Expansion or Extinction takes 2 to 4 players into a future where Sol, after colonizing many of the closest stars, succumbed to internal pressures and died in a fiery holocaust of future weaponry. Now earth’s colonies are recovering, and beginning to exert their own dominance on the stars around them. Based on the award-winning Triumph and Tragedy game system, Expansion or Extinction expands upon this proven and highly popular game system. Expansion or Extinction begins as each of the player’s star systems have rediscovered the technologies which make space travel possible again. Players must explore the systems around them, and attempt to bring them into their sphere of influence. This can occur either peaceably through the play of Action Cards, or through military conquest. There are three types of star systems in Expansion or Extinction. Those closest to SOL: the Core Worlds. These worlds have been settled the longest, and thus tend to have the highest population, but have consumed most of their resources. Those furthest out: the Outer Rim worlds, which were settled just before SOL’s fall. These tend to have low population but high resources. And between those extremes are the Green Worlds…where the players start, here there is a good balance of population and resources. But beware, these worlds are on the cusp of challenging for dominance on their own, and have the fleets to make their conquest a hard fought struggle! —description from the publisher