Black Hole Council

About this board game

Black Hole Council is a negotiation and deduction game for 4–8 players that plays in about 60 minutes. As Councilors, players decide the fate of 32 different planets while pursuing secret agendas and competing to become the de facto ruler of the Council.

Each Councilor has been paid off by a shady organization and holds a hidden agenda card. Over six negotiation rounds, one player takes the role of leader and proposes what should happen to five different planets. The leader may choose to settle, tax, mine, conquer, or black hole them.

While the leader considers the proposal, the other Councilors attempt to influence the decision. Negotiation takes place under a two-minute sand timer, creating a limited window for persuasion, promises, and deduction. When time runs out, every player except the leader votes on the proposal.

• Settle, tax, mine, conquer, or black hole planets
• Negotiate while the two-minute timer runs
• Vote on the leader’s proposal
• Advance on the influence track based on negotiation performance

If a proposal passes, players advance—or do not advance—on the influence track depending on how well they performed during the negotiation. The track represents the struggle for power as Councilors work to fulfill their own agendas.

Three deduction rounds add another layer of uncertainty. Players try to guess specific goals held by other Councilors. Correct guesses earn influence coins for the guesser, while incorrect guesses earn coins for the opposing player.

In Black Hole Council, success depends on balancing negotiation with concealment and observation. The more effectively players achieve their agendas and deduce the goals of others, the more likely they are to advance and claim control of the Council.