Review of Quad-S (Strategic Starship Skirmish System) Rulebook 3: The Allegrot Alliance

In order to get the full effect of Quad-S, might I suggest you check out the other reviews of the system. Here is a quick recap - it's a system of books six books, each a completely playable game-set, that can be linked together to allow you all sorts of spaceship mayhem. It also stresses a concept called Game Honor - where the stress is placed having fun and not doing silly and meanspirited things to win the game. Oh, and it takes about 10-15 minutes to learn. Caught up with me? Then read on.

This book introduces the Allegrot Alliance. The Allegrot Alliance, is, you guessed it, an alliance of several races. The three races - the rocky Gyar, the mantis-like Ikitii and the psionic reptillian Dreydolentor - all bring unique to the something to the Alliance. After years of warring on one another and eventually ruining one another's homeworld, the three have teamed up to take it out on the other races of Quad-S.

Like the other books of the Quad-S series, this is the full version of the Quad-S rules ---at least, all of the rules you need to play with the Allegrot Alliance. It includes all of the game rules for their varied weapons and equipment; from the accurate but relatively weak Beam weapons, to the Energy Flux that could win the game - or lose it for the Allegrot Alliance, to the relatively normal Railguns and Autocannons.

The Allegrot Alliance is spoiled for ships in this product - they have 10 completely different ships to choose from, from the Gyar Lyan all the way up to Dreydolentor Siltordasroten. (Applauds to James Eisert for coming with COMPLETELY original ship names - even if I can't pronounce them, they are quite alien in origin) One of the most interesting things about this fleet is the variety - the Alliance feels like three different races, and each of them build their warships differently. The Gyar ships are fairly straightforward - loaded with Beam weapons, they're scrapping for a fight. The Dreydolentor are a different animal entirely. With their Energy Fluxes and Disflux Arrays, they are a gambling ship - capable of enormous damage, if you are willing to risk it all.

The game also has 7 scenarios to use with the Allegrot Alliance. They are effectively the same missions as included with the other Quad-S books, but with force listings for the Allegrot Alliance. Again, Quad-S doesn't assume you own any other pieces of the Quad-S system in order to play it. You're more than ready to duke it out with just Alliance ships. However, beware - there is no point system, so playing other races may or may not be "fair play". Remember, it's just a game. Enjoy.

Like the others, this books has a few pages discussing honorable play - good reading for players who feel the need to go a little too far to win.

The book comes in a plastic spiral-bound format, which makes it very nice for reading and photocopying the ship sheets - no spine to break. It is black and white with a nice color cover.. The text is laid out in a readable single-column format.

Another thumbs-up for the Quad-S system. Although I am wondering about the possibilities of getting all six races on an even footing, I'd say Quad-S is a great little game for fun play.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)