Hey board game fans! Gale Force Nine has just released the latest expansions for their Star Trek: Away Missions miniatures game, and they feature Those Old Scientists! The two latest expansions include landing parties led by Captain Kirk and Scotty, and both include a new “Beam Away” mechanic.
somehow, Captain Kirk arrives in the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359 (temporal anomalies are wacky like that). The Original Series of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy — plus Chekov — arrive on the scene ready to get the job done. Kirk’s ability to add an extra die on tests and then discard any result is potent, making him a strong contender no matter the task. He can put that advantage to good use with a judo melee attack boosted by several Support cards enhancing those signature moves.
Spock’s Vulcan Neck Pinch attack also offers a strong way to disable foes with a little cowboy diplomacy, featuring better odds on its unopposed roll than many other attack options. If the shoe is on the other foot and your away team has taken damage, McCoy’s triple Medical specialization can be put to good use healing teammates. Chekov’s ability lets you add an extra die by discarding (in addition to the usual re-rolling option); it can feel a little expensive at times, but it’s in the Russian’s nature to be more reckless than cautious.
The Enterprise’s chief engineer can generate bonus actions when you successfully put his triple Engineering specialization to good use. Uhura has a handy ability to reroll tests at Operations terminals, where many Communications tests happen. Sulu has the strongest stat points on the team, in addition to four specializations — but his unique ability being tied to Attack rolls, with a further bonus when using the one Rapier equipment card available in the expansion, is an odd choice pigeonholing an otherwise versatile officer as a combat character. Mr. Leslie is slightly deeper cut from the crew roster, but a nice surprise to round out the second away team. Most recognizable as an iconic redshirt, Leslie served in almost every department on the Enterprise, even sitting in the Captain’s chair at times while the senior staff was away.
Another new mechanic present for both squads is the ability to Beam Away as part of missions. The character attempting to score points — and sometimes another character too, depending on the card — is removed from the game board until your next turn. If they complete the mission, which is typically quite challenging, you score some sweet points and can return to either your previous position or the transporter room. If you fail, however, you are Neutralized. Being able to pull a key character away from enemy attacks while completing a mission and possibly relocating them across the board grants a new twist on mobility and evasion that only Sela’s expansion leaned into previously.
Scotty’s expansion offers one mission (and unfortunately, only one) that can introduce tribbles to the game. Tribbles cause chaos wherever they are present, letting you reroll dice for your opponent (and vice versa!). Klingons, naturally, take even greater penalties when vexed by these wretched pests. More tribbles spread across the board with every character activation, so in short order they’ll be inescapable if you don’t spend actions to eradicate them. Several mission cards have great payoffs for letting the population grow though, so you’ll want to build your decks with options for searching out specific mission cards in order to start the tribble trouble early on in the game.
You can pick up the base Star Trek: Away Missions game at your local game store now, as well expansions that include landing parties led by Gowron, Sela, Picard, and the Duras sisters. The Kirk and Scotty expansions will be available for purchase in March 2024.
