Star Empires Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Objective
• Components
• Game Elements
  • Main Sector Tiles
  • Nebula Systems
  • Planetary Systems
  • Empty Systems
  • Other Systems
  • Homeworld Sector Tiles
  • Ships
  • Cities
  • Trade Stations
  • Score Track and Markers
  • Score Points Symbol
• Setup
  • 1. Create the Board
  • 2. Choose a Player Color
  • 3. Prepare Score Track
  • 4. Start Playing
• Gameplay
  • Move One Ship
  • Additional Rules for Movement
  • Colonize
    • Colonizing a Planetary System
    • Colonizing a Nebula System
    • Colonizing an Empty System
  • The Difference Between a City and a Trade Station
• Game End
  • Scoring
  • Tiebreakers
• Variants
  • Damaged Ships
  • Wormhole
  • Black Holes
  • Unexplored Systems
  • Campaign Mode
  • Open Borders
  • Epic Game Mode
  • Score Keeper Application
• Credits

Game Objective

In Small Star Empires, you will move your ships on a modular map containing hexagon spaces called systems. After you move one of your ships into a system, you will colonize it by placing either a City or a Trade Station in that system. This will give you control over that system, and score you points either immediately (planetary systems) or at the end of the game (nebula or other systems). At the end of game, all players will calculate their points for each of the systems they control, plus other applicable bonus points. The player that has the most points wins the game.

Components

• 96 plastic components: 4 Ships, 16 Cities and 4 Trade Stations per player
• Score track and 4 player score markers
• 9 Nebula Markers (3 per color)
• 15 Unexplored System Tiles
• 4 Homeworld Sector Tiles
• 7 Main Sector Tiles
• 6 Wormhole/Black Hole Tiles

Game Elements

Main Sector Tiles

These tiles form the galaxy board. Each of the Main Sector Tiles has different spaces called systems in it. A Main Sector Tile can contain Nebula Systems, Empty Systems, and Planetary Systems.

Nebula Systems

There are three Nebula Systems of each color: Red, Blue and Green. The more Nebula Systems you control of one color at the end of game, the more points you will gain.

Planetary Systems

Each Planetary System can contain a number of planets in it, usually from one to three planets.

When you colonize a Planetary System, score 1 point for each planet in that system.

Empty Systems

Empty Systems don't score you points when you colonize them, but they can be a pretty good spot for a Trade Station! Additionally, if you play with additional tiles from some of the variants, you will place those tiles on these systems during setup.

Other Systems

Other systems such as Wormholes, Black Holes and Unexplored Systems are described in more detail at the Variants section.

Homeworld Sector Tiles

These tiles are similar to the Main Sector Tiles, except that each of these tiles contains a different player's Homeworld System in it, in addition to the standard Planetary Systems. Depending on the number of players, each player starts to play the game with a different amount of ships on his Homeworld System.

Ships

Each player will use their ships during the game to colonize the systems of the galaxy.

Cities

These are used for colonization of the systems of the galaxy. By placing a City on a system means that you have colonized that system.

Trade Stations

These are also used for colonization of the systems in the galaxy. By placing a Trade Station on a system means that you have colonized that system. Additionally, you score bonus points for each of your Trade Stations at the end of the game (for more details on how they score points, see Gameplay).

Score Track and Markers

You will use the score track and the player score markers in order to track your points during the game and calculate the end game points.

Score Points Symbol

This symbol contains a number within it, which means how many points you need to score when you do certain moves or at the end of the game.

Setup

1. Create the Board

If this is your first game of Small Star Empires or you like to play on a balanced map, we recommend the following map. Shuffle the tiles and make a form corresponding with the number of players, using the Homeworld Sector Tiles and the Main Sector Tiles.

IMPORTANT: The modular nature of the board allows you to create different map setups! Be creative and find the setup that works best for you!

2. Choose a Player Color

Each player chooses a color and they take all of the Ships, Cities and Trade Stations of that color. Depending on the number of players, each player starts with 2-4 ships of his color on his Homeworld System:

• 2 Players: 4 Ships
• 3 Players: 3 Ships
• 4 Players: 2 Ships

3. Prepare Score Track

Place each player's disc marker on the 0 space of the track.

4. Start Playing

You are now ready to start playing!

Gameplay

Small Star Empires is played over a series of turns, starting with the player that has last been a Star Emperor in one of his previous lives. If none of the players have been Star Emperors in their previous lives, the youngest player starts.

Basically, on your turn, you MUST do the following: Move one of your ships and then colonize the system you have moved into.

Move One Ship

You must choose one of your ships on the board to move it as many spaces as you want but only in a straight line. You can move your ships in any one of the six directions of the hexagon during your turn. However, your ships cannot change directions during the same move.

Additional Rules for Movement

Additionally, you MUST move your ship in accordance with the following rules:

Your ship CAN:

• MOVE INTO any uncolonized system on the board that is in its line of movement.
• PASS THROUGH a Wormhole System (for more info on Wormholes, check the Variants section).
• PASS THROUGH a system you have already colonized (under your control).
• MOVE INTO a Wormhole System (for more info on Wormholes, check the Variants section).

Your ship CANNOT:

• MOVE INTO or PASS THROUGH a system that is already colonized by another player (under opponent's control).
• MOVE INTO a system you have already colonized (under your control).
• MOVE INTO or PASS THROUGH a Black Hole System (check Variants section).
• MOVE INTO your Homeworld System, except if it is a Damaged Ship (more on Damaged Ships, check Variants section).

GOLDEN RULE: By using some Variants and/or Expansions of the game, some of these rules may be overridden by the rules from those Variants and Expansions.

Colonize

After you have moved one of your ships, you MUST COLONIZE the system your ship has moved into by placing either a City or a Trade Station from your reserves. This way, you gain control over that system. No other players may later colonize that system during their turn. Additionally, you cannot choose to replace a City with a Trade Station or vice versa during the game.

Colonizing a Planetary System

If you colonize a Planetary System during your turn, you will immediately score points on the Score Track equal to the number of planets present in that system.

Example: Colonizing a Planetary System with three planets would give you 3 points.

Colonizing a Nebula System

If you colonize a Nebula System during your turn, take the Nebula Marker of the corresponding color and place it beside you. At the end of the game, you will score 2 points for having one Nebula Marker of a color, 5 points for having two Nebula Markers of a color and 8 points for having all Nebula Markers of a color.

Colonizing an Empty System

You can also colonize an empty system, but those systems will not give you points for colonization. However, if you place a Trade Station in an empty system, it can score you points for adjacent opponent systems at the end of the game as explained below.

The Difference Between a City and a Trade Station

Colonizing a system with a City or Trade Station is basically the same (placing either will give you control over the system), except that each of your Trade Stations will give you additional points for each adjacent opponent system to them at the end of the game, so use them wisely!

Example: A Trade Station that has 5 opponent systems adjacent to it will score additional 5 points at the end of the game. Note that it will not score 1 point for the system that is under its owner's control.

Game End

As previously stated, you MUST move one of your ships during your turn and colonize the system you move into, if able. If you are unable to move any of your ships because you are blocked by opponent systems, you pass and don't take any more turns. Play continues, until all of the players cannot move their ships anymore and each player passes.

Alternatively, the game can also end when all of the players have put all of their City and Trade Station tokens on the board.

Scoring

After the game ends, players continue to count down their end game points and add them on the score track:

Nebula Systems: Score 2, 5 or 8 points if you control 1, 2 or 3 Nebulae of a color, respectively.

Trade Stations: Score 1 point for each opponent system next to each of your Trade Stations. NOTE: An opponent system is a system that has either an opponent City, Trade Station, other types of stations or a Homeworld System.

Largest Territory Bonus: Score 3 points for the player with the largest territory (most connected systems in a single territory under his or her control). If players are tied for having the most systems in a single territory, they all gain 3 points.

Bonus points from Expansions and Variants: Score additional points from Variants and Expansions.

Tiebreakers

Congratulations! The player with the highest score is the winner!

In case of a tie, the player that has the most Cities left in his reserve is the winner of the game. If there is still a tie, the player that has the most Trade Stations left in his reserve is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player controlling the most planets from the tied players is the winner of the game. If there is still a tie, all tied players are winners.

Variants

Variants are an interesting way to "spice up" your Small Star Empires gaming nights. You can choose to play with either one, several or all variants during a game. Here's an explanation of some rules associated with the variants as well as an explanation for the components.

Most of the Variants in Small Star Empires 2nd Edition are associated with some additional single-system tiles.

Additionally, most of the Variants and Expansions for Small Star Empires utilize the "Damaged Ships" rule. Here's an explanation for Damaged Ships:

Damaged Ships

In some cases, your ships can get damaged during a game. When a ship gets damaged, simply turn it horizontally on the board.

Damaged Ships have limited movement of 2 systems in any one direction during a turn, instead of the unlimited number of systems like the undamaged ships.

Additionally, Damaged Ships cannot enter Unexplored Systems. However, Damaged Ships can enter their owner's Homeworld System for repairs. When you move your Damaged Ship into your Homeworld System, simply turn it back to its original vertical position. From now on, you may move that ship regularly. This is the only case when you don't need to colonize a system after moving your ship.

Wormhole

The Wormholes variant lets you use the Wormhole System tiles in order to create really interesting maps with the Special Wormhole Movement. To create a balanced wormhole map, place the Wormhole Systems on the middle Empty System on the Main Sector Tiles.

Separate Galaxies Map: Using the Wormholes, you can create a separate galaxy board where players can travel between the smaller galaxies using the Wormholes.

Moving with Wormholes: As previously mentioned in the Movement section, you cannot move your ship into a Wormhole System. However you can move a ship between systems that are adjacent to Wormhole Systems. This means that when you start your movement, your ship must already be adjacent to a wormhole in order to place it adjacent to another wormhole.

Black Holes

The gravitational pull of the Black Hole Systems presents a great danger to any ship passing through those systems, and that's why your ships cannot pass through or move into a Black Hole system.

Unexplored Systems

The Unexplored Systems represent the areas of the galaxy that are yet to be discovered.

To setup, shuffle the Unexplored Systems face down and put one tile without looking at it on each of the Empty Systems on the board. Put the rest back in the box without looking at them.

Exploring These Systems: You may only move your ship into these systems and colonize them using Cities. If you don't have any Cities left, you CANNOT enter these systems.

When you enter an Unexplored System, simply turn the tile face-up and resolve its effect.

Planetary Systems: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. Score points as when you colonize a normal Planetary System (1 point per planet).

Chromatic Nebula: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. When scoring points for Nebula Systems at the end of the game, you may choose which color this Nebula is and add it to that set of color. A color set cannot have more than 3 Nebulae in the base game.

Asteroid Field: When you enter and reveal this system, Damage your ship. From now on, no other ships can enter or pass through this system.

Abandoned Trade Station: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. Score 1 point. At the end of the game, count this City as your Trade Station.

Refueling Station: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. Score 1 point. You may then move the ship in this system into an adjacent uncolonized system and colonize that system.

Hollana Federation: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. Score 2 points. At the end of the game, the player that controls the most systems adjacent to the Hollana Federation system scores an additional 3 points. If there is a tie for who controls the most adjacent systems, all tied players score 2 points.

Tennar Union: When you enter and reveal this system, colonize it with a City. Score 2 points. At the end of the game, each player that controls at least one system adjacent to the Tennar Union system scores an additional 2 points.

Nordinn Empire: When you enter and reveal this system, Damage your ship. From now on, no other ships can enter or pass through this system. After that, if you have any adjacent Cities to this system, choose one of them to destroy (return the City back to its owner's reserves). If you don't have any Cities adjacent to this system, then choose another player's City and destroy that instead.

If you destroy an adjacent City this way, place the Nordinn Empire conquest marker on the system. Systems with a Nordinn Empire conquest marker are considered conquered and you cannot move your ships into those systems.

Campaign Mode

If you want to play multiple games in one night, you can also try the Campaign Mode. In this variant, you will play more than 3 games depending on the number of players to determine the winner.

Before the start of the first game, the players start with fewer available Cities and Trade Stations than the normal game, according to the number of players:

• 2 Players: 14 Cities and 4 Trade Stations
• 3 Players: 12 Cities and 3 Trade Stations
• 4 Players: 10 Cities and 2 Trade Stations

Put the remaining Cities and Trade Stations back in the box.

Designate an area for the "win pile". Each time you win, you must put a City from your reserves into the "win pile". The City marks that you have won the round and are one point closer towards total victory. This also means that you will start the next game in the Campaign Mode with one City less.

Winning a Campaign: A player will win the whole campaign after earning a number of Campaign points (Cities in the "win pile"), which is also determined according to the number of players:

• 2 Players: 5 Campaign Points
• 3 Players: 4 Campaign Points
• 4 Players: 3 Campaign Points

Open Borders

This variant adds one simple rule to the game: If you want to pass through an opponent system with one of your Ships, you may pay him one of your unused Cities in your reserves to pass (the opponent puts the City in front of him). The opponent cannot reject this. At the end of the game, players score 2 points for each City that they got from their opponents during the game.

Epic Game Mode

If you own two copies of Small Star Empires and/or any additional expansions, you can play the Epic Game Mode variant by using tiles and components from both copies of the game and/or the expansions.

Since you will have more Nebula Systems of each color when playing the Epic Game Mode, at the end of the game score points according to this table:

Nebulae controlled	Points
1x Nebula	2
2x Nebulae	5
3x Nebulae	8
4x Nebula	11
5x Nebulae	15
6x Nebulae	19

To create the board, shuffle the Main Sector Tiles from both copies of the game, and use the recommended setup according to the number of players.

Base Game Epic: If you want to use only two copies of the base game, use the recommended map setup and number of components per player for 2, 3 and 4 players as shown in the rulebook's setup diagrams.

Epic game with ONE Main Expansion: If you want to play an epic game with one of the main expansions (The Galactic Divide or Dawn of Discoveries), use the recommended map setup and number of components per player as shown in the rulebook's setup diagrams.

Epic Game with Wormholes: Of course, you can create separate galaxies for an EPIC board setup by using the Wormhole Systems.

Epic game with TWO Main Expansions: If you want to play an epic game with the two main expansions (The Galactic Divide + Dawn of Discoveries), use the recommended map setup and number of components per player as shown in the rulebook's setup diagrams.

Score Keeper Application

At the link/QR Code in the rulebook, you can download the official Score Keeper application for Small Star Empires, where you can write your scores and keep statistics of your games: www.archonagames.com/rulebooks/

Credits

This rulebook and any new updates and FAQ's may also become available in several other languages on the publisher's website in the future. Visit www.archonagames.com/rulebooks/ to download them.

If you need any help with the game and/or replacement parts, send an e-mail to [email protected].

2nd Edition — has been made possible with the help of 1198 backers. Thank you!

Playtesters: Daniel Kiprijanovski, Ivan Sasi Saveski, Aleksandra Trajkova, Sofija Petrushevska, Ana Zdravkova, Ante Gulin, Damjan Dabovski

Reviewers: Vaughn Reynolds (I am a Social Gamer), Timothy Gay (To The Table), Married With Board Games (The Dice Tower), Vangelis Kefalas (Epitrapaizoume), Danijel Ljubas (Life of a Board Gamer)

Darko Dojcinovski — Video, Animation and Marketing

Game Design: Milan Tasevski | Graphic Design and Art: Milan Tasevski | Box Art: Jose David Lanza Cebrian

Developers: Milan Tasevski, Boris Momic, Vladimir Trajchevski

Assistant Graphic Designer: Ana Zdravkova | Score Application Development: Ivo Neskovic

Small Star Empires Fans Facebook Group: join the Facebook group dedicated to Small Star Empires, where you can ask questions and engage in discussion about the game, at www.facebook.com/groups/smallstarempires/