- BGG rank
- BGG #13,539
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Star Fleet Battle Manual
- 2–8 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,987
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Alien Space Battle Manual
1973
Rules assistance for Alien Space Battle Manual
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Alien Space Battle Manual
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Alien Space Battle Manual is a board game released in 1973 for 2–8 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Lou Zocchi and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Simulation.
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About the game
This was Zocchi's revamped version of his Star Trek Battle Manual, without the (unlicensed) Star Trek references. The two games are very similar, although Alien Space Battle Manual includes 8 different ship types instead of the original 3, at least in later versions. The Alien Space Battle Manual is now considered to be a companion to the Star Fleet Battle Manual which was released in 1977 and marked a return to familiar Star Trek ships and races due to a loophole in the Star Trek IP ownership. The game is played on a large surface with cardboard counters marked with a ship picture and a compass circle. A piece of string is passed through these tiles and knots are made at the 3, 5 and 6 feet marks. A record sheet inserted in a clear holder shows ship characteristics and a grease marker is used to mark damage. Players physically move their ships by measuring distance with a ruler. During combat, player must estimate their firing angle. The string is pulled along that angle and the enemy ship is hit if the string passes over it.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Gamescience
- Lou Zocchi (printery)
Questions and answers
Alien Space Battle Manual supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Alien Space Battle Manual is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Alien Space Battle Manual for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Alien Space Battle Manual has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Alien Space Battle Manual belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Alien Space Battle Manual are: Lou Zocchi. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Alien Space Battle Manual as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.