Aether is a two-player abstract strategy board game played on a hexagonal grid. Players take turns placing element tiles on the board and may also place elemental figures on top of tiles they just placed. The game combines tile placement with area control as players compete to dominate the hexagonal board through strategic positioning of elements and elementals.
Components
Hexagonal game board
Element tiles (various types)
Elemental figures (placed on tiles)
Rules sheet
Setup
Place the hexagonal board between the two players.
Distribute element tiles and elemental figures to each player.
Determine first player.
Turn Structure
On each turn, a player must:
Place an element tile on any empty hexagonal space on the board.
Optionally place an elemental on top of the tile just placed.
Actions
Tile Placement
On each turn, a player must place one element tile on any unoccupied hex on the board.
Tiles interact with adjacent tiles based on their element types.
Strategic placement can block opponents or create advantageous formations.
Elemental Placement
After placing a tile, a player may optionally place one of their elemental figures on that same tile.
Elementals provide control or scoring advantages for the tile they occupy.
Elementals can only be placed on the tile just played, not on previously placed tiles.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
Victory is determined by the player who controls the most valuable positions on the board at the end of the game, through a combination of tile placement and elemental positioning. The game ends when all hexagonal spaces are filled or when no more legal moves are available.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Element interactions: Different element types may have special interactions when placed adjacent to each other.
Elemental limits: Players have a finite supply of elemental figures, so placement decisions are strategic.
Two-player only: The game is designed specifically for two players.
Abstract strategy: No luck element; all information is open.