APEX
The fledgling civilizations, not yet embarking on the cosmic odyssey, sometimes delude themselves into believing they stand alone as the sole embodiments of intelligent life in the vast expanse of the Universe. Yet, the Galaxy brims with beings of physiologies as improbable as they are diverse, engendering civilizations of even greater complexity and diversity.
However, most are ultimately destroyed—either through self-annihilation or external forces—before mastering light speed travel. The scant surviving civilizations, therefore, invariably emerge as the most formidable, whether they ascend through warfare, political maneuvering, economic hegemony, or by pioneering unprecedented technological innovations.
The Galaxy is immense, but not vast enough for multiple exponentially expanding interstellar empires. Sooner or later, they must clash for galactic domination.
In order to stand a chance in the galactic conflict, the most advanced civilizations have all learned to harness the power of the mysterious portals scattered throughout the Galaxy. These physical anomalies enable entire fleets to instantly jump from one point to another in space.
No one knows which distant vanished civilization, nor which formidable science, could have created these portals. Their usage remains relatively simple, although it requires a colossal amount of energy.
Number of players: 2 - 6
Game duration: 42 mn
Complexity: 3 / 5
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Play APEX and 1327 other games online.
No download necessary - play directly from your web browser.
With your friends and thousands of players from the whole world.
Free.
Rules summary
OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME
Collect the most Victory Points (VP) over three eras. Points are earned by controlling sectors at the end of each era and by winning battles.
SETUP HIGHLIGHTS
- Civilizations: Each player receives a board, 20 ships, 3 colonies, and 4 evolution markers.
- Galaxy: The board consists of 4 neutral sectors per player plus one home sector per person at the edge.
- Evolution Tracks: All markers start at Level 0 (or as indicated on the board). The maximum is Level 5.
GAMEPLAY
The game is played over 3 Eras with 5 Rounds each. Each round follows this sequence:
- Strategy Selection: All players simultaneously and secretly choose one side of their Strategy Card (War, Evolution, Colonization, or Expansion).
- Reveal: Cards are revealed at the same time.
- Resolution: Actions are resolved strictly in the following order:
- 1. War
- 2. Evolution
- 3. Colonization
- 4. Expansion
ACTIONS IN DETAIL
- War: Initiate battles in sectors with enemy presence.
- Combat Value: Your ships in the sector + current Armament Level.
- Victory: The highest value wins. All enemy units are destroyed. The winner keeps a number of ships equal to the difference between their value and the second-placed player (the rest are destroyed). Grants +1 VP.
- Evolution: Increase the attribute shown on the card (Production, Movement, Influence, Armament) by +1 Level.
- Colonization: Place a Colony in a controlled sector that does not already have one. Colonies provide bonuses for the Expansion phase.
- Expansion: Perform all available actions (from the card, evolutions, and colonies) in any order:
- Movement: Move ships to adjacent sectors.
- Production: Place a new ship in a sector with your colony.
- Portal: Jump to any sector in play.
- Ambush / Conversion: Destroy or replace enemy ships.
SCORING & ROUND END
- Card Draft: At the end of the round, pass your hand to the neighbor (Eras 1 & 3: left; Era 2: right).
- Sector Control: A sector is controlled by the player with the highest sum of (Units + Influence Level).
- Points: At the end of each era, gain 1 VP per controlled sector.
| Event | Points |
|---|---|
| Won Battle | 1 VP (immediately) |
| Controlled Sector | 1 VP (End of Era) |