Dark Moon (2011) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Dark Moon, originally known as “BSG Express,” is a hidden traitor game set in a sci-fi universe. It was designed by Evan Derrick and published by Stronghold Games in in 2011. The game is inspired by the popular television series Battlestar Galactica and features elements of bluffing, deduction, and teamwork.

Game Components of Dark Moon

4 black dice

4 red dice (weak dice)

1 blue die (for the captain)

Player tokens

Task cards replaced by a score track

Game board representing a moon-based mining station

How To Setup Dark Moon

To set up **Dark Moon**, each player selects a token and receives two black dice and two red dice. The captain also gets an additional blue die. Players start by determining who among them is an “infected” (a shape-shifting alien saboteur) through a secret distribution of roles. The game board is placed in the middle, and the score track is reset. The objective and rules are briefly explained, and the game can commence shortly after.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Semi-Cooperative Gameplay: Most players work together to maintain the mining station, while one or more players are secret traitors.

Dice Rolling: Actions are resolved by rolling dice, with positive numbers leading to success and negative numbers to failure.

Issuing Orders: Players can give orders to other players to take multiple actions, but must be cautious of traitors.

No Character Movement: Actions do not require movement around the board.

Objective: Humans aim to prevent the mining station from deteriorating, while traitors aim to sabotage it.

Player Experience

**Dark Moon** offers a engaging and suspenseful experience, particularly for fans of deception and betrayal games. The game is designed for 3-7 players and plays best with 5-7 players. Games typically last between 45-90 minutes, making it a great middle-weight game for game nights. The simplicity of using dice instead of cards and the elimination of character movement speed up the game significantly.

Pros

Quick Setup and Play: Games can be completed within a couple of hours.

Simplified Mechanics: Reduces overhead from card shuffling and character movement.

Engaging Theme: Combines science fiction and betrayal elements effectively.

Accessible: Easy to learn for those familiar with **Battlestar Galactica**.

Cons

Randomness: Dice rolls introduce a significant amount of randomness.

Less Complex: Fewer mechanical loopholes for traitorous characters to exploit.

Less Detailed: Some fun wrinkles from **Battlestar Galactica** are not included.

Personal Thoughts on Dark Moon

**Dark Moon** is ideal for those who enjoy games of deception, betrayal, and bluffing but prefer a more streamlined experience compared to the more complex **Battlestar Galactica**. It is a great addition to office game nights or any gathering where a medium-length, engaging game is desired. While it doesn’t replace the depth of **Battlestar Galactica**, it offers a fun and quicker alternative that still delivers on the core mechanics of semi-cooperative play and traitor mechanics.

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