SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT
Astrail
COMMANDER FIELD MANUAL · ALPHA 7

LEARN THE FRONTIER.
COMMAND THE TABLE.

A visual, complete guide to your first deployment, every turn and the race to Galactic Prestige.

  • 2–4 PLAYERS
  • NO DOWNLOAD
  • FREE TO PLAY
Real Astrail Alpha interface during an active command phase
LIVE ALPHA INTERFACE · COMMAND PHASE
01 · MISSION OBJECTIVE

BE THE FIRST TO REACH
10 GALACTIC PRESTIGE.

Expand across the nineteen-sector board, turn production into infrastructure and combine visible board control with hidden technologies. Standard expeditions end at 10 Prestige; custom rooms can use 8 or 12.

INFRASTRUCTURE1GPSTATION

One Prestige and one resource per producing sector.

UPGRADED HUB2GPCOLONY

Two Prestige and double production.

NETWORK AWARD+2GPLONGEST ROUTE

Connect at least five route segments and hold the lead.

TACTICAL AWARD+2GPLARGEST PATROL

Deploy at least three Orbital Patrol technologies and hold the lead.

02 · FOUNDATION PROTOCOL

YOUR FIRST TWO DEPLOYMENTS.

Before the first roll, each commander establishes the network that will power the opening rounds.

Astrail foundation phase showing silver deployment vertices around the sector board
REAL GAME SCREENSILVER VERTICES SHOW LEGAL STATION LOCATIONS
  1. DEPLOY A STATION

    Choose a silver vertex. Stations cannot be placed directly beside another station or colony.

  2. CONNECT A ROUTE

    Place a route on an edge touching the station you just deployed.

  3. REVERSE ORDER

    After every commander places once, the order reverses for the second station and route.

  4. READ THE SECTORS

    Your station produces from every adjacent resource sector when its number is rolled.

03 · COMMAND PHASE

ONE TURN. FIVE CLEAR DECISIONS.

01

ROLL

Roll two dice. Every numbered sector matching the total activates, unless the Interceptor is blocking it.

02

PRODUCE

Stations collect one resource from each connected activated sector. Colonies collect two.

03

TRADE

Negotiate with another commander, exchange 4:1 with the reserve or use a connected port.

04

BUILD

Spend resources on routes, stations, colonies or a technology from the Technology Core.

05

END TURN

Confirm the end of your command phase and pass control to the next fleet.

04 · SECTOR PRODUCTION

FIVE RESOURCES. ONE ECONOMY.

The number token decides when a sector produces. The resource image and colour tell you what enters your hand.

SECTOR 01BIO

BIOMASS

Organic matter used for routes and stations.

SECTOR 02ALY

ALLOY

Structural material for routes and stations.

SECTOR 03AET

AETHER

Rare gas used for stations and technologies.

SECTOR 04HEL

HELION FUEL

Energy-dense stellar fuel used to power stations, colonies and technologies.

SECTOR 05CRY

CRYO-ORE

Advanced mineral used for colonies and technologies.

EXAMPLEROLL 8

Every unblocked sector marked 8 activates. Connected stations gain one matching resource; connected colonies gain two. If the reserve is empty, that resource cannot be produced.

05 · EXPANSION & TECHNOLOGY

TURN RESOURCES INTO CONTROL.

BLUEPRINT 01
ROUTE1 BIOMASS + 1 ALLOY

Extends your network and opens new vertices for future stations.

BLUEPRINT 02
STATION1 BIOMASS + 1 ALLOY + 1 AETHER + 1 HELION FUEL

Worth 1 Galactic Prestige and produces one resource per connected activated sector.

BLUEPRINT 03
COLONY3 CRYO-ORE + 2 HELION FUEL

Upgrades one of your stations, becomes worth 2 Prestige and doubles its production.

BLUEPRINT 04
TECHNOLOGY1 CRYO-ORE + 1 AETHER + 1 HELION FUEL

Unlocks a hidden tactical ability or Prestige advantage for a later turn.

TRADE NETWORK

NEGOTIATE BEFORE YOU BUILD.

Make a direct proposal to another commander, exchange four identical resources for one from the reserve, or improve the ratio by controlling a port.

  • Neutral 3 to 1 port3:1 PORTTrade any one resource at a better ratio.
  • Biomass 2 to 1 port2:1 SPECIALISTTrade the matching resource at the strongest ratio.
06 · ADVANCED COMMAND

TECHNOLOGIES, NEGOTIATION
AND SPECIAL OBJECTIVES.

Technologies are bought face-down from a 25-card core. A newly acquired active technology becomes available on a later turn, and only one active technology may be played per turn.

01
14 CARDS · ACTIVE

ORBITAL PATROL

Move the Interceptor and intercept one random resource from an adjacent rival. Played Patrols count towards Largest Patrol.

02
2 CARDS · ACTIVE

ROUTE ENGINEERING

Build up to two routes without paying their normal resource cost. Every route must still be legally connected.

03
2 CARDS · ACTIVE

STELLAR HARVEST

Take any two available resources from the Reserve. They may be the same or different.

04
2 CARDS · ACTIVE

QUANTUM OVERRIDE

Name one resource and take every card of that type held by rival commanders.

05
5 CARDS · PASSIVE

SECRET PRESTIGE

Adds one hidden Galactic Prestige to your score. It is applied automatically and cannot be activated.

01NEGOTIATION

TRADE WITH INTENT.

Only the active commander may propose a direct trade. Offer specific cargo, read what each rival needs and remember that promises outside the current exchange are not enforced by the game.

02PORT CONTROL

CONNECT BEFORE TRADING.

A structure on either vertex of a port unlocks its ratio: neutral ports exchange any resource 3:1, while specialist ports exchange their matching resource 2:1.

03LONGEST ROUTE · +2 GP

KEEP THE NETWORK INTACT.

Reach at least five connected route segments and hold the longest network. A rival structure can interrupt continuity, and a tie does not take the award from its current holder.

04LARGEST PATROL · +2 GP

CONTROL THE INTERCEPTOR.

Play at least three Orbital Patrol technologies and hold the lead. The award moves only when another commander exceeds the current total.

Astrail Interceptor ship
07 · THREAT PROTOCOL

WHEN A SEVEN APPEARS,
THE INTERCEPTOR MOVES.

The Interceptor blocks production on one sector. Move it to a different sector, then steal one random resource from an adjacent rival fleet when possible.

  1. 01

    Every commander holding more than seven resources discards half, rounded down.

  2. 02

    The active commander moves the Interceptor to another sector.

  3. 03

    Choose an adjacent rival with resources and intercept one at random.

Orbital Patrol technology can also activate the Interceptor without rolling a seven.
08 · WINNING THE EXPEDITION

BUILD AN ENGINE.
THEN CLOSE THE DISTANCE.

Strong openings secure diverse production. Strong finishes convert that economy into colonies, awards and technologies before rivals can react.

01EXPAND EARLYProtect access to valuable vertices before the board closes.02WATCH HAND SIZESeven or fewer resources avoids mandatory discards on a seven.03COUNT PUBLIC PRESTIGEHidden technology means a rival may be closer than the board suggests.