A game of AvP

First of all, happy new year to you all! I hope you are doing well and you still have some Christmas spirit left.

I have to ask you to forgive me for starting the year in such a barbaric, ungentlemanly way, but I'm afraid I'm posting a game of unpainted minis. I know, I know, I'll look for redemption, but I'm afraid this is the way it is.

I gave a try to the Aliens vs Predator game. Yup, the Prodos one; you all know what happened. BUT not my own game (it would have been painted). My pal got a copy of the 2nd edition of the game at about the same time I received my KS copy of the first edition. Cool, uh?

It exists! My own copy is in its box

I won't make more drama over a game, the internet has proven enough for it for years. The relevant data today is that I have played a game :)

A quick overview of it: The minis are nice, I have to say, and so is the board. The rules are understandable (though they can be a little fuss at the beginning) and the game is better than I expected. I'll try to explain in a few words.

I'll be playing Aliens and my pal the Predators. So the name of the game will make some sense.

Definitely not Space Hulk

At the beginning, all the minis are hidden, you use only tokens. My mission will be to reach the round room (top right) and leave there a couple of tokens. My opponent's mission will involve getting to the tile next to that same room and destroy it (the clash is guaranteed).

The Aliens go through the air vents and unveil the Predators

Man, these guys are tough

That's a thing you get to know. If you have just three Predators vs fifteen Aliens, that means something. Predators are like the Space Marines while Aliens are... well, maybe some funny Gretchins. Each Predator is a meat grinder, with different skills and weapons (and 3 wounds each!!), while Aliens rely on their numbers to overcome their enemies.

Each mini has a couple of activation points, which can be used for movement, attack, running, etc. You know how that works. Each turn both players roll for the initiative and then they both activate minis alternatively. So pretty classic. In this case (3 vs 15 minis) it's kind of weird, but I guess it turns much more tatctical when the numbers are more even.

Every turn both players can play a couple of strategy cards (from a deck of five). Some will allow you to re-roll dice, others will give you extra movement, some modifier on dice rolls... They are essential, as a card well played can turn the scales in a second. But we'll get to that.

On the pic above you can see a couple of tokens. When an Alien dies, you make a die roll; depending on it they can spill some acid blood, which can eventually harm the enemy. So you better kill them at distance!

Everybody moves!

At the beginning of each turn, the player with the initiative draws an event card which can affect everyone on the board. A defensive laser, hatches closing, gravity being affected... that kind of stuff.

My Aliens kept harrassing the Predators, but they had a mission...

Everyone's on the run!

You can tell where the main fight is going to take place...

Predators can open doors, but Aliens can't (oh, come on, even Velociraptors are smarter!). They can but attack them in the hope of harming them enough to let them go through. But well, that takes some time.

Ooops! Where did you come from?

Seriously, I started with 15 guys. Now we are even???

My pal was such a gentleman that he gave me the chance to do better. Seeing how desperate my situation was, he gave me some reinforcements. A true gametleman (a word I've made up for cases like this).

Five more little buggers

I finally caused my first casualty!

Let's see what happens here!

Minis are cool, just imagine how will they look when painted

Well, things are getting interesting...

Well, this will be the battle that decides it all...

A few turns later...

Wow. The last remaining Predator had only one wound left, but not even with my five extra Aliens I was able to get rid of him. What a beast of war.

Being my first game I think I played quite recklessly, not knowing the pros and cons of both factions. My oppponent played more wisely and you could see he knew what he was doing.

Well, I have to say that, after all the inconveniences with the kickstarter, I had simply (and angrily) storaged the box on a shelf. But I liked the game, I have to thank my pal for that. I will have to take the box out and paint my own minis, the game certainly deserves it.

First post of the year, first game! Let's cross fingers and see how many more I manage to get!

(but with painted minis, I promise...)