2026 · Card Game
Race for the Galaxy: Xeno Counterstrike
Expands the base game into the starry rift frontier and the border zone between galactic empires and Xeno hive worlds, adding over 40 frontier worlds in separate decks and a new risk/reward method for settling them. Players build larger tableaus and engines, manage resources and cards, and compete for victory by either economic means (draining VP chips from the common pool) or by achieving a military victory over the Xenos in the counterstrike scenario. The expansion supports solo play with the base game and offers an optional fifth player and a two-stage counterstrike mode when combined with the previous Xeno set. Game length increases modestly, with tableau sizes and late-game swings becoming more common as powerful developments and frontier worlds enter play.
- Players
- 2–5 best 2
- Playing time
- 30–60 min
- Age
- 13+
About the game
- Design
- Publisher
Expansion for
See them in Ludoya
Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 1
- Plays logged
- 2
- Players
- 50m
- Average play
- 1
- In collections
- 1
- On wishlists
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
When I Explore, do I discard only the cards I just drew?
No. Add the Explore cards to your hand first, then discard the required number from anywhere in your hand. All Explores in this expansion work this way (p. 2).
Do I get a bonus card when I successfully settle a Frontier world, and can I do another Frontier Settle next round?
You don’t draw a bonus card after a successful Frontier Settle—the world itself is your bonus. You also can’t choose Frontier Settle again next round, whether or not you placed a world (p. 4).
When can I attack a Xeno system, and what happens if I have 16 cards in my tableau?
You can attempt a Xeno conquest if you have at least one Far Frontier world or a tableau of 16 or more cards. At 16 or more cards, you must attack a Xeno system when you play Frontier/Conquest Settle; you can’t attempt a Frontier settle (p. 6).
How do I defeat a Hive world?
Your combined Military and Military vs. Xenos must be at least 9. Then add temporary Military and/or temporary Military vs. Xenos equal to or greater than the Hive world’s listed “#” value (p. 7).
If someone conquers a Xeno system this round, do the Xenos still retaliate?
No. If at least one Xeno system is conquered this round, flip the retaliation tile to its no-retaliation side. A failed Frontier settle or Xeno conquest instead increases retaliation attack strengths by +4 or +6 respectively, up to a maximum of +6 (p. 7).
Does failing to defend against retaliation end the game?
No. The counterstrike game ends when the VP pool is exhausted, all Xeno system worlds are conquered, or Military vs. Xenos reaches the Xeno conquest value; failing to defend does not end it (p. 8).
Free, on web, Android and iOS
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.