Product Review: Firefly Adventures

(Box art image from:  Gale Force 9)

A couple weeks ago, during my enforced "radio silence," I ventured to The Game Matrix.

I stumbled across Firefly Adventures: Brigands and Browncoats, which is the latest release of Gale Force 9's:  Firefly, The Game.

(Box art image from:  Gale Force 9)

Since I often buy games with other uses in mind, I spent a long time in the store debating on whether or not to buy the game.  I was primarily concerned if the figures were compatible with the rest of my 25-28mm sci-fi miniatures collection.

The gal at the register went on line and found a discussion about the figures' scale.  The consensus was they're taller than average 25mm, but smaller than "heroic scale," such as Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K, and Wizards of the Coasts old line of Star Wars Miniatures (which can vary between 28-32mm).

Despite my misgivings, I bought the game.

When I got home and opened the box, I was elated at my latest purchase.

And it wasn't about the figures either.  Which by the way, the four Firefly characters included come in two poses:  casual and heroic.  Bad guy figures, representing thugs and cowboys, are also included but with in just single poses.

No, what impressed me the most were the open-top, pre-assembled cardboard buildings.

(Image from:  Boardgame Geek review)

These also double as storage bins:

(Image from:  Boardgame Geek review

Even the main box's inside cover is a building, painted both inside and out.

True, these can be something of a jigsaw puzzle to get back in the box.  However, this collection of buildings can easily represent any wretched hive of scum and villainy a gamemaster can concoct.

(Image from:  Across the Board Cafe)

My only Home Improvement suggestion would be to make roofs for each of the buildings.  This can be done simply, with matching-colored cardstock; or with more durable matboard, plastic or other material and painted appropriately.

My only quibble is that Firefly Adventures doesn't include the entire crew of Firefly, the starship.

The rest of the gang are due to be released this fall in the two supplements Wanted Fugitives (the "Tam Twins"), and Respectable Folk (Inara and Preacher Book).

Speaking of Firefly products:  In writing this post, I realized I've been remiss about posting product reviews of all the other supplements since I bought the original game over four years ago.

During these intervening years, I've purchased just about everything Firefly-related listed in the GF9 Store, except for:  The promo cards, the customisable ship models (I & II), the "Vera Edition" of the map, and the Crime & Punishment cards.

I like everything I bought.  I wish I could tell you how the game, or any of the supplements play.  Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity.

While I plan on getting the Crime & Punishment cards, I'm not too interested in the customisable ships.  They're more detailed than any of the other ship models offered.  

It's just that I already have a "mountain of shame" (unpainted miniatures), which I just added to because I'd love to have my Firefly crew and villains look like this:

(Image from:  Twilight Emporium)