Nexus Ops is a strategy board game that was originally released in 2005, though Fantasy Flight Games released a reprint in early 2012 that included new ways to play in the rulebook.

This game functions very differently from many other strategy games.  Each player takes control of a company that is attempting to harvest the mineral rubium.  In order to do so, they use not only their own men, but the creatures and wildlife on the alien planet that the game takes place on.

The terrain is random, so no two games are exactly the same, allowing for a lot of replay value.  Then, on each of the spaces, a random event is placed.  When a player moves onto one of these spaces, they receive one of several things.  It could be a rubium mine, allowing for more income, a powerful unit, etc.  These are randomly placed, so just like with the terrain, no game is exactly the same.  Each turn, players build units and move across the board, each pursuing hidden objectives as well as control of the center of the map, the monolith, which provides whoever controls it with powerful energize cards.

Combat is carried out using dice in similar fashion to Axis and Allies.  Certain units attack before others and stronger ones can roll a hit more often.  For example, the Rubium Dragon rolls a hit on everything except a 1, while a human has to roll a 6 to get a hit.

The main point of Nexus Ops is to get victory points.  Players can do this by winning battles.  However, the main way to get victory points and, in doing so, win the game, by completing secret missions.  Each player receives a secret mission card at the end of every turn. (There is no limit to the number of secret missions a player can have)  Each secret mission awards a number of points and has conditions that have to be met in order for it to be completed.  The more difficult it is, the more points it awards.  Once a player completes the mission they play the secret mission card for everyone to see.  Because of this, it is possible to get all of the required victory points in a single turn, or to build them up slowly turn by turn.  It is possible to complete multiple missions at once.

A lot of this game is based on luck, but it is definitely interesting and strategically rewarding.  Trying to complete three or four secret missions at once while trying to keep your opponent from figuring out what you’re trying to do is a blast.  I would recommend this game to strategy fans, especially risk players who are looking for something a bit more interesting.

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