# Star Realms: Command Deck – The Unity ## 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 If you're already a Star Realms fan and love the idea of playing as a commander with unique abilities and a custom starting deck, this expansion is a must-have!Commander with custom deckNew cards and strategies"Boss raid" experienceHigh replayabilityRequires base Star RealmsExtensive language dependencyFOR GENRE FANS ## Description Hey everyone, check this out! Star Realms is always dropping new stuff, and "Command Deck – The Unity" is another gem for those already hooked on the universe. This little beauty puts you in the shoes of a Legendary Commander, adding an extra layer of immersion and strategy. Each command deck comes with 18 cards, including a Commander card that sets your starting hand size and Authority, two Score cards to track your points, and two unique "Gambit" cards that can turn the tide of battle. Oh, and there's also a mighty 8-cost mega-ship to boost your fleet! But the real kicker is your custom 12-card starting deck, featuring your commander's favored factions. With it, you can go head-to-head with other commanders in an epic battle or even play as the final boss, the "raid boss," taking on multiple players with standard decks. It's an expansion that brings a fresh flavor and different challenges for those who have already mastered Star Realms tactics. Perfect for players who enjoy delving deeper into characters and deck-building mechanics, adding more variety and replayability to your games. ## How to Play Game Objective When playing with the Unity Command Deck, you take on the role of Biolord Walsh, the legendary commander of the Unity. 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 work particularly well with cards from the Trade Federation and Star Empire factions. This Command Deck can be played one-on-one against any other Command Deck, or you can use it to face two players using standard starting decks. In 2 vs 1 mode, the two players use standard starting decks (eight Scout cards and two Viper cards). They 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 separate Ally triggers. Setup Place your Biolord Walsh card, along with your Unity Warcraft and Walsh's Stratagem gambit cards, face up in front of you. The Biolord Walsh card is for reference only and does not count as a card in play for triggering Ally Abilities. You start with 70 Authority and a hand size of six cards. You can track your Authority with the included score markers, rotating and/or flipping them to represent a change in the tens digit. Shuffle the Mech Wurm card into the Trade Deck before setting up the initial Trade Row. This is a great card for you to acquire, but your opponents can also acquire it. Shuffle the other 12 cards (Cluster Viper, Laser Drone, Protopod, Ranger, [4] Scout, Scout Bot, Swarmling, Viper, and Welder Drone) to create your Personal Deck. When you play first, you receive a starting hand of three cards. When you play second, you receive a starting hand of six cards. Game Flow Refer to the manual for details on this section. Actions and How to Play Unity Faction Symbol The Unity faction symbol represents both the Trade Federation and Star Empire factions. The Mech Wurm card counts as a card from both factions and will trigger the Ally Abilities of either. Its own Ally Ability can be triggered by a Trade Federation or Star Empire card. Unity Warcraft Gambit This gambit remains face up in front of you throughout the game. It continuously grants all your bases +1 combat and all your opponent's bases -1 combat. Walsh's Stratagem Gambit This gambit remains face up in front of you until you use it. You may use it by scrapping it at any time during your Main Phase. When you use it, you count as having one additional Trade Federation card and one additional Star Empire card in play that turn for triggering Ally Abilities. 2 vs 1 Mode When playing against two players, these players use standard starting decks. They play as a Hydra team, sharing a turn, able to share trade and combat, but keeping separate decks and separate Ally triggers. When playing 2 vs 1, you cannot use your Walsh's Stratagem gambit on your first turn. End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning Your Unity Warcraft gambit grants all your bases +1 combat and all your opponent's bases -1 combat. Prioritize acquiring bases to maximize this benefit and make life difficult for your opponents. The Mech Wurm card is an excellent acquisition, as it counts as both Trade Federation and Star Empire factions, triggering Ally Abilities of both. Try to acquire it before your opponents do. Use your Walsh's Stratagem gambit strategically during your Main Phase to trigger multiple Trade Federation and Star Empire Ally Abilities in a single turn, creating powerful combos. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base Star Realms game to use this expansion? Yes, absolutely! This is an expansion and requires the base Star Realms game (or Star Realms: Frontiers) to be played. ### How many players can participate with this expansion? The base Star Realms game supports 2 to 4 players, and this expansion maintains that count, offering new ways to interact and battle. ### What does "Legendary Commander" mean? Being a Legendary Commander means you play as a specific character, who has a leader card with abilities and a 12-card starting deck fully customized for them. ### Are the "Gambit" cards very powerful? Gambit cards are unique to your commander and can offer significant tactical advantages, potentially changing the course of the game if played at the right moment. ### Does this expansion add a lot of complexity to the game? The complexity is moderate. The core Star Realms rules remain, but the commander's custom deck and new cards introduce new strategic layers without overwhelming experienced players. ### Do I need to understand English to play? Yes, the card text is in English, and there aren't many translations available, so a good understanding of the language is essential to fully enjoy the game. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 7.77 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3924151&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/27296/star-realms-command-deck-the-unity?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com