- BGG rank
- BGG #2,133
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Ad Astra
2009
Rules assistance for Ad Astra
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.7/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Ad Astra
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ad Astra is a board game released in 2009 for 3–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Bruno Faidutti and Serge Laget and its main mechanics are Trading, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Action Queue.
About the game
Humans have evolved into five different races, each of them adapted to life in different planetary conditions. Guide one of the five human factions in its exploration of the galaxy, while exploiting resources, terraforming planets and creating advanced space colonies. You may even find artifacts of a long-lost alien civilization and use them to your advantage. A game round consists of three phases: planning phase, action phase and end of round. During the planning phase, action cards are placed face-down on any empty space of a shared planning board. When all spaces on the board have been filled, the action phase begins. In sequence, each card is revealed and all players may carry out the corresponding action. At the end of round, the action cards are returned to the players' hands and a new round begins. The available actions are: Production: one of the resources depicted on the card is generated on every matching planet. Movement: starships may be moved to other planets by spending energy. Build: colonies, factories, starships and terraformers may be built on the planets by using resource cards. Trade: resource cards may be traded among the players and the bank. Scoring: the players are scored based on one of the game elements depicted on the card. The owner of each card has an advantage when resolving it, such as deciding which resource is generated or on which game element the players score. The game ends when one player reaches at least 50 victory points or when all planets have been discovered. At that point, the player with the most victory points is the winner.
Designers
Publishers
- Edge Entertainment
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Nexus Editrice
- NG International Srl.
Questions and answers
Ad Astra supports 3–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Ad Astra is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ad Astra for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ad Astra has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ad Astra belongs to these categories: Science Fiction, Space Exploration, and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Trading, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Action Queue. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ad Astra are: Bruno Faidutti and Serge Laget. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ad Astra as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.