Space Empires: Close Encounters

About this expansion

Space Empires: Close Encounters is an expansion for Space Empires: 4X for 1–4 players, with games lasting about 180 minutes. It brings alien empires into closer conflict through ship boarding engagements, planetary invasions, and varied ground troops.

The expansion introduces roughly 20 unique racial abilities, giving each alien empire its own strengths and weaknesses. It also adds more technology and other science-fiction elements while preserving the streamlined nature of the core game system.

Close Encounters is designed to work as a complete expansion, but its modular structure lets players select only the elements they want to include. An experience system allows ship groups to become more proficient over time, rewarding players who keep their ships alive. Military academies can help new groups begin building experience, while additional counters support groups at different experience levels.

• Titans: Super-large ships beyond dreadnoughts that can carry fighters and destroy planets, while also having liabilities.
• Alien technologies: Special technologies gained by conquering non-player Alien planets.
• Fleet components: Fleet counters and a fleet display are included.
• Expanded development: More technologies and additional money support the larger technology tree.

New scenarios support both three- and four-player games. Solitaire players receive a new Alien empire scenario, plus another challenge focused on fighting off an invading mass of Space Amoebas.

The first printing also includes a complete set of thicker replacement counters from the base game, totaling 4.5 counter sheets, for players with the thinner counters from the first base-game print run. With its selectable modules and expanded encounters, Space Empires: Close Encounters offers new ways to develop and defend an interstellar empire.