Rants Archive
From Jack Reda
Winning the game
Over the years I have played Cosmic Encounter with a number of different groups, and there seems to be a distinct
separation of mindsets regarding the moment a game ends.
Some believe, as I do, that a normal game is over when a turn ends where one or more players has 5 external bases
(or whatever criteria you happen to be going for), AND no one else can do anything about it. By this I mean,
the moment everyone realizes someone has 5 bases, they all frantically search through their hands and moons for
something that can undo the victory.
Others feel that the game ends the instant that 5th base is attained, regardless of what tricks the other players
may have up their sleeves, or in their hands. They may take into account some form of "timing rules" adjusting,
but for the most part, they are in agreement that 5 bases is 5 bases, and too bad so sad for the rest of you.
Now, while I admit that at times, a game can have gone on for so long that you are happy to call it quits when
someone, anyone, has managed that 5th base... However, I'm the kind of person that lives and breathes "the spirit
of the game" mantra. A game that revels in Zap and Unzap, back and forth, pull the rug out from under the other
player at every turn, is a game that encourages a desperate last ditch attempt at stopping the forces of evil from
winning it all.
A stickler for "5 bases ends the game" may not allow someone to play a flare like Demon, Void, or Trader. In Mayfair's
edition, these flares all have the infinity (play at any time) icon. Any one of those flares could change the
outcome of the game, and should be allowed to do so.
That would be an excellent time for a massive domino-effect-piling-of-cards: Demon Flare (Exchange 4 tokens with another
player, etc), Flare Zap, Un Zap, Filch Flare (Pick up a played Edict, cancelling its effects), another Flare
Zap, Healer Flare (Nullify any Zap Edict)... This kind of fast-paced interaction is best when it occurs at the
"end" of the game. A lot of times you can't stop the inevitable, but when you can, it's extremely cool, and
your group will remember that game for some time (it should be noted that the above scenario of cards actually
happened in a game I was in, and in fact, I was one of the players they all tried to stop).
Winning a game of CE is usually a fine thing, but winning in the face of such adversity makes the win all the
sweeter.
What do you think?
Sarah Ryan SarryR@yahoo.com from Melbourne, VIC AUSTRALIA said on 01:37:08 May/06/2000:
I guess I'll be the first one to comment then :-)
I definately think that being able to play a edict, flare, after someone thinks they've got the win is good and should be a standard among players because it just adds to the unpredictability and excitement of the game when something like that happens. Why not give everyone a proper challenge at securing their 5th base after technically 'winning' it?
Patrick Riley chaospuppy@aol.com from Campbell, CA USA said on 14:59:47 May/15/2000:
I think the spirit of the rule is "5 uncontested bases." Suppose you land on a planet, giving you 5 foreign bases, that is bombed by the Terrorist. You land, bomb goes off, you die. Some excessively rules lawyer types would say that you won because you did land on the base. This is obscene. I do not think that you have to wait for the end of the turn or the end of a challenge. Disease can win immediately after the destiny if flipped, for example. Delaying any victory until the of the current phase is appropriate, though.
Brian bh_deja@my-deja.com from Chippenham, UK said on 11:16:39 May/17/2000:
We play in a similar manner. In Mayfair terms you would need to finish a phase with 5 bases to win. It is possible to gain bases earlier in the turn than the actual challenge (eg. Disease) and I think it is a bit hard on these players to make them wait until the end of the turn to win.
John Dlonra jfarnold@barneybusty.com from Fairfax, VA USA said on 11:55:05 May/22/2000:
I think that people that think that the game ends the instant someone acquires a 5th base and omits the possibility of a response to this "final act" deserves to be drummed out of the corps. They should be stripped of the insignia of their rank in front of the whole battalion and then whipped until dead. Though I do believe that allowing the turn to continue after the interphase is excessive.
Gregory George g3org3@yahoo.com from , USA said on 19:01:36 May/31/2000:
When I first played the Eon version, my group played as you prefer, but a year
or so after I got the Mayfair version I (with the insistence of other people)
decided that the End is when a player (or players) acheives his fifth base.
It makes more sense to me especially considering the "End of Game" Flares like
Plant Super (Wild in Eon) where you graft onto a win which can ONLY be played
after a win.
Gregory George g3org3@yahoo.com from , USA said on 19:08:13 May/31/2000:
... and I think the bombed base scenario is ridiculous and not a sign of rule
lawyering but a sign of a lack of a third digit in the IQ of anyone bringing it up. The bombs were planted in advance of the landing, it isn't remotely similar to a "last ditch" effort to prevent a win.
Patrick Riley chaospuppy@aol.com from Campbell, CA USA said on 23:50:50 May/31/2000:
<< I think the bombed base scenario is ... a sign of a lack of a third digit in the IQ of anyone bringing it up. >> Is this comment directed at the players who brought it up in the games I have played with them or me for posting my experiences with these twids? It's just absurd illustration of the question, "how long is the pause between when tokens land on the 5th base and when the game is declared over?" Do you want to wait until the end of the turn, end of the phase, an agreed upon 10 seconds, or other? If someone has the Plant flare, how long do you wait for them to find it?
Gregory g3org3@yahoo.com from , USA said on 19:15:29 Jun/07/2000:
I wasn't refering to you, but that does seem very odd that you would assume that I'd not allow players to look through their hands to look for an end of game Flare. We do make a last call for such Flares (as well as for end of challenge Flares) but as I stated before, the Plant Flare is now a Super, so it would have to be played by the Plant (or a Power that allows the use of other Super Flares).
Sarah Ryan from Melbourne, VIC AUSTRALIA said on 21:42:58 Aug/23/2000:
PLaying edicts, flares, supers, whatever, after challenges is a challenge to that person obtaining the base. They should however if playing in that fashion in my opinion, try and play the appropriate 'suprise' card just seconds following the revealation of the challenge cards (and kickers if any). I don't see it as "having got the base and having been kicked off" more "thought I won it and then wham! good defense..." (S'pose in a way it sounds like war)
But I think it's all the fun and suspense of "I think I have won the attack, but have I? I think I smell something fishy and that Joe Blow there has a Zap (or Unzap)."
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