Total Eclipse

(Easy Setup, plus Two Game Variants and Odds and Ends)
Version 1.0 (6/11/16)

I. Easy Setup in Eclipse . 1

II. A Variant for Human Diversity .. 8
III. Concealed Sector Eclipse .13
IV. Odds and Ends .25
Concealed Sector Cutout Sheet .after page 28
Galactic Map Player-Aid for Concealed Sector Eclipse

This article covers three major topics: Section I introduces how to make setup in your Eclipse games a
snap. Section II provides a new game Variant for Human Diversity, while Section III provides a variant for
initially concealing your Exploration results. Finally, a few odds and ends are provided in Section IV as
things to consider. Any of these suggestions can be used singly or in combination to enhance and
expand your enjoyment of Eclipse. Discussions in this article are for the base game of Eclipse, and do not
necessarily include any existing or future Expansions of the game. Players may experiment as they wish.

I. Easy Setup in Eclipse

Eclipse, New Dawn for the Galaxy, is a great game destined for classic status. The design elements
used by Touko Tahkokallio (utilizing Discs and Cubes to run your civilization) are nothing short of brilliant
(elegant readily comes to mind). I will assume everyone reading an article about making setup easier
in Eclipse already understands the mechanics of play, so I will skip how the various tracks and
components work (great reviews are already available from other sources). But the hidden beauty of
this gem is that by using all the wonderful trinkets provided by Mr. Tahkokallio, the status of your
galactic civilization is instantly apparent with a quick glance at your Influence and Population Tracks.
How much Money did I spend this Round? The actions you took will automatically tell you this. What is
my income at the end of each Round? Your missing Population Cubes will tell you that. What is the
standing of my Research efforts and whats going on at my shipyards? Just peek at the Tiles youve
accumulated on your Player Board and you will find out what your loyal scientists are doing for you. And
all this is accomplished without a single pencil or ledger. Simple! Why hasnt anyone done this before?

Well, there are drawbacks. Eclipse is a game drowning in components. Thirty-three tiny wooden cubes
representing your population eager to go to work for you need to be meticulously lined up in rows of
three for each player, like Chinese terracotta soldiers. Thirteen Influence Discs must be placed just so
to conceal your mounting financial burdens as your galactic civilization develops. Thankfully, 96
Technology Tiles and 32 Reputation Tiles can safely remain in their own velvety cloth bags; but the
elephant in the room stands out from the need to precisely place 154 Ship Part Tiles into seventeen
predefined stacks, 21 Ancient Ship Tiles into two stacks, 21 Discovery Tiles into three stacks, 22
Orbital/Monolith Tiles into two stacks, and finally, you must set aside 12 Damage Cubes for ready use

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during Combat. Oh, and all this must be accomplished like the work of a Swiss clockmaker at the start of
every game you play.

Imagine the following scenario: You dial up five friends for an evening of gaming (one or two gamers will
inevitably be late!). You break out the (non-greasy) snacks and let your friends pop open their favorite
beverages to lighten the mood. You suggest this new game you just bought about space exploration.
After spending five minutes recalling and explaining what the last x of 4x means, you convince them
to overlook the mountain of game pieces confronting them (the game is really easy once you know
how to play) so they reluctantly sit down to begin a new dawn for your galaxy. It takes time to
describe the game and the innovative bookkeeping mechanics, especially while you simultaneously
attempt to think on your feet, talk, answer questions from five sides of a rectangular table, and try to set
up the game. Your friends start playing with the Ships and the Cubes and the Discs as time passes by.
Hey, these look like candy, exclaims your best friend. Yes, I know, you reply, but dont eat them.
After describing for the second time in a row how you must mentally make space for the Inner Sectors
between your Start sector and the Galactic Center Defense System (Wait, the what?), you glance up at
the clock on the wall. An hour has passed since the doorbell first rang. Your friends are getting fidgety.
You decide not to explain Shields just yet; theyll catch on. Does anyone have any questions? you ask.
No, lets play this sucker, they chorus happily. Okay, but first, I gotta set up the Supply Board.

After another half hour has gone by, with yourself totally immersed within your private little set-up
zone, you complete the stack for the final Tachyon Power Source just to watch your best friend
accidentally knock over the Plasma Missile stack onto the Improved Hull stack, knocking them both over
like two piles of melted cheddar cheese. Deciding not to say anything at all, you force a smile and glance
away to see two friends already playing Love Letter and another two fondling your copy of Isle of Skye.
Its precisely at this time that your former best friend picks up the rows of blue Population Cubes you
had already placed into the third-party-market Eclipse Tray, thinking that the tray had a solid bottom.

Okay, Love Letter is looking a lot better about now.

Has this ever happened to you? It is such a pity, because this seems to be the main complaint I hear
about an otherwise stunningly beautiful game. You gotta love this game. But in return, you gotta give it
a little love too. So, what if I said you only need to set up the Supply Board once in your entire lifetime?
No, really. Its as easy as jumping through a wormhole. Let me explain.

Go to your local container store and find a plastic storage tray with a detachable lid and storage
compartments of at least six by three. Each cell ideally should be a little over 1 inch by 1 inch (>2.5 cm),
but I found the perfect one with a storage area of nine by three, each with cells of 1.3 x 2.2 inches (3.3 x
5.6 cm) and 0.8 inches in depth (4.6 cm). See Figure 1. As you can see in this figure, the tray is
preloaded nearly exactly as it would be on the Eclipse Supply Board, with plenty of room for fingers to
reach in and pull out the required Ship Part, Ancient Ship, Discovery Tile, Orbital or Monolith Tile, or
Damage Cube. At the end of play, you simply return all the used parts to their respective cell. (You can
even glue printed labels of each Tile in their respective cells to remember where each Tile goes if a cell
empties completely.) Each stack normally placed on the Supply Board can be double-stacked in each
elongated storage cell; plus, its as though the tray I found was made for Eclipsethe Plasma Cannon,

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Improved Hull, and Discovery Tiles when double stacked fit exactly to the top of my plastic box.
What you will do in the game is simply use the plastic box as a partial replacement for the Supply Board;
theres no need to take out Tiles unless you need to.

Figure 1. Storage Tray for holding Ship Part Tiles and associated Supply Board components. The Tiles are ready to use straight
from the box. The detachable lid can also serve as a handy dice tray.

So, theres your answer to constructing the Supply Board at the start of each game. You just saved you
and your friends forty-five minutes of precious game-time, and quite possibly saved your best friendship
until such time as theres a double-cross between the two of you in a future game.

At the same container store, I found a larger storage tray divided into compartments of six by two. Each
cell is 2 inches by 4 inches (5.1 x 10.2 cm), and the box has a depth of 2 inches (5.1 cm). Each cell can
separately hold all the Ship miniatures, Starbases, Colony Ships, and Ambassadors of one color. I then
place the Population Cubes and Discs of that color, plus a set of three Storage Markers, on top of the
miniatures (stuffed within a plastic bag supplied in the game for easy separation from your Ships). See
Figure 2. The player aid cards, dice, and the black bag filled with Discovery Tiles are stored in the bottom
rows. Placing both plastic storage trays in the Eclipse game box keeps them snug enough that nothing
can fall out of place. See Figure 3. (The game box can even be flipped over entirely and your components
should behave, as long as your padding is correct. If not, Velcro the storage box closed with loops of
overlapping strips for added insurancesee below why Velcro is suggested.) There is ample room along
the sides of the storage trays to store the Sector hexes within the game box, and the white velvet bag
(filled with Technology Tiles) provides a nice added cushion for the contents of the game box. One thing
to consider before purchasing your trays, though: be sure the trays you get will fit the Eclipse game box
as snugly as possible, but will still fit inside the closed box!

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 Figure 2. Second Storage Tray used to hold other Eclipse game components. See text for details.

Figure 3. Both Storage Trays fit snugly into the Eclipse game box, with ample room along the margins for Sector Tiles, the velvet
bag filled with Technology Tiles, and pre-loaded Population Cubes (see Figure 4). Go ahead, flip the game box upside-down.

During play, you will continue to use the Round Marker on the original Supply Board to mark the
passage of time, and you still place Technology Tiles in their upper spaces in the Research Track for

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purchase as they are drawn from the bag. However, the right-hand side of the Supply Board, as well as
the Ship Parts Track, remain empty, but available to be viewed by players to see what upgrades they can
use. (To save some table space, the storage tray can overlap the lower part of the Supply Board.) One
player will be in charge of the storage tray to dispense the necessary Tiles throughout the game. (Please
dont pass the storage tray around the table, as someone is sure to drop it, especially if they are losing.)

We also utilize one House Rule: that of the Galactic Arms Dealer (GAD). The GAD is in
charge of the plastic storage tray, and provides Ship Part Tiles, Discovery Tiles, Orbitals,
etc. to all players during the game (like a Monopoly banker). The GAD receives a one-
time payment at the start of play of one extra Money on the Storage Track for the
services provided. As an example, a human GAD would start the game with 3 each of
Money, Science, and Materials (a small price to pay; after all, the GAD is working for all
the players).

So, what could be simpler? Well, there are a couple things to consider

Eclipse already consumes a fair amount of table space. Adding the storage tray will take one more bite
from your dining room table. (But it is a satisfying bite.)

Be sure to shuffle the Discovery Tiles before placing them back into the storage tray (and NO peeking
at the underside of the tray!).

The trays will set you back an additional USD5-15, but isnt that worth your precious time? (And if you
volunteer to serve as the GAD, youll earn that back in no time at all.)

Remember up above that I suggested you find a storage compartment with a detachable lid? Heres
why: First, a hinged lid will consume double the table space as a detachable lid. But more importantly,
pull the lid off the storage box and turn it upside-down and onto your gaming table. Place a layer of felt
inside the lid, and voil, a dice tray for all the players to use! Cannon and Missiles are meant to do
damage in Eclipse, but not to innocent Population Cubes and Influence Discs sitting passively on the
game board.

Third-party Eclipse trays I love them; they keep my peeps in line. If you have not seen them, they come
in sets of six and are little plastic corrals that exactly fits the Population Track, and the Cubes fit right
inside the 33 squares. But they have one fault: they do not have a solid bottom. Uninformed newbies to
the game will invariably pick them up, fully loaded, to see all their Cubes running away, forgetting that
the plastic rectangles do not have a bottom. I solved this problem by very carefully gluing a transparent
base to one bottom of each tray, turning them into real, honest trays. (The thin plastic glass from
inexpensive picture frames works very nicely for this. But remember, whatever you use must be
transparent so you can see the numbers on the printed Population Cubes Track.) The plastic you use can
be fairly flexible as long as the glue clamps on at all the cube intersections (use a small weight on a flat
surface overnight to ensure adhesion, such as 3-4 large, hardcover books). Be sure the base does not
shift around as the glue hardens overnight. But beware of a few critical issues:

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1) Underage players must ask an adult to cut out the plastic with a utility knife to the dimensions of the
supplied tray (this is an accident waiting to happen, so I had to say that for legal reasons). The adult
should use a hefty metal straightedge, and they should be sure to know at all times exactly where their
fingers are. (I know many 30-year-olds that do not qualify as an adult in this case) Also, note that really
cheap picture frames come with thin plastic glass that can possibly be cut with scissors. You can also
look in home improvement or craft stores for plexiglass sheets; but really, the thinner the better, to a
pointthick plexiglass is expensive, difficult to impossible to cut, and will not look as good as thin plastic
on your board.

2) Rough edges from the cut plastic might bite you during play. There is combat in Eclipse, but hopefully
no blood will be spilt. I suggest you lightly sand the rough edges with sandpaper to smooth, especially
the corners. (For legal reasons, I also must say you must use a breathing filter so you do not suck in tiny
plastic particles during your sanding.)

3) USE GLUE VERY, VERY SPARINGLY. If the glue beads up and runs into a little jail cell, your Population
Cube will not be happy or comfortable they wont fit evenly like good little colonists. It is a far, far
better thing to re-glue a failed attempt than to fill a cell with glue. Did I say to use a small amount of
glue? Also be aware that there might be glues out there that melt plastic. (The original trays cost around
USD15, so try this at your own risk. Oops, the Galactic Legal Department speaks again!)

Now, in the interests of full disclosure, this process is not quite as easy as it sounds. And thats bad,
because it doesnt sound easy. I quite imagine several of you will have choice words for me if you
attempt to convert your Eclipse Trays. Also, there will be a point in time when you look at yourself with
self-loathing when you realize how pathetically OCD you are. (But again, if you are reading thus far, you
probably already realize this.) You will also notice that the original trays have a tendency to bow
slightly. I find that gluing onto the cupped (concave) side works best. Experiment first before gluing.
AgainOCD.

Now, visualize this point: if you convert your Eclipse trays into little glass bottomed boats, you can stack
them together like a giant club sandwich, preloaded with Cubes, into your game box. Construct another
plastic lid of the same dimensions but DO NOT GLUE IT TO ANYTHING, ever. Place the loose lid on
the very top of your club sandwich of Population Cubes (the side with exposed Colonists). Now get some
thin Velcro strips (at least twomaybe three for the paranoid in the crowd) and fairly lightly wrap
them around the preloaded Cube carriers (but not so tightly that it breaks the glue seals). See Figure 4.
Inspecting a stack of six Population Cubes in their transport trays seems to be pressing your luck for
something terrible to go wrong. I suggest you only stack three sets of Population Cubes, thus making
two intergalactic transports (and youd need to manufacture two loose lids). For additional insurance
against paranoia, I tuck my peeps, preloaded, within a plastic baggie on the off chance of an attempted
jail break. (Why do I suggest Velcro? Well, I formerly used rubber bands to hold game components
together, especially cards. But rubber bands break in time, leaving a mess in your box; or worse, they
harden and become brittle in a hot closet, turning into dead little worms that stick to your components.
Learn from my mistakes, people.) Your Population Cubes can now be safely placed within the game box
and transported, ready for play, to any place in the galaxy. See what you just did? Now you dont even
need to expend time loading your Population Cubes before each game! (Look at you! Arent you proud

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of yourself?) But if you simply dont want to go through all this construction hassle (building Cruisers can
be tough enough) just bring a 6-inch ruler to you game and use the Cubes as originally designed. Cant
stand to see all your Population step out of line? Knock em back with a straightedge, like you are cutting
sifted flour. (Just keep in mind, all population centers need a ruler but do they even make a 15.24 cm
ruler? If not, how do people in Europe know what 6 inches is?).

Figure 4. See text for creating handy transports for your unruly Population Cubes. Use third-party Eclipse Trays, constructing
transparent glued bottoms for your gaming pleasure. Place an unglued slab of plastic on top of each stack, Velcro your peeps
together, and travel to all points of the galaxy in real style. These transports can survive violent mid-course maneuvers, including
barrel-rolls, without allowing reluctant colonists a means of escape. Three strips of Velcro Yes, I am OCD.

Weve found that total setup time from opening the Eclipse game box to the first turn is only ten
minutes. (This includes the game owner already having preloaded the six sets of colonists, and each
player setting up their own Storage Track. And by setting up the Storage Track, all this would entail is
placing the colonist transport on the track, placing 13 Discs and 3 Storage Markers, and scooping out all
your Ships from the larger tray.) Separate the 3 stacks of Sector hexes and you are ready to draw your
first set of Technology Tiles from the bag.

And there you are. Youve saved gobs of time for your games. Speaking of which

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II. A Variant for Human Diversity
Mr. Tahkokallio designed the human-only game to be as balanced as possible. In so doing, every human
faction starts with exactly the same characteristics and advantages. This is a solid game design, but it
can be a bit bland. Heres a variant scenario you can try that will spice up your Eclipse sessions, and
breathe additional life and background color into your opposing factions. Suspension of disbelief, after
all, is what simulation games are all about. You probably should not attempt this variant using any alien
races as opponents; only try this if all players (2-6) are human. Balance may be off slightly, so Id
appreciate receiving email comments/suggestion from those who play it. (Contact information is
provided at the end of this article.)

This variant adds an element of strategy to game-play, where some Sector hexes will become more
attractive to certain human factions and less important to others. You may find that the Conglomerate,
for example, aggressively desires a Sector in your zone of Influence with an Advanced Money planet far
beyond what would normally occur in a standard human game. You may find yourself defending it over
and over again from Conglomerate incursions. And thats where the fun comes in. (After all, we arent all
drawn from the same velvet bag, right?) So, for the rules:

VHD 0. All rules for human play remain unchanged, including providing all human
players with a starting Starbase Technology Tile, the same Build rates, Move rates,
Resource exchange rates, etc. However, provide each human faction with the following
additional special advantages:

VHD 1. TERRAN CONGLOMERATE (THE ECONOMIST): The Conglomerate developed

remarkable advances in handling finances beyond those of the other factions. In
addition to the normal setup rules, the Conglomerate player also receives the Advanced
Economy Tech Tile at the start of play. During game setup, also place a Population Cube
in the Advanced Money Population Square on their Start sector.

VHD 2. TERRAN DIRECTORATE (THE LAB RATS): The Directorate evolved to worship
Science. In addition to the normal setup rules, the Directorate player also receives the
Advanced Labs AND the Nanorobots Tech Tiles at the start of play. During game setup,
also place a Population Cube in the Advanced Science Population Square on their Start
sector.

VHD 3. TERRAN FEDERATION (THE MINING SPECIALISTS): The Federation developed

advanced mining techniques beyond those of the other factions. In addition to the
normal setup rules, the Federation player also receives the Advanced Mining Tech Tile
at the start of play. They also begin the game with 3 extra Materials (Materials starts at
6).

VHD 4. TERRAN ALLIANCE (THE ADMIRAL): The Space Academies of the Alliance excel
at producing exceptional starship captains. In addition to the normal setup rules, the
Alliance player also receives the Gauss Shield Tech Tile at the start of play, and

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substitutes a Cruiser for the game-start Interceptor (begin with 1 Cruiser in the Start
sector). Thereafter, one ship on the game board at a time (an Interceptor, Cruiser,
Dreadnought, or Starbase) serves as the flagship of the Alliance. Place a blank round Tile
underneath the Alliance flagship spaceship miniature to denote where the Admiral
currently is (the flagship begins the game as the sole Cruiser).
4a. Use in Combat: Whenever the flagship is involved in Combat, the Alliance
player can predesignate (before rolling) a modification to one die of one salvo of
shots. This Combat modification can be attempted as follows: 1) to a Missile
strike from one (Initiative) ship type if they carry missiles, and; 2) one
modification to one Engagement Cannon die roll from one (Initiative) ship type
per Engagement round.
4b. Permission to Fire, Sir: Once the Admiral verbally indicates a desire to be
used (in the Missile Round and once in each Engagement Round), the Alliance
rolls one Permission Die per Missile salvo, and also once per Engagement
Cannon Round. On any result other than 1, the modification can be made. If
the Permission Die roll is equal to 1, the modification is not made for that
Missile or Engagement, but is counted as being attempted for that Missile shot
or the Engagement Cannon shot (the Admiral did not issue the orders in time).
Permission can be attempted in a later Engagement, whether the prior
Engagement Permission was ordered or not.
4c. Modification Mechanics: The Combat modification may only be used once
per Engagement Round, but multiple times per Combat Phase. For this (1) set of
dice rolls (only), the Initiative of the type of ship carrying the Admiral is also
increased by 1. For the Combat modification (assuming Permission to fire is
granted), the Alliance player may increase the pip result of one (1) die by 1
additional number (any die roll of that salvo can be chosen after the roll is
completed). The Admiral must be aboard the ship type assigned to the Combat
modification at the time of choosing the attempt.
4d. Transferring the Admiral: At any time during an Alliance game turn or
Combat, the Admiral may freely transfer to another Ship within the same sector
as the Admiral. (This transfer may also be done immediately before an opponent
rolls a set of Combat dice during a Combat Round, but must be verbally stated
before any dice hit the table.)
4e. Replacing the Admiral: If the Admirals ship is destroyed, the old Admiral
goes down with it to form new stardust, but a new Admiral (the round blank
Tile) may graduate from the Academies and be placed underneath any Ship in a
Sector with Alliance Influence, or any new build of the Alliance at the start of the
next Alliance turn. The Admiral may also be placed in a Starbase, if desired, and
eligible (i.e., if in the same hex as the current Admiral or as an existing Starbase
or new build).
4f. Where the Admiral Can Be Used: The Admiral can be used in Combat against
any opposing player. The Admiral can also be used in Combat against the
Ancients and/or the GCDS using the same rules as explained above. In addition

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 to the order of destruction denoted in the original game rules, the Ancients will
next attempt to destroy the flagship, when possible.

VHD 5. TERRAN UNION (THE ARTIFICIAL ENVIRONMENT SPECIALISTS): As the home

system became less able to provide for their civilization, the Union developed the use of
artificial worlds before other factions. In addition to the normal setup rules, the Union
player also receives the Advanced Robotics Tile and the Orbital Tech Tile at the start of
play. Also place a free Orbital token in their Start sector and populate it with your choice
of a Money or Science Cube. (Hey, can we call them Cubies when they are on a
planet?)

VHD 6. TERRAN REPUBLIC (THE COLONISTS): The Republic possesses an enduring desire
to spread democracy to all corners of the galaxy. In addition to the normal setup rules,
the Republic player also receives the Neutron Bombs Tech Tile at the start of play. They
also play with an extra Colony Ship (use 4 Colony Ships instead of 3). With the Explore
action, the Republic player may explore two hexes, one after another.

VHD 7. CHOOSING PLAYER FACTIONS: Choose one of three ways to do this:

7a. If desired, players may freely choose which faction they wish to play.
7b. If multiple players desire the same faction, they can enter into a bidding
war; the player sacrificing the greater total of starting Money, Science, and
Materials choosing first. (Believe me, the other players will love this.)
7c. Alternatively, players may each roll a die, starting with the player who has
spent the most amount of time on Mars. If tied, the player spending the least
amount of time on Old Earth rolls first; then proceed in a clockwise manner. The
die result is the faction number shown above (now you know why I began the
rules with Rule 0.). Subsequent players will reroll results that have already been
assigned, or they may evenly adjust die number assignments to those factions
left to be selected.
7d. Play Handicapping: Players may wish to assign the most inexperienced
player to the Conglomerate, and so on, down to the most experienced player
being assigned to the Republic. (Future playtesting may alter this order.)

COMBAT EXAMPLE USING THE ADMIRAL: The Alliance is in Combat with the defending
Conglomerate. Both sides have 2 Interceptors and 2 Cruisers in the contested hex, and all
ships have (1) Plasma Missile Tile. All Interceptors also have (1) Ion Cannon, and all
Cruisers have (2) Ion Cannon (no computers or shields are involved). Everyone has a
Fusion Source. All Interceptors have an Initiative of 3; all Cruisers have an Initiative of 2
(Conglomerate is the defender).

The Admiral is in an Alliance Interceptor at the start of Combat. The Alliance could
immediately use the Admiral in the Interceptor to gain a first-shot 4 Initiative advantage
(using the Admirals one-time Initiative bonus), and chooses to do so. After the Alliance

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missiles are fired, but before the Conglomerate can send off their Interceptor Missiles,
the Alliance transfers the Admiral to a Cruiser to hide behind the one Hull of the stronger
Cruiser.

(All Missiles subsequently miss in a plethora of low die rolls, including any single Alliance
die that could have been raised to a six due to the Admiral.)

During the first Engagement Round of Cannon fire, the Alliance concedes the defending
Conglomerates Interceptor Initiative advantage of 3 versus the Alliance Cruisers
potential one-time 3 Initiative use for the Admiral who is now on a Cruiser (defender
wins ties.). The Interceptors fire from both sides, both knocking out an opposing
Interceptor, plus the Conglomerate assigns an extra hit to the Cruiser flagship, thereby
crippling her.

Now it is time for the Cruisers to fire their first Cannon shots. Normally, the defending
Conglomerate would fire first, but the Alliance chooses to utilize the Admiral now in this
Engagement round to gain a Cruiser Initiative of 3 versus the defending 2-Initiative
Cruiser force. The Alliance verbally announces that the Admiral will step in to modify this
salvo. The Conglomerate player acknowledges with an appropriate gesture. Four
Alliance Cannon fire from the two Cruisers, rolling a 6, 5, 5, 2. The Alliance Admiral
(being on a Cruiser at the time of the shot) may change one die roll result upward by one
number, modifying the salvo to a 6, 6, 5, 2 result. The presence of the Alliance Admiral
allows a score of two hits and immediately destroys a Conglomerate Cruiser before she
can fire her Cannons in reply. The Conglomerate player quickly picks up two dice, while
mumbling about losing a Cruiser, and rolls a 6 and a 3. The Conglomerate smirks as the
second damage hit kills the flagship; in the heat of battle, the Alliance player forgot to
transfer the Admiral token to the undamaged Cruiser! The flagship goes down in flames,
and the Admiral token is set aside to be assigned to an existing Ship within Alliance
Influence, or on a new build during the next turn. Combat continues as normal now that
a new Admiral must graduate from the Academy In the next Round of the game.

Stubborn Faction Example (using random dice to choose sides): The first three players
in a six-player game have been assigned to the Conglomerate, the Alliance, and the
Union by simple die rolls. But 1, 4, and 5 just keep popping up no matter what the next
player does. Players decide to assign the remaining Directorate to die rolls of 1-2, the
Federation to die rolls of 3-4, and the Republic to die rolls of 5-6.

If less than six are playing the game, ignore any rolls of 6 when assigning factions in a
five-player game, and so on for 4, 3, or 2 player games. (Note that this defines which
factions are eligible for games of less than 6 players when rolling for factions. Player
comments are most welcome if you agree or disagree with the order of factions shown
above.)

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Notes for Human Diversity: You may wonder how I came up with the starting faction advantages. I
evaluated the number of Advanced planets in the game to keep things as equitable as possible, yet
still provide for different strategies. If all three Sectors are fully in play, plus all six human Start sectors,
you will find that there are 15 Advanced Money planets, whereas there are only 14 Advanced Science
planets and 9 Advanced Materials planets fully available to be selected. As well, the Mining Specialist
will need to explore other Sectors to find their first Advanced Materials planet (the Lab Rats and
Economist have Advanced planets of their own specialty already in their Start sector). So, the Mining
Specialist was given a boost up by providing two Military Tech Tiles (bringing them closer to discounts
and game-end Tech VPs). The Economist may seem to get the raw end of the deal, only receiving the
Advanced Economy Tech Tile, yet there are more Advanced planets for this faction to exploit. (The
long game may assist them more than other factions if they can reach all those Advanced Money
planets.)

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III. Concealed Sector Eclipse
I must preface this variant with an apology. Eclipse is so intricately designed that recordkeeping and
player logistics (other than possibly for setup) represents simplicity in itself. This variant adds a
significant amount of complexity and awkward components to an otherwise elegant game. So why
would I suggest such a thing? Well, Eclipse is a 4x game (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate).
Exploration is handled very well in Eclipse (especially in consideration of the prime design imperative of
achieving simplicity); however, for the purist it could be better. And by better, I mean more realistic.
In many ways, Explore in Eclipse is nothing more than Expand. So, how can this be rectified?

Consider: a player invests quite a bit of energy in the Explore action, which is one of the critical
components of the 4xs. But a recurring problem with almost any space exploration board game is the
omnipresent player who capitalizes on the exploration efforts of other players. If exploration is so
important in a 4x game, then why should it be possible for the Red player to see the exploration results
of the Blue player far across the galaxy for free? Red expends a precious Influence Disc to Explore the
Sectors in local space, yet expends nothing at all to see what is being explored far, far away by a Blue
opponent. Obviously, this is due to the logistics of playing on a single playing board. Exploration is
handled far more realistically in the video genre; but for board games to achieve this same amount of
realism, there is a significant penalty in ease-of-play that must be assessed to the unfortunate players.
So, with apologies, I present a system for making Exploration significantly more realistic in Eclipse. This
variant will change how a game of Eclipse is experienced. It can be played with 2 to 6 players. You will
need a package of paperclips (252 assuming a full, 6-player game), the cutout sheet (provided in this
article), the Galactic Map Player-Aid (provided), and access to a photocopy machine or computer
printer. Although not a double-blind game in its truest definition, this system does allow for concealed
activity above and beyond what a traditional game of Eclipse would provide.

CSE 0. All rules for Eclipse remain unchanged from the original game. Sectors yet to be
Explored by any player will remain blank (as usual) until placed on the table. For the
sake of an enhanced sense of wonder, players should make an honest attempt not to
scrutinize the Player Boards of opponents. Ideally, placement of Influence Discs and
Population Cubes should initially be concealed from opponents, but this is logistically
very difficult to accomplish. Players may fake placements, etc. under Explored Sectors
as subterfuge, as long as they do not cheat. As a compromise, players cannot record
specific notes about the amount of opponent activity under concealment cones (termed
Cones of Exploration, or CoEs) (such as, Red player placed a Disc and two Cubes in
Sector) until such time as they place a Sector Sensor (see CSE 1c) into those
concealed locations. After Sensors are placed, a player may record whatever their
Sensors tell them.

CSE 1. PRE-SETUP: Three new components are provided for Concealed Sector Eclipse,
included on the enclosed cutout sheet and the Galactic Map Player-Aid Sheet (shown at
the end of this article).
1a. Players should make up to 12 photocopies (or computer printouts) of the
cutout sheet for a theoretically complete set (36 Cones, plus 36 Sensors of each

13
color, assuming a 6-player game, with random Start sectors, see CSE 7a, below).
Note that the theoretical maximum of 36 will likely never be used at any one
time. Players should have sufficient components by making only 6 to 8 prints of
the cutout sheet (18-24 Cones). Color reproduction is suggested; however, B&W
reproduction can be used if the Sector Sensors (see CSE 1c) are hand-colored
(colored pencils, water colors, crayons, etc.)
1b. The circles of stars with a wedge are termed Cones of Exploration (CoE).
After reproducing the cutout sheet, carefully cut out the Cones along their
periphery (do not cut along the dashed white line). Snip off the tip of the cone
along the upper white circle (but not too large to make it possible to peek
inside). To create the Cones, gently fold the circle onto itself so that one edge of
the wedge overlaps all the way to the white dashed line (refer to Figure 5). You
can tape the cone along the seam to retain its shape; however, if you wish to
store the components flat when not in play, you should attach the two edged
overlap flap of the cone together at the base of the cone with a paperclip for
use in play instead of using tape. For flat storage, simply unclip the cone and
save the paperclip for a future game. The CoE will be placed on top of a Sector
hex to conceal System contents until explored by other players, or if Combat
occurs in this System (see CSE 4 & 5, below). To fully conceal wormholes, make
the cones slightly wider by not connecting all the way to the white dashed line,
yet not too large to not fit a crowded game board. A full set of Cones would be
up to 36, although you would seldom, if ever, use all 36 Cones at one time (see
CSE 7d).
1c. The squares with colored bullseyes on the cutout sheet are Sector
Sensors. After reproducing the cutout sheet, cut out the squares, creating a full
set of 36 Sensors of each of the 6 colors (although all 36 of each color will
seldom be used at any one time). One set is provided to each player to match
their faction color. All players who have gained information about the contents
of a System Sector will hang one Sensor of their color (using bent paperclips)
from the center hole of that CoE (slip the Sector Sensor paper square within the
bottom folds of the paperclip; see Figure 5). (The player who first Explores and
places the Sector Tile will be the first to place their Sensor on that Systems CoE
(opponents may do so later in the game if they become adjacent to the Sector,
or if they participate in Combat in that System and pre-forfeit Reputation (see
5a), or upon first placement of the CoE if they are already legally adjacent).
1d. The Galactic Map player-aid sheet is used to record notes for discovered
Systems so that players do not need to constantly peek under the CoE from the
game board to recall what is present. One map must be reproduced for each
player. Multiple copies must be reproduced for each game.

14
Figure 5. An assembled Cone of Exploration. The overlapped seams are attached by a flat paperclip. By keeping the flap of the
seam loose, players can lift the Cone off a crowded game board by grasping the seam. Put a finger on the opposite side of the
Cone and you need not worry about sweeping underlying game components out of place. Alternatively, you can bend up part of
an arm of the paperclip to create a handle for the Cone. Players allowed to view the contents under a Cone will hang a Sector
Sensor of their own color from the tip of the Cone. Bend paperclips for the Sensors as shown. Note that the arm of the Sensor
paperclip is twisted 90 degrees. Squeeze together to achieve a good fit for the Sensor paper. (The same paperclip configuration
can be used to form a Cone handle.)

CSE 2. EXPLORATION: A player who first completes an Explore action on a Sector (and
accepts the hex result) will place the Sector System as usual (placing any Discovery Tile
and Ancient Ships as applicable). However, the System information initially remains
concealed from all other opponents by using a CoE (Exception: Adjacency or Combat,
see CSE 3 and CSE 4, below). Opposing players should use the honor system and look
away as the Exploring player first places the newly discovered hex Tile on the table.
After placing any Discovery Tile/Ancient Ships/Influence Disc/Population Cube(s) on the
hex, the Exploring player then places a CoE over the hex and hangs one Sector Sensor of
their own color on the cone.

CSE 3. ADJACENCY: Any opposing player who is adjacent to the newly Explored hex
when it is first placed (or later becomes adjacent to that hex via Influence or by Moving
a Ship adjacent to that hex) may also hang one Sector Sensor of their color on that Cone.
(Adjacency for Concealed Sector Eclipse is defined as through a full Wormhole; or

15
through a half Wormhole if that player has the Wormhole Generator Technology; and
for a Ship that is not pinned.) Any player may view and record the contents of a Sector
at any time as long as a Sector Sensor of that players color hangs from that Cone.
Regarding adjacency, Sensor data exchange may be a one-way street until the opposing
player sensors the other. Note that a passing opposing Exploratory Ship may not
necessarily reveal information until sensor placements are reciprocated, especially if
only one player currently has the Wormhole Generator. The Sector Sensor is never
removed from the Cone once placed (even if the adjacent Ship is later moved away, or
even if the player Influence is lost in that Sector) unless the entire CoE is removed from
the board.
3a. A Moving player may interrupt all actions (including any remaining Moves by
that Ship) to inspect the contents of a newly discovered (viably adjacent) Sector
System. The Moving players subsequent Movement may be influenced by the
new knowledge gained by the Sensor, although Movement spent up to that
point may not be taken back.
3b. Diplomacy: If Diplomatic relations are established between two players, the
faction identity of the opponent is revealed immediately if Hidden Factions are
being used, and if such information is not already obtained (see CSE 7c, below).
The normal 1 VP is awarded to both players.
3c. Full Diplomatic Relations: If both players desire, Full Diplomatic Relations
can be established for a net total of 2 VPs per player. Once Full Diplomatic
Relations are established, any existing CoEs of players sharing Ambassadors will
also share Sector Sensors freely in any Tile owned by the respective coalition on
the board (dual Sector Sensors are hung on all owning CoEs of both sides).
Sector Sensors will continue to be shared throughout the alliance for newly
placed CoEs until such time as one becomes a Traitor to the other, after which
the new CoEs are placed without sharing Sensors. If using Hidden Factions (see
CSE 7d) coalition players have access to their partners full Player Card, including
their current Ship configuration data. Indicate Full Diplomatic Relations by
rotating the Ambassador Tile 180 degrees (head down) on the Player Card.

CSE 4. CONE REMOVAL DUE TO ADJACENCY: Once all players in a game Explore a
specific Sector System Tile (either through the initial Explore action or simply by
becoming adjacent through a viable Wormhole) the CoE is permanently removed from
the game. The contents of that hex are then continuously viewed by all players, as in a
normal game (the probe inserted by each player is providing a continuous feed to the
home system). (Note that it is possible to have up to 5 Sector Sensors of different colors
on one Cone in a 6-player game; once the sixth (or final) Sensor would be placed by all
players, the Cone is removed.) In this variant, Exploration results are not always
automatic and free to all players; to see what is in a far-away hex, each player must
become adjacent to the newly discovered Sector, either by extending Influence or
Moving a Ship adjacent (and could theoretically Move) into that hex, or due to Combat
(see CSE 5).

16
CSE 5. CONE REMOVAL DUE TO COMBAT: The CoE for a specific hex is also permanently
removed from a Sector hex as soon as Combat in that System (between a player and the
Ancients, and/or between two or more players) is initiated. (The act of gaining
Reputation will carry information to all corners of the galaxy, including what was being
disputed in the Sector. With Reputation comes consequences too.)
5a. As an added option, players may wish to utilize a House Rule to retain the
CoE in a Combat Sector that they placed if they pre-designate that they will
forfeit all Reputation draws for that particular Combat (and they end up being
the victor). The opponent in Combat, however, would retain their Sensor and
full knowledge of that location if they lose and the CoE remains. This applies to
Combat versus Ancients as well. The player entering the CoE may also
predesignate no Reputation draws as well in the hopes of winning the Combat
and keeping the contents secret from other players (except from the player who
originally placed the CoE).

CSE 6. The GCDS: The Galactic Center Defense System (001) is never concealed by a CoE
because all factions know about this mysterious system from long-held stories and
legend. All players can fully view the contents of the GCDS at all times.

CSE 7. START SECTORS: When the normal rules for Start sectors are used (using generic
human Sectors for human factions, or alien-specific Sectors for alien races), those Start
sectors are never concealed by a CoE due to the long-held legends retained by all people
of the galaxy. All players can fully view the contents of any Start sector of any player.
Players will decide their faction (or randomly choose one) before the game begins, or
choose a human faction (if using Diversification, as explained in Section II, above) or
alien race they will play. Use the appropriate Storage Track.
7a. Players may wish to use random Start sectors for maximum secrecy and
discovery. To do so, each player secretly rolls a single die before the game
begins using the honor system. Place all six Start sector Tiles in a bag. Each
player randomly selects a Start sector Tile, but does not show the result to any
opponent. Use the human side of the hex Tile on a roll of 1-3, and the alien side
of the hex Tile on a roll of 4-6. Start sector hexes using this process are
completely independent of which alien race or human faction you will play.
Depending upon the combination of random results you receive (for an alien
faction, or a normal or variant human faction) therefore, you may end up using
a human Start sector or a different aliens Start sector. A human faction may
end up using an alien Start sector; an alien may end up using a different aliens
Start sector. (Note: play balance may be affected significantly depending upon
factions and combinations being used.)
7b. When using random Start sectors, the players Start sectors begin the game
under a CoE; the contents of which may only be discovered by opponents
Moving adjacent to it (or via Combat occurring within).
7c. Hidden Factions (Optional): Players may also wish to add additional mystery
to a game of Eclipse by concealing to all opponents whether they are human

17
 (you may also wish to utilize the Variant for Human Diversity for this game as
described above in Section II, if agreed upon by all players before the start of
the game) or alien. However, if you choose this option, all players must also
conceal their Storage Track from public view as well (which adds additional
logistical complexity). If using Hidden Factions, once an opponent obtains
general Sensor data from another player due to Adjacency, the gross details of
that Sector are revealed (Influence, populated and vacant planets, numbers of
Ships, etc.) but the genetic identity of the opponent remains concealed. The
genetic identity (or Hidden Faction) of an opponent is only revealed in two
ways: 1) through Diplomacy (regular and/or Full Relations), and; 2) the first time
you enter into Combat with that faction (Combat must first be declared before
you can see the faction and Ship configurations you will face). Upon these two
situations, the respective players factions (or alien race) is instantly provided to
both players. (See CSE 3b, above, for Diplomacy and Ambassadors.)
7d. Subsequent Combat Using Hidden Factions (Optional): When using Hidden
Factions, the Ship configurations of opponents are always concealed until new
Combat is declared. As such, you can never be entirely sure what you will be up
against when you enter Combat, even if youve previously fought them earlier in
the game. An exception to this is if you have Full Diplomatic Relations with an
opponent (CSE 3c).
7e. Players may experiment with multiple players using the same human
Diversity variant (see Section II, above), as long as all players agree before the
game is set up, and determine precisely how factions can be chosen. (For
example, if a group of Eclipse players believe the Lab Rats have a decided
advantage in the game, the honor system can be used to pre-define how
starting Resources are to be adjusted for favored factions.)
7f. The following table shows the maximum number of Cones of Exploration and
Sector Sensors (of each color) that may possibly be used for various
combinations of players and normal versus random Start sectors. The actual
number of Cones needed should be significantly less due to opponent
discoveries and/or Combat.

Number Cones & Sensors Cones & Sensors

of Players (Normal Start Sectors) (Random Start Sectors)
2 21 23
3 25 28
4 28 32
5 29 34
6 30 36

CSE 8. USING THE GALACTIC MAP PLAYER-AID: The Galactic Map can be used to record
all your discoveries (refer to the example, shown below). The map for each player

18
should remain confidential at all times. A fine-point mechanical erasable pencil should
be used.
8a. As Sector Tiles are added to the board (Sectors I, II, or III), each player should
lightly shade the corresponding hex on their map with a pencil (the GCDS and
the Player 1 position is pre-shaded).
8b. Notes should be made off the map as best as possible to record Sector III
hexes if they extend beyond the confines of the map.
8c. Notation sidebars on the map show the suggested symbols for Sector
contents that may be used. Use the Euro symbol for Money planets in place of
the US dollar sign to avoid confusion with Science (S). Other symbols include:
Materials (M), Gray planets (X), Advanced planets (*, S*, or M*), Artifact
(diamond), Wormholes (concentric circles; half or whole), Ancient Ship (A),
Starbase (four-pointed star), Monolith (rectangle), Orbital (inverted triangle, to
avoid looking like an A; include symbol for Money or Science, as appropriate).
Also record the VP value of the Sector near the Influence Circle.
8d. Sector Influence is noted by writing the following within the central System
circle: Red (R), Blue (B), Green (G), Yellow (Y), White (W), and Black (K). Players
may use colored pencils to denote Influence; however, they should be erasable
if ownership changes (erasing colored pencil marks is not always easy).
8e. Player Ships are denoted using cross symbols: Interceptor (single cross);
Cruiser (double cross); Dreadnought (triple cross). Write the color of the fleet
near the grouping (using CSE 8d, above). Player Ship locations are fluid, and may
present problems to recording. They can be erased as they move away. Do the
best you can with them.
8f. Planets that are populated are circled; vacant planets are not circled.
8g. Map Sectors may become very crowded with notes. If so, players may
consider annotating the Map Sector with a large letter and noting contents in a
list on the back of the map or on a separate sheet, or in a blank hex on the edge
of the map.
8h. Once the CoE for a Sector is removed, players may wish to discontinue
recording the contents of that Sector on their map to ease complication.

EXAMPLE OF CONCEALED SECTOR ECLIPSE: An example of a four player game of Eclipse

in progress is shown in the original Eclipse rulebook (on page 15 and the bottom of the
game box). Refer to that original figure as you read this example. The paused action
from the original example is reproduced below as if those intrepid players were using the
Concealed Sector rules. Please refer to the rulebook (page 15) to understand how the
game has been played to this point and to see what is concealed under the Cones of
Exploration. While you read this example, think of yourself as head of the Blue
civilization; what would be your plans for your next move? The discussion that follows
makes reasonable assumptions as to what the players did to arrive at this point, and
how the Concealed Sector rules would modify the perspectives of the players.

19
Figure 6. A reproduction of the game example shown in the original Eclipse rulebook (page 15). Refer to the rulebook to see
what is hidden under the Cones. See below for Concealed Sector explanations.

Start Sectors for players begin the game in the open, for all players to see (although
players may optionally conceal Start Sectors, if desired; see CSE 7a). In this example,
assume the Sectors were revealed from the beginning and always remain so (therefore,
none of the four Start Sectors have a CoE on them). A Galactic Map Player Aid has been
filled out from the perspective of the Blue player up to this point in the game (refer to
Figure 7). For purposes of this example only, reference hex numbers have been included
on Blues Galactic Map. Hex A1 is located in the upper left, three hexes up from the
main action. Hexes are sequentially numbered toward the bottom of the Map. (The
GCDS (001) is in hex D5; Blues Start Sector (221) is in hex B6; Reds Start Sector (225) is
in hex F4, and so on.)

Assume, at this point, that Green has just declared Combat against the Ancients in hex
D6, and that Green has just removed the CoE there, revealing Sector details for all
players to see for the very first time. Green decides to gain Reputation for this Combat,
and so removes the CoE.

To this point in this game, Blue has Explored five Sectors: in hexes A4, A5, C6, C7, and C8.
Blue extended Influence in all but hex A4, and colonized four planets outside the Blue
Start Sector (refer to rulebook example). In addition, Blue fought Combat versus the
Ancients in Sector 101 (hex C6) to take control of that Sector and gained Reputation.
During all of Blues Explore actions, CoEs were initially placed in all five of the explored
Sectors (CSE 2); however, only four Blue CoEs remain on the board because the one

20
placed in hex C6 was removed as soon as Blue entered into Reputation Combat with the
Ancients (CSE 5). Additionally, Blue was able to insert a Sector Sensor into Sector 106
(hex C5) because Blue is adjacent to Yellows CoE through a full Wormhole. Therefore,
Blue has Sensor access into five CoE and may examine those contents at any time
throughout the game. Yellow cannot look into Blues Explored hex A4 because Yellow is
adjacent only through a half Wormhole. (So, no opponents, including Yellow, can be sure
if Blue extended Influence into that Sector or not; it turns out it is still vacant). Similarly,
Green cannot look into Blues hex C7; Green Interceptors are adjacent to C7, but only
through a half Wormhole. Blue is doing well concealing faction systems! Had Blue
Combat versus the Ancients not been necessary in hex C6 to Influence it (or had Blue
forfeited Reputation before the Combat began), a CoE would still be present there, but in
such a case Yellow (only) would have Sensor access to it through the adjacent full
Wormhole. Hopefully, Blue received a lot of Reputation for that Combat.

So, what has Blue been able to observe thus far? All the opposing Start Sectors are in full
view, as well as the Sector where Red had previously engaged in Combat with the
Ancients (hex D4), and the just-declared Combat by Green in hex D6 (both desiring
Reputation). As stated above, Blue can also view Yellows Sector in hex C5 (full
Wormhole adjacency). Blue also noted Explore actions by Yellow, Red, and Green in
previous Rounds, but cannot be sure if Influence (or Population) was extended into any
of those Sectors. However, Blue suspects those opponents have made additions to their
Sectors in some way (refer to the notes Blue made on the Galactic Map assigned to Blue
in Figure 7).

The intelligence gained by each of Yellow, Red, and Green would be different than the
intelligence obtained by Blue, as well as the notes made by those players on their maps.
By viewing the original example and the example shown above, you may wish to
consider what each of Yellow, Red, and Green would also be thinking at this point in the
game. Note that Green is pretty much still in the dark.

21
Figure 7. Sample Galactic Map for the Blue player. Sector VPs have been omitted from this example for clarity.

22
Notes for Concealed Sector Eclipse: Uncertainty lurks in the darkened corners of the galaxy.

You will find that Eclipse plays very differently using hidden Sectors, especially in the opening Rounds
where little Exploration has taken place. But now, Exploration rightfully takes its own place among the
4xs. Gone are the free Exploration results on the opposite side of the galaxy.

Players may find it necessary to build entire squadrons of Interceptors for the sole purpose of
Exploration. Players may also find it necessary to throw out screens of defending Interceptors along your
outer borders for the purpose of pinning opposing Interceptors that are attempting to penetrate your
space to place sensors in your home systems. Neutral Zone Defenses now become more relevant. But
can your economy afford the new demands posed by exploratory fleets and system defense? How will
this affect your march toward Technology? What new balances must be struck?

Note that you may not even know the precise star system jump points from your home system to a
galactic Sector half-way across the board until you are able to fully map all the connected Wormholes.
How will that affect your Movement in Eclipse? Does it give an advantage to those players willing to
invest more heavily in Exploration?

Diplomacy is also subtly changed in this game. Are you satisfied with the normal 1 VP Ambassador
exchange, or would Full Diplomatic Relations be worth the extra VP? When is it necessary to conceal
your growing civilization from ALL players, including those in alliance with you, and can this affect your
decision to become the Traitor?

Random Start sectors and Hidden Factions may be the most controversial additions to this variant. Yes,
play balance may be totally upset if a player obtains a poor (or great) combination of faction
characteristics and Start sector, but arent the hidden aspects of what your opponent truly has (and the
race that player is) just too juicy a morsel to pass up? By definition, you will know that one faction will
not be in use when it is on the underside of your Storage Track card, but that still leaves six other
possible combinations of opponents (more if Human Diversity is used).

When you need to refresh your memory as to what is in a Sector that you have successfully probed, it is
suggested that you gently pick up a CoE by the loose overlap of the cone and bracing the opposite side
of the Cone with a finger (or make a protruding handle with the attaching paperclip). Lift the cone
straight up to avoid moving the underlying game components. Please be courteous and look away when
a player is inspecting a Sector that does not contain one of your Sensors. Players are going to all this
trouble in creating a hidden galaxy; dont spoil it by cheating. Having said that, it is unavoidable that you
will detect the amount of time an opponent uses to configure a new Sector (adding Influence Discs,
Population Cubes, Ships, etc.) or in moving Ships through Sectors. Think of these tidbits of in-game
intelligence as coming from your espionage network; you have learned something about what is going
on, but not all the juicy facts. Moving players can attempt to use subterfuge (or slight-of-hand) as
counter-espionage, as long as they do not revert to cheating. Lifting an unused CoE containing your
Sensor as you Move is permissible to confound players without Sensors in that Sector, but remember
that any players with a Sensor there can fully observe what you are doing at that specific location. (You
may now begin to see how Eclipse is subtly changing.)

23
Using the CoEs and Galactic Map is a logistical nightmare for which I have already apologized (enough
said about that). But with the added complexity and mystery of a concealed game of Eclipse comes a
hefty price. Are you willing to try it?

Much consideration was given to creating full rules for concealing Player Cards from opponents. This
would add a very interesting variant to Concealed Sector Eclipse, but also at a significant cost to player
logistics (and a table space approaching a large house). Consider how the game would change if you
truly had no idea how many Influence Discs, Population Cubes, or Ships have been deployed by your
opponents. You already have some idea of what is going on by the amount of activity an opponent takes
while placing Explored CoEs, and also by glancing at their missing Discs and Cubes from their Player
Board (your intelligence network at work). Just as importantly, though, what if you had no idea what the
configurations (Ship upgrades) of opposing Ships were until you first enter Combat with them? Plus, old
intelligence youve obtained about an opposing Ship class may be totally outdated by the time you enter
Combat with them in a future game Round. In the end, however, those rules were omitted so that I did
not create a monster more complex than a dancing Planta in a crowded nightclub. However, players are
free to add house rules to attempt this at their discretion. Rules CSE 7c and 7d are added as optional
suggestions, if you are bold enough to try this new approach. (Will you be sending out small probing
attacks with a small, minimally equipped Interceptor to gain opponent Ship configuration intelligence
before you commit your capital Ships?) If you attempt this, consider how your group handles Combat
dice rolls (by stepping away from the main gaming table to an isolated Combat area?). One roll in front
of other players will immediately add considerable intelligence to non-participating opponents of the
armaments of the Ships due to the number/type of dice used, as well as any resultant modifications. If
you enter Combat with the Ancients and wish to keep data concealed, another player can roll the
Ancients dice without looking at your Ships and it will be up to you to honestly apply the results.
Cardboard shields can be constructed to hide your Player Cards; your creativity can go to work here very
nicely if you wish.

Here are some general assumptions related to the physics assumed to be taking place in Concealed
Sector Eclipse: Your faction will observe the general presence of exploratory activity in far-away Sectors
due to Wormhole disturbances that cannot be hidden during traditional play. Newly created Cones of
Exploration disturb the fabric of space and are being mapped by your scientists from afar, but detailed
sensor data await closer inspection through detailed Exploration. Once a Sector Sensor is placed in a
System, it will provide your faction with continual updates (assume they are adequately cloaked to be
never found by your opponents). Removing a CoE when all players have inserted a sensor there
ultimately simplifies the logistics of the long game (thank goodness for cloaked sensors!). As well,
removing a CoE in a Combat Sector is also a game mechanic used to simplify the long game (and avoid
recording the overcrowding of multiple fleets in one Sector); as long as Reputation is desired. Disregard
why it may seem unfair to the two players involved in Combat why every other player can now see what
is happening in that Sector; combat reporters have large mouths, and nothing can be done to shut them
up (think CNN). Once players start boasting about their developing Reputations, word will get out.

24
IV. Odds and Ends
Explaining Blank Space to Those Who Have Not Been There

Okay, place your Start sector away from the center hex, but not too far Sector I hexes go here, and II
hexes go around them no thats Sector III

It is not an easy concept to tell new players how to set up the game board for the first few Rounds.
Some people simply cannot visualize what is being asked of them. I find it more instructive to set up the
GCDS, then shuffle the Sector I Tiles and place six Sector I Tiles randomly around the GCDS without
looking at their faces. Then the players may align their Start sectors adjacent to the appropriate Sector I
place card holders. Overturned random Sector II Tiles can even be inserted between the Start sectors
to form the structure of the outer ring without looking at the underside. It is then a simple concept to
tell new players that any Sector III hex can be placed outside this inner area in any way they please.

As players conduct the Explore action, they initially flip over the Sector I or II Tile that was randomly
placed in that location at game setup, adjusting Wormholes as necessary. If they like what they see, that
is the Tile they selected. If they wish to discard that Tile, they discard it as usual and their action ends.
Place another random Tile of that Sector in its place without looking at the face, assuming additional
Sector I or II Tiles are available in the draw pile. Play on as usual.

Did You Miss This Rule?

I cannot be certain who is correct, but some players disagree with an interpretation of the rules for
placement of Start sectors. Isolationist players may desire to align Start sector hex Wormholes away
from the GCDS, but the illustration of Starting Layouts on page 5 of the rulebook shows all Start hexes
with one Wormhole pointing directly to the GCDS. Nothing in the rulebook is stated by text to do this,
but we play by the illustration and ensure that a direct route to the center must be made. Whos
correct? Just be sure all players are on the same page before you begin.

Detailed Parts Inventory

The supplied rulebook does an adequate job providing a list of game components; however, some
details are lacking. For the OCD among us (and for lost inventory control), additional component details
are listed below (refer to the rulebook for a listing of components not shown here):
Technology Tiles (96 total):
Neutron Bombs, Gauss Shields, Nanorobots, Starbase, Improved Hull, Fusion Drive, Plasma
Cannon, Fusion Source, & Advanced Robotics (columns 1-3 of the Research Track): five (5) Tiles
each.
Phase Shield, Positron Computer, Orbital, Advanced Mining, Advanced Economy, & Advanced
Labs (columns 4 & 5 of the Research Track): four (4) Tiles each.

25
 Tachyon Source, Tachyon Drive, Monolith, Plasma Missile, Antimatter Cannon, Artifact Key,
Gluon Computer, Quantum Grid, & Wormhole Gener (columns 6-8 of the Research Track): three
(3) Tiles each.
Ship Part Tiles (154 total) (more can be manufactured, if needed):
Nuclear Drive: four (4) Tiles.
Ion Cannon, Electron Computer, Nuclear Source, & Hull: six (6) Tiles each.
Plasma Cannon & Improved Hull: eighteen (18) Tiles each.
Plasma Missile: fourteen (14) Tiles.
Antimatter Cannon: ten (10) Tiles.
Fusion Source: twelve (12) Tiles.
Positron Computer, Gluon Computer, Fusion Drive, Tachyon Drive, & Tachyon Source: eight (8)
Tiles each.
Gauss Shield & Phase Shield: seven (7) Tiles each.
Sector Hexes (44 total):
GCDS: one (1) Tile.
Start sector Tiles: six (6) Tiles, double-sided.
I Inner Sectors: eight (8) Tiles.
II Middle Sectors: eleven (11) Tiles.
III Outer Sectors: eighteen (18) Tiles.

The following table summarizes all the details for every sector Tile available in Eclipse. The yellow-hued
rows are the Start sectors (listed as front-back for human and alien factions). The reddish-hued rows are
Sector I Tiles, the blue-hues are Sector II Tiles, and the green-hues are Sector III Tiles. Variations in hues
simply makes it easier to read across the rows. After the Sector Star Name is provided, the following
information is shown in the successive columns:
Presence of a Discovery Tile (1 means yes).
Number of Ancient Ships present (0, 1 or 2).
The next seven columns indicate the presence of Population Squares ($ = Money; Sci = Science;
Mat = Materials; Gray = a gray square; Adv = advanced square of that Resource type).
Presence of an Artifact (1 means yes).
The VP value of that sector.
The number of Wormhole connectors present in that Sector. If you read the sector hex name on
the Tile itself, 12:00 is visualized at the top edge of the hex, and so on around the clock back to
10:00. Obviously, there are six edges to the hex; a Y means there is a half Wormhole at that
edge; an N means there is no connector at that edge.

This table is similar to other files uploaded to BGG. How you use the information contained in this table
is up to you.

26
Hex Star Sector Discov- Anc- $ Adv Sci Adv Mat Adv Gray Art VP Wormhole Locations (Hex sides
Name ery ients $ Sci Mat fact oclock, 12-2-4-6-8-10) Y=Yes
001 Galactic Center 1 GC 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 YYYYYY
DS
221 Procyon 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
222 Epsilon Eridani 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Eridani
223 Altair 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
224 Beta Hydri 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Hyrdan
225 Eta Cassiopeiae 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
226 S1 Sygni 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Planta
227 Sirius 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
228 Sigma Draconis 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Draco
229 Tau Ceti 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
230 Lambda Aurigae 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Mecha.
231 Delta Pavonis 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 YYNYYN
human
232 Rigel 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 3 YYNYYN
Orion
101 -I Castor 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 NYYYYY
102 -I Pollux 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 YNYYNY
103 -I Beta Leonis 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 YYYNYY
104 -I Arcturus 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 YYNYYN
105 -I Zeta Herculis 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 YYNYYY
106 -I Capella 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 YYYYNN
107 -I Aldebaran 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 YYYYNY
108 -I Mu Cassiopeiae 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 YYNYYN
201 -II Alpha Centauri 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 NYNYNY
202 -II Fomalhaut 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 NYNYNY
203 -II Chi Draconis 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 YYNYNY
204 -II Vega 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 YYNYNY
205 -II Mu Herculis 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 NNYYYN
206 -II Epsilon Indi 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 NYYYNY
207 -II Zeta Reticuli 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 YYNYNN
208 -II Iota Persei 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 YNYYNY
209 -II Delta Eridani 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 YYNYNY
210 -II Psi Capricorni 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 YNNYNY
211 -II Beta Aquilae 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 YYYYNN
301-III Zeta Draconis 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 YNYYNN
302-III Gamma 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 YNNYYN
Serpentis
303-III Eta Cephei 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 NNNYNY
304-III Theta Pegasi 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 YNNYNN
305-III Lambda 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 YYNYNN
Serpentis
306-III Beta Centauri 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 NYNYNN
307-III Sigma Sagittarii 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 YNYYNN
308-III Kappa Scorpii 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 NNYYNY
309-III Phi Piscium 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 YNNYNY
310-III Nu Phoenicis 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 YNNYNN
311-III Canopus 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 YNYYNN
312-III Antares 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 YYNYNN
313-III Alpha Ursae 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 YNNYNN
Minoris
314-III Spica 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 NNYYYN
315-III Epsilon Aurigae 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 YNNYNY
316-III Iota Carinae 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 YYNYNN
317-III Beta Crucis 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 NNNYYN
318-III Gamma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 NNYYNN
Velorum

27
While I got your attention, Id like to comment on one other complaint I often hear about Eclipse.
Drawing Reputation Tiles after combat is not fair I understand, and respect, your objections. It is
difficult to rationalize why this would be so. But consider the real world: conflict is forty parts
destruction and sixty parts propaganda (I made that up, so dont quote me). They also say that the
history is written by the victors (I didnt make that up). And so it is in Eclipse. The better you do in
combat, the more Tiles you get to choose from. Plus, this one design element alone keeps the winner
concealed until game end, which is well worth the price of admission. I personally believe Eclipse
handles the propaganda value of combat better than many games that came along before it. (Napoleon
created a vast Empire by exploiting and amplifying his battle results; sometimes by outright lies.)

If I had one quibble with the game, Id question the rationale behind rejecting an Exploration result by
discarding an undesirable Sector. To me, that seems to go against the physics of discovery, but I will
accept the concept, and rationalize that the civilization tweaked the wormhole to end at a different
location in a future Explore action. (The design mechanic, although I dont totally agree with it, also
lessens the fear that a poor starting location can doom a player from the start; so in that, it may be fully
justified.) Just my two cents to begin a discussion I also feel you might as well simply place the
discarded Tile at the bottom of the Sector hex stack rather than creating a discard pile.

Yeah, okay, and the astro-geek in me just cannot remain hidden. I understand why Mr. Tahkokallio
assigned the GCDS to the center of the galaxy. Of course, we need to keep things simple, so it flows
nicely. And I fully agree that this is how he should have crafted his story (again, simplicity is best). But,
many researchers hypothesize that a galactic center is an extremely hostile region, what with all the
huge amounts of radiation, gravity, and stellar crowding (hence disturbed orbital parameters and
constant cosmic impacts). The sweet spot of galactic habitability (by coincidence?) happens to be in the
outer fringes of the galactic arms; just where Sol is located. So, in my Eclipse games, the GCDS is also
located near the outer spiral arms, but is centrally located around the surviving civilizations that
sprouted from the Ancients. True, this means absolutely nothing in the overall scheme of things, and I
just made you read another paragraph for naught. Plus, the researchers may be totally incorrect; I doubt
very much if anyone reading these words has visited gal-center. (Unless, of course, youve played
Eclipse!) Okay, Im finished.

Comments about this article, and especially for the Variant for Human Diversity and Concealed Sector
Eclipse, are more than welcomed by the author. Plus, your suggestions and the results of your game
sessions can result in beneficial future revisions to the variants.

Happy sailing among the stars, and may all your dawns be fruitful!

Frank Calcagno has been board gaming since he was a tiny colonist, but entered the serious world of
board gaming in the early 1980s. He was a playtester for the old Avalon Hill Game Company, and early
on for Multi-Man Publishing. He was designated the MVP for the Advanced Squad Leader Historical
Module, Red Barricades, and took the lead on the second edition of Solitaire ASL. He is an avid amateur
astronomer, a self-proclaimed expert on the Napoleonic Era, and a novelist for the science fiction ebook
series, Tales of the Antares Rangers. He can be contacted at: frank (at) antaresrangers (dot) com. Please
insert Eclipse somewhere in the subject line.

28
PHOTOCOPY
SHEET x12
 X NOTATIONS
*
Wormholes
S R
Hex had a
S* M M* Discovery Tile

The hex is Influenced by the Red player (R), and

contains an Artifact ( ).
The following planets are Populated (circled):
1 Money ();
1 Science (S) & 1 Adv. Science (S*), and;
1 Materials (M).
The Adv Money (*), Adv Materials (M*), &
Wild (X) planets remain vacant (not circled).
Two Red Interceptors are in the hex.

GC
DS

Ancient Orbital w/ Starbase Monolith

Ship Money Pop.

A
Dreadnought
Interceptor Cruiser
(Black)
(Red) (White) K

R W