CloudAge
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
When you discover what's beneath that cloud, half the table cheers. The other half has just lost two drones and a shred of hope. Then you start again, because the next territory could change everything.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A burned world, airships in the sky, resources hidden under dust clouds
Fifteen years ago, the mysterious secret society Cloud set oil fields and forests ablaze to destabilize the world. Alexander Pfister (Port Royal, Great Western Trail) and Arno Steinwender have built a post-apocalyptic universe where survivors travel on airships, seeking a better life above a barren landscape. Illustrations by Christian Opperer depict a harsh, dusty world, with no easy hope.
You send drones to collect resources beneath clouds that hide the ground. You visit cities, fight Cloud militias, upgrade your airship by adding modules, and recruit crew members. The envelope mechanism makes every exploration a tactile push-your-luck: insert the territory card into the envelope, shake, draw a random resource. Sometimes you find gold. Sometimes you find an ambush. Deck-building meets engine-building in a campaign structure that introduces new elements chapter after chapter.
What they say abroad
The campaign slowly, carefully immerses you in the world. Each scenario adds a piece to the puzzle without ever overwhelming you.
— FroGames
The envelope system is brilliant: it transforms resource management into a physical, tactile, unpredictable moment. You won't find it anywhere else.
— FroGames
CloudAge
The game includes solo modes in the basic rules, with dedicated scenarios in the campaign. The experience is complete and the pacing works well, but it loses the competitive interaction for cities and common resources found in multiplayer.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat's on your airship
The four pillars of your survival
Personal deck
Build your deck by adding actions, upgrades, crew members. Each card is a resource, a weapon, or a tactical move. The deck is the heart of your engine.
Territory envelopes
Territory cards slip into opaque envelopes. Shake, draw a random resource. Sometimes you find food, water, metal. Sometimes you draw an enemy. Luck is tangible.
Airship board
Your airship evolves. Add engine modules, tanks, weapons, crew spaces. Each upgrade unlocks new actions or enhances existing ones. It's your strategic profile.
World map
Move your airship on a grid of territories. Cities offer trade and contracts, deserts hide resources, Cloud bases attack you. Each position is a tactical choice.
Recommended sleeves 201 cards in 2 sizes ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 63 × 88 mm | 121 |
| 61 × 103 mm | 80 |
| Total cards | 201 |
When the campaign ends, the world remains. And you have a survival story no one else has experienced in the same way.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Desert Takeoff
Everyone starts with a basic airship and a few cards. You look at the map, decide where to move first. Is there a city nearby? A territory hidden under the clouds? Some explore immediately, some wait. The uncertainty is palpable.
The First Envelope
You slip the territory card into the opaque envelope, shake it, and draw a resource. If you find water or food, you cheer. If you draw an enemy symbol, you swear politely. The physical mechanic transforms push-your-luck into theater: the table laughs, comments, bets.
Build the Engine
You buy modules for your airship, add cards to your deck, recruit crew. Each choice optimizes an aspect: speed, combat, resource gathering. Other players observe what you build. Divergences begin: some aim for trade, some for conflict.
Clash with Cloud
You encounter a Cloud militia. Combat uses cards from your deck, but you don't know what you'll draw. If you win, you get valuable resources and remove bad cards. If you lose, you take damage and slow down. The tension is real: have you built up enough strength?
Scenario End
The first player to complete the objective (city points, contracts, or special scenario condition) triggers the end. Others get one last turn. Victory points are counted: cities visited, upgrades bought, missions completed. Someone always forgets a bonus. Then the campaign epilogue is read.
How to play
The flow of each round
Each player takes their full turn, then it passes to the next. There are no synchronous phases.
Draw a hand, play cards to gain resources, movement actions, combat. Cards remain on the table until you discard them or use them.
Move your token on the map. Enter a city to trade or a territory to explore. Each space has an effect or a cost.
If you explore: slip the territory card into the envelope, shake, draw a resource. If you fight: resolve the conflict with cards. If you visit cities: perform trade actions.
Spend resources to buy airship modules, new deck cards, or recruit crew. Upgrades are permanent and power up your engine. Then discard, end turn.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Opaque envelope mechanic
No other game uses envelopes like this. Insert the territory card, shake, draw a random resource from those printed on the card. It's physical, tactile, theatrical push-your-luck. The table participates even when it's not your turn.
Progressive campaign
The campaign mode introduces rules and components one chapter at a time. You start with a simple system, ending up managing drones, complex combat, multiple contracts. There's no initial info-dump: you learn by playing.
Modular airship
Your airship isn't just a static player board. You add physical modules that unlock actions, crew spaces, engine capacity. Each player builds a different profile: speedster, warrior, merchant, explorer.
Variable map
Each scenario uses a different map setup. Cities, deserts, Cloud bases, special territories: the arrangement changes strategy and optimal path. Geographical replayability beyond deck-building.
Deck-building with forced removal
You don't just buy good cards. Combat and some events remove bad cards from your deck. Win a fight? Eliminate a basic card. It's deck-thinning integrated into the theme, not a separate mechanic.
Standalone or continuous scenarios
After the campaign, you can play single scenarios with quick setup, or continue the story with saved progress. Two game modes in the same box, without mandatory expansions.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Each scenario has specific victory conditions. In general, the player who accumulates the most victory points (VP) at the end wins.
Victory
- You are the first to complete the scenario objective (city points, contracts, or special condition)
- You accumulate the most VP from visited cities, airship modules, completed missions, crew cards
- You reach the objective score before others (in some campaign scenarios)
Defeat (cooperative campaign)
- The scenario timer runs out before you complete the objective
- Your airship takes too much damage and is destroyed
- You fail a critical scenario condition (varies by chapter)
CloudAge is not just another deck-builder. It's an engine you build with your hands, in a world that resists you. And when it ends, you just want to know what's in the next chapter.
Frequently asked questions
CloudAge FAQ
Is the envelope mechanic really necessary or is it a gimmick?
It's the heart of the game. Without the envelopes, CloudAge would be a standard deck-builder with a map. The envelopes transform resource gathering into a physical, unpredictable, shared moment at the table. It's not a gimmick: it's design that integrates theme and mechanic. It works.
Can I skip the campaign and play single scenarios right away?
Yes, the rulebook includes standalone scenarios with quick setup. But the campaign is the best way to learn: it introduces rules gradually, without overwhelming you. If you already know the game or have experience with Pfister, single scenarios are perfect for quick evenings.
How does solo play work?
Official solo mode included, with campaign scenarios playable solo. There's no AI opponent: you face scenario objectives and timers. The experience is complete, but you obviously lose the competition for cities and resources of multiplayer.
How long does a full campaign last?
The base campaign has eight chapters. Each chapter lasts 60-100 minutes. Total: 8-12 hours of play if you play it all at once. You can save progress between chapters and resume whenever you want. You don't need to play everything in one weekend.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. Text is present on cards, airships, scenarios. A medium knowledge of the language is required to play independently, especially in the campaign where you read narrative texts and scenario effects.
CloudAge is a deck-building and engine-building strategy game for 1-4 players, lasting 60-100 minutes, recommended for ages 10+. Designed by Alexander Pfister and Arno Steinwender, CloudAge introduces an innovative opaque envelope mechanic for push-your-luck resource management. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where players pilot airships, gather resources, fight Cloud militias, and upgrade their engine. Includes an eight-chapter progressive campaign and standalone scenarios. Published by dlp games. Available on FroGames.it.
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