Quite unexpectedly (i.e. I had no announcement whatsoever) I received a package containing my version of Space Aces – Voyages in Infinite Space. My daughter was immediately interested and we diligently explored the hex cards and the book. We were both thrilled and that’s why this great game will be the first I want to introduce you this year.
Why did I back Space Aces on Kickstarter?
I supported the Space Aces TNG campaign on Kickstarter in 2021. Click here for the presentation of TNG and here for a game report. I really liked the game and Space Aces Voyages promised modular hex maps with a lot of variety, a simple system and, above all, a family-friendly game (this was a very important point, especially with my children in mind).
The world:
Space Aces Voyages offers a very free and open sci-fi world. 38 sectors are described with its natural inhabitants and all sorts of curiosities, possible discoveries and adventures, but otherwise nothing is specified in terms of playable races and species and what is possible and what is not. Inspirations include the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Futurama and Star Trek. You can insert anything you want or need in your version of Space Aces. The sectors mentioned above are described on one to four pages and provide short descriptions, adventure hooks and possible complications. You shouldn’t expect fully developed adventures here, but rather ideas that you can build on. For a gm like me who likes to improvise, this principle is ideal.
The game:
Space Aces Voyages has an extremely minimalist system, pretty much every roll, whether character creation, test or random table, is done with a twenty-sided and a six-sided die. The D20 is rolled against the difficulty set by the gm (5, 10, 15 or 20). If the dice value is equal to or greater than the difficulty, the test is passed. Favorable circumstances, such as a suitable career or equipment, can reduce the difficulty (e.g. reduce it from 10 to 5). The D6, on the other hand, is the effect die. If you roll a 1 or 2 you have a snag, i.e. the test has a negative effect, but if you roll a 5 or 6 you have a benefit, i.e. a positive effect.
In addition, a snag increases the heat, a kind of level of how dangerous it is. If you reach a certain level, events can be triggered here or the heat can also be used as a kind of countdown.
Arguments, fights and competitions of all kinds are called scuffles and all follow the same principle. At the beginning of each round, the game leader considers the situation of the players and rolls the dice to decide whether the players have the upper hand, have a regular exchange of blows or can only act defensively.
Delving, a type of mini-game that depicts complex actions and undertakings, such as exploring ruins, escaping or rescuing a person, is very exciting. The action is divided into stages. Each level, one player is chosen as the leader and he can roll as many D6s as he wants. He tries to achieve a 6 if possible, since a value below or above this has negative consequences, such as the loss of resources or damage. If the roll is sufficient, you reach the next level. There are numerous examples and ready-made delves listed in the book.
As a gm you are given a lot of tables, for example for creating opponents, spaceships, interesting situations or dangers and much more. If something is unclear, you can ask Starry. The mechanics are reminiscent of the Fortune Roll from Blades in the Dark or the Oracle from Ironbound. Depending on how likely or unlikely something is, you take the appropriate number of dice and get an interpretation using a table.
At the end of the rules comes character generation. With the help of four rolls (D20 and D6 together) you get a character with a corresponding career, his space towel, a knack and a quest. And you can get started straight away.
The book and material:
Space Aces Voyages has 136 pages, of which just eight pages are the rules and character creation. These first eight pages are completely sufficient in my opinion; Space Aces Voyages is not a heavyweight. Much more important are the following almost 100 pages, on which the individual sectors, planets, species, points of interests, delves and everything else are described. Everything is described briefly and crisply and full of humor and allusions. For example, there is the planet Ketchumal with small, artificially created beings which can be caught and trained. There are lots of small illustrations of the places and species, which gives you an immediate idea of where you are. Finally, there are plenty of tables for loot, missions, NPCs and whatever else you can experience.
In the physical version, the individual sectors are each on a hex tile. The arrangement of the galaxy is up to the group itself. You could design a run in the best rogue-lite style or lay everything out into a huge galaxy. The hex cards could have been a bit thicker, but I’m perhaps a bit spoiled by the Hexcrawl Toolbox.
Who is Space Aces – ViIS for:
- For players and game masters who want to experience carefree and child-friendly sci-fi adventures
- For people who just want to play straight away
- For players who focus on role-playing and fun rather than extensive rules
Who is Space Aces – ViIS for:
- For players and game masters who are looking for a fully developed setting
- For people who want tactical and deep combat and space battles
- For players looking for complex rules
Finally, I would like to say that I am really happy about the finished Space Aces Voyages. I was looking for a game like this for my children, there is a lot to discover, the setting doesn’t take itself too seriously and there are a lot of options apart from fighting.
Dice Adventurer 