Unboxing ‘Strike on Kar’a Nine’
I received an unexpected and most welcome Christmas present, courtesy of Warlord Games - Strike on Kar’a Nine for the Science Fiction game Beyond the Gates of Antares. As regular readers of my blog will know, Antares has made me enjoy Science Fiction gaming again, something I haven’t done in over a decade.
Kar’a Nine is the new starter set for Antares. The first thing you see inside the box are two rulebooks, a step by step introduction to the game and the main rules in A5 format. The 48-page introduction book takes players step by step through the rules with several examples and mini-scenarios. The A5 rulebook is the first 64 pages of the main rulebook and includes all the important main rules section, but no background nor army lists. Separating the two books from the other contents of the box is a useful quick reference sheet.
Underneath the books and playsheet is a treasure trove of goodies. Two factions are included in the box, Concord and Algoryn. These are two well-balanced factions to pitch against each other, so are the perfect choice for this set. While Concord C3 has the high technology, the Algoryn AI has numbers. The original boxed set featured Ghar alongside the Concord - the Ghar can be a hard army to beat at first without support options.
Ten Concord infantry with two light support drones & four ‘spotter’ drones makes up the C3 faction in the box. There are fifteen Algoryn with three ‘spotter’ drones, made up from the new Algoryn plastic sprues. The Algoryn can be equipped with a variety of weapons, including Micro X launchers, Mag Guns (for standard Algoryn squads) and Mag Repeaters (for Algoryn assault squads).
Finally, there are dice (order & numerical dice), blast & pinning markers plus a play mat which doubles as a cool poster on the other side. Given the set is priced at £35.00, you certainly get more than your money’s worth (with two good sized core starting factions) and then some (with all the necessary dice and even simple scenery). Strike on Kar’a Nine will be an excellent starter set for Antares or a useful booster for existing Antares players.
