Paolo Bosi has translated Apocalypse Galactica into Italian and run the game several times! Awesome. Here’s the feedback he’s given me so far:
Ok, just a few words about my games.
I’ve find really hard to keep working the trio Commander-CAG-Pilot.It has occurred about half of the time (after 3 times i’d started removing at least one of the trio, mostly the CAG) and everytime one relationship (CAG-Pilot or Commander-Pilot cause, who knows, every pilot wants to be son of the commander) really overwelmed the others.There was no interaction aside form the Hx+3 set up. I pushed an Activist, Engineer, President with all my MC might and nothing happened.So as i’ve already said, i’ve started removing the CAG.I find it a little “weak”, maybe because it’s role is not as powerful as the Commander, yet he is a pilot, someone who carry the burden of the fights and not the responability of command.I haven’t had a chance to read the 2.0 version so maybe you already come to this, but the Leadership move was never used. Most of the time Act under Fire works fine for portraying orders.Also i think i’d be more comfortable (or maybe less scared) as an MC if there was some words on how to push up Crysis Clocks. They are clear and fine, but in the first games i’d found myself in some truoble after half of the game with all the Clocks on their starting positions. Maybe a custom MC move like “push up a Clock and tell them what happen the next morning” is what i’ve done in my latest games.I hope this can be halpful.Sincerly, Paolo.
My thoughts: Yeah, I usually play with 4 players and always ask that they break up the military and civilian roles, so I’ve never seen Commander/CAG/Pilot all together in one game. I can see how it would be really problematic. I’ll think on how they interact more though, that’s a good observation!
And Paolo nailed it with Leadership, that move has been taken out of Basic Moves and tailored for the specific playbooks (CAG, Commander, and Activist).
The event run by Eric Ullman at Big Bad Con this weekend had the Commander/CAG/Pilot combo, as well as the President and Engineer.
As the Commander, I ended up staying on the Argonaut the entire session, sending the CAG to handle the situation on the Condor, and sending the Engineer and Pilot to the Miya San to deal with that situation, while the President and I went back and forth on how to handle the Martial Law.
I’m thinking that Having the Resource Move be only once at the beginning of the session is a bit restrictive for a one-shot. Perhaps allowing to to be used “whenever you Command is unchallenged” might be better. I think the result of failure is sufficiently steep to prevent the Commander from going to that well too many times during play.