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- BGG rating
- 7.1
The West: Ascendant
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- 2021
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In The Shadow of Atlas
2023
Rules assistance for In The Shadow of Atlas
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for In The Shadow of Atlas
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
In The Shadow of Atlas is a board game released in 2023 for 2 players and 20–30 minutes per game. It was designed by John Clowdus and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
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About the game
In The Shadow of Atlas is a combo-building card game for two players. In a future where humanity has left the Sol system, players will use Credits and representatives of the six Orders to develop Atlas and its four satellite planets, become Arbiter, and build Orbital Outposts. The game is played over a series of alternating player turns. Each turn, the player taking their turn will follow the text of their Sequence card, allowing the player to use the Order cards in their hand, along with their Credits, to take Expand, Survey, and Venture Actions and use Abilities, develop the Planets, and build Orbital Outpost. Each Action taken brings the player closer to victory. Players may win outright by being the Arbiter of 4 Planets and/or having 10 or more Orbital Outposts. OR if at the end of the second players turn, if all planets are Developed and/or there are 15 Orbital Outposts between both players, the game ends and players score points for their Orbital Outposts and planets where they are the Arbiter. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Small Box Games
Questions and answers
In The Shadow of Atlas supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for In The Shadow of Atlas is 20–30 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.
In The Shadow of Atlas 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.
In The Shadow of Atlas belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. 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 In The Shadow of Atlas are: John Clowdus. 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 In The Shadow of Atlas 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.