What expansion should I get first, second, third..?

Recommendations about which Cosmic Encounter expansions to get in what order.
Cosmic Incursion on BGG: boardgamegeek....
Cosmic Conflict on BGG: boardgamegeek....
Cosmic Alliance on BGG: boardgamegeek....
Cosmic Storm on BGG: boardgamegeek....
Cosmic Dominion on BGG: boardgamegeek....
Cosmic Odyssey on BGG: boardgamegeek....

[@Haldurson]

I love the game, but I will say that you have to have the right mindset in order for it to work for your group. I once brought the game to a board game night at a game store and almost no one there had ever played the game before, though they all had heard of it. Some even had some weird opinions of the game without having ever tried it. And the game was not much fun because most of the players were playing the game as if it were some highly competitive heavy game. But that never happened playing with my friends or at conventions with people who knew the game well. It's always been this free-wheeling game with lots of laughs and role-playing and teasing and so on.

[@neilung6763]

Yeah, thinking of Cosmic as a grand strategy game seems to be the main misconception I see new players have. The biggest appeal of Cosmic is that EACH round is the game in itself. Your decisions don't really matter in the grand scheme of things cause each round presents new challenges and opportunities for everyone on board. You can be 4 colonies behind and get a solo win after a few encounters. This makes your mistakes a lot more forgiving. But yeah, if players think of this game as of something like TI or Eclipse, they might get a miserable experience. Cosmic is really great. It can be fun and whacky at 5+ players or pokery and strategic at 3-4. A real marvel of game design!

[@MrJankTv]

This is the exact order for sure. Great video and absolutely a must watch for new players.

[@neilung6763]

I think people generally fall into these two categories after their first game of Cosmic: - this game is not for me - I need to buy EVERYTHING!

[@Ambeastly]

I’m definitely in the I need to buy everything phase right now lol

[@jtdesverdad]

Yep. My wife wants to kill me now lol

[@Legoman791]

I actually managed to get all the expansions in the exact order you showcased in this video, for the same reasons you mentioned but without ever seeing this video until now haha

[@smsix]

I got Incursion and Dominion at he same time, for the rewards deck. Then I got conflict, the storm, and just a few weeks ago Odyssey. Just missing alliance and eons. Really love all that Cosmic has to offer.👽🛸 Update! Just picked up Eons and Alliance today (02/15/24) got them all now!

[@neilung6763]

You've said you ain't fond of 3 player games of Cosmic, but I think Cosmic becomes a really strategic game with 3 players. There is much less randomness, the knowledge of enemies' hands and the discard pile becomes way more important. Bluff, alliances and betrayals are much more meaningful, cause you only have 2 potential allies during the whole game. And there is no dogpiling during the alliance phase like there is in 7-8 player games. Cosmic is fun and chaotic at 5-6, but it becomes an absolute 200 IQ mind game at 3 and I love it!

[@Haldurson]

My main problem with 3 is that Cosmic is a game that is self-balancing, but that doesn't happen as easily with low player counts. 3 player games tend to have run-away leaders far more often than other player counts.

[@neilung6763]

​@@Haldurson I think it depends on the group you play with, but I see how this could be the case. In my group we tend to estimate the board state rather objectively so the game tends to evolve into "threat balancing" during the 3-4 colony phase. Also, we prefer to play 2 alien powers per player. That balances things out pretty well

[@BethelB-mz9ut]

The answer is obvious: 8 copies of Cosmic Storm so that everyone can play as Grumpus.

[@jackredathewarp]

cosmos forbid

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

I've played with the Reward deck every time, always with new players, and it's never been a problem.

[@Bundeskaiser]

The alliance dials are my default way to play the game, even with first timers/inexperienced players. This was basically the best addition to the game other than rewards (another thing that I always include). The "open" alliances are just too opportunistic for my taste. Was it Dominion or Eons that added the special ship variant? Love that one as well, especially the flagship one. I just wish the set would have done more with it. Great but barely used potential.

[@Hanky.SSCorp]

Awesome video! Really good breakdown of the game and each expansion

[@Yoogsaroon]

Can you draw from blue reward deck for any “rewards” or just for defensive rewards This is really a different thing We usually houserule it as any rewards can be drawn from the defensive reward deck

[@jackredathewarp]

The default rule is any time you are due rewards for any reason, you can draw from the reward deck. I have a custom set of “defender reward” cards that are only accessed when receiving “defender” rewards. But that’s just my wacky set.

[@Yoogsaroon]

@@jackredathewarp thx for clarifications

[@RuthlessandDisciplined]

I feel that 4 or 5 players is the sweet spot for Cosmic. 3 is boring more then 5 is too little individual agency and not enough turns. You should check out Smash Up, Jack. Great game for 3p with as much replay value and more Zaniness then Cosmic Encounter.