Revision as of 16:06, 17 February 2016

Rebel Spies Season Six Logo

Gameplay

Rebel Spies is an Imperial Holo Reality Game Show created by Gallus Drak and sold to Imperial Holovision for production, syndication and translation. It was adapted from Mafia or Smuggler style games popular among students at the Imperial Academy. In the show, Imperial Citizens are invited to take on the fictional roles of Rebel Spies and Imperial Officers in a game of lying, bluffing and deceit. The setting of the show is on an Imperial starship travelling through hyperspace, having picked up several Rebel Spies who need to be captured and executed before they murder all of the loyal Imperials and take over the ship.

Example death notification - Jarik Zhet was executed on Day 5 of Season 4.

The game is played in phases, players are encouraged to enact a strategy to either deceive the other players of their true role, or identify themselves in hopes of being saved from assassination during the night phase. Players periodically vote to execute another player or give secret orders to the Game Master in order to change the game state. Secret orders typically take place during the night, and can include assassinations, investigations, interrogations, immunization from other actions and so forth.

During each day phase, the players are encouraged to discuss and investigate one another as to their true allegiance, and vote as a group whether or not to execute one of their own as a Spy. Distrust and paranoia is a common theme in the game, and can only be overcome by a strong leader emerging - which often puts them in the Rebel Spies' crosshairs. During the night phase, the spies are allowed to assassinate another player in secret, and other secret orders from other special roles may take place. There are other specialty roles such as Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Renegade. The roles rotate from season to season, and add variety to the game play.

Deaths in Rebel Spies are carried out in gruesome detail, albeit staged, for the sake of the show. The Rebel Spies are encouraged to come up with clever and original methods of assassination, which the staff painstakingly recreate for the show. Some players have been drowned, drawn and quartered, garroted, and even scratched to death by thousands of paper cuts. Though the mystery of holovision allows special effects to recreate these gruesome scenes, some citizens have complained regarding the level of violence present in the show.

Each faction and some solo roles have their own win conditions that need to be met. The Imperials must root out and kill every Rebel, or ensure they are dead before the end of the game. The Rebels need only assassinate or coordinate the execution of enough Imperials to even their numbers out between the two factions, which allows for the Rebels to overpower the remaining Imperials and take the ship. Other individual roles, such as the Bounty Hunter, can steal victory for himself by meeting a condition of his own. Much to the chagrin of the Imperial Faction, the Rebel Players have won more frequently in seasons past.

Popularity

Rebel Spies was an instant hit during season one, and was broadcast across the Galactic Empire as an independent production. Subsequent seasons have been just as successful, expanding from 12 to 16 players in season six, and inviting a guest production for season five.

Many contestants have proven popular with audiences and have returned for multiple seasons of the game. Gambling was also briefly introduced in season four, but proved unpopular and was abandoned in season five.

The characters in the show aside from the players themselves include the as yet to be named Stormtrooper Sergeant and his small squad of Troopers. Their allegiance is purely with the Empire, and they are incredibly bloodthirsty to execute Rebels, and only find release when they are able to successfully root out a Rebel player with the assistance of the Imperial players.

Roles

There have been several roles used over the course of the Rebel Spies holo show. Some roles have special abilities that allow them to change the state of the game without other players being aware - and often times risk execution or assassination by revealing themselves.

It is important to note that all roles in Rebel Spies are fictional ones. Imperial Inquisitors are not actually Inquisitors, Force players are not necessarily Sith or Jedi. It's simply a role the player takes on in order to participate in the game.

Rebel Spy

Loyal to Rebel Faction - The Rebel Spies begin the game aware of each other, and secretly vote during the night phase on who to assassinate. Typically, the Rebel Spy players know of any other roles loyal to their cause, or alternatively, see another Rebel Faction role as another Rebel Spy, even though that player may have additional abilities.

Jedi Knight

Loyal to Rebel Faction - the Jedi Knight is a member of the Rebel Spies, and votes with them during the night phase - the Jedi Knight appears to the other Rebel Spies as simply a "Rebel Spy" and may choose whether or not to reveal his or her identity to his teammates. The Jedi Knight has an additional power that he may exercise if he chooses. He may secretly use a JEDI MIND TRICK to alter one vote during the day phase. If he uses this power, other players are made aware that one vote has been changed.

Jedi Padawan

Loyal to Rebel Faction - The Padawan is a member of the Rebel Spies, and votes with them during the night phase - the Jedi Padawan appears to the other Rebel Spies as simply a "Rebel Spy" and may choose whether or not to reveal his or her identity to his teammates. The Padawan may distract someone each night. Distraction prevents a player from taking their night action. They will not know if they succeeded or not.

Rebel Diplomat

Loyal to Rebel Faction - the Rebel Diplomat is a member of the Rebel Spies, and votes with them during the night phase - the Rebel Diplomat will appear to the other Rebel Spies as simply a "Rebel Spy" and may choose whether or not to reveal his or her identity to his teammates. The Rebel Diplomat is immune to investigation by the Imperial Inquisitor, and will appear as a "Loyal Imperial."

Imperial Inquisitor

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - The Inquisitor may secretly investigate one player each night phase to determine their faction. The Inquisitor is the most powerful player in the game, and can root out Rebels or cement allies each turn. In games where the Inquisitor is lost early, the Imperials rarely stand a fighting chance.

Imperial Medical Droid

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - The Medical Droid may nominate one player to save each night phase to be immune to assassination. The Medical Droid is arguably the second most important role in the game, as she can directly influence the assassinations at night, unlike most any other role. Being able to prevent an Imperial death during the night phase can prolong the game enough to give the Imperial Team a distinct advantage.

Members of the Emperor's Secret Order

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - The two members of the Emperor's Secret Order are aware of each other and their allegiance. This role can give the Imperials a deadly advantage, but has only been effectively used a few times.

Sith Warrior

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - The Sith Warrior may use force interrogation to investigate one player each night phase to determine if they are a character with a special ability. - If the Sith Warrior is assassinated during the night phase by the Rebel Spies, he may temporarily become a force ghost who may participate for one more turn. The Sith Warrior is immune to the Jedi mind trick, and if he is targeted by this power, it will alert the Jedi Knight that the force power failed.

Sith Acolyte

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - The Sith Acolyte may protect one player each night. If the player they protected is attacked, the Acolyte and their attacker will both die instead of the player targeted. The Acolyte is a sacrificial role, but can take with him a Rebel Spy.

Imperial Citizens

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - Imperial Citizens take no special actions. They are the backbone of the game, and must assist the Inquisitor and Medical Droid in rooting out the Rebel Spies. They can often be fodder for execution, however, if they don't play too carefully.

Renegade

Loyal to Both Factions - The Renegade starts the game as a member of the Imperial Faction, and wins with the Imperials if the Imperial Win condition is met. If the Renegade is assassinated during the night by the Rebel Spies, he switches allegiances, and no assassination is made - it appears to players as though a Medical Droid save has occurred. The Renegade will be put in contact with the Rebel Spies. The Renegade wins with the Rebel Spies if the Rebel Spies Win condition is met. If the Renegade is investigated, he always appears to be neutral, regardless of his true allegience. The Renegade has often been the swing condition in many games, and his turning can be a crucial strategy or debilitating blow to the Rebel Spies.

ISB Agent

Loyal to the Imperial Faction - ISB Agents may question the Game Master each night phase. The ISB Agent may leave a three word note to be discovered by the Imperials at the end of every night phase (after the Assassination). If the ISB Agent is investigated, he will appear to be neutral, due to his deep cover.

Bounty Hunter

Loyal to No Faction - The goal of the Bounty Hunter is to see all of the Rebels killed before he is, stealing the Imperial Victory all for himself. The Bounty Hunter has four secret actions, he may use each one only once. The Bounty Hunter may disintegrate a player during the day phase at any time. He may interrogate one player during the night and learn their exact role, he may ask for and divert the secret order of any role (the game state will reflect their hand in the change of orders) or he may hide and become invulnerable during one night phase. None of these actions betray the Bounty Hunter's identity. If he disintegrates an Imperial during the day, he will use an Escape Pod during the night phase (and exit the game). If investigated, the Bounty Hunter appears as neutral.

Strategy

Basic Strategy

The basic Rebel Spies strategy involves the Inquisitor revealing themselves so that the Medical Droid may heal them while they investigate. This allows the Imperials to rally behind a leader and begin executing safely on Day Two. However, a Rebel Spy may counterclaim the role of Inquisitor to confuse the Imperials and turn the odds in their favor. This is the root of the conflict that arises between the two factions.

Strategy with Secret Order

With the Secret Order in play, the Inquisitor can remain silent, and allow a member of the Order to step forward, putting themselves in the crosshairs while they organize a strategy. It's less dangerous for the Inquisitor, and more difficult for the Rebel Spies to overcome.

Renegade and Neutral Roles

The Renegade and Bounty Hunter are forced to hide behind their neutral roles, and should never reveal themselves to the Imperial players, or risk immediate execution. Their only hope is that the Imperial Citizenry choose to leave them alive in hopes that they are actually another Citizen or other special role.

Game Results

Season One

Season One of Rebel Spies was an enormous hit from the moment it debuted. Twelve players were invited to participate, and the game took place on the Bulk Freighter "Eclipse" - which had been mocked up to appear as an Imperial Transport of unknown origin. The game lasted three days and three nights and featured six player deaths. Only the original roles were used, with three Rebel Spies, an Inquisitor and Medical Droid, and seven Imperial Citizens.

A solid Rebel victory was effortlessly earned. Imperial players and the Game Master would remark after the season that rule revisions were required in order to make the game more balanced. More special roles needed to be added and the ability to abstain from voting or skip an execution was drastically needed. The Rebel Spies Staff took these suggestions from players and fans into account when designing subsequent seasons, though the Rebel Victory was still celebrated by fans of those players.

Season One Results

Season Two: The Force... Awakens?

Season Two of Rebel Spies was subtitled "The Force... Awakens?" - it was the first season to carry a subtitle. It was also the first season to introduce non-core special roles, the Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior. Retrospectively, the Game Master would admit these roles were not properly thought out, and a game breaking flaw was found within the Jedi Knight's power. They have not been used in subsequent seasons, and would be revised if they were reused again.

Season Two went for four days and three nights, and saw six player deaths. Another Rebel Victory was well earned, as the Imperials were in constant disarray and failed to formulate a lasting plan.

Season Two Results

Season Three: There's Something Alive in Here...

Rebel Spies Season Three was subtitled "There's Something Alive in Here..." and featured three brand new roles. With the excision of the Jedi and Sith roles, a neutral Renegade was added, along with the Emperor's Secret Order and the Rebel Diplomat.

The Rebel Diplomat was intended to be a quasi Inquisitor for the Rebel Faction, but never proved very useful. The Renegade, however, turned out to be an incredibly popular role that would go on to affect future games significantly. The same can be said of the Secret Order, who became integral in every Imperial strategy in seasons to follow.

Having the Renegade switch sides during the course of the game created even more paranoia among the players, much to the pleasure of the Rebel Spies staff. Season three featured twelve players, six deaths, and went on for six days and six nights. It also marked the first Rebel death in any season, and was rife with controversy and behind the scenes drama between the players. It was the pinnacle of dramatic holo entertainment.

Many would later point to Season Three as being the first season where intricate strategy was used by the Imperials, though without lasting effect. Known colloquially as "the season where they abstained themselves to death" - The Imperials only executed three players in six days, and two were Imperials. The Rebels didn't win by default, however, as they successfully diverted attention from themselves until it was too late for the Imperials to mount a comeback.

Season Three Results