By Javier Caburrasi
Training is useful, but there is no substitute for experience.
With this sentence, Rosa Klebb had the right idea. Soon, you too will be able to experience what it’s like to play SPECTRE: The Board Game. For now, you can train yourself by learning a bit about the basic mechanics of the game.
SPECTRE: The Board Game is a competitive game for 2 to 4 players where you take the roles of iconic 007 villains trying to become Number 1 of the criminal organisation known as SPECTRE. During the game, players will be assigned a Number to be identified with while working for SPECTRE. Each of these will grant the players special abilities. Players will exchange these numbers amongst each other throughout the game, but how can you get to be Number 1?
Players will need to move their Villain and their Henchman pawns around the world, deploying Agents while doing so, in an attempt to collect resources. These resources will allow players to unlock schemes on their Villain boards which will improve their chances of winning the game or hinder the other players.
But these resources will serve a further purpose: each turn, SPECTRE will assign a mission that will ask players to spend resources together in a secret bid to assist the organisation. Those who spend the most resources will be rewarded. But beware of the alliances you think you have formed, since some players may benefit from failing the mission.
All of this seems easy enough, and it would be, if it weren’t for 007! Players will need to deal with the special agent interrupting their plans and blocking whole regions of the world, thwarting the villains’ plans.
Each Villain board contains unique schemes. This means players can play the game again swapping boards around, or they can focus their efforts on perfecting their skills with one villain of their choice, from Raoul Silva to Rosa Klebb to SPECTRE’s own Ernst Blofeld!
Remember, although you’re all pitted against each other, sometimes the underdogs can benefit from ganging up against the top dogs. After all, who said being a villain meant playing nice?
