100 Super Sabers (USAF) 2 F-104A Starfighters (USAF) 1 EB-66 Destroyer (USAF) 8 F-4 Phantom IIs (USN) 6 A-4 Skyhawks (USN) 5 A-7 Corsair II (USN) 5 A-6 Intruders (USN) 4 F-8 Crusaders (USN) 1 EA-6A Electric Intruder (USN) 34 Targets 18 Special Events Full Color, 20-page Rulebook Full Color Double-sided Counter Sheet (176 x 5/8" counters) 6 Full Color Campaign Sheets War in the South (1965) USAF & USN Rolling Thunder (1967) USAF & USN Linebacker (1972) USAF & USN 3 Full Color Player Aid Cards Tactical Display Card Diplay Sheet Help Sheet 1 Ten-sided die 1 Player Log master (to be photocopied prior to play) Other Leader series games by Dan Verssen Re-implemented by: Phantom Leader: Deluxe Edition