- BGG rank
- BGG #23
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
- 2–6 players
- 60–200 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2020
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Rules assistance for Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 15–45 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries is an expansion for Star Empires released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Milan Tasevski and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, and Modular Board.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,163
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Imperium: The Contention
- 1–6 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #792
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Kingdom Builder
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,008
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Winter Kingdom
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,035
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,823
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Small Samurai Empires
- 2–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,153
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Adrenaline
- 3–5 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #795
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Quantum
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,855
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Warpgate
- 1–6 players
- 40–120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,526
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Impulse
- 2–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,586
- BGG rating
- 7.2
A Handful of Stars
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,077
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Metallum
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2013
About the game
After decades of geological tests done on a remote research station deep in Tollaran space, scientists stumbled upon amazing discovery. They found that the rare crystals they were studying have enormous amount of energy, unlike anything they've seen before. The discovery of these crystals led the galaxy to a new era of technological breakthroughs, as it was already going through exciting and turbulent times since the start of the first major intergalactic conflicts. When using Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries, at the start of the game you randomly draw crystals of three colors from the bag and place one at each 1 planet system on the board. Additionally, you shuffle the technology deck and reveal several technology cards that will be available for the players to research (purchase). Once you colonize a system containing a crystal, you collect that crystal. During the game you may spend collected crystals in order to research the available technologies. Additionally, you may also build research stations on the board. When an opponent colonizes a system adjacent to your research station, you both get "research bonus" and gain one extra crystal for use. The technologies that you will research range from new engine drives that enable special movement across the board, utility modules that can be used to colonize asteroids and weapons, and shields that can be used to defend or damage ships. Eventually the technologies could score points at the end of the game, so you need to think about which technologies fit your strategy best! How will you use the possibilities that the powerful crystals have to offer? Will you use the them to engage in researching peaceful technologies to further prosper your civilization or engage in military research in order to subdue the other civilizations?
Designers
Publishers
- Archona Games
Questions and answers
Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries 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 Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries is 15–45 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 Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries 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.
Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries 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.
Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries belongs to these categories: Territory Building, Science Fiction, and Space Exploration. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, and Modular Board. 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 Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries are: Milan Tasevski. 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 Small Star Empires: Dawn of Discoveries as an expansion for Star Empires. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Star Empires to use it. Check that your edition of Star Empires is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.