Overview

Alien Contact: Extraterrestrial Empires in Conflict is a strategic space wargame published by Phoenix Enterprises in 1983. Up to six players control different alien races, each with unique environmental requirements, competing to colonize star systems and expand their empires across a galactic sector. Players build space stations, warships, and space marine units to control territory and wage war against rivals. Technological research unlocks more advanced units and capabilities.

Components

• Game board depicting a galactic sector with star systems
• Unit counters for each alien race (ships, stations, marines)
• Technology research track
• Resource point markers
• Combat resolution tables
• Dice
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the game board centrally.
2. Each player selects an alien race with unique environmental requirements.
3. Place starting units and colonies in assigned home systems.
4. Set technology tracks to starting levels.
5. Distribute initial resource points.

Turn Structure

Each turn represents a period of galactic expansion and consists of:

1. Income Phase: Collect resource points from controlled star systems. Resource generation varies based on each race’s environmental compatibility with the system.
2. Build Phase: Spend resource points to construct space ships, space stations, and space marine units. Advanced units require sufficient technology levels.
3. Research Phase: Invest resource points in technological research to unlock advanced capabilities.
4. Movement Phase: Move fleets between connected star systems.
5. Combat Phase: Resolve battles in systems where opposing forces meet.
6. Colonization Phase: Establish or upgrade colonies in uncontested systems.

Actions

Building Units

Construct military and civilian units using resource points:

• Space Ships: Mobile combat units for fleet engagements
• Space Stations: Fixed defensive installations that also boost resource generation
• Space Marines: Ground/boarding forces for capturing enemy installations

Technological Research

Invest resources to advance along the technology track, unlocking:

• More powerful ship types
• Advanced weapons and defenses
• Improved resource extraction
• Special abilities unique to each race

Movement

Move fleets of ships between star systems along established routes. Fleet size and composition affect strategic options.

Combat

When opposing forces occupy the same system, combat is resolved using dice modified by:

• Unit types and numbers
• Technology level
• Defensive installations
• Racial special abilities

Colonization

Establish colonies in uninhabited or conquered systems. Each race’s environmental requirements affect the resource value of colonized systems — a system rich for one race may be poor for another.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game typically ends after a set number of turns or when specific dominance conditions are met. Victory is determined by total empire size, controlled systems, military strength, and technology level. The player with the greatest overall galactic dominance wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Each of the six alien races has different environmental requirements, creating asymmetric resource generation across the map.
• Diplomatic agreements between players are allowed but not binding.
• Technology advantages can offset numerical inferiority in combat.
• Some star systems have strategic value due to their position or resources.
• The game can take 3-6 hours to complete, depending on player count and aggression.
• Solitaire play is possible with modified rules.

Player Reference

Turn Flow: Income → Build → Research → Movement → Combat → Colonization

Key Asymmetry: Each alien race values different star systems based on environmental compatibility

Victory: Achieve galactic dominance through territorial control and military superiority