Last year I managed to purchase an OOP copy of 2038, an 18XX game,
set in space designed by James Hlavaty and Tom Lehmann. My favorite thing about
2038 is the randomness of exploring hexes on the board, which is a novel twist to the 18XX formula which usually is highly deterministic and lacking luck. By now
you are wondering, "What's the point with this 2038
tangent?" Stowed away in my 2038 box were mail order
instructions on how to obtain the advanced rules for another game called Outpost.
In previous posts I have shared space themed games are among my
favorites. I have fond memories of watching Star Trek: TNG on Sundays
with my dad. Maybe that's why I like space so much. Therefore, I will use a space theme for my review of Outpost, by using references to a space themed cartoon show and favorite of mine: Futurama. Though I must admit I do not like the post cancellation
episodes. They strive for mediocrity and have delusions of adequacy. Now, moving onto the review of
Outpost.
Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Good news, everyone.
Tomorrow, you'll all be making a delivery to Ebola 9, the virus planet.
Yes, good news indeed. Stronghold Games recently released Outpost:
20th anniversary edition, a 2-9 player game, is a reprint of a
classic James Hlavaty game originally printed and released by TimJim Games in 1991. TimJim
games while not visually most attractive games by today's gaming standards are
quite fun. They are a good buy on eBay or conventions especially since TimJim
Games folded in 1998.
My Outpost game play experience has been limited to games with six
players. Though, I suspect I would not want to write a review about playing 2
player game Outpost. This version of Outpost is played with the advanced rules
from the 1st edition and includes optional game play cards designed by Tom
Lehmann known as the "Kicker" cards from Kickstarter.
Bureaucrat Number
1.0: D-D-D-D-Don't quote me regulations. I co-chaired the committee that
reviewed the recommendation to revise the color of the book that regulation's
in. We kept it grey.
The original artwork was pretty close to military grey or ocean
grey and had plain spartan white cards with black
print. The new edition includes space themed artwork and color. The
upgrade in art is roughly tantamount to when Hollywood starting using Technicolor.
Zapp Brannigan: Brannigan's law is like Brannigan's love: hard and
fast.
Outpost is not the fastest game, but is it rewarding. The first
time playing my gaming group managed to play Outpost between two and three
hours, closer to three. The game was lengthened by ten minutes after
people could count their cards correctly and the resultant mockery.
The basic premise in Outpost, each player controls a planetary
upstart colony and races to build an empire. Each player begins the game with 3
factories and 3 workers. The factories manufacture production cards or the
currency used in Outpost when run by either humans or robots. The resources are
drawn from matching factory type deck. Each card has a number value and these
cards are used to purchase upgrades. The upgrades can earn players victory
points and ends when a player is the first to reach 75 victory
points.
Managing game variables within Outpost is key to winning. At the
start of the game players start with:
1. Hand Limit of 10 production cards
2. Maximum of 5 human workers. This is known as Colony Support.
Purchasing upgrades can expand your hand limit or number of
workers. Some special production cards do not count towards your hand limit.
The basic turn order is quite simple (these are not the rules in
entirety):
1. Determine Player Turn Order. This is done by player VP's
2. Replenish purchased colony upgrade cards. This is accomplished by dice rolls and changes the
cards available for bid. Sometimes multiple cards of the same type are
available for bid.
3. Distribute Production Cards: Collect money
from your factories. This is what makes the game fun because the draw deck for
each factory has production cards with an average value. Players draw cards corresponding
to the factories they run. Sometimes high cards are drawn other times players
are stuck with low value cards and could not even afford a small can of Slurm
let alone being able to competitively bid.
4. Discard Excess Production Cards
5. Perform Player Actions: This is the core part of Outpost. In
turn order a player, starts an auction for an Upgrade Card or Kicker Card.
Additionally, they may Buy New Factories, Buy additional workers
(Colonists or Robots), and finally assign what worker operates each
factory.
6. Check for Win: Check to see if a player reached 75
or more VPs.
Moon Rover Ride Narrator: No one really knows when, where, or how
man landed on the moon...
Fry: I do!
Moon Rover Ride Narrator: ...but our Fungineers imagine it went
something like this.
Fry:
That's not how it happened.
Leela: Oh, really? I don't
see you with a Fungineering degree.
The rules are quite straight forward and don't require an advanced
degree. After a few rounds every player should know what they are doing and
won't require extensive rule referencing. Printed on player’s game boards are
the names and the average production values each factory manufactures.
Additionally, when new upgrades come into the game to be bid on players can
simply reference what is printed on the card. Basically, RTFC. Though, I
thought the print was too small.
In my first time playing I wasted at least one bid because I
expanded my colony support or maximum number of workers too high. I never maxed
out on factories, in effect wasting money I could have used else. I
safeguarding in case I wanted to have extra production. It was the wrong
bet.
This game is not like 18XX games where holding onto excess money
is a wasted opportunity because held money produces no income. Holding onto
money in Outpost can be a strategy for buying higher VP cards. As an example, in our
first game for more than half the game I was behind by at least 20 VPs, but later in the game I bought a top-end factory (Moon Ore which produces production cards with an average
value of 50) and then purchased the Moon Base for 200 and earned 20 VP's.
Everyone thought I was way behind until performing this action.
In addition to upgrades giving players VPs, they
are prerequisites for players to be allowed to buy upgraded factories and
the upgrade cards also grant purchase players discounts for future purchases
for certain types of cards. One fun upgrade card is the "Wiley
Trader" this allowed a player who owned the card to choose a player trade
them a card and take a card from them of the same type, but a higher value.
Hate play can be fun.
Bender: Bite my Shiny Metal Ass
Lost my first game of Outpost and worst yet the guy who had to
leave for work would have won the game that day. He was utilizing the
titanium strategy to win. Producing small victory points each turn. I
came in second and possible first if I didn't screw up discarding some cards I
should have held onto due the hand limit exclusion rule.
Thumbs Up:
Tense Auction Game; combines the fun of St. Petersburg and Power Grid.
Tight game mechanics.
Thumbs Down:
Plays a little long and auction games with fewer than three
players usually not that much fun.
Not much bad about Outpost
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Available for purchase from my friends at Funagain Games and under $50. Orders over $75 ship free.
Outpost English Rule Book
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