Cosmic Saturday! (10th September)

Hello! Planning to play a few games of Cosmic Encounter on Saturday at my place (Greenhill). The idea is we'll start basic and gradually add more expansions until it becomes completely ridiculous. Who'd like to join us? I think the sweet spot for Cosmic is 5 (and BGG agrees with me) so we're looking for a couple more people.

I'm free all day so can start whenever everybody else is available :-)

1. Paul G
2. Sam S
3. Tom S
4. Sam V
5.

A great time as always, Paul, thanks again.

For those interested in the game, we got as far as adding:

Hidden player powers
Technology
Space stations (that can be stolen)
Rewards
Hazards every turn
Flagship
Salvage Vessel

Did I miss anything?

I liked the Salvage Vessel for being able to grab something from the discard pile, but not the way we played it. If you want to use it, are you supposed to give the offensive player then the defensive player the chance to use it first? That slows things down and it doesn't really reward you for remembering what's in the discard and knowing when to use the ship, because if you declare you want to use it other players might remember what good card is in there and take it first.

Flagship is fine. Not sure it adds much, though anything that adds a bit more to the decision of which planets to put your ships on is a plus. Space stations also do this. The Iron Throne, which I'm really looking forward to, has "planets" that seem to be characters, so maybe they will have more differences.

Why did that last game take so long, I wonder?

Sam wrote:A great time as always, Paul, thanks again.

Why did that last game take so long, I wonder?

Hidden player powers
Technology
Space stations (that can be stolen)
Rewards
Hazards every turn
Flagship
Salvage Vessel

I think tech and space stations are great as little extras. The same for flagship and why on earth play without rewards and hidden powers. Constant hazards was too much and breaks the flow. The salvage vessels were great in theory, but like the hazards they take time - especially with the combo of hazard-deck-flipping and salvage whereby the game stops for 5 mins for people to rifle through the discard.
I would avoid both of those in future to keep the flow going and the games quicker. That said, the salvage vessels purely for extra card rewards would be fine - just don't play the discard diving time-suck rule.

Great session thanks all.

I agree with you both. Salvaging of cards from the discard slowed the game too much and the 'very hazardous' variant was too much also, but I liked everything else. Bring on the 6th expansion!

Did you try using multiple powers?

Kes wrote:Did you try using multiple powers?

We didn't, though it would be fun to try. I imagine that there are a few combos which are essentially game-breaking though?

Well, I've now got the new expansion (Cosmic Eons) which adds secret ally selection via dials as well as a bunch of new aliens. Hopefully we can arrange a follow-up Cosmic Saturday this year to test it out!

paulyg wrote:Well, I've now got the new expansion (Cosmic Eons) which adds secret ally selection via dials as well as a bunch of new aliens. Hopefully we can arrange a follow-up Cosmic Saturday this year to test it out!

Never played Cosmic Encounter, would like to try sometime

paulyg wrote:Well, I've now got the new expansion (Cosmic Eons) which adds secret ally selection via dials as well as a bunch of new aliens. Hopefully we can arrange a follow-up Cosmic Saturday this year to test it out!

Sounds good, in a totally unnecessary sort of way. I'm in.

paulyg wrote:Well, I've now got the new expansion (Cosmic Eons) which adds secret ally selection via dials as well as a bunch of new aliens. Hopefully we can arrange a follow-up Cosmic Saturday this year to test it out!

Sounds fun, would like to give this a whirl if there's room Paul?

Yes please!

Excellent, plenty of takers

Dave & Jamie - perhaps what I'll do is organise a game for a Tuesday night and then you can try it without necessarily committing yourself to a day of playing it multiple times. Then come along to Cosmic Saturday (whenever that might be) if you like it!

paulyg wrote:Excellent, plenty of takers

Dave & Jamie - perhaps what I'll do is organise a game for a Tuesday night and then you can try it without necessarily committing yourself to a day of playing it multiple times. Then come along to Cosmic Saturday (whenever that might be) if you like it!

sounds good

paulyg wrote:Excellent, plenty of takers

Dave & Jamie - perhaps what I'll do is organise a game for a Tuesday night and then you can try it without necessarily committing yourself to a day of playing it multiple times. Then come along to Cosmic Saturday (whenever that might be) if you like it!

I too am keen to give Cosmic a go. When I very first learned about the existence of the whole board gaming scene and wanted to buy a single highly regarded game to dive in to the hobby, I almost bought it without ever having played it/seen it played/knowing the rules. I think it was wise that I chickened out (and went with Dead of Winter instead), but an interest in Cosmic has always lingered at the back of my mind. I'd be up for a Tuesday "suck it and see" session, though not tomorrow as I'm planning to be playtesting SpleenyDotson's game.

Good stuff, Andy!

OK, well how about I provisionally pencil in Cosmic Newbie Tuesday for 7th Feb and we'll play a game (or two) with a moderate selection of the optional rules to keep thing simple but interesting? Then anyone who wants to delve deeper can come to Cosmic Saturday when arranged later in the year...

If it's OK with you guys I would like to record the Saturday game for the club Youtube channel?  If you don't want to appear or if you're not comfortable with this, please let me know, PM me.

RikTheChief wrote:If it's OK with you guys I would like to record the Saturday game for the club Youtube channel?  If you don't want to appear or if you're not comfortable with this, please let me know, PM me.

That's fine by me!

paulyg wrote:Good stuff, Andy!

OK, well how about I provisionally pencil in Cosmic Newbie Tuesday for 7th Feb and we'll play a game (or two) with a moderate selection of the optional rules to keep thing simple but interesting? Then anyone who wants to delve deeper can come to Cosmic Saturday when arranged later in the year...

Works for me

paulyg wrote:Good stuff, Andy!

OK, well how about I provisionally pencil in Cosmic Newbie Tuesday for 7th Feb and we'll play a game (or two) with a moderate selection of the optional rules to keep thing simple but interesting? Then anyone who wants to delve deeper can come to Cosmic Saturday when arranged later in the year...

Sounds good, thanks Paul!

Sounds good, Paul. Cheers.

And Rik, if I'm playing on the day, I'm okay being filmed. Record my terrible gameplay for all the world to see!