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Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game box art

Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game

Game ID: GID0040536
Collection Status
Description

Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is an exciting game of mistrust, intrigue, and the struggle for survival. Based on the epic and widely-acclaimed Sci Fi Channel series, Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game puts players in the role of one of ten of their favorite characters from the show. Each playable character has their own abilities and weaknesses, and must all work together in order for humanity to have any hope of survival. However, one or more players in every game secretly side with the Cylons. Players must attempt to expose the traitor while fuel shortages, food contaminations, and political unrest threatens to tear the fleet apart.

After the Cylon attack on the Colonies, the battered remnants of the human race are on the run, constantly searching for the next signpost on the road to Earth. They face the threat of Cylon attack from without, and treachery and crisis from within. Humanity must work together if they are to have any hope of survival…but how can they, when any of them may, in fact, be a Cylon agent?

Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is a semi-cooperative game for 3-6 players ages 10 and up that can be played in 2-3 hours. Players choose from pilots, political leaders, military leaders, or engineers to crew Galactica. They are also dealt a loyalty card at the start of the game to determine if they are a human or Cylon along with an assortment of skill cards based on their characters abilities. Players then can move and take actions either on Galactica, on Colonial 1, or in a Viper. They need to collect skill cards, fend off Cylon ships, and keep Galactica and the fleet jumping. Each turn also brings a Crisis Card, various tasks that players must overcome. Players need to play matching skill cards to fend off the problems; skill cards that don't match hinder the players success. Fate could be working against the crew, or there could be a traitorous Cylon! As players get closer and closer towards reaching their Earth, another round of loyalty cards are passed out and more Cylons may turn up. If players can keep their up their food stores, fuel levels, ship morale, and population, and they can keep Galactica in one piece long enough to make it to Earth, the Humans win the game. But if the Cylon players reveal themselves at the right moment and bring down Galactica, the Humans have lost.

Official Site, Rules & FAQ: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp?eidm...;esem=4
Unofficial FAQ for really tricky questions: http://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Battlestar_Galactica_FAQ

Year Published
2008
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment: pos 3 · mix 2 · neu 1 · neg 0
Mentions per page
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Showing 1–6 of 6
Video 9tYO2Nb90UE top_10_list at 18:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60758 · mention_pk 153202
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 18:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • faithful IP adaptation with strong tension and theme
  • great social interaction and role-playing vibes
  • supports lasting memories with friends
Cons
  • out of print; availability limited
  • expansions can add complexity and cost
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Battlestar Galactica (TV universe)
  • traitor-thriller with crew on edge
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Cooperative/Competitive hybrid — humans cooperate to survive while Cylons undermine them
  • Direct player interaction / sabotage — players can influence the ship's functioning through actions
  • hidden roles — some players secretly work against the rest
  • Hidden Roles / Traitors — some players secretly work against the rest
  • Positive player interaction — players can influence the ship's functioning through actions
  • Semi-cooperative — humans cooperate to survive while Cylons undermine them
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Chaos just has this fun balancing act of each demon trying to do what's right for them but also keeping an eye on the other demons to make sure they don't get too strong in what they want to do
  • the human skin board just gets increasingly tighter
  • the score at the end of the game is the number of points in your weakest category
  • this is such a cool game and look at this box art
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video kwnr7ybv8Gg analysis at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 60734 · mention_pk 153172
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Epic, memorable traitor moments and rich thematic immersion
  • Powerful tension when the group collaboration aligns with high-stakes decisions
  • Strong thematic resonance for players familiar with the source material
Cons
  • Very long play sessions (often 4+ hours) that challenge newcomers
  • Steep learning curve and accessibility barriers for first-time players
  • Crisis-card grindiness and clunky checks that can slow pace
  • Unbalanced characters and variable success leading to frustration
  • Cylons can feel advantaged in many group configurations
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Space opera aboard a starship during a crisis
  • Epic, cinematic, traitor-driven
Comparison games
  • The Resistance
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Crisis cards — Face-down crisis cards are revealed to drive checks and influence missions.
  • Deception/Bluffing — Players lie about loyalties and actions to mislead others and shape outcomes.
  • Expansions/Modular Board — Gameplay supports expansions and modular additions that alter play balance and flow.
  • hidden roles — Players have secret loyalties (Cylon or human) influencing decisions and interactions.
  • Modular board — Gameplay supports expansions and modular additions that alter play balance and flow.
  • Resource management — Humans manage resources (fuel, food, morale) affecting ship operations and mission viability.
  • social deduction — Players must deduce loyalties and hidden agendas through discussion and in-game events.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • BSG is a very long social deduction game that is about four plus hours.
  • the lying part kind of goes out the window when you're a revealed cylon.
  • it's a long social deduction game that requires people to lie for hours on end.
  • the crisis checks are part of the magic of the big traitor discussion.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BxT5Y_w4WGQ Unknown top_10_list at 7:37 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60599 · mention_pk 152989
Unknown - Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 7:37 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • High drama and social interaction
  • Punchy, thematic mechanics that support betrayal and tension
Cons
  • Can be volatile due to social dynamics
  • Requires group with tolerance for long, heavy sessions
Thematic elements
  • Array
  • Sci-fi space opera with human vs. traitor dynamics
  • crunchy, dramatic social interaction with tense betrayals
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Crunchy, deep mechanic blend — Mechanics interweave with the theme to fuel drama and replayability.
  • Jail and airlock mechanics as tension devices — Punitive social penalties (e.g., jail or airlock) contribute to the dramatic tension.
  • Social deduction and traitor mechanic — Players may be secretly aligned, with betrayal mechanics influencing the narrative and outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I really like the one versus many gameplay of it.
  • The Rebels and the Empire player also changes over time as they get more experience points too.
  • If the empire player is picking a different doctrine, the way you have to approach the campaign can actually be quite different.
  • you can change history.
  • the Europe scoring card, having painted all the battleground countries of Europe red on turn two and win the game immediately.
  • this game is wonderful. I've played it over 40 times now, and every game is a blast.
  • the card drawing and the two card limit per region mechanisms
  • the gods, they bicker amongst themselves. Sometimes in an alliance, sometimes in a state of total war.
  • I've spent many hours arguing over who is and is not a Sylon.
  • I would basically want to play this game all the time if I could.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lnrEDhe3j3I Unknown Channel playthrough at 5:49 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 42959 · mention_pk 130678
Unknown Channel - Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:49 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Bollocks.
  • This is a Splatter game that got a reprint a few years ago.
  • I'll probably jump off a [ __ ] bridge or something.
  • Stop [ __ ] lying.
  • I'll personally come around your house with a slapstick and whack you around the head.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WTLLWLSzoj4 Board Stupid top_10_list at 18:12 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38983 · mention_pk 117541
Board Stupid - Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 18:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • strong thematic resonance with the TV show
  • dramatic tension and negotiation under pressure
  • deep, campaign-like play
Cons
  • long playtime can deter new players
  • traitor dynamics can be punishing for newcomers
Thematic elements
  • trust, deception, and crisis management
  • space opera, human vs. Cylon threat
  • cinematic, long-form campaign feel
Comparison games
  • The Resistance: Avalon (social deduction reference)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • cooperative plus betrayal — human crew works together but one may sabotage from within.
  • hidden traitor — players may secretly be aligned with the enemy.
  • resource and crisis management — manage fuel, morale, and hull integrity under pressure.
  • Resource management — manage fuel, morale, and hull integrity under pressure.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • IP games are something of a red flag for us
  • it's amazing accessibility
  • a sea of average games there
  • the licensed IP and game design is a perfect match
  • Dune Imperium is an amazing game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ttpw1MBgVjc Adam Porter (inferred from speaker) analysis at 5:46 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 133 · mention_pk 377
Adam Porter (inferred from speaker) - Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 5:46 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Beautifully painted
  • Nice red background color
  • Good composition
Cons
  • Relies on TV show knowledge that has aged poorly
  • Doesn't convey hidden traitor mechanic
  • Doesn't show game's actual themes
Thematic elements
  • Hidden traitor
  • Science fiction
  • Dramatic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hidden traitor — Social deduction and secret roles
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The box cover makes a promise to the customer
  • Every box cover tells me what I'm going to be doing and how I'm going to be feeling
  • This artist is one of the best board game artists working in the industry right now
  • This is how you do it
  • This cover is a mess
  • Striking iconic design
  • The box cover is not selling the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
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