# Star Realms: Command Deck – The Alliance ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2018 - **BGG Rating**: 7.6 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 20-0 min - **Weight**: 1.86 / 5 - **Designers**: Darwin Kastle, Robert Dougherty - **Artists**: Adam Lachmanski, Randy Delven, Vito Gesualdi - **Publishers**: Wise Wizard Games, Devir, IELLO, IUVI Games - **Categories**: Card Game, Expansion for Base-game, Science Fiction - **Mechanics**: Deck, Bag, and Pool Building ## Verdict Want to be the space boss? These Star Realms command decks put you in control of legendary heroes! Perfect for those who love customizing their battles and having extra power.Assume a commander roleCustom starting deckNew cards and strategiesHigh language dependencyRequires base gameFOR GENRE FANS ## Description Get ready to step into the shoes of a legendary commander in the Star Realms universe with the command decks! This expansion, usable with the base game or Star Realms: Frontiers, adds a new layer of strategy and customization. Each of these 18-card packs lets you embody a unique hero, complete with a Commander card that defines your starting hand size and Authority. You also get two score cards to track game progress and two exclusive Gambit cards, which can turn the tide in your favor. The highlight is a mighty 8-cost mega-ship, ready to wreak havoc. And the best part: your custom 12-card starting deck includes cards from your commander's two favored factions. With this power, you can challenge other commanders in epic duels or even act as a raid boss, taking on multiple players with standard decks. It's your chance to upgrade your Star Realms experience and engage in even more intense and personalized space battles! ## How to Play Game Objective When playing with the Alliance Command Deck, you assume the role of Fleet Director Nandi, a legendary Alliance commander. Your objective is to defeat your opponents by reducing their Authority to zero. While you can acquire and play cards from any faction, your starting deck and gambits are especially effective with cards from the ✪ and ⊕ factions. This Command Deck can be used in a one-on-one confrontation against another Command Deck, or you can use it to face two players who use standard starting decks. Setup Place your Fleet Director Nandi card, along with your Alliance Procurement and Nandi's Onslaught gambit cards, face up in front of you. The Fleet Director Nandi card serves only as a reference and does not count as a ✪ or ⊕ card in play for activating Ally Abilities. You start with 68 Authority. Use the included score markers to track your Authority. To represent the score, rotate and/or flip the card for the tens digit and slide and/or flip the card for the units digit. Add the two numbers in the circle to get your Authority score. Shuffle the Super Freighter card into the Trade Deck before setting up the initial Trade Row. Shuffle the other 12 cards (Cargo Boat, Diplomatic Shuttle, Federation Scout, Imperial Viper, Ranger, [4] Scout, Stellar Falcon, Tribute Transport, and Viper) to create your Personal Deck. Your starting hand is five cards. When playing first, you draw three cards. When playing second, you draw five cards. Setup for 2 vs 1 When playing against two players, these players will use standard starting decks (eight Scout cards and two Viper cards). They will play as a Hydra team with a total of 75 Authority. Hydra teams share a turn, can share trade and combat, but have separate decks and ally triggers. Game Flow Refer to the manual for details on this section. Actions and How to Play Your starting hand is five cards. You can acquire and play cards from any faction, but your starting deck and gambits work particularly well with ✪ and ⊕ cards. Alliance Faction Symbol The Alliance faction symbol represents both ✪ and ⊕. The Super Freighter card counts as a card from both factions and will activate the Ally Abilities of either. Its own Ally Ability can be activated by a ✪ or ⊕ card. Gambits Alliance Procurement: This gambit remains face up in front of you throughout the game. It can be used once on each of your turns, at any time during your Main Phase. When using it, decide whether to gain 2 Trade or place the next ship or base you acquire on top of your deck. Nandi's Onslaught: This gambit remains face up in front of you until you use it. You can use it by discarding it at any time during your Main Phase. When using it, you count as having an additional ⊕ card and an additional ✪ card in play that turn for activating Ally Abilities. End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning The Super Freighter card is a great acquisition for you, as it counts as a card from both factions (✪ and ⊕) and can activate Ally Abilities of either. Prioritize its purchase, but be aware that your opponents may also acquire it. Utilize the Alliance Procurement gambit strategically in your Main Phase. Decide if you need 2 extra Trade to buy a more expensive card or if you prefer to place a newly acquired ship or base on top of your deck to have it available more quickly on your next turn. The Nandi's Onslaught gambit is powerful for activating Ally Abilities. Save it for a turn when you have multiple ✪ and/or ⊕ cards in play, maximizing the effect of their Ally Abilities and potentially making a big impact on combat or trade. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base Star Realms game to use these decks? Yes! These are expansion decks and require Star Realms (or Star Realms: Frontiers) to be played. ### How many cards are in each command deck? Each individual command deck contains 18 cards. ### Can I mix cards from different command decks? Yes, you can mix and match to create your ultimate commander, but each deck is designed to work well on its own. ### What is the average playtime with these decks? Star Realms games are generally quick, around 20 minutes, but with the added complexity of commanders, it might vary slightly. ### Are these decks difficult to learn? The core mechanics of Star Realms are accessible, but each commander brings its own cards and strategies, adding a learning curve. There's a high language dependency, so having translated cards helps a lot. ### How many players can participate? Star Realms is typically for 2 players, but some decks and expansions support up to 4 players. 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