
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Captain's Log #7
- 1–6 players
- 1989

1986
Rules assistance for Federation & Empire
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.
Federation & Empire is a board game released in 1986 for 2–8 players, 300–3000 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Stephen V. Cole and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
This sprawling empire game is set in the Star Fleet Universe. Players command one or more races in a variety of scenarios as they replay the "historical" situations in the galactic politics of the future. It is the base set for the Federation and Empire series of products. The Star Fleet Universe series is based on the game Star Fleet Battles, and Federation & Empire is a strategic game based in that background. Federation & Empire is a stand alone game, and Star Fleet Battles is not required or needed to play this game. The two games are closely related, and Star Fleet Battles can be used to resolve some or all of the tactical battles of Federation & Empire, and Federation & Empire can be used as a campaign system for Star Fleet Battles. The original version came out in 1986, and was published by Task Force Games. This was followed in 1993 with the "Deluxe" version, which replaced the original release. "Deluxe" was indicated on the front of the box to indicate it was the new version. The Deluxe version included a revised rule book, more counter sheets, and other player aids such as the battle board and player folio. The "Deluxe" version had three expansions: Federation & Empire: Carrier War Federation & Empire: F & E Module 1 – Special Operations Federation & Empire: F & E Module 2 – Marine Assault In 2000, another revision of the rules was completed, and the F&E 2K (as it is called) version stood for a decade. In 2010 the countersheets were entirely redone (with a larger number of counters per sheet) and the rulebook was once again revised to incorporate the last 10 years of errata and rulings, allowing a better integration with the expansions that were released during this period. Expanded by: Federation & Empire: Advanced Operations Federation & Empire: Combined Operations (combined and replaced Federation & Empire: F & E Module 1 – Special Operations and Federation & Empire: F & E Module 2 – Marine Assault) Federation & Empire: Fighter Operations (replaced Federation & Empire: Carrier War) Federation & Empire: Planetary Operations Federation & Empire: Strategic Operations Federation & Empire: ISC War Federation & Empire: Minor Empires Since 2010 ADB has created, in both print and pdf form, Compendium I, II and III. The first two covered the F&E sections in Captains Log’s 21-40. All material for the base game from these is in the 2010 rule book however material for the expansions Advanced, Combined, Planetary and Strategic Operations are in the first two Compendiums’. Compendium III has Captains Log’s 41-50 which were all printed post 2010 rules. Fighter Operations is now updated to the 2010 standard. All relevant items from the first two Compendiums' is included.
Federation & Empire 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 Federation & Empire is 300–3000 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 Federation & Empire 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.
Federation & Empire has a complexity rating of 4.4 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.
Federation & Empire belongs to these categories: Wargame and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, 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 credited designers of Federation & Empire are: Stephen V. Cole. 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 Federation & Empire 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.