Sci-fi skirmish game Stargrave’s fourth expansion takes a different form to the other releases. Rather than a paperback book with details about added scenarios, backgrounds, and beasts, Side Hustle is a deck of 40 cards. These cards feature special missions and tasks that players can draw from to add a little bit of extra intrigue to their games of Stargrave.
Independent crews trying to make a living in the Ravaged Galaxy are always looking for the one big score that'll ensure they’re made for life but they often need to take on a variety of smaller jobs in order to scrape by. These cards provide new tactical challenges and narrative elements to one-off games, giving players asymmetric objectives without needing unique or time-consuming terrain set-ups.
Card Game
Each card presents a specific objective and lists the rewards your crew gains for achieving it. Some of these objectives must be revealed to your opponent, while others can be kept secret. Your crew could be attempting to install a data virus into a key system, dealing with an alien shapeshifter who has infiltrated a rival crew, searching for a sword of legend, extracting a prisoner, or trying to recover alien eggs for a rich merchant.
Most of the secret objectives revolve around three pieces of terrain: a pylon, a pit, and a destroyed robot. This allows players to quickly and easily set up a game of Stargrave, yet it also provides some of the benefits of a full scenario thanks to the cards’ narrative feel. Your crew could be heading for the same objective as your rival and racing to the centre of the tabletop so you can get to it first.
Overall, I believe Side Hustle is a worthwhile addition as the cards often lead to some interesting new encounters playing out and I have gotten a lot of replay value from them. I may have preferred a standard sized deck with an accompanying book for the rules and detailed explanations for each card. However, there is a good variety of objectives, which can be used in conjunction with the scenarios from the core game and previously released supplements.
*A copy of Stargrave: Side Hustle was kindly provided for review*