Alien Frontiers is a strategic board game set in a retro-futuristic space theme where players compete to colonize an alien planet using resource management and dice-rolling mechanics. Players use dice as spaceships to claim territories, gather resources, and build colonies on the planet, all while managing a fleet of spaceships and utilizing alien technology to gain advantages. It's a blend of strategy, resource management, area control, and luck, with multiple paths to victory.
Game Concept: Alien Frontiers
Components
Game Board:
- Depicts the alien planet divided into regions and orbital facilities where players can dock their ships (dice) to take various actions.
Dice (Ships):
- Each player has a set of dice representing their fleet of spaceships. The dice are rolled and placed on the board to perform actions.
Colony Tokens:
- Represent the player’s colonies that are placed on the planet's surface to control territories.
Resource Tokens:
- Ore and Fuel are the main resources used for various actions, such as building colonies or acquiring alien technology.
Alien Tech Cards:
- Cards that provide special abilities and advantages to players who acquire them.
Territory Control:
- Players earn bonuses for controlling territories on the planet.
Field Generators:
- Special items that affect how players can interact with certain areas of the board.
Victory Point Markers:
- Used to keep track of each player’s victory points throughout the game.
Setup
Game Board:
- Place the game board in the center of the play area, ensuring all orbital facilities and planetary territories are accessible to all players.
Dice (Ships):
- Each player selects a color and takes their set of dice (3 to start).
Colony Tokens:
- Each player receives a set of colony tokens in their color. Place these tokens in the player’s supply.
Resources:
- Place the Ore and Fuel tokens in piles near the board.
Alien Tech Cards:
- Shuffle the Alien Tech deck and deal a number of cards face-up next to the board, creating the technology market.
Determine the Starting Player:
- Randomly select a starting player.
Initial Resources:
- Distribute initial resources to players based on turn order. For example, the first player may receive fewer starting resources than others to balance the game.
Gameplay Overview
Alien Frontiers is played in turns, with each player taking a complete turn before play passes to the next player. A player's turn consists of rolling dice (spaceships), placing them on orbital facilities, and resolving the actions to gather resources, build colonies, and acquire alien technology.
Turn Structure
Roll Dice:
- At the start of your turn, roll all of your available dice (spaceships).
Deploy Ships (Place Dice):
- Use the rolled dice to perform actions by placing them on orbital facilities on the board.
- Each facility requires specific dice values or combinations to activate, and players must strategize how to best use their rolled dice.
Resolve Actions:
- Actions include gathering resources, acquiring Alien Tech cards, building colonies, and more. Key facilities include:
- Solar Converter: Gain fuel based on the dice value.
- Lunar Mine: Gain ore based on the dice value.
- Orbital Market: Trade resources (ore for fuel or vice versa).
- Shipyard: Build new ships (gain additional dice).
- Colonist Hub: Build colonies by spending resources.
- Alien Artifact: Draw Alien Tech cards that provide special abilities.
- Terraforming Station: Place a colony directly onto the planet for victory points.
Build Colonies:
- Players can build colonies using the Colonist Hub or Terraforming Station. Placing a colony gives the player control of a territory on the planet and may provide special bonuses.
End of Turn:
- After placing all ships and resolving their actions, your turn ends. Pass the turn to the next player.
Rules
Placing Ships:
- Ships can be placed on orbital facilities as long as they meet the placement requirements. Some facilities require specific dice values or combinations (e.g., pairs, sequences).
Blocking:
- Some orbital facilities have limited spaces, so once occupied by other players, they may block access until the next round.
Alien Tech Cards:
- Alien Tech cards provide powerful abilities and can be acquired by placing dice on the Alien Artifact facility. These cards can give players strategic advantages and must be managed wisely.
Territory Control:
- Each territory on the planet provides control bonuses to the player with the most colonies in that area. These bonuses can affect resource production, ship deployment, and scoring.
Victory Points:
- Victory points are earned by building colonies, controlling territories, and using Alien Tech cards. The game ends when a player places their final colony.
Scoring and End Game
Scoring:
- Players earn points for each colony on the planet and additional points for controlling territories. Alien Tech cards may also provide bonus points.
End Game:
- The game ends immediately when a player places their last colony on the planet. Players then total their victory points.
Winning:
- The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most resources (ore and fuel) is the winner.
FAQ
Can I place ships on an occupied facility?
- Some facilities have limited spaces. If a facility is occupied, you cannot place ships there unless you have a special ability (e.g., certain Alien Tech cards).
What happens if I can't place all my ships?
- If you cannot place all your ships due to lack of resources or occupied facilities, those ships are not used this turn.
Can I trade resources with other players?
- No, trading resources directly with other players is not allowed. You can only trade resources at the Orbital Market.
How do I control a territory?
- To control a territory, you need to have the most colonies in that area. Control of territories can change during the game as players build more colonies.
Can I use multiple Alien Tech cards in one turn?
- Yes, you can use as many Alien Tech cards as you have, as long as they meet their activation requirements.
What happens if multiple players have the same number of colonies in a territory?
- If there is a tie for the number of colonies in a territory, neither player receives the control bonus for that territory.
Can I remove my own colony from the planet?
- No, once a colony is placed on the planet, it cannot be removed.
Is there a limit to how many resources I can have?
- No, there is no limit to the amount of ore and fuel you can collect during the game.
Do I have to use all my ships each turn?
- No, you are not required to use all your ships, but strategically using them every turn can be beneficial.
Can I upgrade my dice (ships)?
- You can acquire more dice (ships) through the Shipyard by spending resources. Each additional ship increases your options each turn.
Alien Frontiers offers a dynamic blend of strategy, luck, and player interaction. The use of dice as ships introduces a degree of randomness, while the multiple options for resource management and area control offer depth and replayability. Whether you're racing to control key territories, collecting Alien Tech, or managing resources efficiently, every decision can bring you closer to victory in the race for dominance in the alien frontier.