SPY WEB Review/PBEM From: EdCamp@ix.netcom.com Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 00:00:00 +0000 SPY WEB by Parker Bros. The object of this game is to create a spy network or "web" which your opponent cannot crack, while at the same time attempting to penetrate your opponent's spy web to locate his Spy Leader. The game components are 1st class and make playing this game a joy! Spy Web is fast playing and very addictive! Here is what you get: Game Components 1 10.5 x 18 x 2 inch game box. (Standard flat box.) 2 heavy plastic, break resistant, Spy Control Boards (7.5" x 9") with 2 Safehouse Doors . 2 plastic city pegs (with 2 extra). 9 Green Spy Cards (1.7" square) of heavy card stock. 9 Green Suspect Cards (same as above). 9 Purple Spy Cards (same as above). 9 Purple Suspect Cards (same as above). 2 Spy Tracker Boards (7.6" x 6.6") heavy card stock. 50 $100,000 play money. 1 sheet of graphic stick-ons. 1 eight page rule book (small pages, large print, of which 3 pages are assembly instructions). Game Set-up Each player begins the game with 9 Spies and $100,000. Each player randomly chooses one of his Spies and places that Spy in the "Safehouse Door" of his Spy Control Board. This Spy is now his Spy Leader. The remaining 8 Spies are placed on the Spy Control Board. They now represent your "Spy Web". Both players' Spy Control Boards are assembled together, back-to-back. They are stood erect and thereby create a shield, preventing both players from viewing one another's spy web and Spy Tracker Board. The Spy Tracker Board is a graphic representation of the Spy Control Board and is used to track the positions of enemy Spies. The Spy Tracker Board is placed down flat in front of your Spy Control Board. The Spy Control Board is where your spy web is assembled. It is divided into 9 spaces, 3 x 3, similar to a tic-tac-toe diagram. Each of these spaces contains the name of a city (London, Moscow, Cape Town etc.). They are also small frames in which you place your 8 remaining Spy Cards; one per space. The one remaining empty space represents the city in which your Spy Leader is hiding. Game Play Each Spy Card has a graphic representation of that Spy performing 1 to 3 actions; LOOKING, POINTING and/or LISTENING. Some Spies only perform one action while others perform two or three. These actions are in one of four directions; Up, Down, Left or Right. Thus a Spy may be LOOKING UP, POINTING LEFT or LISTENING RIGHT. Each Spy Card also lists that Spy's ransom price; ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. This price is awarded to the player who first discovers his opponents Spy Leader and the city in which he is hiding. The first player to collect one million dollars (or more) is the game winner. This will take several rounds of play to accomplish. Players take turns asking each other questions about their Spies. The Suspect Cards you have are copies of your opponent's Spies and you will arrange, and re-arrange, them on your Spy Tracker Board depending on the answers you get. On your turn you may do one of two things: 1. Ask one question, OR 2. Make one accusation. Ask One Question You may only ask questions based on a Spy's actions; what he or she is LOOKING AT, POINTING AT or LISTENING TOO. Your opponent may only answer you by giving the name of a Spy or a vehicle (Car, Plane, Boat) or the word "Nothing". (The vehicles are used as reference points on the Spy Control Board.) Depending on how your opponent answers, you will start to arrange the Suspect Cards in position on your Spy Tracker Board. The cards are like pieces of a puzzle; you may understand the relationship between a few of them, but not know where they fit in the finished puzzle. Examples of Questions Your Question: "Who is Condor LOOKING AT?" (Condor is looking to the right.) Opponents Answer: "Condor is looking at Eagle." Now you know that Eagle is located to the right of Condor. Your opponent now asks his question; then it is your turn again. Your Question: "Who is Condor POINTING AT?" (Condor is pointing to the left.) Opponents Answer: "Condor is pointing at the Car." The Car is a reference point on both the Spy Control Board and Spy Tracker Board. It is located in the upper left corner. These two questions have allowed you to pinpoint the exact positions of your opponents Spies, Condor and Eagle, on the Spy Tracker Board. Making One Accusation When you think you've figured out who your opponents Spy Leader is and what city he or she is hiding in, announce that you wish to make an accusation. You must get both facts right. If you do, your opponent flips open his or her Safehouse Door to show that you were correct and let you know how much bounty you collect for catching the Spy Leader. Collect the amount printed on the captured Spy Leader's card. If you get either fact wrong, your opponent will say, "incorrect". The round continues until one of you solves the mystery completely. Setting-Up Your Spy Web Each of your Spies is performing from 1 - 3 actions. When placing them on your Spy Control Board you must attempt to place them in cities (squares) that will provide little information to your opponent when they are questioned. Example 1: Spy Vulture is Looking Left, Pointing Down, and Listening Right. By placing this Spy in the lower left hand corner of the Spy Control Board she will be Looking at Nothing, Pointing at Nothing and, if the city (square) to her right is empty (your Spy Leader's safehouse) she will be Listening to Nothing! Example 2: Spy Hawk is Looking Left, Spy Condor is Looking Right. By placing these two Spies side-by-side they will in effect be Looking at one another; thus creating a "dead end" for information when asked what they are Looking At. How Does The Game Play? Fast! Just about as fast as you can ask questions. One round of play takes about 5 - 10 minutes; and a complete game can be finished in under 30 minutes. I've found that an average round usually comprises eight questions per player followed by a winning accusation. A game usually requires three rounds to complete. Well, that's about all there is. It's really much simpler than I've made it sound, although the strategy involved in creating your Spy Web or cracking your opponents does requires some deep thought. You don't want to make it easy for your opponent! I got my copy at Toys-R-Us for $16.95 and intend to get a second copy. If you decide to buy this game and then enjoy it as much as I have, let me know and perhaps we can play a few games online via Email or chat? Eddie Campisano EdCamp@ix.netcom.com -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum Up