Aster: A Game of Skysails, Strategy and Stellar Influence

What is Aster: A Game of Skysails, Strategy and Stellar Influence?

Aster is a two- or three-player abstract strategy game from Edinburgh-based Midnight Trading Co., designed by Robert Gelb and Andy Law. Players command fleets of skysails along a circular stellar map, leap over rival ships, build defensive Castras and deploy petal-shaped Asters to secure influence.

The project presents itself as an ancient strategic contest from the fictional Solari universe. Its science-fiction artwork is thematic; the gameplay is an abstract struggle for positioning and board control, not a miniature-driven space adventure. Kickstarter specifications are 2–3 players, 20–40 minutes, ages 9+.

Aster’s current Kickstarter is live from 27 October until 24 November 2026, with a base-game pledge of £30 and December 2027 estimated backer fulfillment. This article compares the mechanics, optional expansions and reward packages using creator information rather than hands-on claims.

Aster release date and Kickstarter tracker

Kickstarter dates are not retail street dates. The creator’s FAQ provides a production intention and a backer-delivery estimate, not a guaranteed shipment date.

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Next review checkpoint: 25 November 2026, once the crowdfunding campaign closes. All estimates can change during manufacturing and freight.

How do you play Aster?

On a circular seed-of-life map, players sail pieces called Skysails along circular streams connecting different areas. You try to take control of unoccupied spaces near the board’s centre and use positional advantages to restrict opponents.

Leaping over an opposing ship can reduce that ship’s value and change how it moves. Players can construct Castras to establish forts and create ships, while Aster petals establish influence in contested territory. The core puzzle is deciding when to protect your own space, build capability and disrupt a rival’s position.

It is a game of visible information and tactical calculation rather than a hidden-role game. The campaign does not call for dice-driven combat or a deck-building market. For exact legal moves, victory conditions and restrictions, use the published Aster rulebook; this preview does not invent detailed actions.

Is Aster better with two or three players?

The creator presents both player counts as core modes. A two-player game is expected to last around 20 minutes, emphasizing a direct, spacious contest with one rival. A three-player game can last up to 40 minutes, with opportunities for shifting alliances and more intricate interactions.

With three players, a locally strong move may unintentionally help a third player who is not currently involved in the immediate conflict. That makes turn order, threat assessment and central territory especially interesting. Those are strategic implications of three-way board control, not prescribed rules for formal alliances.

Aster is not advertised as a solo game or a four-player game in the Kickstarter’s core specifications.

What’s in the Aster first-edition box?

The standard Kickstarter box includes a double-sided, double-thickness foil-effect game board, 54 PVC pieces with metallic paint, three cloth faction bags, three player reference guides and a rulebook covering English, German and French.

Its 54 pieces span three factions. The board has two sides: an illustrated stellar atlas and a higher-contrast side designed to make the positions and textures easier to distinguish. This is relevant to a spatial abstract game where clear identification of each location matters.

The artwork depicts the Solari world’s celestial motifs, but the publisher’s component list is the source to check for production changes before shipment.

The Solari universe and its three factions

Aster takes place in a fictional cosmos shaped by the extinct Solari, stellar exo-botanists who grew highly advanced horticultural technology. Their descendant peoples compete to control a map of astronomical routes and influence.

The three factions named by the creator are the Kiijo, Malhaldri and Zhutah. The core announcement does not establish three radically different asymmetric rule systems, so do not assume each faction has completely unique movement mechanics. The named factions supply setting identity and distinct piece sets.

This fictional framing distinguishes Aster visually from traditional abstracts, but the appeal remains its positional interactions and replayable shared board.

What is the Spheres of Influence expansion?

Spheres of Influence expands the base game with additional variation. The creator lists nine Culture cards, three Era cards, six Worlds of Opportunity tokens, nine Sphere tokens and one all-metal Ship of Majesty in the expansion bundle details. Kickstarter describes the combination as allowing 13 ways to play Aster.

The expansion should not be confused with the Traveller’s board or the metal replacement set. Those are separate upgrades bundled in some pledges. Exact setup combinations and module interactions are governed by the expansion rules.

If this is your first abstract strategy game, the £30 base pledge already supplies the full original game; the expansion offers more variety after learning the core positional system.

Traveller’s Edition board and Rogue Ship

The Traveller’s Edition is a portable fabric-board/pouch combination. It is designed to hold your pieces when packed and unfold into a usable Aster board, making it easier to bring the game to a café or travel.

The Rogue Ship is an optional mini-expansion mechanic: after a player’s turn, the active player chooses how the metal Rogue Ship moves or attacks. That can change how the surrounding tactics unfold. The creator lists a black metal Rogue Ship as an exclusive gift in the £95 Solari Set, and some early-bird bundles also offered one.

Check the live reward description before expecting the Rogue Ship in a regular base pledge. Early-bird reward availability and collector extras can differ.

Kickstarter pledge levels: £30, £55, £70 or £95?

The current official reward information shows four main consumer pledges, all with December 2027 estimated delivery. Shipping, taxes and tariffs are charged separately through the pledge manager.

The campaign also offers retailer bundles and early-bird configurations. An average pledge shown on analytics sites is not a product’s price and should not be confused with these reward levels.

Which Aster pledge is the best value?

£30 base game: the clearest choice for new players who want a complete spatial strategy game without premium upgrades. The creator specifically says the standard box contains everything necessary to play.

£55 expansion and travel bundle: a sensible middle choice if the additional 13-play-mode variations and portability appeal. It includes the base game, unlike a standalone expansion add-on.

£70 metal pieces: targets buyers who value tactile components over new rule modules. The campaign confirms you receive the ordinary PVC set as well.

£95 Solari Set: fits collectors who want both gameplay variations and premium components. The published discount is £15 compared with its components purchased individually, plus the exclusive Rogue Ship.

Languages, accessibility and shipping

The game itself is described as largely language-agnostic. The Kickstarter says the physical rulebook contains English, German and French. The box and player reference aids are printed in English. The studio hopes to provide other rulebook translations online but has not confirmed Italian or Spanish editions.

The high-contrast reverse side of the board can help players distinguish positions and textures. The publisher has not claimed a formal accessibility certification, so this should be treated as a design option rather than a guarantee for every visual need.

Italy is listed in the creator’s Europe Zone 1 shipping group. Post-campaign fulfillment charges are separate, so verify your actual country rate and VAT before budgeting. An advertised £30 pledge does not mean a delivered £30 total.

Will December 2027 delivery be on time?

The creator’s FAQ says it plans to start manufacturing in January 2027 and begin fulfillment in December 2027. It describes that as a deliberately conservative timeline intended to allow for uncertainty.

However, every crowdfunding project carries risk around print samples, manufacture, freight, customs and local distribution. The official page explicitly warns that rewards are not guaranteed. There is no trustworthy basis for promising early shipping or a particular retail launch month.

As with any Kickstarter, assess whether you’re comfortable funding production rather than ordering an already manufactured product. The most useful future updates will be the actual production milestone dates and shipping-table confirmation.

Aster board game FAQ

Is Aster a cooperative game?

No. It is a competitive abstract strategy game about controlling space and influence.

How many people can play?

Two or three. The Kickstarter estimates 20 minutes for two players and up to 40 minutes for three.

Who publishes Aster?

Midnight Trading Co., an independent studio based in Edinburgh.

When does the Kickstarter end?

24 November 2026 at 21:00 UTC, according to the campaign deadline.

How much is the base game?

£30 on Kickstarter, plus shipping, tax and any tariffs.

What are Skysails?

Ships that move along the board’s stellar streams, contesting territory and interacting with opponent ships.

What are Castras?

Defensive forts that also enable the creation of additional ships.

What is Spheres of Influence?

An optional expansion with Culture and Era cards, tokens and a metal Ship of Majesty; it adds game variations.

What is included in the £55 reward?

Base game, Spheres of Influence expansion and Traveller’s Edition board.

Does the £70 pledge include plastic and metal pieces?

Yes, both the standard PVC set and the additional 54-piece metal set.

When will Aster ship?

December 2027 is the current estimate; it is not guaranteed.

Will the rules be in Italian?

Italian is not one of the confirmed printed languages. English, German and French are listed, with other online translations only hoped for.

Related abstract strategy games

Sources and editorial methods

Primary: Midnight Trading Co.’s official Kickstarter page, including gameplay overview, components and pledge levels; official FAQ, for delivery, language and European shipping information.

Independent cross-checks: BackerTracker campaign calendar, Kicktraq launch and update data, and BoardGameGeek game record.

Fact-check: 9 November 2026. This guide is an independent research preview, not a review of a shipped production game. Prices and deadlines may change. The starship illustration is original editorial art and does not reproduce official art. Editorial standards and corrections.