This is Secret Alliances. It is a multiplayer variant for 5-15 players, (the extra 5 cards will be in the next post). This is a cross between Star and a regular team game. You determine how many players, then choose how many teams you will need.
5 players=3 teams: 2 matching color pairs and 1 single face down Ally. 6 Players=3 teams: 3 matching color pairs 7 players=4 teams: 3 matching color pairs and 1 single face down Ally. 8 Players=4 teams: 4 matching color pairs and so on up to 10 players.
Let’s use a 7 player game as an example. The Bert, Ernie, Darth Vader, Sidous, Godzilla, Mothra and Spock will be used. The cards are then passed out face down. If your card says reveal, then you reveal. The hidden team members are never allowed to flip their role card over during the game. What this does is create 2 “mini” games within the larger overall game. You will have 3 players with revealed role cards and 4 players with hidden roles. The revealed players know who is not on their team (the hidden role players), and the hidden players know who is not on their team (the appropriate revealed players and all of the other hidden players). The player who is Spock/Blue will know they are by themselves, but no one else will. Play proceeds as normal in both “mini” games until a point is reached where one ally is able to help the other, or an attack of opportunity comes up --example-Mothra sends her creatures at Sidious, who Godzilla has been trying to eliminate or Ernie casts a spell killing one of Godzilla’s creatures which is attacking Bert.--. You can see how these interactions will usually will inform some of the table who their allies might be. The game continues until only one team is left.
This is one of my favorite variants because once everyone realizes what kind of interaction there can be between the “mini” games the level of deception and political action skyrockets. The depth of what can happen in this game is incredible.