# Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy is a board game for 2–6 players. It plays in 60–200 minutes and is meant for ages 14 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 8.3 out of 10 by 95 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $9.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–6 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 60–200 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 14+
- **Complexity:** 3.7 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2020
- **Categories:** Territory Building, Civilization, Space Exploration, Science Fiction, Wargame, Exploration
- **Mechanics:** Alliances, Map Addition, Hexagon Grid, Tech Trees / Tech Tracks, Income, Grid Movement, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers, Modular Board, Area-Impulse, Turn Order: Pass Order, Hidden Victory Points, Hot Potato
- **Ludoya rating:** 8.3 out of 10, from 95 reviews
- **Owned by:** 187 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 448
- **Unique players:** 764

**Designers:** Touko Tahkokallio

**Artists:** Sampo Sikiö, Kory Lynn Hubbel, Jere Kasanen, Jukka Rajaniemi

**Publishers:** Lautapelit.fi

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Miniature Market | 9.99 $ | https://www.miniaturemarket.com/Eclipse-Second-Dawn-for-the-Galaxy-Extra-Dice/LPFI905 |
| Cardhaus Games | 179.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy/ |
| Board Game Bliss | 185.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| 401 Games | 189.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| Spilforsyningen | 899.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/beskadiget-eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-eng |
| Games Empire | 199.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/eclipseseconddawnforthegalaxy |
| Spelexperten | 1446 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/strategispel/eclipse.html |
| Hyggeonkel | 1049.95 kr | https://www.hyggeonkel.dk/produkt/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| World of Board Games | 1599 kr | https://www.worldofboardgames.com/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| Ludifolie | 144.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/10056-eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy.html |
| Alphaspel | 1779 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/111806-eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| Fantasiapelit | 159 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_181665 |
| Gameology | 260.95 $ | https://www.gameology.com.au/products/eclipse-second-edition-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| Guf | 279.99 $ | https://guf.com.au/products/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy |
| Game Ninja | 1899 kr | https://www.gameninja.no/produkt/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy/ |

## Expansions

- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Outcasts](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-outcasts)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Seekers](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-seekers)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Rift Cannon](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-rift-cannon)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Galactic Events](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-galactic-events)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Minor Species](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-minor-species)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Worlds Afar Collection](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-worlds-afar-collection)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Turn Order Variant](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-turn-order-variant)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Gamemat](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-gamemat)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Supernova](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-supernova)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Remnants of Worlds Afar](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-remnants-of-worlds-afar)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Warped Universe](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-warped-universe)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – Expanded Galaxy](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy-expanded-galaxy)
- [Eclipse: Neue Gefahren](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-neue-gefahren)

## Similar games

- [Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-3)
- [Andromeda's Edge: Deluxe Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/andromedas-edge-deluxe-edition)
- [Age of Innovation](https://www.ludoya.com/games/age-of-innovation)
- [Andromeda's Edge](https://www.ludoya.com/games/andromedas-edge)
- [Gaia Project](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gaia-project)
- [Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition)
- [EVE: War for New Eden](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eve-the-board-game)
- [Twilight Imperium: Third Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/twilight-imperium-third-edition)
- [Space Empires 4X](https://www.ludoya.com/games/space-empires-4x)
- [Stellar Horizons](https://www.ludoya.com/games/stellar-horizons)
- [Recall](https://www.ludoya.com/games/recall-3)
- [Burning Suns](https://www.ludoya.com/games/burning-suns)

## Rules questions

### Can I move my ship through a sector that contains enemy ships?

Yes — ships can pass through sectors with enemy ships only if they are not pinned; during each Move Activation each opponent ship in a sector pins one of your ships (of your choice), and pinned ships cannot move from a sector containing opponent ships (see p.13).

### How does retreating in combat work — where can I retreat to and when are retreating ships safe?

To Retreat, move your ships to the edge of a neighboring sector that has a Wormhole Connection and that contains one of your Influence/controlled ships (players with Wormhole Generator have expanded options); retreating ships cannot Attack or be Attacked once they complete their retreat on their next Ship Activation, but they remain eligible to be targeted until they’ve actually moved (see p.19).

### When do I pay Civilization Upkeep and what happens if I can't pay?

You pay during the Upkeep Phase after activating Colony Ships and collecting Income; if you cannot pay you must Trade or Abandon Sectors until you can pay, and if you still cannot pay you are eliminated from the game (see p.24).

### How do Research discounts and minimum costs work — can discounts make a tech free?

Each tech you have in a category gives a discount on further techs in that category, but every tech has a printed minimum Science cost that discounts cannot reduce below, so a tech cannot be made cheaper than its minimum (see p.10).

### What happens to Discovery Tiles when I Explore versus during Combat?

When Exploring you may place a discovered sector and immediately take its Discovery Tile only if the sector is undefended (no Ancients); Discovery Tiles from sectors containing Ancients are only awarded during the Combat Phase, and when you take a tile during Explore you must reveal it and choose its side before the activation ends (see p.9); during Combat Phase unresolved Discovery Tiles in sectors with your ships are claimed as part of the Combat cleanup (see p.21).

### When do I claim a sector after winning a battle — do I place an Influence disc immediately and gain its resources?

Control changes are handled during the Combat Phase cleanup: after battles are resolved you may remove the controlling player's Influence disc and place it on their Influence Track, then move Influence discs from your Influence Track to any sector where you have a ship and no disc; resource/production effects happen during the Upkeep/Production steps later (see pp.18 and 21).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy)
- [Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/eclipse-second-dawn-for-the-galaxy)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/246900)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-18. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._