Space Empires: Close Encounters - Tips & Strategies

GMT provides suggested locations for placing up to three Space Amoebas. As suggested by the guide, a roll of the dice or players’ agreement would determine when the Amoebas would begin to spread their…ooze…from tile to tile, engulfing all in their path unless stopped. These locations are a good distance away from one’s home system; on the outer edge of the very dangerous outer system (marked as white tiles). I see where the Amoebas are and I know when they would commence their deadly consumption towards my core planets. Though they’re scary just as they are, being the board game masochist I am, the Amoebas are not scary enough. In the outer reaches of space there lurks the nondescript Danger! tiles, Barren planets that might host hostile alien fleets, black hole markers as well as many as three formidable Doomsday Machines. Why not hide one to the Amoebas out there as well? The Space Amoebas tile cannot hide since both sides indicate it is (or was-yes they can be stopped) an active oozing tile. Nothing can probably ooze in the vacuum of space, but that’s another story. I’ve expanded the capability of the Danger! tile whereby a 10 from a 1d10 would mean I’ve awakened an Amoebas of some predetermined strength, and a 6-9 roll raises the attention of an alien fleet. Hey, let’s face it-space is a very dangerous place. That’s what makes this game a lot of fun…and sometimes scary.