Aether Captains unlocks stretch goals!
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[url]https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/magecompany/aether-captains-0[/url]
Movement is the most important aspect of the game since it is the fundamental means through which all ships get around Arkady and complete their Objectives. Remember, you must plan your strategy by being mindful of your movements. This is especially true for the Navy Commander since there will be several instances where any movement may be thwarted by the War Captains that dominate more areas of the board.
A War Captain starts the game from the entry point indicated on his or her Objective. The Navy Commander’s entry point is always the Northern-most hex tile. This gives War Captains measured distance that allows them to strategize their moves carefully during the first round. Movement is triggered by specific Action Cards: Move, which allows all ships to move once; and Double Move, which allows all ships to move twice during the same turn. These Action cards tied to specific ships, so each player must be careful how and when they trigger them.
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The land of Arkady is composed of Cities, Fields, Drop Zones and simple sky hex tiles. There are 5 different Cities in the base game: Etherton, Antara, Mavery, Perium, and Easley by the River. Each City offers a different resource. The Drop Zones are areas where War-Captains must transfer Crew Members and/or different resources. The Fields are areas inhabited by different, hostile groups who attack either the War Captains or the Navy Commander whenever either fly over their territories. Stops or passes through a Field Area, therefore, automatically incur one damage. The sky hex tiles are neutral areas and nothing happens when a ship moves through them, they just complete the Arkady skyscape. Thus, Arkady is thoughtfully composed to maintain a balance of distance and strategy that allow for fun, fair play for all.
Cities, in particular, are significant to War Captains for three reasons: 1) They offer resources; 2) they offer asylum to the War Captain ships, thereby shielding them from the Navy Commanders’ attacks; and 3) they help fulfill some Objectives, particularly when a War Captain is tasked with taking control of a city.
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The only obstacles the cities pose are their defense lines. If a city’s defense line is broken, then the city falls. If a War Captain has control of a City, then it is harder for the Navy Commander to defeat him or her since the Navy Commander must first free the city in order to launch an attack on a War Captain. Cities are also important for the Navy Commander, too, since they allow for the collection of gold. This allow the Navy Commander to recruit new Crew members from the Neutral Ground.
Each of these elements affects the game with varying effects. With competing forces and challenging elements, each player must strategize, move carefully, and attack wisely. While some of the distances may appear impossible, they are not. Each game runs about five to six rounds, and each game moves relatively fast. Player must, therefore, pay careful attention to each other since the setup of Arkady allows each player a fair chance to either meet their Objectives or destroy their rivals to win.