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    Feb 2nd, 2017 at 20:56:50     -    The Resistance (Other)

    ============== Overview ==============
    The Resistance is a multiplayer, competitive card/strategy game for 5-10 players. This game is often compared to a well-known game called Mafia, as much of the playstyle is similar. The premise of the game is that there is a corrupt empire that is in desperate need of reformation. A resistance alliance has been born (which is where the name of the game originates), and this group is scheming to overthrow the empire in 5 days or less. However, spies have permeated the ranks of the resistance members, causing turmoil in the process. Depending on the players’ roles, they must work together to find the spies and overthrow the corrupt empire or succumb to the power of the secret empire spies.

    ============== Category ==============
    Deductive Reasoning
    Bluffing / Deceiving

    ============== Players ==============
    ** Resistance **
    A character of this type is denoted by the blue character card. Each resistance member is unaware of any of the other players’ cards. This is what makes the game challenging.

    ** Spy **
    A character of this type is denoted by the red character card. Each spy is fully aware of the other players’ roles. A spy is supposed to convince everyone that that he or she is actually a resistance member.

    ============== Pieces ==============
    ** Character cards **
    There are two different types of character cards – Resistance or Spy. The explanation for each can be found above.

    ** Board **
    The board consist of two sides. Each side is dependent on the number of players during a single round. On each side, there are two sets of circles. The first set (which is bigger and in the middle of the board) contains number values that explains how many players will go on a mission. Right above the circle is a value that tells how many fail cards it takes in order for the mission to fail. For example, the first circle (Mission 1) shows the number 2. That means 2 players will go on this mission. Above that circle, it will show a 1. That means that if one person placed a ‘fail’ card, then that mission fails.

    The second set of circles (which are smaller and on the bottom of the board) represent the number of times a configuration was rejected. If that set value reaches 5, then the current mission fails automatically. This can be used as a strategic move for spies, but this often does not work.

    ** Gun Cards **
    The player that currently holds the “delegate turn token” chooses a set number of players who he / she wants to go on the mission. A player with a gun card (pending the approval of the configuration) is allowed to approve or fail a mission. This configuration is then voted upon by utilizing the voting cards.

    ** Voting Cards **
    Each player receives a pair of voting cards that allow the player to approve or reject the configuration of the players that are currently going on the mission. The vote is determined by majority. For example, if there are five players and only two players decide to reject the mission, it still goes through. This rule works both ways with passing and rejecting.

    ** Approve / Fail Mission Cards **
    The approve card (blue) represents that the player wants to pass the mission (whether this is a deceptive play by a spy or just an actual approval by a resistance member). The fail card (red) represents that the player wants to fail the mission (which is what the spy aims to do).

    ** Token to delegate turn **
    This token is just an identifier to denote that a player gets to make the next configuration (choose who goes on the next mission.)

    ** Token to keep up with number of non-approved missions **
    This token is an identifier to represent that a mission configuration was not approved. It is the counter for the smaller circles described in the *board* section above.

    ** Pass Token / Fail Token **
    The pass token (blue) represents that a mission was successful. The fail token (red) represents that a mission failed.

    ============== Gameplay ==============
    Before starting the game, there must be a set number of players (5-10). If there are 5 players, there will be 3 Resistance and 2 Spies. If there are 6 players, there will be 4 Resistance and 2 Spies. If there are 7 players, there will be 4 Resistance and 3 Spies. If there are 8 players, there will be 5 Resistance and 3 Spies. If there are 9 players, there will be 6 Resistance and 3 Spies. Lastly, if there are 10 players, there will be 6 Resistance and 4 Spies.

    Each player will receive a single character card at random which will decide his or her role in the game. Each player will then receive a pair of voting cards. Once everyone has seen their role cards, everyone closes their eyes. Someone then tells the spies to open their eyes and find one another. After a brief period of time, everyone then opens their eyes, and the game commences.

    Someone (chosen at random) receives the token to delegate that he or she chooses the first mission configuration. That person will then choose 2 people to go on the mission (usually the person making the decision and someone else at random) will go. Mission 1 generally does not give any clues as to who the spies are. All players will now decide on the configuration of who is going on the mission. If it is approved, then those 2 players will go on the mission. Otherwise, the next player (either clockwise or counterclockwise) is given the token to make the next configuration. Similarly, if the mission is approved, the next player in rotation will receive the token to make the next configuration. This will continue until either a winner has been decided.

    Players must use reasoning skills to figure out who the real enemies are. Spies will continue to convince all the resistance members that they are one of them. Depending on the players, the game can become complex.

    ** Winning **
    Winners are decided by the majority of passing or failing missions. Since there are 5 total missions, if 3 of the 5 pass, then resistance members win. On the other hand, if 3 of the 5 fail, then the spies win. Once one of the groups win, the game is over.

    === Round 1 Gameplay & Analysis ===
    During this round, there were 5 players – Chandler, Eli, Hawkins, Corey, and myself. I received a blue (resistance) character card. Unaware of who anyone else was, it was now time to start figuring out who was who. I was the first person to choose the mission configuration. I chose myself and the immediate person to my left, Hawkins. Mission 1 is usually a win for resistance, as most players would not fail a mission with only 2 players on it.

    ** This is because it would completely give away that someone is a spy.

    Everyone approved the mission, and both Hawkins and I approved the mission. This means that mission 1 was a success for resistance. Hawkins chose the next configuration. He chose himself, me, and Chandler. Everyone approved the mission, so we 3 added placed our card decisions face down and shuffled them. When the cards were flipped, they were all approvals.

    ** This was a moment where either we got really lucky by getting all the resistance members on 1 configuration (which is usually false) or the spy(ies) messed up and placed a wrong card. Hawkins was the spy during this round and played the approve card in order to stay under the radar.

    At this point, mission 1 and mission 2 have gone to resistance. If mission 3 were to pass, that would mean the resistance members win. With 5 people, mission 3 only has 2 people on it. It was now Chandler’s turn to choose the who goes on the mission. Of course he chose himself as 1 of the 2, but he was then faced with the dilemma on who to choose next. At this point, I did not know whether to trust Chandler or not. Everyone started to interrogate one another at this point. Corey’s logic convinced Chandler into choosing him. The 2 spies rejected the configuration, but majority overruled. Once the configuration was approved, Eli stated that he and Hawkins were the spies. At this point, there was no need to continue playing because resistance winning was set in stone.

    Between the two rounds, this was definitely the shorter one.

    === Round 2 Gameplay & Analysis ===
    The same players were in this round as well. However, this time, I was a spy. I started first, and chose myself and Chandler. Being mission 1, it instantly went through with a pass. The next person to pick was Hawkins, and he chose himself, Corey, and Eli. However, this is where my first bad move happened – I approved this mission. What makes this move bad? Well, if I lie and say I am a resistance member, that means I must be on the mission in order for it to pass. However, I approved a mission I was not on, meaning trouble for myself. At this point, Chandler knew he must throw me under the bus in order to remain inconspicuous. Corey instantly stated I was spy by deductive reasoning. At this point, I had to conduct some major damage control. Mission 2 also went to resistance, which means at this point, Chandler and I had to find a way to fail every other mission now in order to win.

    Chandler now had to choose the next configuration. At this point, about 5 minutes of debating happened. Chandler had to convince the rest of the group that he was not a spy. After a while, he chose to pick Corey and himself. The mission went through and, ultimately, a fail card appeared. At this point, Hawkins and Eli were debating on whether Corey or Chandler was the spy. It was now Eli’s turn to choose for mission 4. This became a difficult decision for Eli because he didn’t know whether Chandler or Corey was the second spy. Eventually, he ended doubting Corey. At this time, Hawkins and I had been discussing the move I made earlier in the game. I tried to pass it off as randomness for fun, which after a while worked. Eli finally made the decision to put himself, Chandler, and Hawkins on mission 4. It was then approved and Chandler played his fail card, causing the mission to fail. Now, mission 5 was the deciding factor. Whoever got 5 won the game. Corey went with the original mission configuration that initially passed – Hawkins, Eli, and Corey. However, it was rejected because Hawkins didn’t trust Corey. That means it was my turn to choose again. I of course put myself, Chandler, and Hawkins as a last ditch effort. Both Hawkins and I approved, but Chandler, Corey, and Eli rejected. Chandler quickly realized his mistake, so he convinced Hawkins to pick the same configuration. Eli and Corey knew that it was going to fail, but Hawkins, Chandler, and myself approved the configuration. That meant we immediately won because we were both going to fail it at that point.

    ** This round took almost 30 minutes compared to 10 minutes on the first round. This round was filled with a lot more emotion and thinking. It was also extremely stressful.

    ============== Conclusion ==============
    The Resistance is one of the most addictive board/card games I have ever played. It is a blast trying to figure out who the real enemies are (or disbanding the resistance). However, remember that it is just a game, so never let it ruin a friendship.

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