1994 BGG rank #26075

Gateway to the Stars

1–7 players 0 min Ages 12+ 3.0/5 complexity 5.5/10 rating

About this game

A 4X game (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) along the lines of Stellar Conquest, players each control a space faring empire that moves out to other star systems to explore and conquer.

What it feels like

Science Fiction Exploration Wargame Civilization

Game intelligence

Learn the game

80% knowledge coverage

Setup

1. Lay out the star map and place the starting system counters face-down on undiscovered systems. 2. Each player selects or is assigned a Power and takes the corresponding Power Card and pieces. 3. In a multi-player game, draw a Power Card to determine the first Power in the turn order. Roll a die: on an odd result play proceeds to the left, on an even result play proceeds to the right. 4. Players set up their starting units and recording sheets. 5. Each player prepares their Turn Record Sheet to track income, spending, and savings for each of the 9 turns.

Turn flow

Each turn has 5 phases executed in order: Phase 1 — Power Order: In a multi-player game, draw a Power Card to determine the first Power, then roll a die; odd = play goes left, even = play goes right. Phase 2 — Economics: All players simultaneously determine their income (Production by TFs, Trade Income, Survey Bonus, Resource Advance) and spending (building units, buying Survey Cards, altering Power Order, etc.). Negotiations and card trading are carried out during this phase. Unspent Credits may be saved (maximum 3 Credits saved at any time). Phase 3 — Movement/Combat/Discovery: Powers act in Power Order. Each Power fully completes all its movement, then all its combat, then its discoveries before the next Power acts. Phase 4 — Surveys: System surveys are carried out in Power Order. Phase 5 — Colonization: All players simultaneously carry out colonization. Captured TFs are converted or destroyed. On the final turn only, this phase is repeated twice.

Scoring and victory

Players total their Victory Points from all sources at the end of Turn 9. The player with the most VPs wins. Scoring sources: TFs owned: 3 VP each, VPs on Cards (as printed on Survey/other cards), Advance VPs (as earned by Research/Resource Advances), Independent Colonies founded: 2 VP each, Trade Expeditions docked at Independent Colonies: 1 VP each, Saved Credits: 1 VP per 2 Credits saved at game end, First Colony bonus: 3 VP (or 1 VP, depending on conditions)

Source: Rulebook

Rules to know

The most useful rules for getting a first game right.

Turn structure

Each turn consists of 5 sequential phases: Power Order, Economics, Movement/Combat/Discovery, Surveys, and Colonization.

A full turn proceeds through: (1) Power Order determination, (2) Economics — simultaneous income calculation and spending by all players, including negotiations and card trading, (3) Movement/Combat/Discovery — each Power in Power Order fully completes all movement, then combat, then discoveries before the next Power acts, (4) Surveys — system surveys in Power Order, (5) Colonization — simultaneous colonization by all players; captured TFs are converted or destroyed. On the final turn, Colonization is repeated twice.

Turn structure

First Power is determined by drawing a Power Card; direction of play is set by a die roll (odd = left, even = right).

At the start of each turn in a multi-player game, a Power Card is drawn to identify the first Power. A die is then rolled: if the result is odd, play proceeds to the left; if even, play proceeds to the right. Altering Power Order costs 2 or more Credits and is done during the Economics phase.

Turn structure

During Economics, all players simultaneously calculate income and make purchases; negotiations and card trading also occur here.

During the Economics phase, all players simultaneously determine their total funds available (Production by TFs × 1 Cr each, Trade Income × 1 Cr each, Survey Bonus, Resource Advance × 2 Cr each) and then record their spending on units and actions. Negotiations and card trading between players occur during this phase. Any unspent Credits may be saved, up to a maximum of 3 saved Credits at any time.

Resource production

Income comes from TF production (1 Cr/TF), Trade Income (1 Cr each), Survey Bonuses, and Resource Advances (2 Cr each).

Each turn, a player's Total Funds Available is calculated as follows: Production by TFs yields 1 Credit per TF; Trade Income yields 1 Credit per qualifying trade; Survey Bonus is a one-time bonus for completing a survey; Resource Advance yields 2 Credits per advance. All sources are summed together with any saved Credits from the previous turn to give Total Funds Available.

Resource management

Players may save unspent Credits between turns, but the maximum saved amount is 3 Credits.

At the end of the Economics phase, any Credits not spent may be carried over to the next turn as savings. The maximum number of Credits a player may hold as savings at any one time is 3. Excess Credits above 3 are lost.

Building

Unit build costs: Star Probe (P) = 4 Cr, Survey Ship (S) = 2 Cr, Colony Expedition (Y) = 2 Cr, Trade Expedition (T) = 2 Cr, Cruiser (C) = 2 Cr, Dreadnought (D) = 4 Cr, Starbase (SB) = 4 Cr. Repairing a Dreadnought costs 1 Cr.

During the Economics phase, players spend Credits to build units. Costs per unit are: Star Probe (P) = 4 Cr each; Survey Ship (S) = 2 Cr each; Colony Expedition (Y) = 2 Cr each; Trade Expedition (T) = 2 Cr each; Cruiser (C) = 2 Cr each; Dreadnought (D) = 4 Cr each; Starbase (SB) = 4 Cr each. Repairing a Dreadnought (restoring a lost step) costs 1 Cr. Buying a Survey Card costs 2 Cr. Altering Power Order costs 2 or more Cr.

Special

Star Probe (P): Strength 1, cost 4 Cr. Navigates automatically to undiscovered systems without a die roll.

The Star Probe (abbreviated P) has a strength of 1 and costs 4 Credits to build. Its special ability is Automatic Navigation: it may move to undiscovered systems without making a navigation die roll. All other units must roll to navigate to undiscovered systems. Star Probes (and ships accompanying them) are automatically permitted to retreat from Vanished, Vortex, and Unfriendly system results.

Special

Survey Ship (S): Strength 2, cost 2 Cr. Has Survey Ability 2; all other units have Survey Ability 1.

The Survey Ship (abbreviated S) has a strength of 2 and costs 2 Credits to build. Its special ability is an enhanced Survey Ability of 2, meaning it counts as 2 when contributing to a survey. All other units that can survey have a Survey Ability of 1.

Common questions and edge cases

Can I move my Cruiser to an undiscovered system without a die roll if I send a Star Probe there first in the same turn?

Yes. Units may attempt to move to a system one at a time. Once one unit (such as a Star Probe) successfully reaches the undiscovered system, all other units may then move there without a navigation roll in the same movement phase.

My Star Probe discovers a Vanished system. Is it eliminated?

No. Star Probes (and any ships accompanying them) are automatically permitted to retreat from a Vanished result and are not eliminated. However, discovery of the system is not completed, and another counter must be drawn when discovery is again possible.

A system is revealed as a Vortex. Can units ever move through it?

Yes. A Vortex system has a Stargate present. The Stargate counter is placed, and units may transit through the Vortex system using the Stargate without being eliminated, as long as they do not end their movement there.

I have a Survey Ship in a Hazardous system. Can I survey it immediately?

No. The Unknown Menace of strength 3 in a Hazardous system must be attacked and defeated (the counter flipped) before any survey can be conducted, regardless of what units are present.

The system I want to colonize has Favorability 2 and already has 1 TF. I have the Colony Advance. How many Colony Expeditions do I need?

The base requirement is 2 (Favorability) + 1 (existing TF) = 3. Since the requirement is exactly 3 (which meets the 'or higher' threshold), the Colony Advance reduces it by 1, making the requirement 2 Colony Expeditions.

Can I create two TFs at the same system on the last turn?

Yes, but only because the Colonization phase is repeated twice on the final turn. Only 1 TF may be created per system per Colonization phase, so the two repetitions allow up to 2 TFs to be created at the same system on the last turn.

Can a Dreadnought interdict a Cruiser?

No. Cruisers can only be interdicted by other Cruisers. No other unit type, including Dreadnoughts, can interdict a Cruiser.

I have 3 saved Credits and earn more than I spend this turn. What happens to the excess savings?

The maximum savings a player may hold is 3 Credits. Any Credits beyond 3 that would be saved are lost — they cannot be carried over.

I discover an Unfriendly (U) system. Do I need to survey it?

No. Unfriendly systems are treated as already surveyed when revealed. The Stargate counter is placed immediately. However, the System Defense Units (SDUs) will immediately attack any player units present.

How much income do I earn from Trade Expeditions docked at a Friendly Independent system?

For each Trade Expedition docked at an Independent Colony (IC) in a Friendly (F) system, you earn 1 Credit per turn as a bonus plus gain a filled Exchange box. This income is recorded under Trade Income on your Turn Record Sheet.