# Star Wars: Imperial Assault – The Bespin Gambit

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2016
- **BGG Rating**: 8.3
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 3, 5)
- **Duration**: 60-120 min
- **Weight**: 3.25 / 5
- **Designers**: Jonathan Ying, Justin Kemppainen, Todd Michlitsch
- **Artists**: Henning Ludvigsen
- **Publishers**: Fantasy Flight Games, Asterion Press, Edge Entertainment, Galakta, Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- **Categories**: Adventure, Expansion for Base-game, Fighting, Miniatures, Movies / TV / Radio theme, Science Fiction, Wargame
- **Mechanics**: Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Modular Board, Role Playing, Team-Based Game

## Verdict
A must-have for Star Wars lore enthusiasts wanting more tactical depth in Cloud City.Lando and Bossk are fantastic additionsNew conditions keep gameplay freshEspionage focus adds a new layerHigh-quality miniaturesHeavy language dependenceRequires the base game to playHIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
You know those wars that aren't fought with explosions and starfighters, but with secrets, espionage, and whispers in dark corridors? That's exactly what 'The Bespin Gambit' brings to your table. This Imperial Assault expansion shifts the focus away from massive battlefield clashes and drops us right into the heart of Cloud City, where a cold war between the Rebel Alliance and the Imperial Security Bureau unfolds in the shadows.

The game takes us exploring everything from the most luxurious hotels to the industrial underworks of the city in the clouds. The real highlights are the iconic characters that every fan loves, like the charming Lando Calrissian and the ruthless bounty hunter Bossk. But it's not just about the looks: the expansion tweaks the game dynamics with new Rebel heroes, a new Imperial class, and the introduction of 'Conditions' that change the flow of each match, ensuring the experience never feels repetitive.

If you enjoy the espionage side of things, get ready, because there is a renewed focus on Spy characters, making information gathering and infiltration crucial for victory. Additionally, you'll get new items and a mini-campaign to expand your group's ongoing story. It's the kind of content that transforms the experience, adding layers of strategy and immersion that make you feel truly embedded in the Star Wars universe. Whether you're an Imperial commander trying to crush dissent or a Rebel hero operating undercover, this expansion is an essential upgrade for those seeking more depth in their skirmishes and campaigns.

## How to Play
Game Objective
In The Bespin Gambit, the theme revolves around a critical infiltration mission. The objective varies depending on the game mode, but in the main story mission, the ally Lando Calrissian must return to Cloud City to retrieve crucial documents left behind. The challenge is that the ISB has installed additional surveillance, requiring an elite team to escort the character through the city on foot.
The game can be played as a 6 to 8-hour Mini Campaign narrative or as standalone missions integrated into a full campaign.

Setup
To prepare the game, follow these expansion setup steps:

    Card Components: Add the Agenda, Command, Side Mission, and Skirmish Mission cards to their respective supplies. Add the Condition, Class, Deployment, Item, Reward, and Supply cards to their respective decks. Create a Companion deck with the separated Companion cards.
    Piece Components: Prepare the Hero sheets, plastic figures, tokens, and the expansion's Map tiles.
    Mini Campaign Setup: If playing the mini campaign, follow the base game's campaign setup steps and then:
        
            The Imperial player builds the Agenda deck (removing Side Mission or forced mission cards).
            The Heroes receive 3 XP and 400 credits each, resolving the Rebel Upgrade Stage (with the Tier 1 Item deck being drawn with 10 cards instead of 6).
            The Imperial player receives 3 XP and performs the Imperial Upgrade Stage (skipping the purchase of Agenda cards).
            Set up the introductory mission: Reclamation.
        
    
    Restriction Note: In a campaign, players are limited to the number of figures included in this expansion (e.g., the Imperial player is limited to two regular figures and one elite Ugnaught Tinkerer).


Game Flow
The flow follows the base game rules but with additions from this expansion. The game can be played as a Mini Campaign, where missions are considered Story Missions and must be played in a specific order determined by the Epilogues at the end of each mission.
During the Mission Stage in the mini campaign, players do not choose the next mission via Side Mission cards; instead, the End of Mission text of each mission indicates which mission will be resolved next.
Refer to the manual for details on the full turn structure and maintenance phases.

Actions and How to Play
Below are details on mechanics and components introduced:

Companions
A Companion is a type of support figure that shares the affiliation of the hero or associated group. They activate before or after their group's activation. Companions have the following rules:

    Do not block line of sight and do not increase movement cost to enter their space.
    Can end movement in the same space as another figure.
    Are adjacent to all figures and objects in their space.
    Cannot interact or use abilities from Class, Item, or Supply cards.
    Have a Figure Cost of 0.
    Automatically fail attribute tests.


New Conditions and Keywords

    Hidden: A new condition/keyword. When a figure is Hidden, it may receive penalties or accuracy and attack bonuses as described in its abilities.
    Camouflage: A Consumable - Energy card that, when used during an attack targeting you, makes you Hidden.


Combat Actions and Special Abilities

    Attacks with Hostile Figures: Some abilities allow performing an attack with a hostile figure. The player resolving the ability controls the hostile figure during the attack, choosing the target (no figure is considered friendly during this specific attack).
    Reclamation (Side Mission): When a hero claims a Crate Token, they must perform a K or J test. If they fail, the card is exhausted and the token is discarded (but the hero still draws the Supply cards).


Endgame and Scoring
The endgame and scoring depend on the chosen game mode:

Mini Campaign
The mini campaign ends after resolving the last mission in the narrative sequence. Progress is recorded in the Campaign Log.

Skirmish (Combat Missions)
Refer to the manual for specific victory triggers in Skirmish missions, as they vary depending on the selected mission.

Terrain Scoring Mechanics (Bespin Tibanna Facility)
At the end of each Round, players calculate the total cost of their figures on or adjacent to the Carbon-freezing Chamber. The player with the highest total cost operates the chamber until the end of the next round and receives 4 VPs for each Tibanna Gas Reserve their figures are carrying.

Tips to Win
Refer to the manual for details on this section.

## FAQ
### Do I need the base game to play?
Yes, this is an expansion. You must own the Imperial Assault base game to use any of the content in this kit.

### Is the game hard to learn?
If you already know Imperial Assault, it's a breeze. If you're new, the learning curve is medium/high due to detailed miniature rules.

### How many players can play?
It supports 2 to 5 players, split between the Rebel and Imperial forces.

### How long does a game take?
It varies, but expect anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes depending on the scenario's complexity.

### Does it come with miniatures?
Yes! It includes detailed miniatures of iconic characters like Lando Calrissian and Bossk.

### Is there a lot of reading involved?
Yes, there is heavy language dependence, especially for the mini-campaign and character abilities.

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