Crisis in Elysium
Alex Beck, Horizon Megagames
Set in a distant future, on a colonised and - arguably - oppressed Mars, the domed city of Elysium is descending into political turmoil. Between Earth factions who see Elysium as a political tool to be used to further their objectives, and local radical factions as opposed to each other as they are to the Earth nations, dark days lie ahead - will a new normal be reached, or will Elysium itself fall in the conflict?
To see how the game went at some of its past runs, check out a write-up on BeckyBecky Blogs and the Martian Daily News blog which was set up for one run
50-64 players (including 1-3 Press)
Most roles are somewhat mechanical, map-based roles, though with plenty of scope for negotiation; each team has a pure diplomat role as well. Mostly quite accessible although the Martian Colonial Authority team is fighting a losing battle and is thus best cast with experienced players who are prepared for that challenge
8 facilitators needed - mostly centred on mechanics
Game licence and materials can be obtained by contacting the designer, and were £250 at time of writing
Around 500 cards
3 large (6ft x 5ft) maps
Around 500 foam board counters
1500-2000 generic tokens (cubes, money in different denominations, etc)
Total cost (including licence, before venue) approx £500-£700