Game: Guerilla
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Company
Price: USD 25
Scale: card game (not collectible!)
Rating: B
Guerilla is a good, fun card game that takes anywhere from two to four hours to play (depending on how many times the deck is gone through), simulating - loosely - the political forces at play in a Third World country. In this case, by the names on the cards, it would appear to be in Latin America. Unlike West End Games' Junta, this isn't a parody of a "banana republic", but a beer-and-pretzels game designed to show the unsteadiness of both rebel and government forces. Allegiances can change quickly, and a good player leaves others guessing as to which side he supports.
Everybody draws an allegiance counter randomly, and keeps its identity a secret. You could secretly be a Government, Rebel, or Mercenary force. The idea behind supporting the factions is at the end of the game, each player gets full Victory Points if his side wins, but only half if his side loses. Points are scored by killing either Rebel or Government forces, and by capturing or destroying facilities. Forces are melded from the hands to form small fire groups with which to attack and defend, and facilities give special abilities that are usable on the owner's turn. There are also cards that give players the opportunity to switch player's alliances, and others that give one the ability to assassinate the other players' leaders.
Another interesting aspect of the game is that it is recommended (even encouraged) that each player controls some of both Rebel and Government forces. This also lends a certain amount of realism when considering Third World politics, not to mention that each player is rewarded with an extra card in his hand for each faction he controls! It is unusual for one side or the other to run away with the game, as one never knows with which side one may be allied by the end of the game.
Guerilla is a fun game, along the lines of Enemy in Sight! in complexity, and had a fanatical showing at Avaloncon IV. The price is just about right in relation to the playability value.