
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Car Wars Fifth Edition Starter Set, Division 10 - Set 1
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2002

2002
Rules assistance for Car Wars (Fifth Edition)
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.
Car Wars (Fifth Edition) is a board game released in 2002 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Steve Jackson (I) and Chad Irby and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Role Playing.
The 5th Edition release of Car Wars. The combat rules have been simplified for faster play, and the scale has been increased to 1/60th making a lot of the calculations and movements easier. Part of the Car Wars Series, 5th Edition is not a single book, but rather a collection of comic-book sized books. Any of the Division sets (see below) is enough to get started. As of early 2009 there are still no official construction rules for 5th Edition, rather each book in the series has a number of pre-designed cars. However, in the online Car Wars forums at Steve Jackson Games' website, there are un-official but reliable vehicle construction rules posted and available for those who wish to "make their own" autoduel cars.
Car Wars (Fifth Edition) supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Car Wars (Fifth Edition) is 60 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 Car Wars (Fifth Edition) 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.
Car Wars (Fifth Edition) has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Car Wars (Fifth Edition) belongs to these categories: Wargame, Racing, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Role Playing. 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 Car Wars (Fifth Edition) are: Steve Jackson (I) and Chad Irby. 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 Car Wars (Fifth Edition) 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.