From: "Patrick R. Collins" <pcollins@PRAIRIENET.ORG>
Subject:      Race For Space

Just got back in town, and it looks like I picked a VERY good time to be
gone. I also got a chance to play Rob M's new game, Race for Space.

It's a veyr nice little DTP, with mounted counters, but no die cutting.
It's easy to cut them out, though.  The counters represent things like
rockets, satellites, and various systems needed to go places and do
things in space.

You have several development displays, a launch display, all of which are
on heavy cardstock, and in color printing. You also get some addtional
player aid cards on heavy cardstock, and two copies of a player tracking
sheet, which you will do well to make many copies of, as I suspect you'll
play this one a lot.

From the time you open it to the time you are set up and ready to play is
15~20 minutes, depending on how fast you read the slim rules book.

The games is, of course, about the Almighty's gift to the world trying to
beat the demoms of darkness to the moon, and various other milestones
before that.

You can start at ground zero in 1956, or later, as you choose.

You have a limited treasury (believe me, very limited, given all you need
to do.). You must buy (and maintain ) science teams to develop
technologies, rockets, and satellites. Unfortunately, the demonic teams
are cheaper to support, and their science is just as good.

You then select a tech to develop (you need at least one ST per tech, and
it is wise to have more) and then start rolling on the development table.
If you have more teams on a tech, you improve your chance of success.
It becomes developed at a certain percentage level, which you can try to
improve (but at bad odds) via development, or via testing.

Once developed, you must then test to improve reliability, but only
rockets can be so improved. Everything else needs a mission. (ie, you
must risk blowing up a payload).

To improve the fun, techs are kept face down until developed (and I
would  add a house rule that says until tested/flown). So, you can be
badly surprised when your opponent has leapfrogged you in a certain area.

You get prestige when you successfully fly missions, and even more if
they are a Space first (first man in space, first multiorbital mission,
etc.). Prestige is like VP's, and it helps you get more money.

All in all, an excellent little game, set ups and plays quickly, you can
do 1956~1970 in about three hours, the shorter scenarios in an hour or two.

Nice value for USD 12.

Regards, Pat

pcollins@prairienet.org

Last Played: Strike North, Fury on Champlain, Race for Space
In Progress: Air Bridge to Victory (PBEM), Hoorah!

http://www.prairienet.org/~pcollins