Arcs
SPACE 4X BOARD GAME (2024) by COLE WEHRLE + LEDER GAMES — 2-4 players compete for control of a REACH (galactic sector) using a TRICK-TAKING CARD DRAFT for actions (lead + follow suit — mobilize, tax, ally, aggress, seize). Empire-building with combat + politics, sharp asymmetry via LEADER cards. Campaign mode adds LEGACY-STYLE FATE cards that transform players' roles across 3 games (LEADERS, EXILES, BLIGHT). Tight, tactical, tense; blends Cole Wehrle's asymmetric political style with trick-taking action selection.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Team sport
Players
2–4
Duration
~120 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
2024 Kickstarter fulfilment / retail release; Cole Wehrle's follow-up to Root + Oath
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score most VP by controlling territories, completing ambitions, exploiting court cards; in campaign, achieve fate.
Rules
Basic rules
Actions selected via TRICK-TAKING mechanic: lead a suit, others follow (or seize by paying)
Signature trick-taking action selection.
5 action suits: Administer, Aggression, Construction, Mobilize, Seize
Signature 5 suits.
AMBITIONS declared each chapter — score bonus for meeting them (tycoon, tyrant, etc.)
Signature ambition scoring.
Court cards give asymmetric powers + tech
Empire personality.
CAMPAIGN MODE: Fate + Leader cards persist; players evolve across 3 games as leaders, exiles, or blight
Signature campaign layer.
Scoring
Victory points via ambitions, control, court exploitation; final chapter tallies winner.
Win condition · Highest VP; in campaign, achieve fate condition.
Equipment
Reach map (galactic sectors + planets) + player boards + action cards + court cards + ships + agents
Signature components
Fate cards + Leader cards (campaign mode)
Signature legacy campaign elements
Terminology
- The Reach
- Setting — outer edge of a decayed galactic empire.
- Seize
- Play out-of-suit action by paying a token (aggressive move).
- Ambition
- Chapter-specific scoring goal declared during play.
- Fate
- Campaign asymmetric objective assigned to each player at start of a campaign.
- Blight
- Corrupting force introduced in the campaign; some players may embody it.
Where it is played
Sources & provenance
- Leder Games — Arcs— Leder Games
- BoardGameGeek— BGG