- BGG rating
- 8.4
Shadow Moon Syndicates: Illicit Company
- 2–5 players
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,615
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Shadow Moon Syndicates
2026
Rules assistance for Shadow Moon Syndicates
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Shadow Moon Syndicates
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shadow Moon Syndicates is a board game released in 2026 for 2–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jarrod Carmichael and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Area Majority / Influence.
Expansions
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About the game
What was once a small rag-tag mining colony, Shadow Moon has grown to become the greatest trading hub of the outer sector — but beneath the thin veneer of legitimacy lies a plague of desperate, corrupt, and highly motivated criminal syndicates. Here, success is for the sinful, and fortunes are won through daring heists and ruthless raids. Rub shoulders with the street thugs, corporate operatives, and two-faced humanitarians as you build your syndicate from the underbelly of society to establish your influence over Shadow Moon. In Shadow Moon Syndicates, 2-5 players take on the role of a syndicate crime boss. Over three rounds, players use their hand of cards to nefariously influence regions of the Shadow Moon, carry out high-stakes criminal operations, and assemble their specialists for the game's finale. How players manage their cards is the key to placing influence in the most effective way to gain lucrative credits, complete missions, and overcome their rivals for ascendancy. The player who accumulates the most credits by game's end wins. Will you be the one to rise above the rest, turning sin into success, to become the Sovereign of Shadow Moon? —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Arkus Games
Questions and answers
Shadow Moon Syndicates supports 2–5 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 Shadow Moon Syndicates is 60–90 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 Shadow Moon Syndicates for ages 14 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.
Shadow Moon Syndicates 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.
Shadow Moon Syndicates belongs to these categories: Science Fiction and Mafia. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, 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 Shadow Moon Syndicates are: Jarrod Carmichael. 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 Shadow Moon Syndicates 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.