Eldertide - A Thousand Lights - Founder Edition
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Your ship loads resources at the port. Then you look at the board: the Storm is moving. You calculated three turns to return. You have one. And someone at the table smiles.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Reclaiming a lost archipelago, one lighthouse at a time
Eldertide: A Thousand Lights is the first chapter in a trilogy of board games set in the same Asian fantasy universe. Designed by Mahawira S. Dillon, Rodrigo Esper and Yofiandhy D. Indrayana, with illustrations by Gou Eisuke and Thomas Romain, the game is published by Esper Game Studio, a Japanese studio specializing in original worlds built with Asian artists.
You lead one of five houses of a seafaring nation destroyed by a supernatural storm that has raged for decades. Command a Foundation Ship, collect resources in ports scattered among the islands, export them for immediate points or invest them in building Facilities in your Outposts. The Storm destroys ports, threatens ships and forces continuous tactical choices: route planning and resource management under pressure.
What they say abroad
"A lightweight civilization board game, featuring a beautifully crafted Asian-inspired seafaring kingdom."
A lightweight civilization board game, featuring a beautifully crafted Asian-inspired seafaring kingdom.
— Esper Game Studio
Game just released from Kickstarter with over 1200 backers. The pick-and-deliver system with fluctuating market and traveling storm promises high-pressure decisions and long-term planning. Little data from BGG, but the multicultural design and meticulous world-building bode well.
— FroGames
Eldertide: A Thousand Lights
The game supports 1 player in the basic rules. The details of the automa system are not yet public, but the presence of official solo play and the pick-and-deliver/civilization-building mechanics lend themselves to dedicated scenarios. To be verified how much the solo experience compensates for the loss of competitive interaction on the ports.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first reading: based on rulebook and official presentation, updated with first gamesYour tools
What you truly control
Foundation Ship
Your main ship. It moves between ports, loads resources, faces the Storm. Every route is a gamble: do you arrive before the port is destroyed?
Outpost and Facilities
Your outposts on the islands. Build structures that generate points at the end of the game. Slow but explosive investment if the strategy holds.
The Storm
It's not yours, but it determines everything. It moves, destroys ports, threatens ships. You must anticipate it, rebuild what it breaks, or change plans on the fly.
Resources and export
Collect resources in ports. Export them immediately for instant points or keep them to build. The market fluctuates: timing makes all the difference.
🎯 COME SI GIOCA
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
A round consists of movement, collection, choosing between export and construction, and advancing the Storm.
You move your Foundation Ship between ports. Each movement costs resources. Plan your route to minimize costs and maximize collections.
At ports, you load resources onto your ship. Each port has limited supplies and the market fluctuates. First come, first served for the best.
Export resources for immediate points or invest them in constructing Facilities in your Outposts. Facilities generate explosive end-game points, but take time.
At the end of the round, the Storm moves across the board, destroying ports and threatening ships. Destroyed ports can be rebuilt, but it costs actions. Plan ahead or risk losing everything.
⏱️Your first gameMoment by moment account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup and first moves
Modular board assembled, everyone chooses their house, reads the variable power. The Storm starts from one area of the board. Everyone studies the shortest routes to rich ports. Concentrated silence.
First collections, first doubts
Ships move, you collect resources. Someone immediately exports and scores points. You are saving for an expensive Facility. The Storm advances one space. The port you wanted to visit later is still there, for now.
The Storm strikes
A port is destroyed. Someone loses a route. Someone else rebuilds immediately, but it costs actions. You change your plan: recalculate three turns and move your ship. The market fluctuates, prices change.
Construction and overtakes
Mid-game. Someone completes the first Facility and climbs in the projected score. You have resources, but you must choose: safe export or risky investment. The Storm threatens your ship. Someone bets and wins.
Final count and surprises
Last turn. Immediate points vs completed Facilities. Those who built a lot win suddenly, those who exported fall behind. The Storm changed the board three times. End of game: someone is surprised by their score.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three things you need to consider
The Storm shows no mercy
The Storm system is not cosmetic. It destroys ports you wanted to visit, threatens your ships, and changes the board every game. You must anticipate it or pay to rebuild. If you don't like recalculating plans on the fly, this game will punish you.
Downtime with 5 players
Each turn requires calculation: routes, costs, timing export vs construction. With 5 players, the time between your turns lengthens. The box says a maximum of 120 minutes, but first games go beyond that. Consider 90-150 real minutes.
Biphasic scoring curve
Those who export early win mid-game. Those who build Facilities explode at the end. The final score reverses expectations. This isn't a flaw, but you must accept that the lead changes in the final count. If you seek constant score control, you won't find it here.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when a certain number of lighthouses are built or after a fixed number of rounds. The player with the most points wins.
Victory
- Points from exports: export resources during the game and score immediately
- Points from Facilities: structures completed in Outposts generate explosive end-game points
- Lighthouse bonus: rebuilding ancient lighthouses grants extra points and end-game conditions
Defeat
- Unanticipated Storm: destroyed ports, blocked routes, lost resources
- Late export: those who export too late lose immediate points and fall behind
- Wrong investment: you build expensive Facilities but don't complete them in time, zero points
It's not the player with the safest plan who wins. It's the one who calculates the right risk at the right time, with the Storm changing the rules every turn.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Eldertide: A Thousand Lights
What mechanics does Eldertide: A Thousand Lights use?
Pick-and-deliver (collect resources in ports and transport them), civilization building (build Facilities in Outposts), market fluctuation (resource value changes), area movement (move ship on modular board), variable player powers (each house has unique abilities). The Storm is a roving threat system that destroys ports and changes the board.
Does it play well with 2 players or do you need a full table?
The game scales 1-5. With 2 players, port interaction is less, but the Storm remains a constant threat and the pace is faster. With 4-5 players, resource competition increases, but so does downtime. The sweet spot seems to be 3-4 players.
Is it hard to learn? How long does the first game last?
Medium weight BGG (3/5). The basic mechanics are clear: move, collect, export or build. The complexity lies in timing and managing the Storm. First game: allow 90-120 minutes to explain rules and play. From the second game, it drops to 60-90.
Is the Storm just theme or does it really change the game?
It really changes it. It destroys ports you wanted to visit, threatens your ships, and forces continuous tactical decisions. Rebuilding a port costs actions. If you don't anticipate it, you lose routes and resources. It's not a random event: its movement is visible, and you must plan for it.
Is it available in Italian?
No, the edition for sale is in English. All components, cards, and rulebook are in English. Esper Game Studio produces the game in English with Japanese support for backers in Japan. There are no official or fan Italian translations at the moment.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Eldertide: A Thousand Lights is a pick-and-deliver strategy board game with civilization building for 1-5 players, lasting 60-120 minutes, recommended age 14+. Designed by Mahawira S. Dillon, Rodrigo Esper, and Yofiandhy D. Indrayana, published by Esper Game Studio, it brings an Asian marine fantasy setting to the table where you rebuild a network of ancient lighthouses challenging a supernatural storm. Mechanics: area movement, modular board, variable powers, resource management, fluctuating market. The Storm destroys ports and threatens ships, forcing continuous tactical planning. Available on FroGames.it.
Eldertide - A Thousand Lights - Founder Edition
Frequently Asked Questions
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