Space Base

2018

Embark on a galactic journey in Space Base! Assume the role of a Commodore, manage fleets, establish colonies, and strategically build your spaceship empire.

60
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to Space Base, a strategic board game that lets you command a fleet of starships and explore the infinite expanses of the cosmos. This game is set in a vibrant and competitive intergalactic universe teeming with opportunities and challenges. You’re not just playing a game – you’re embarking on an epic space adventure!

In Space Base, each player represents a commodore of a small fleet of ships. Your mission? To expand your fledgling fleet and turn it into the most formidable force in the galaxy. The setting of the game provides a rich narrative backdrop that hooks players from the get-go. Whether you’re a fan of the sci-fi genre, or simply love strategic decision making, Space Base won’t disappoint.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Space Base is a dice game where players draft ships into their Space Base. Each turn, no matter whose turn, players harvest rewards from their Space Base, whether those are an increase in your baseline income, credits for the next turn, influence or victory points. The following are the components included in the game:

1. Game Board: This is the main playing field where players will place their ships. It’s divided into different sectors, each with a number corresponding to dice results (1-12). Each player has their own individual game board. The game board is important as it helps players visualize their space base and the ships within it.

2. Dice: The game includes two six-sided dice. These dice are rolled on each player’s turn to determine which ships will generate rewards. The interaction of the dice with the game is a key mechanic, as the numbers rolled determine which sectors activate and thus produce resources.

3. Ship Cards: These cards represent various ships that players can add to their Space Base. They come in different colors, each representing a different type of ship (blue, green, and red). The ship cards can be deployed in the sectors on the game board, each having a unique ability that activates when the corresponding sector number is rolled.

4. Credit Cubes: These are small cubes that represent the currency in the game. Players earn credits from their ships when the corresponding dice numbers are rolled. Credits are used to buy new ships and thus expand the Space Base.

5. Colony Tokens: These tokens represent colonies that players can build on their Space Base. They provide a steady stream of resources every turn, making them a valuable addition to a player’s board.

6. Victory Point Tokens: These tokens represent the victory points players earn throughout the game. The ultimate goal of the game is to have the most victory points by the end, so these tokens are pivotal to winning.

7. Influence Discs: These discs are used to track a player’s influence level. The higher a player’s influence, the more they can sway the outcome of certain events in the game.

8. Player Tokens: These tokens are used to represent each player on the score track. They help keep track of each player’s progress towards victory.

9. Sector Tokens: These tokens are used to mark which sectors on a player’s board have been activated by a dice roll. They help players keep track of which sectors are generating resources each turn.

The components of Space Base all work together to create an engaging and strategic gameplay experience. From the roll of the dice to the deployment of ship cards, each element adds depth and strategy to the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Space Base is a dice game where players draft ships into their Space Base. Each turn, no matter whose turn, players harvest rewards from their Space Base, whether those rewards are an increase in your baseline income, credits for the next turn, influence or some other powerful effect. To set up the game, follow the steps below:

Arrange the game components: Take the game board and place it in the center of the table where all players can reach it. Separate the cards into their respective piles based on the number in the top left corner and place them next to the game board.
Prepare the player boards: Each player should take a player board, two white dice, and a player marker in their chosen color. Place the player marker on the ‘0’ space of the scoring track on the game board.
Initial resources: Players start with 5 credits, 1 income, and 0 victory points. Indicate this on your player board by placing the appropriate markers in the respective spaces.
Deal sector cards: Each player is dealt 12 sector cards, one for each sector of their space base. Sectors are numbered from 1 to 12. Place each card in its corresponding sector with the deploy cost and red arrow pointing upward. These are your starting ships.
Prepare the starting deck: Shuffle the deck of cards and deal three cards face up in the middle of the table to form the market. This is where players will be able to acquire new ships for their space bases.
Determine the first player: The player who most recently saw a shooting star is the first player. In case of a tie, the youngest player goes first. Give that player the two red dice.

With these steps, you’re now ready to start playing Space Base. Remember, the goal of the game is to accrue the most points by effectively managing your space base and making strategic decisions about when to invest in new ships and when to upgrade your existing ones.

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Space Base’ is an engaging dice game where players assume the roles of Commodores in a space fleet. The game is structured in a series of rounds, each consisting of different phases. These phases include the Active Player’s Turn, the Other Players’ Turn, and the End of the Turn.

The Active Player’s Turn

Roll Dice: The active player begins their turn by rolling two six-sided dice. The result determines which ships in the player’s fleet will be activated.
Activate Ships: The active player may choose to activate either one ship that corresponds to the sum of the dice or two ships that correspond to the individual die results.
Buy New Ship or Base: The active player can use their accumulated credits to purchase a new ship or upgrade an existing one to a base. The new ship or base is then placed in the sector corresponding to its cost. The replaced ship is flipped over and becomes a base, which can be used even when it’s not the player’s turn.

The Other Players’ Turn

Gain Income: Other players can gain income from their bases (flipped over ships) according to the dice roll of the active player.
Activate Ships: Other players can also activate their ships based on the dice roll of the active player. However, they can only activate ships that correspond to the sum of the dice, not the individual die results.

The End of the Turn

After the active player has finished their actions and other players have received their income, the turn ends. The dice are passed to the next player in a clockwise direction who then becomes the active player. This process repeats until a player reaches or exceeds the predetermined victory point total.

The player who first reaches or surpasses the target score triggers the game’s end. The round is completed so that each player has an equal number of turns. After this, the player with the highest score wins the game. If there is a tie, the player with the most remaining credits wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Space Base, a player’s turn comprises of two main phases: the Roll Phase and the Buy Phase. These phases are followed in sequence and each presents unique actions and strategic choices for the player.

The Roll Phase

The active player starts their turn by rolling two six-sided dice. After the roll, the player has two options. They can either:

Add both dice together: The player activates the card in the slot that matches the sum of both dice on their own game board.
Use each die separately: The player activates the card in the slot that matches the value of each die separately on their game board.

It’s important to note that other players also have the opportunity to activate cards on their own boards during this phase, but only in the sectors that match the sum of the dice.

The Buy Phase

After the Roll Phase, the player enters the Buy Phase. Here, the player can purchase new ships from the shipyard or command cards from the game’s common pool. The player can make these purchases using the credits they’ve accumulated. The player’s options during the Buy Phase include:

Buying a ship: The player can choose to buy a ship from the shipyard. The cost of each ship is indicated on its card. After purchasing, the player replaces a ship in the same slot on their board with the new ship, putting the replaced ship under the board for future income.
Buying a command card: The player can also opt to buy a command card from the common pool, provided they have enough credits. These cards offer powerful abilities that can greatly enhance gameplay.

Strategic choices during the Buy Phase can have significant impacts on gameplay. Choosing the right ship or command card to buy can provide the player with valuable abilities and resources, which can be leveraged in future turns for advantage.

After the Buy Phase, the player’s turn ends, and the next player clockwise begins their turn. The game continues in this manner until one player has accumulated enough victory points to win the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

In the game ‘Space Base’, the endgame is triggered when any player reaches or exceeds 40 victory points during the game. However, the game does not end immediately when this happens. Instead, every player, including the one who triggered the endgame, gets one final turn. This ensures that all players have had the same number of turns in the game.

Victory Conditions

The victory conditions in ‘Space Base’ are straightforward. The player with the highest total number of victory points at the end of the game is the winner. Victory points can be earned through a variety of means including:

Deploying ships that grant victory points.
Utilizing card abilities that provide victory points.
Benefiting from sector benefits associated with victory points.

It’s important to note that victory points are not the only factor in determining the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most coins wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the most income wins. If there is yet another tie, the player with the most deployed ships wins.

Final Scoring

Before final scoring begins, players must complete one last turn after the endgame is triggered. This gives every player an equal number of turns in the game. After this final turn, players begin the process of final scoring. Each player calculates their total number of victory points from the following sources:

The victory points indicated on each of their deployed ships.
Any victory points gained from card abilities.
Victory points from sector benefits.

Each player then adds up their total victory points to determine their final score. The player with the highest score is declared the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

‘Space Base’ is an exciting board game where players assume the role of Commodores, upgrading their space base to earn income, build ships, and score victory points (VPs). Let’s delve into the detailed scoring system of the game.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that there are several ways to earn victory points in ‘Space Base’:

Deploying Ships: You can earn victory points by deploying ships to your space base. Each ship card has a value of VPs that you’ll earn when the ship’s number is rolled.
Buying Colony Ships: Colony ships give you a large number of VPs when you buy them, but they also take up a valuable slot in your space base.
End Game Bonuses: Some cards give you additional VPs at the end of the game. These are usually cards that require you to meet certain conditions, like having a certain number of a specific type of ship.

At the end of the game, the player with the most victory points wins. However, if there is a tie, ‘Space Base’ has specific tie-breaking rules:

The player with the most remaining credits (money) wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who has the most deployed ship cards in their space base wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who went earlier in the turn order wins.

Note: Victory points are not cumulative in the sense that you do not add them up each turn. Instead, you update your score on the Victory Point track every time you earn VPs. It is advisable to always keep track of your score, as the game ends immediately when a player reaches or exceeds 40 victory points during the ‘Income Phase’.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Space Base’ is a strategic board game with a plethora of unique rules and exceptions. Here are some of the special rules, exceptions, and rule clarifications that might be important in ‘Space Base’:

1. The Deployment Phase:

During the deployment phase, players can buy ships from the Shipyard. However, it’s important to remember that a player can only purchase one ship per turn, even if they have enough credits to buy more.
If players purchase a ship, they must immediately place it in one of their sectors, replacing the ship that is already there. The replaced ship is then turned upside down and moved to the top of the player’s board, becoming a deployed ship.

2. Sector Redeployment:

Players cannot redeploy ships from one sector to another. Once a ship is placed in a sector, it stays there until replaced by a new purchase.
However, players can choose to redeploy a ship to the same sector. This allows them to activate the ship’s ability without waiting for the dice roll that corresponds to that sector.

3. The Income Track:

The income track may not be intuitive for new players. When a player advances on the income track, they receive credits equal to the new level, not the difference between the new level and the old one.
Players cannot go beyond level 6 on the income track. If a card or ability would push a player beyond level 6, the player stays at level 6 and takes 6 credits instead.

4. Victory Points:

Victory points are accumulated throughout the game and are the primary means of determining the winner. However, players can also lose victory points through certain card effects, so it’s important to carefully consider each action.
Once a player has reached 40 victory points, the end of the game is triggered. However, the game does not end immediately. Each player gets one final turn before the game ends.

5. Card Clarifications:

Some cards have abilities that trigger “when purchased”. These abilities activate immediately when the card is bought, not when it is deployed.
Other cards have abilities that trigger “when deployed”. These abilities only activate when the card is turned upside down and moved to the top of the player’s board.
Cards that have “charge” abilities can hold charges between rounds. However, they can only hold a maximum of three charges at a time.