- BGG rank
- BGG #29,694
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Tau Ceti: Planetary Crisis
- 1–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,049
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Cosmic Pioneers
2016
Rules assistance for Cosmic Pioneers
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 40–60 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Cosmic Pioneers
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cosmic Pioneers is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 40–60 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Jake Clancey and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
Tired of living on the radioactive, overpopulated mess that is the planet Earth? Become a starship captain with Genesis Corp! Get a ship and travel to new system Tau Ceti, where eleven planets orbit within the habitable Goldilocks Zone: not too hot, not too cold. We have built a Jumpgate that can teleport ships, goods and people. We have also built an orbiting city called the Waystation at the Jumpgate’s exit point. Everything is ready and nothing can go wrong! Cosmic Pioneers is a Sci-fi board game for 2 to 4 players. It is an area control game where players try to control planets vs the other players and of course vs aliens. Each player starts with a ship and a different commander (with a unique ability). By upgrading the ship players try to control as more as possible planets using Colonists. However the planets are already habitable by aliens that wish not share their home planet. The winner of the game is the one who will have most victory points at the end of the game. Explore the new system, colonize its planets, upgrade your ship, and exterminate your opponents! What makes this game unique is the board setup drafting mechanism. Every time you setup the board (Hexes) the Tau Ceti system will be different along with the possible dangers that players will encounter. Step 1: Select one out of 10 scenarios Step 2: Select 2 out of 5 Aliens Step 3: Arrange the 11 planets randomly on the board 7.9 BILLION Game Combinations !!! Are you ready, Captain?
Editions
- Cosmic PioneersenVesuvius Media2016
Designers
Publishers
- Vesuvius Media
Questions and answers
Cosmic Pioneers supports 2–4 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 Cosmic Pioneers is 40–60 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 Cosmic Pioneers 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.
Cosmic Pioneers has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Cosmic Pioneers belongs to these categories: Dice, Adventure, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Cosmic Pioneers are: Jake Clancey. 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 Cosmic Pioneers 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.