Manufacturer: GMT Games
Estimated Release Date: June - July 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to continuous changes in tariffs on incoming products to the United States we cannot guarantee that there will not be changes to SRPs on our current preorders. We will do our best to keep customers and listings updated as information becomes available. However, if SRPs are increased preorders may be subject to additional charges. Preorders are subject to our Cancellation Policy. We do not know how tariffs will continue to impact our products and will always try to keep our prices as low as possible and our customers up to date and appreciate your understanding.
Preorder items are not yet available. The quantity available and "in stock" notations are the quantities we have available for advance order.
If there are other items on the order, the entire order will not ship until all preorders release.
Image, contents, and release date are subject to change.
Close Encounters is the first expansion to Space Empires: 4X. Alien races meet up close as they encounter each other for the first time in ship boarding engagements and planetary invasions with different types of ground troops. The strengths and weaknesses of each alien empire are brought out with roughly 20 unique racial abilities. The expansion takes advantage of the streamlined nature of the game system to add more technology and cool sci-fi things in very simple ways. While it is designed to be used as a whole, the expansion is modular and players can choose to use only the parts that they like.
Also included in the expansion is an experience system so that your ship groups become more proficient over time. There is a big benefit if you can keep ships alive! The game gives more counters of each ship type to accommodate groups at different experience levels. Military academies in your empire can give your new groups a head start in accumulating experience.
Titans, super large ships beyond dreadnaught, make their appearance and can both carry fighters and destroy planets, but have liabilities too. As requested, fleet counters and a fleet display are in the box. In addition to racial advantages, there are also unique Technological Advantages. There are more technologies and some more money is added into the game because of the larger tech tree.
New scenarios are added for both 3 and 4 players. A new alien empire solitaire scenario is included as well as another solitaire scenario where a player can attempt to fight off an invading mass of Space Amoebas.
The system is exactly the same, but more awesomeness is added!
Note on 3rd Printing: This is identical to the 2nd Printing, except that any known errata has been corrected.
Ages: 14+
Players: 1-4
Game Length: 180-240 minutes
This is not a stand-alone game. A copy of Space Empires 4X is required to play.