Objective

The game is advanced by completing Edicts. Each Edict specifies how many resources (depleted Excavation tiles) must be delivered to Earth for the Edict to be fulfilled. When an Edict has been fulfilled it is discarded and, following a Recruitment phase that enables players to strengthen their executive team and add greater abilities, a new Edict is revealed. Once all Edicts are completed the game ends and the player with the most Victory Points wins.

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Starting the Game

Players deploy their starting spacecraft and constructs in the inner solar system excluding the

asteroid belt since the technology does not exist at the start of the game to reach to reach such a distance.

 

Players receive Solar Credits from the United World Bank as indicated by their organisation’s Start & Funds. Players also receive a financial exploration subsidy from the UWB calculated as follows.

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Once all constructions are in place the game can begin.

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Progressing the Game

Edict uses an ongoing action-selection mechanism for progressing the game. Players take it in turn to undertake one of the four Mission Control department actions and resolves their turn in sequential order first choosing Mission Control department not used on a previous turn, then taking the actions available depending on the skill level of the department’s executive. Play continues clockwise until the Edict is fulfilled.

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Concepts Involved in Gameplay

Exploration includes revealing the hidden extraction tiles of the outer system.

Resources are gathered by an extraction rig located on an extraction tile. Alternatively, depleting the tile and exporting it to Earth can earn income or be used to invest in Future Technologies.

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Investment in Future Technologies earns longer term rewards.

Investing resources in Propulsion Technology enables players to travel further and more economically, both essential if one is to have a chance of winning.

Investment in constructions; orbital platforms, extraction rigs, colonies and research labs increase an organisation’s capabilities and bring additional In-game Bonuses as revealed by the deployment racks on a player’s organisational board.

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Travel is conducted using several different methods. At the start of the game all movement is localised between adjacent sectors. As capability increases movement can include use of the Solarlabe that allows point to point movement anywhere in the solar system. Finally, there are Gravitational Assist Routes (GARS) enabling immediate low-cost return travel to Earth from remote locations in the solar system. The cost of travel is dependent on the level of propulsion technology a player has, so one should remember to make a resource investment in this field.

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Recruitment is one way a player can increase their management ability to carry out more actions in a turn. Executive profiles determine an executive’s capabilities so recruiting, or investing in executive skills, is important in order to stand a chance of winning. Greater Skills open up greater opportunities. Loyalty is also an important influence on an organisation, making it easier to recruit good talent while also being a positive for long term success in achieving goals and success.

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Politics is never far beneath the surface of human endeavour and in the game exists as Politic cards and Political Influence where former executives can be employed in a new role to benefit the organisation.

Solar Events represent the inherent unpredictability of working beyond the safety of Mother Earth and as such throws up risks and opportunities to players during the game.

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Winning is determined by the number of Victory Points a player achieves through the combination of fulfilling Edicts, earned income, accumulated resources, technology achieved, political capital attained, feats and goals, and research labs constructed.