The perfect blend of Amitrash and Euro Game? Definitely one of the absolute strategy Hits 2011

Playmaking
Very, very positive to Eclipse, the game preparation. Other games of the genre need here 30 minutes or more. Eclipse has a completely playable in 10 minutes. At least if you are not all sorted, the ship parts on the board, but simply can lie loose in the box. I would definitely recommend. We decided to order the three hex stack apart, each placed his cubes and slices on his board, placing the start worlds, puts the remaining parts on the supply panel ready and already kanns go. When all this is accomplished in helping more than 10 minutes, alone you might need 15 minutes (at most!)

Season
In the box for 30 minutes per player. This is an illusion. Although the beginning is relatively fast, but depending on how the game develops, the central part takes some time and the last two laps are then mostly very tactically and strategically, you as long as possible trying to stay in the game to possible on everything react. One often has the feeling, whoever loses to only fits. So I would expect from experienced players about 45 -50 minutes per player, with new players just over an hour per player. What is nothing negative, however. A five-person game can thus be complete in about four hours. This is absolutely great and leads to the one this 4X game actually more common games can. In the four weeks that I was possessed it already played five times. This is an absolutely fantastic rate for a game of this type.

Place
For Eclipse, you need a large table. And a really big table. At my table you can play six of Twilight Imperium well. Is somewhat closely then, but possible. Eclipse to sixth would not go. The single player boards take quite a lot of space ,, at my table is in final four players.

Races
There are a total of 7 different races in the game. Six times the Terrans, all are equal and to the entrance are very useful and six alien races. In general, all alien races have a worse barter ratio than the Terrans. The breed special skills are minimal changes to the rules. The Plante may take two part study exploring and get at the end of each controlled Hex a special point during the Mechnema easily perform three instead of two upgrades and building actions. The Descendants of Draco may not attack elders, can their territories but check and get the end of the game one victory point per tile Oldest on the pitch. So there are only subtle differences, in which first thinks that they are not really sole criterion. One might think the races would not really be distinguished individually, but in the game the small changes have a great impact. Most often, the big advantage to the race has compensated by the lower exchange rate. In general, the differences in the races are as expected: those who have a lot of money, the others may well research, the others are explorers and spread quickly, the others can build good and ultimately of course there is also a very warlike race. The above-mentioned Descendants of Draco fall from this expected pattern out pleasantly. An essential element of the first extension will be additional races definitely, it will be interesting what will occur to Finns here.

Overall, the various races are definitely very well done, all have a different focus of the leads that you almost always plays a breed according to their strengths and we definitely want to try it again and win any race with any race sometimes. And my experience so far after it is absolutely possible to win with every race, there are definitely no race and no that is absolutely inferior. Also Here again excellent playtesting.

Solid round number
The game is played over just nine rounds. No more, no less. This may seem weird, but you can tell the game to clear the this nine rounds are the result of long and intensive test phase. Nine rounds are perfect. The game is played in this case, although always similar phases, but does nevertheless always fun. It starts with the identify and clear. The galaxy is explored, it makes first researches. After two rounds of this is largely completed and moves into the background. In the next round to start slowly and to upgrade further research to devote himself to the elders. These are defeated you upgraded remains high. The starting player token is becoming increasingly important because it now also has access to important technologies and is this always first secure can prove to be the starting player and this usually does. In the final laps then you look for loopholes in the Verteidgung the opponent or attempt to overrun him through military superiority without leaving house and home as on the salver. Usually there is therefore a grand finale in the last two rounds, said even the Cold War may be - the tension is definitely there. Often in the last two rounds scattered sector fields are abandoned by more actions to have available.
All in all, need to shy away from any of the nine rounds. As a rule, there is no reason to have to play more rounds, or want to, and also with less laps would stake something missing.

VPs
Really nice to Eclipse is that you get what you do VPs for almost everything, the whole game. Whether you're fighting, research, sectors controlled monuments built, diplomacy operates. You get to everything you always do and want to do VPs. Some, such as the technology points remain a safe condition, while others such as the Sector Control must defend it, some like the battle victory points can have a positive influence to a certain degree. So there is no abstract goals which one hinterherennt, you just play the game to get points. I like that much better than the completing objectives as Twilight Imperium.

Elegance
The game is elegantly simple through and through. The mechanisms are natural and consistent. There are really only clear, simple rules, and virtually no exception to the rules. A FAQ is almost not necessary because everything is crystal clear and you do not get too many complex mechanisms in contradictions. It plays very smoothly. If each player while the other at the train thoughts are ever does what he wants to do, it plays very quickly. One is always involved and there are hardly ever longer waiting times, apart from the final laps maybe. It's just fun to play and you will just be delighted in the first few games over and over again by the elegance of the game.

Ship Plans
The ship-building plans are definitely one of the coolest elements of the game. There are three types of ships and space stations that you can modify all individually, depending on what you have researched and what you want to install. This space is always limited and you want to install more and more as you can. In addition, next to the square in the ships themselves also limits the energy consumption which can be installed. Target computer? Faster drives? Everything scathing Antimatteriekanonen? Torpedoes? Improved shell talk more life? Everything your heart desires. One can fully equip its Dreadnoughs just with missiles and hope that they destroy everything in a first strike or equip his small fighter with super-fast drives to make them a cost-effective threat to any unguarded sector. In our previous games spaceships were which were equipped with torpedoes while overpowering, but I'm sure that you can pry me this strategy well, firstly by shields, on the other hand by retaliation.

Techtree / luck factor
The technologies which can be explored are drawn depending on the number of players randomly in each round from a bag. What was drawn is researched what not, not. Explore who else he gets the chip it and you even have the check, unless there are several plates of a technology. This is one of the essential Glückslemente in Eclipse, but usually do not decide the game. There are powerful technologies such as the Wormhole Generator or the advanced economy which are already very powerful, but I have to see win even players who have not explored these supposedly key technologies. In some games you can also maches not explore because it is not pulled. You have to work with what's coming. It is definitely always an advantage to be the first player since you can then explore the first technologies. Game Decide this is not, fortunately, it does not harm in any case.

Interaction
This is one of the few weak points of the game. There is very little direct interaction in Eclipse. In other games, there are trade-phase or action cards with which you can influence each other. One can trade goods, etc. All this does not exist in Eclipse. The single points of contact are on the pitch when attacking a field which approved via an opponent or indirectly when one mutually wegforscht the technologies were. However, this is never really disturbing. In fact, it is even necessary to accomplish the relatively short season. If there were more interactive phases that would increase the play time drastitisch because you would have much more superior. All thing I hope nevertheless much that an extension number, VLT. optional rules brings that bring a little more interaction into play. But really does stand out only when what might afterwards considered the game missing. Playing itself is involved eignetlich all the time so busy and the one this small shortcoming is not really noticeable. Eclipse is definitely NOT a multiplayer solitaire.

Players
So far I have Eclipse for two, played to third and fourth. The game was a lot of fun in every occupation and works very well. This is mainly because this is the level of interaction is relatively low. In Gegensatzu to eg Twilight Imperium, it is really easy to play with few players. You are just the two of you and feel like a big epic 4x game? No problem, Eclipse fulfills this slot perfectly. Multiplayer naturally need more time, but even in the maximum number of players is a great Eclipse sci-fi game that you can play on an evening without sacrificing for a whole day. Alone these facts is a huge plus for Eclipse

Battles
Battles take place not immediately but only at the end of the round when all have passed. Thus, both attackers and defenders have to produce the ways other units, upgrade your ship or even deduct units. The fighting also find not coincide, but are dealt with in accordance with the initiative. The ship with the initiative may höcshten You will first fire his missiles and shoot first. With a tie, the defender has the initiative. Destroying the battle 1: 1 the other vessel shall not return to shoot it. Take up arms only to 6. With target computer you can do this verbesser, with shields can compensate for the effect of target computers. The standard weapons do only damage, better weapons make two or four damage per hit. Each ship has only one life, however you can install improved hulls so that a ship has more hit points. For a fight each participating player gets prestige plates (aka VPs) for destroyed ships may be additional draw. Thus, the fights are very clear and clearly structured and may be dealt with quickly. Through different colored cubes can simultaneously roll for all types of weapons of a ship. Hit only the 6 initially seems pretty weird, but just that there are target computers or shields. These can ignore prove very fatal.

Opinion
One could write a lot more about Eclipse. Especially in gameplay there should be mentioned a lot, about the mechanisms limiting the actions or wormholes or or or. But for that you can just read the rules and other reviews. Basically, I wanted to pick up on only a few key points that can not be derived directly from the rules, but give the rather the feel and gaming experience again. I can say for my part I have no one had so far in my round, had the Eclipse did not like at first. Everyone was immediately at the next game night at a new game here and everyone wanted to play then also immediately an alien race. I myself have used a little to get used to Eclipse. At first I thought it was okay, then good, then I have something missing, but after I've now played it more often with people who have played the Eclipse also frequently like me more and more. In my last game first and last only seven victory points were apart. And it is also almost no matter proceeds as a game, you have almost always fun, even if you do not win itself at the games.
If I have a whole day and when I get just six players together I would prefer Twilight Imperium generally. But in any other case, I would always play Eclipse, regardless of whether there are now fewer players, or simply does not have time (ok, then you have to play Eclipse). And it would never happen to one as if it would be a poor substitute. Many, many of us hardcore gamers have ever expected at a game that almost a Twilight Imperium in is short. Galactic Emperor was not even close to as well as Space Empires 4X is more an abstract wargame as a proper epic 4x Game.
Eclipse creates exactly what everyone had hoped and fills this gap. It is NOT a Twilight Imperium light. It is a self-contained, round 4X game contains the naturally elements from TI, but that is probably in every game of this type and so basically to Twilight Imperium itself has borrowed many elements elsewhere.

Conclusion
Who has been looking for a 4x game that is playable in any players one evening while is not a bad imitation but a private feel and provides also really big and epic feel which is very, very well served with Eclipse. For me personally, it has become the strategy game of the year and I want to play it again and again. The advantages of the game outweigh the few deficits more than on. Each is still hesitant on or VLT. was disappointed by weight SE4x I can only advise not to hesitate and access longer. I'm sure for 95% of all is looking for a sci-fi game 4x for an evening Eclipse exactly what you are looking for. And if it does not knocks you right away makes it like me and play the game just more frequently. The better the player, it can, the faster it goes, the more balanced run the games and the more fun it is.

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Update after a half year:
Eclipse is still a very good game, but we have identified considerable weaknesses over time. The randomly drawn Space regions can ensure that some players do not will be able to participate in the normal game. Taking only bad parts with weak resources one can not progress in the game because you can not spread just at the beginning, you can not do research, do not make a lot of action and do not build much. Especially if you play with several people, only a few players can that cause that really can do their game, are making the other sheer frustration actions they nerves themselves that annoy the other players drop them to sacrifice, and which ensure that one hopes soon as possible to be out of the game so you can go.
Of course you always have the opportunity to throw off parts, but that has an action wasted, and if you waste it, too many actions, you have one or two fast laps down to the players. This has meant that we have already canceled games because it has made some more fun zero, by which the whole atmosphere has suffered at the table.

That must not happen necessarily in every game, there is certainly also repeatedly games where all the players are equally involved, all have good options and can all vie for the victory. For us it is unfortunately occurred frequently, so my root Eclipse round with the game was eventually carried. Until then, we had a lot of interesting and entertaining hours with the game.

Christmas 2012 is to come out the first extension, which is modular, and to fix some errors and weaknesses in the core game. I hope that this problem of unequal distribution of valuable space fields will also be solved sent.

Nevertheless, I think Eclipse still like a very good, entertaining game, just rebuilding their own spaceships makes blast