Solar Century is a heavy strategy game with combinative card play that aims to capture the political theatre of interplanetary colonization on a grand scale. Players act as the Council of the Imperator who rules the solar system. Each round marks the passing of ten unified solar years. Starting the game, the Council drafts four colonies who send their leaders to explore and conquer planets. Players wield influence over colony leaders to initiate actions and they have a century to prove themself to the Imperator or take over its Seat. Before their turn, players may ask for Audience from the Imperator to get influence or exchange influence for solar credits. During each turn, players have two actions: make an alliance with one of the leaders, wield influence on an ally to initiate colony actions. If a player has taken over the Imperial Seat, it opens the possibility for three more action types: impose duties on colonies, assault a planet, issue a decree to initiate a colony action. At the end of each turn production and commerce begins, where players negotiate and enter into binding deals before the next turn begins. The winning conditions are different for players in the Council and as the Imperator. A player within the Council wins with the most influence over the colony, which controls at least six planets at the end of a round (absolute win) or at least a six victory points lead (symbolic win) or the most victory points at the end of the century (capital win). The Imperator wins with controlling at least four planets, at least one in each region (imperial win) or controlling at least two planets in opposite regions at the end of the century (sovereign win). —description from the designer