It’s the year 2700 and you’ve been selected to compete for the prestigious title of Ambassador to the Galactic Council. This comprehensive set allows players to explore new solar systems, engage with extraterrestrial lifeforms, and navigate challenges such as pirates and wormholes.

Not just anyone can become Ambassador—you must earn fame and glory by leaving the known universe behind. Delve deep into the unknown, discover new solar systems, meet new extraterrestrial lifeforms and use your diplomacy so they will aid you with their powers. As you explore the space in between, you’ll encounter wormholes, merchants, pirates and more. All of this is made easier with the right upgrades to your ship.

Discover the joy of building your own mothership. Add boosters to fly faster, lock on freight pods to increase your bargaining power and diplomacy, and outfit cannons to fend off pirates. Each mothership also has a unique shaking mechanism to determine your moves and encounters in the game.

Catan: Starfarers is a new version of Starfarers of Catan, originally released in 1999, that contains completely revised graphics and game materials, revised rules, and (most importantly) a variable game board that brings even more variety to the exploration of space. Changes to the mechanics include

-If you are lower in the points you get cards on your turn regardless of what you roll. Two random cards initially, then one, then none as your victory points go up. This is a nice touch. No matter how unlucky you are you still get something. Plus if a player rolls a seven, the person can take a card from any other player, but their opponents now draw a random card from the deck.

• Market Trades: Since you have no roads you no longer need ports so, since you no longer have ports you can trade with the market for any resource on your turn; provided you have the right cards. Additionally the ratios aren’t bad, Any resource for 3:1, i.e. three of one for one of any other type. Goods (a type of resource) trades for 2:1. This plus no road blocking allows you to trade for resources and keep playing.
• There are NPC races that can give you benefits, some of which are +1 resources whenever you get a resource of the same type. But you have to get there early. Now there is a new dynamic to the game, going out into space becomes a strategy on its own.
• Negotiated trades: Since the resources are more readily available there are less negotiated trades. They still exist and someone can still trade 1:1, 3:1, etc… but it is no longer a singularly driving force in the game. Unless you have a big move and you’re missing that one card.
• Resource (set collection) becomes part of your strategy without being limited to negotiation and luck of the die. I think this actually works better.
• Colonization: You colonize to claim planets in a system. This is the same as building towns in Catan. But how many can be in a system (hex) depends on player count. In a three player game you’re only allowed two colonies per system. In a four player game each system only holds up to three players colonies. If you got blocked out early from the closest systems, reach further into the stars to other systems. Who knows you might meet pirate and you’ll have to fight, or traders, perhaps a race of Travelers who will open a worm hole to anywhere on the map.

Includes:

• 4 Large Motherships
• 24 Cannons
• 24 Boosters
• 20 Freight Pods
• 28 Colored Balls
• 6 Game Board Tiles
• 16 Space Sectors
• 4 Friendship Markers
• 40 Fame Medal Pieces
• 36 Number Discs
• 16 Special Tokens
• 100 Resource Cards
• 32 Encounter Cards
• 20 Friendship Cards
• 12 Overview Cards
• 92 Player Pieces
• 2 Dice
• 2 Components Trays
• 1 Sticker Sheet
• 1 Rule Book
• 1 Almanac
• 11 Storage Bags

Specifications:

• Theme: Board Games
  
• Ages: 14+
• Players: 3-4
• Play Time: 120 Minutes