Space Alert Tactics

[theodorelogan]

There isn't too much discussion about tactics for Space Alert.
Wondering what you guys think about the topic. Some topics I'd be
interested in discussing

1) tricks to keep locations of internal threats straight.
2) How different crews organize responsibilities
3) Standard openers for when threats don't appear for a while (or do
you do nothing until something shows up)?

I have some thoughts on some of these topics but was curious if anyone
else did.

[Caitlin]

We *always* try to assign certain people to certain things.

Player A to the left side, Player B to middle, Player C to right, etc.

OR Player A to guns, Player B to energy, Player C to computers and support, etc.

And pass cards as appropriate.

But as soon as we draw our cards and the soundtrack starts, everything planned is lost and we are back at square 0. We really haven't played with a consistent crew enough to have a good strategy down, I think.

[JuliaZ]

We call this game "Die in Space with Evan" -- Evan is one of our
regular game-group folks and he LOVES this game. We make him squad
leader, and we do what he says (more or less), coming up with
strategies cooperatively.

So... I don't know Evan's (thelonegoldfish) main strategy. We do try
to build stuff up and then position people correctly for the places we
know threats are most likely to appear.

I find the game amusing, but wouldn't play it more than once a year
except that it's so much fun for Evan (who sometimes slogs through
less-than-exciting-to-him games for the rest of us; it evens out). I
love the concept and all, it just seems so... random and hard to beat.
We usually don't win, but we do end up laughing about things, so it's
all good.

:J::A::Z: oh yeah, the site is down, dammit

[Faranim]

Our general strategy tends to go like this:

1. Start of game, figure out who has which types of cards. Find
somebody who has lots of "C" Action cards to wiggle the computer mouse
2. When the first threat(s) are revealed, players decide to be
responsible for that threat or not. For example, if a player has no
"A" action cards, they would say that they can't help against a
particular threat
3. Usually the player with the battlebots and "C" Card(s) gets stuck
dealing with Internal Threats. These are usually the most problematic
if they show up in the first couple turns since it takes at least 3
turns to activate the Battle Bots and then go to where the Threat is.
Keeping track of the location of internal threats is still something
we have problems with.

Basically, the default action is to do nothing, or maybe replenish the
shields/generators. When a new threat is revealed, 1 or more players
should claim responsibility for it, and the other players should
pretend like that threat doesn't exist. Too many people worrying
about 1 threat tends to cause overkill, and then some other threat
gets through.

When all else fails, fire a bunch of rockets or keep activating the
lower level cannons (the ones with the yellow battery cube). Or
alternate between firing the Pulse Cannon and refilling the central
generator.

[theodorelogan]

I like the thoughts you guys have here. My group and I are in love
with this game and we''ve been playing it for about a year. We took a
month or so break from it but this is the game everyone wants to play
during every game night.

That said, I'm looking for ways for us to improve. We can get through
all white missions somewhat consistently (but we always seem to die
when energy cloud come up!), but as soon as we start adding yellows in
we do pretty abysmally. I'm sure there are people out there who can
do yellow and red alerts (and campaigns and double actions :O !) and I
wondered what their secrets are.

One thought is the different responsibilities (and this may not even
be an exhaustive list).
1) Making sure that external threats are understood (especially their
effects on other threats or damage they might cause to a zone!) and
that someone has taken responsibility for destroying each one.
(tactical officer)
2) Making sure that internal threats are understood (especially their
effects on other threats or damage they might cause to a zone!) and
that someone has taken responsibility for destroying each one. (chief
of security)
3) Making sure the mouse is wiggled during each phase (science
officer)
4) Making sure that people are moving their pawns and the energy/
rockets they are using (chief engineer)
5) Making sure that everyone is playing cards/has something to do
(lieutenant)
6) Making sure that alerts in the soundtrack are heard and understood
(communications officer)

There are obviously more roles than responsibilities. Typically,
chief engineer and chief of security are hard enough that the person
who has one of these doesn't have any others. Tactical officer is
another one we try not to double up.. Captain will usually be the
lieutenant as well. Science officer and comm officer are usually the
same person (both relatively easy.) It's good to have someone
assigned to something even as simple as wiggling the mouse, since it
can be so easy to overlook.

Another though I have is risk assessment. That is, when do you decide
that the damage that you will sustain from a threat is not enough to
warrant the resources spent in defeating it. How often do you decide
to just let a threat go? We frequently do this for early internal
threats on a short track, but the damage counters often bite us later
when trying to deal with other threats in the same zone (especially
damaged elevators.

One opening I've been working that I like is the following (uses three
players)

1 right, B, down, B
2. B, C , down, B
3. left, B, down B

This gives you full shields in all three zones, full red and blue
reactors, and three energy in white reactor. The other two players
are available to deal with threats that come up in the first couple of
turns (however, one will need to be available in top middle to perform
computer maintenance unless you have a data analyst). Works well when
no big external threats come up in the first couple of turns. One of
the other players can go to upper blue or red on turn four for
coordinated fire on turn 5. This opening is good for when there are
no strong threats in phase one.

Another opening I like for a strong external threat on one side (again
with three players)

1 C, left, B
2 left, down, B
3 B, down, B

Strong central threat on 1
1.B down B
2 A A A

Strong central threat on 2
1.B down B
2 C A A

Strong central threat on 3
1 C B A
2.down C B

C in the first round if the threat shows up on

Gives you full shields and reactor on one side, a full central
reactor, with both players on the side ready to fire together three
times in a row. Players one can join in with pulse cannon, of have
another player shift to pulse cannon and player one shift to fire a
rocket for massive damage on turn 6 (or a rocketeer can do this.)
Other two players are free to deal with other threats (player 1 is
available to go back up and wiggle the mouse as well.) This opening
works well if you only have one big threat on one of the sides (and
you kind of wait til the end of the first phase to see is anything
else big is going to come out.

Working out different openings (and memorizing them like plays) might
reduce mistakes (and having a variety of "plays" that deal with
different situations would make this more useful in the opening.)
Probably wouldn't want a play to involve more than 3 people (so the
other one or two can handle other minor threats that come up.) I
think the biggest benefit would be not having to spend so much time
figuring out if energy is where it needs to be at the right time.

As far as internal threats go, we don't really have a system/strategy
for getting them straight. Either I or Josh (we're the best players)
handle these and pretty much pay attention to nothing else until we
have them figured out (and we still make plenty of mistakes
miscounting things.)