This cooperative board game for 1–4 players lets you explore the vast galaxy, manage and upgrade your ship, conduct experiments, craft equipment, and land on countless worlds, all to unravel the grand mystery of an ancient star map embedded in our DNA.

About the Game

The "ISS Vanguard" campaign consists of two alternating phases:

1. Planetary Exploration. The away team lands on one of many planets to complete missions, conduct research, and make discoveries.
2. Ship Management. All players manage the ship’s crew, perform experiments, travel to other planets, and handle various onboard situations.

At first glance, the 48-page rulebook might intimidate players, especially newcomers, but the rules include a tutorial campaign. This tutorial gradually introduces the rules and game universe, taking approximately 3–4 hours of playtime.

Campaign

After completing the tutorial, you can continue the game with your characters or use the rulebook for a quick start. As "ISS Vanguard" is a campaign-driven game, playable across multiple sessions, you’ll need to regularly save your progress. It’s best to do so at the end of the ship log or, if possible, leave the game set up on the table.

The "ISS Vanguard" campaign is the core game mode, immersing players in an unforgettable adventure among the stars, replayable multiple times. The campaign involves progressing through the ship log from start to finish, typically including planetary exploration.

For one gaming session, aim to complete at least one planetary exploration, then properly pack and save your progress following the instructions on the final pages of the ship log. The campaign is designed for 20–60 hours of gameplay.

Insane Replayability

After completing the campaign, you’ll have experienced, without exaggeration, only a fraction of the game, as it features up to 100 unique crew members with their own stories, a vast game world spanning over 20 planets, countless events, technologies, and more… The rest of the game’s story and content? That’s spoilers!

We recommend checking out the video rules in the "Video" section and, if desired, exploring the illustrated rules in PDF format in the "Files" section for more details.

One Last Thing

ISS Vanguard is a AAA-class board game. Everything is top-notch: refined gameplay, a narrative crafted by maestro Krzysztof Piskorski, known for the story in the legendary board game "Tainted Grail", and high-quality components with a convenient organizer. Despite its relatively high cost for a board game, Galu the Rooster recommends adding this hefty 5+ kilogram box to your collection and enjoying adventures with friends or solo.

We also suggest checking out the legacy-style adventure board game, ranked in the BGG Top 100 — "Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion". In it, players take on the roles of seasoned mercenaries, battling evil together through a campaign filled with thrilling plots, challenges, and unexpected twists. To succeed in each campaign scenario, it’s crucial not only to choose the right strategy but also to play the right cards at the right moment.