The Great Space Race: Gaming Notes

I think my wife may be angry with me. We played The Great Space Race the other day. It's a fantastic game (in design concept if not execution). Typically you're suppose to play with three to six players but I've found two players works just fine. It's like a drag race! We've played dozens of games with just the two of us and most of the time it stays close enough to keep it interesting.

But this time we didn't even complete the first lap. It all started at turn two. I was going speed five, my wife was going speed four. My wife hit me with two Engine Stall events, reducing me to speed three. Then she rammed me, damaging both ships, pushing us around the corner, and reducing my speed to two. I moved and then she rammed me AGAIN, damaging both of us further, reducing my speed to one (basically setting me adrift) and pushing me forward yet again. Since I couldn't move my wife went again, once again successfully ramming me, destroying my ship completely.

Now, you don't just die in Great Space Race. You explode. Take a look at the explosion pattern:

So my wife took the highest of 2D6 damage and was destroyed immediately after I was. Technically she won since she was last surviving ship, even if it was only for 1/10 of a second.

I guess I'd better volunteer to do the dishes for awhile... I've never seen her play such a cutthroat game before. I kinda scares me.