Metallum*

When it was discovered that traveling at faster-than-light speeds was fatal, humanity instead sent colossal factory ships to explore the galaxy. These ships automated mining operations, extracting and transporting raw minerals back to Earth, leading to a rapid expansion into hundreds of star systems. Tensions rise when a new substance, Metallum, is discovered, sparking a corporate conflict over mining rights, as players take on the roles of corporate pilots striving to build a more efficient mining network than their opponents.

The game consists of three main phases: programming actions, executing those programs in a strategic order, and earning credits from the planets where their extractors are placed. After nine rounds, the pilot with the most credits wins, but success requires not only mining prowess but also the ability to thwart the opponent’s plans.