
- BGG rating
- 10.0
Attack Vector: Tactical – Shipbook 2
- 2–8 players
- 2026

2004
Rules assistance for Attack Vector: Tactical
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Attack Vector: Tactical is a board game released in 2004 for 2–8 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ken Burnside, Eric Finley, and Tony Valle and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid, Three Dimensional Movement, and Simulation.
Skirmish scale (1-3 ships per player) space combat game with fast moving, highly realistic, 3-D movement and decision making mechanics. Mechanically, the game plays in segmented movements (a'la Car Wars) with 8 per turn, and runs most of the decision making in parallel. This game encourages "fly by the seat of your pants", and is more like a first person flight sim than most minis games are. You actually feel like you're doing piloting or ship handling with this game. Most of the actions you do have a delay before you can do them again. Clever use of paper clips on abaci keep the timekeeping elements fluid and simple. While there's science underlying the rules, it's carefully segregated into sidebars, so that only those people who care about it have to look at it. You don't need to be a science genius to play this game; the back of the box says "We do the scary math, so you can blow things up", and it's true, mostly due to play aid design.
Attack Vector: Tactical 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 Attack Vector: Tactical is 240 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 Attack Vector: Tactical 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.
Attack Vector: Tactical has a complexity rating of 4.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Attack Vector: Tactical belongs to these categories: Fighting, Wargame, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid, Three Dimensional Movement, 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 Attack Vector: Tactical are: Ken Burnside, Eric Finley, and Tony Valle. 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 Attack Vector: Tactical 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.