How long is a cycle?

[Romain]

How many years?
And regarding the last colony before the end is there a limit or can I continue indefinitly ? (as long as the queen patience is ok ofc)

[sarteck]

I don't know the exact answer for how many years, but my settlements are typically ~8-10 years in the making, give or take, and I can typically get 4 or 5 in if I win them all. I would guess around 40 years?

As for the second question, I was one year away from being able to start the new cycle, started a settlement, and it went to 13 years with nothing stopping me. I would assume that, as long as you have a settlement in progress, the BLightstorm will not come and you will not be forced to end it due to time left until the storm.

[Raptor Jesus]

I'm not sure there is a true time, it always seems to be like 4-5 wins for me as well. I guess I could try to pad games out as long as possible and see if i can get it lower. Or cheat and try to win in a year or 2.

[zverozvero]

Had long 16+ year runs farming for open glades and crates looted Deeds. It claimed more than half of cycle bar so my guess would be 30-35 years for a cycle.

[Narandia]

35 years sounds about right in my experience. Mind, it will count the year you finish in completely, wether its early drizzle or just at the end of storm.

And yeah as far as I can tell you can drag out the final settlement for as long as you can manage without losing to impatience. The only time you can keep playing a finished settlement without it still taking up time on the cycle bar too (not counting Training Expeditions ofc).

[Leisurely Luke]

The Cycle is up to 40 years of in-settlement time. You can still start a new settlement on year 39 and play for a few years, but the World Map will be reshaped after that game.

[Romain]

THX!