As the last 3 factions in our solar system fight to survive, it is up to you to find the best places for humanity to thrive. With a small fleet of Scout ships you must traverse the nearby belts and planets to gather resources.. With others hoping to do the same prepare to keep you scouts safe with a vast selection of highly technological war ships. Spreading out your war-fleet among the planets you control will not only help with resource gathering but protect you against any possible action. With the right amount of resources you must build outposts on habitable planets. But never let your guard down as you could lose control of the planet before you are fully settled in.
This game has a lot of mechanics built around deck building. As you start with a standard hand of 2 scouts and 7 transports you will have to break up your turns from gathering resources and purchasing additional ships all while maintaining control of your planets. Each turn you have an option to discover new areas in the solar systems. Some will provide additional areas to gather resources while some planets provide space for outposts; which, in the end, is your ultimate goal.
What interests me most in this game is the ability to "invade" enemies controlled spaces. With newly purchased war ships you can place these around your controlled areas. If you decide another player has an area you want you can move your fleet in to attack. But you must beware of the others fleet defenses. Each war ship comes with its own attack and shield power and this will determine the next person to control the area. With that in mind you will need to plan accordingly as there are only a few planets that allow for colonies to be built, which is the goal to win the game.
While this game is still in testing and production I did enjoy the variety of mechanics involved. You have a lot of options on play style. I would like to see more ship options and refined rules on combat. I believe this would allow for more replay-ability. I look forward to seeing future expansions on this game.
Here is a short video for your first game setup. Video provided by the game developer.
Game: Star Colonies
Cost: Still in production
Pros: Excellent concept and Mechanics.
Cons: Lack of ship options.
Recommended?: Yes for the gamer that likes heavy strategy.