Master of Orion: Ad Astra is a 4X game of space exploration and conquest. Choose from a roster of six unique races and become the leader of a spacefaring civilization. Manage the population, spearhead technological advancements, and oversee critical infrastructure development. Employ espionage to stop your rivals' advances, and should they fall short, ready your forces for conflict. In the end, the galaxy will yield to your indomitable will, one way or another.

The game is played in 6-8 rounds. Setup may vary, depending on the chosen length of the game. With experienced players, a game is expected to last about 10 minutes per round for every person playing.

At the beginning of every round, you'll engage in a technology card draft, a critical step in shaping your strategic path. You might opt for an exploration-heavy strategy, aiming to uncover and secure numerous habitable planets. Alternatively, you could adopt a more focused approach, channeling your efforts into building robust infrastructure on select, defensible systems. Regardless of your chosen path, it's imperative to familiarize yourself with the ever-changing objectives during the game.

Victory belongs to the player who amasses the highest number of victory points.

—description from the designer'