Galaxy Trucker

Game of the Year 2008: Games Hit with friends Game of the Year 2008: Recommendation List German Games Award 2008: 7th place Japan Boardgame Prize 2009: 8th Hra roku 2008: nominated

Galaxy Trucker is a science fiction board game for two to four people. It was developed by Vlaada Chvátil, the game graphics designed Radim Pech. The game was released in 2007 in Czech Games Edition, a German version was published in the same year by the Heidelberg games publisher.

Plot and game idea

Galaxy Trucker puts players in the role of space pilots who must fly in remote and dangerous areas of space on behalf of an interstellar consortium to deliver building materials there. The space ships for a total of three flights, players must put together under time pressure from a variety of components themselves and thereby equip for the upcoming events and dangers: Against meteorites and attacks to protect, for example, shields and guns, is used to inspect the wreck a strong crew needed and merchandise can be purchased on the trip only if storage space is available. Shortcomings in spacecraft design can cost a player goods, crew and all parts of the space ship and possibly even force him to premature termination of the trip.

At the end of each stage will be charged: For lost parts, the player must pay compensation, on the other hand bring a rapid achievement of the goal and the sale of the goods transported money in the form of cosmic loans. The aim of the game is to accumulate as many of these loans.

Material

The rule book is divided into two sections: The first section is a simplified end of the first round with a specified range of events is described. Here are some rules are modified so that players may make mistakes also, without this having serious consequences. The second section deals with the finally complete rules and explains all other game elements. Furthermore, several game variations are described in the rule book, such as the opportunity to play in teams.

Game History

A game consists of three rounds or stages. Later stages allow for higher profits and the construction of larger ships, but that are also longer and more dangerous. Each section is in turn divided into three phases: the design of the spacecraft, the flight and billing.

Phase 1: Construction of the spaceship

In the first phase, each player must construct a powerful spaceship as possible. The basis for this is a varying depending on the stage of ship plan, which sets the maximum number of components, the basic shape and the cockpit as a core component.

The available 140 components are divided into eight groups and improve the spaceship each in a certain respect: Increase engines such as its speed, pilot cabins allow ample space for additional crew members and cannons improve the chances to block attacks. Some components work only in combination with other components: To require shield generators, dual drives and double cannons to their energy use stones that are only supplied with battery components. To record Aliens in the occupation, an appropriate life support must be integrated into the spaceship.

All spacecraft components have one or more connecting rods and can be created with matching connecting struts only to existing components. Some types of components also have another installation rules: about engines may only be installed if the drive nozzle aft shows and is not blocked by other components.

All components are shuffled at the beginning of the construction phase and ready laid in a heap in the middle of the table. The players take it component at a time and see if they can grow it in their ship and want. Parts not used to be disclosed back to the center and can be taken by each player. A special feature of the construction is that there is no order or round schedule - all players operate at the same time from the supply of components. The maximum construction period is limited by an hourglass, players will also receive a major head start in the next phase of flight, the faster they finish their spaceship. Players construct their ships so pressed for time, which makes compromise on space ship required and can also lead to design errors. These can be searched for and corrected in the final spaceship control, but at the cost of the starting advantage.

During the construction phase, players also have the opportunity to gain an insight into the previously mixed and ready to set flight deck of cards. At the cost of construction they can get and modify the design of their space ship according to information on the upcoming events and hazards.

Phase 2: Flight

During the second phase of the game the player complete with its built spaceships each stage of flight. This is simulated by the previously assembled at random flight cards are played sequentially. Each ticket displays a particular event for all players to which this can then respond or need, such as a meteor, an attack, or a planet group. Number and efficiency of the tickets vary depending on the stage - during the first round, only eight flight cards are played with rather small effect, is the air in the third and final round of a total of 16 cards with some very dangerous events.

All events provide the design of the spacecraft to the test and some include the chance of additional earnings. How can a player bring extra money or goods, but only if the spacecraft can have a strong enough crew for exploring abandoned ships and space stations. Boxes of goods, in turn, can only be taken if the ship has appropriate cargo spaces. Does the player group to pirates or slavers, they can only be defeated with a sufficiently strong armament. When a meteor shower in addition to the strength of arms, even the alignment of the cannon plays a role. If a spaceship for a dangerous situation not sufficiently well equipped, this can cost the player corresponding goods, crew members and parts of his spaceship.

In contrast to the construction phase will be played during the flight phase in a specific order, which is held in place by pieces on the flight plan. It corresponds to the beginning of the flight, the order in which the players have completed their spaceships. During the flight, but it can change again and again by certain events. The order, among other plays in the evaluation of many events an important role: attacks strike the leading players always first and subsequent players only if they could not be averted. Conversely, however, the first player also has the priority in the exploration of space stations and ships, as well as the trade with planets, while the last player may go empty. Furthermore, the sequence at the end of flight decides ( after evaluating the last flight map ) about the payment received by a player.

Under certain circumstances, a player may be forced to cancel the flight prematurely. This happens for example, if he loses his entire human crew or without drive systems in the free space (an event ) arrives. The player must then suspend until the end of the flight phase.

Phase 3: Settlement

After evaluating the last flight map, each stage is settled. According to the order at the end of the flight players receive a certain amount of money as payment and possibly a bonus for the ship with the fewest open connecting struts, also acquired on the trip boxes of goods for money to be sold. For spaceship parts that were lost during the trip, but players must pay compensation vice versa.

Winner according to the rules of the game are all players that have a cosmic credit after the third round at least, with those players who have more loans, even a bit more gain.

Extensions

For Galaxy Trucker various extensions have been published.

Reviews and Awards

The reviews and articles for Galaxy Trucker were mostly very positive. As criticisms especially the relatively low interaction between the players and some of the weaknesses identified in the game balance. Contrast, however, stood a successful and entertaining mix of real-time puzzle game and space adventure, almost no idle for individual players, a high replay value, the well-structured game manual and the relaxed and humorous subject matter.

2008 Galaxy Trucker received the " Games Hit with friends " of the Austrian Games Award Game of the Year. In the same year the board game was on the recommended list for game of the year, reaching number 7 of the German Game Prize.