Astro Protocol
February 9, 2026 – Astro Protocol is a high-stakes, turn-based 4X space strategy game distilled into intense one-hour matches. Six factions, randomized maps, tech trees, and anomalies ensure every run is unique. Victories are earned against challenging opponents that play to win.
eXplorminate thoughts:
There have been some murmuring in the 4x sphere lately that 4X games feel too much like board games. That is mildly ironic, considering the great behemoth of the genre started life as a board game.
Anyway, Astro Protocol is what happens if you take everything that is good about the best boardgames, such as fast turns, good victory conditions, asymmetric but relatable factions and that one more turn feeling, but remove the faff of moving your cardboard tokens around and calculating combat.
This is a fast game. My matches so far have lasted about half an hour. Yet, the entire 4x arc is here. You start with 1 planet, and your victory requires either getting victory points, or destroying the opposition.
It’s fun!!
I particularly like the resource system, which is simplified in that there is no multi turn production queue – if you have space and resources, build your structure. Research especially I like. Each research hub has 3 spokes, fill a spoke with your chosen research – and if you lose the station, your research is stolen!
It reminds me of Dominions’ mages being your research factories, only far less fiddly here.
The terraforming planet system also seems like something straight out of a boardgame.
Some less than good points though:
- It can be hard to remember which structural icon is which, and the map can get very busy
- It seems the music repeats itself a bit too much (to be fair though, I was so busy playing the game I tuned out the music)
- On larger maps, I can see having multiple ships becoming a bit of a drag, although, if you have played any of the mainstream 4xs, this later game tedium is far far reduced here.
Also known as BBB in many places, Andy is well known for his love of strategy games of all types, especially the Age of Wonders series.
Thanks for sharing Andy, I hadn’t heard about this game. I’m pretty time poor these days, so this sounds ideal for me.
I also find that the number of things worth of my time is constantly expanding, but the time allowed is diminishing. To butcher a classic: