
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Fireteam Zero: Africa Cycle
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 2014

2015
Rules assistance for Fireteam Zero
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fireteam Zero is a board game released in 2015 for 1–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Christian Leonhard and Mike Langlois and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Storytelling.
In 1942, four soldiers vanished from the training program of the newly formed First Ranger Battalion, their names stricken from the roster. Chosen for their unique skills, they would fight in secret against terrifying supernatural enemies and overwhelming odds. This is their story. Fireteam Zero is a cooperative game for up to four players who must cut a path through an endless swarm of deadly monsters in order to discover and defeat the ultimate evil behind them. Each player possesses a set of brutal combat skills that are represented by a deck of cards unique to that character. Play cards to devastate the creatures in your way, help your teammates survive the onslaught, or even reshape the tactical landscape with the proper application of explosive ordinance. The battle is fought across three maps of increasing difficulty, each one bringing more and tougher enemies than the last. Players must search for and complete mission objectives in order to progress and bring them one step closer to the final showdown. Aiding them are two NPC Specialists, one with an uncanny ability to sense the location and nature of the supernatural energy in the area and another with an encyclopedic knowledge of the arcane. Use the Specialists wisely or risk failure no matter how many monsters you defeat. Race against time as the creatures on the board become stronger and more cunning. The longer you take to complete your objectives, the more Monster Twist cards are revealed, each granting a new and terrible aspect to your enemy. In each set of missions you will face a different family of horrifying creatures, each with their own special abilities and twist cards. Players must not only fight for their lives, but at the same time they must make smart tactical choices with their teammates in order to make the best use of a limited resource, the cards in their hands. Each card not only represents an action that they can take, but also their health. Spending too many cards can leave you vulnerable, while spending too few can result in being overwhelmed. Clever players will rely on each other to succeed. Fireteam Zero is a story-rich board game of squad tactics and horror. Each map can be played separately in about 45 minutes or together to complete an entire Operation in about three hours. Expansions: 1) The Africa Cycle: Go head to head against the Thornspawn in this expansion! New Miniatures! Receive the Thornspawn, an entire new monster family. Comes with 8 Scavengers, 3 Wooden Men, and Prime who is a massive 60mm tall boss figure. New Mechanic! Add Gear to your hero as you progress. Gear can be easily added to the core set and all other expansions as well. New Locations and Adventures! You'll encounter: An all new, 3 Act Operation: Sticks and Bones. Plus, these standalone missions: Lost and Found Clockwork Between the Bones of the Earth And you'll face these challenges using 4 new double-side map tiles, giving you 8 new map sectors with all new terrain to explore! 2) The Europe Cycle: Face the Bloodless in the Old Country! New Miniatures! Receive the Bloodless, another entirely new monster family! Comes with 8 Spore Children, 3 Saprophyte Soldiers, and Black Tooth, a towering boss figure over 60mm tall! New Mechanic! Enhance your Specialists with all new powers! Each specialist now receives their own deck, unleashing fantastic new abilities. The Specialist decks have been designed to work seamlessly with the core set and all other expansions! New Locations and Adventures! An all new 3 Act Operation: The Dead of Winter. Plus, these standalone missions: Artifact Vault Bravo The Hunt Sacrifice of Honor Conquer your enemies on 4 new double-side map tiles, giving you 8 new map sectors with all new terrain!
Fireteam Zero supports 1–4 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 Fireteam Zero 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 Fireteam Zero for ages 14 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.
Fireteam Zero has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Fireteam Zero belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Storytelling. 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 Fireteam Zero are: Christian Leonhard and Mike Langlois. 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 Fireteam Zero 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.