The Awful Green Things From Outer Space (1979)

The Awful Green Things from Outer Space

The Awful Green Things from Outer Space (AGTFOS) is a two-player space combat board game developed and illustrated by Tom Wham. It was published by TSR, Inc. in 1980 and the rights to the game were subsequently acquired by Steve Jackson Games. The game is for two players, one of whom controls the eponymous Things, while the other controls the non-human multiracial crew of the starship Znutar, the rooms and corridors of which make up the game board. The game is set on a spaceship where the crew is fighting against the Awful Green Things, which are aliens that have invaded the ship.

Why is The Awful Green Things from Outer Space Popular?

The Awful Green Things from Outer Space is considered a classic board game and has a cult following. It is known for its wacky and humorous gameplay, as well as its unique mechanics. The game has been praised for its simplicity and accessibility, making it easy to learn and play. It has also been noted for its high replayability, as the game’s random elements and different strategies keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.

Game Components of The Awful Green Things from Outer Space

– Game board
– 2 player mats
– 2 sets of player pieces (crew and Awful Green Things)
– 2 dice
– 2 sets of cards (crew weapons and Awful Green Things abilities)
– Rulebook

Game Setup of The Awful Green Things from Outer Space

The game board is set up with the crew’s spaceship on one side and the Awful Green Things’ spaceship on the other side. Each player chooses their side and takes the corresponding player mat and pieces. The crew player shuffles the crew weapons cards and draws three, while the Awful Green Things player shuffles the abilities cards and draws three. The game is now ready to begin.

Gameplay Mechanics of The Awful Green Things from Outer Space

The game is played over a series of turns, with each turn consisting of three phases: the crew phase, the Awful Green Things phase, and the combat phase. During the crew phase, the crew player can move their pieces, search for weapons, or use weapons they have already found. During the Awful Green Things phase, the Awful Green Things player can move their pieces, spawn new Awful Green Things, or use abilities they have drawn. During the combat phase, any crew and Awful Green Things pieces that are in the same room engage in combat.

Game Objective of The Awful Green Things from Outer Space

The objective of the game is for the crew player to eliminate all of the Awful Green Things, or for the Awful Green Things player to eliminate all of the crew.

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