Alliance of the Sacred Suns

"This is the future of 4X games." - Razors Edge Games

"That looks really cool, Steve!" - Tom Chick, Quarter To Three

"...if AotSS manages to pull off even half of what its sole developer is attempting, it could be my next favourite space game." - Adam Smith, Rock Paper Shotgun

"...if you’re wanting to get in on the ground floor of a very different, very deep type of space strategy, this might fit the bill." - Alex Connolly, Stately Play

"...Without a doubt, Alliance of the Sacred Suns is one of the most complicated and realistic space strategy games I have ever played. (translated from Spanish) - Estrategia Espacial en Español

"It’s a very impressive game so far, and it has so much more coming, this is definitely one to watch if you’ve wanted something like Crusader Kings in space." - -Brian Rubin, Space Game Junkie

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Alliance of the Sacred Suns (AotSS) is a game unlike many that you have ever played. It is foremost a grand strategy game, with 4X elements, but also character and House management. We call it a 5X – the 5th ‘X’ being ‘eXist’. You are a character in AotSS, and if you die, the game ends… so tread lightly, your Majesty!

Main Features:

• Top – level management – you have Action Points that are finite and vary from turn to turn. You can do anything, but you can’t do everything
  
• You are the Emperor – you are a character in a game that has hundreds that you will interact with. If you die, or are deposed, the game is over
  
• Multiple layers of strategy – from a traditional 4X-type (exploring and scanning new systems, colonizing planets, establishing outposts, building militaries and trade) upwards to developing your Great House and managing the other Houses that all have specialties that you can only take advantage of if you are on friendly terms with them, to discovering and reaching out to other breakaway human civilizations, to your ultimate goal of uniting the Celestial Empire against a final attack by humanities’ oldest enemy, the Xyl
  
• Maintain your Power - Everything you do in the game is dependent on your Power. You can quickly gain Power with a firm military hand and suppressing your people - but beware the repercussions should your hold on Power falter! But let your Power drop too low, and you will become a Figurehead, powerless to save humanity...
  
• Deep Intelligence System - Train and recruit powerful Inquisitor Squads to do professional intel gathering on characters, or recruit Informers to spy for you. Set up Special Ops to take out characters, planets.. even whole systems! Change the political landscape with one well-placed blackmail operation or even assassination!
  
• Dynamic character relationship model – you can affect your relationships with Actions that you can take against characters, from giving a speech to challenging them to having them executed. Of course, they have relationships with others in the game too, so consider the knock-on effects of anything you do…
  
• Great and Minor Houses – Houses limit what you can do as Emperor. Houses own territory, armies, etc. and if you piss them off, they may even try to usurp the Empire. Build alliances to allow characters with special talents and traditions to develop the Empire the way you want. For example, if you want a strong economy, you need good miners to ensure your factories run at full capacity, so you’ll want House Ilioaia (who has a strong mining tradition) on your side so you can appoint their members as viceroys of high-mineral planets… and so on
  
• Don’t micromanage, create a Project! Unlike traditional 4X games, you don’t make build queues, you create Projects to get things done, from colonizing a planet to throwing a celebration to upgrading a logistical region. You must assign an Adminstrator who gains power and influence from this post, and determines how smoothly your project will go! Assigning characters to Projects is a great way for them to earn power and influence… but take care that they do not gain too much, especially if they are of a House that hates you…