
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,258
- BGG rating
- 8.7
Cysmic
- 1–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2026

Rules assistance for Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter is an expansion for Deadzone released in 2014 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Grid Movement.
Asterians are a mysterious elf-like race of aliens who rely heavily on androids and AIs to complete their mysterious missions within Deadzones. This starter faction includes the following models, cards and bases: 54-card Faction Deck 1 Asterian Commander 3 Cyphers with Noh Rifles 3 Cyphers with Charge Gloves 1 Cypher with Fission Beamer 1 Black Talon 2 Weapons Drones with multiple weapon options 10 25mm bases 2 flying bases 54-card Faction Deck
Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter 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 Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter 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 Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter 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.
Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Grid Movement. 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 catalogue lists Deadzone: Asterian Faction Starter as an expansion for Deadzone. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Deadzone to use it. Check that your edition of Deadzone is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.