How to Play

Beyond the Sun

2-4 players 60-120 min 7.9 Board Game Geek Rating

Players guide humanity's space-age technological advancement while competing for galactic dominance. Each turn, move to action spaces to research four-tiered technologies across scientific, economic, military, and commercial categories. Technologies unlock abilities like colonizing planets, boosting production, and developing androids. Victory comes from accumulating points through research, economic growth, system control, and achievement completion.

Published 2020

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Prepare Technology Cards

Place 4 Level 1 cards and the Level 2 & 3 event cards, with 2 mandatory events per level mixed in, then place 4 guild covers on top

Set Up Exploration Area

Place 2 random A-starting systems and 2 random B-systems

Place Achievements

Set out 2 standard achievements plus 1 random A-achievement and 1 random B-achievement

Give Players Starting Resources

Each player receives 2 population plus 1 Level 1 ship on Sol on the expedition board

Distribute Starting Ore

1st and 2nd players receive 1 ore; 3rd and 4th players receive 2 ore

Apply Faction Setup

Complete additional setup according to each player's faction requirements

3-Player Modification

Modify the space travel basics, block field 2 of the A-achievement

2-Player Modification

Do not use the Disciples of the Cosmic Tabernacle faction; use the 2-player side of the expedition board with only 1 A-starting system

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Move Action Figure

Move your action figure to a new empty action space and execute that action

Choose Production Option

Select one of the following production actions:

Claim Achievements

Claim an achievement if eligible; claims are mandatory when possible; each faction may claim each achievement only once

Convert Resources to Population

Always take from the leftmost column with available dice

Convert Population to Resources

Always return to the rightmost column with available space

Substitute Population for Resources

If no resource is available, population may be used instead

Execute Mandatory Effects

All effects are mandatory unless otherwise stated, except jump movement points

Research Technology with Eye Symbol

Only research already discovered technology; new discoveries must match the type of one of their prerequisites; draw until 2 valid options exist, then choose 1

Automate Production

Move a marker to the automation row to increase population or ore production

Build Spaceships

Construct ships on Sol or a controlled shipyard system

Perform Jump Movement

Jumps may be split between spaceships; check system control after all movement

Establish System Control

The player with highest total strength controls the system (not Sol or Deep Space) and places matching markers as outposts; marker returns when control is lost; if system is vacated, retain control until another player takes it

Receive System Control Bonus

Gain bonus when controlling a system; may receive bonus during another player's turn if they cede control

Colonize Systems

Only allowed on appropriate systems; requires control and sufficient military strength; spend required spaceships (no exchange ships); excess and enemy ships go to Deep Space; take system card with outpost marker and place new system in empty space; add marker to form colony; receive colonization bonus if available