F is for Freedom in the Galaxy

The game we're adapting here. Once called the best adaptation of Star Wars to a wargame.

Where to start?

First of all, I've never actually played it. I've wanted to, for decades now -- ever since I saw the description in Nicky Palmer's Best of Board Wargaming in the early 80's.

Didn't think I'd have the opportunity, because SPI was busy folding at that time. But then TSR bought them! And didn't reprint FitG. But Avalon Hill did! But I never saw a copy, and soon thereafter I suffered an economic downturn.

Thank god for eBay.

I actually got an unpunched copy. But I punched it almost immediately (take that, resale value!). I'm weird like that; I enjoy punching out the counters for wargames. Sorting them into the counter storage tray (which SPI liked to include in their games, but Avalon Hill always wanted you to pay for...)

Even if I rarely touch them again.

I have many more games than I've played. I don't know what it is about me. I like the idea of a game, so I buy the game. But I don't have a regular opponent, so I don't play it (or I fart around with it in solitaire mode, but that doesn't help much -- I seem incapable of actually learning a game by playing solitaire. Remind me to tell you about the first time I played Panzer Leader against a real opponent...)

Anyway...

The object of the game for the rebels (who will be the players in my RPG version) is to foment rebellion throughout the galaxy. They do this by undertaking missions, as briefly discussed earlier, and by military action.

The object of the game for the empire is to stop them.

Fleas attacking an elephant. Classic stuff! The empire really just has to be luck once; the rebels have to be lucky all the time. But if they are, the payoff is immense.

I do plan to use this in the game, assuming it goes on for any length of time. As things go more and more their way, the rebels will find that the empire is stepping up it's countermeasures. In short, things get hairier for the rebels no matter what they do.

That way, they don't become complacent. There's nothing sadder than a complacent player...except maybe a complacent GM.

So I have to stay on my toes, too.

I'm looking forward to it.