ESDAO is a massively multi-player wargame
Games typically involve 8-12 players and last about 40 turns. You have 24 hours to do each turn, meaning games are played out over weeks and months rather than hours.
You begin in a single hex and use your initial resources to take over neighboring hexes and develop their production. This repeats for a few turns until you encounter other players.
ESDAO isn’t a game where you can just attack everyone and expect to survive, you must negotiate with some to become allies allowing you to concentrate your forces when attacking others.
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Single-player games
You can play ESDAO right now by Battling the AI, no registration needed. This is a 25 turn single player game against two AI players. Afterwards you can post your score to the leaderboard to show your friends how good you are.
Multi-player games
Once signed up you can join multi-player games and establish your skill level compared to others. New games start once enough people have joined them, not immediately like single player games. Finished games with 3 or more players are available for anyone to watch in the history section. This is a great way to pickup new strategies and opening moves.
Tips for first time players
1. Click the tick when you're done, if everyone does this the turn will process early.
2. Each stargate can move 1 ship each turn, if unused it will scan neighbors.
3. Having industry gives you new ships each turn. You start with 5 built industry in your home hex meaning you'll get 5 new ships there each turn.
4. Ships are a resource. Use them to explore, build stargates or increase industry.
5. Red lines on the map mean the hex was attacked across that border.
6. All commands can be undone from the bottom of the sidebar.
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