STAR WARS: REBELLION

It is a period of civil war…

released OUT NOW! Two- four players Publisher Fantasy Flight Games

With the massed forces of the Empire scouring the galaxy, it’s surely just a matter of time before the Rebel base is discovered and destroyed… But with each passing cycle, the Rebel cause grows, turning entire systems against the Empire and weakening its already tenuous grip. Who will emerge victorious?

Star Wars: Rebellion is the boardgame die- hard fans have been waiting for. Play progresses by allocating Leaders ( heroes of the Star Wars universe) to a series of secret missions. So, for example, the Rebels might send Princess Leia on a diplomatic mission to bolster support, while Grand Moff Tarkin swoops in to interrogate a captured freedom fighter.

Dice rolls determine the outcome, but you can stack the odds in your favour with additional Leaders and Action Cards, while available opposition Leaders can be used to thwart the attempt. The cut and thrust of missions is engaging, although it’s a shame it’s reliant on the luck of the dice; it’d be preferable if success was purely down to planning and strategy.

Combat is the weakest part of the game, using a slightly convoluted system of colour- coded dice and Tactic Cards to determine the outcome of battles. It’s not a deal- breaker, but it feels underdeveloped, and can get fiddly when you have a multitude of pieces vying for space around one planet.

Still, Rebellion is beautifully presented and manages to capture the scale of the saga while staying true to specific events: planets get blown up, Imperial outposts are hit by Rebel strike teams, characters turn to the Dark Side and so on. It takes a while to get going, but provides a tense battle of wits as the clock inexorably ticks down.

The game comes with 153 miniatures, including Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters, X- and Y- Wings, and Corellian Corvettes.