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- BGG rating
- 7.7
Zero Dark: Operation Nemesis
- 1–8 players
- 45–150 min
- 2021

2020
Rules assistance for Horizon Wars: Zero Dark
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.
Horizon Wars: Zero Dark is a board game released in 2020 for 1–8 players, 45–150 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Robey Jenkins and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game.
Horizon Wars: Zero Dark is a science-fiction skirmish-level tabletop miniatures wargame. It allows for solitaire, co-operative, and competitive versus play. Players create a team of operatives, customizing both their statistics and their upgrades (ranging from leadership ability and medical skills to advanced weaponry and other high-tech gadgets). The adversary, the Red Force, is controlled through an AI and a standard deck of playing cards. Scenarios are objective-based and range from one-off encounters to narrative campaigns, complete with character progression.
Horizon Wars: Zero Dark supports 1–8 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 Horizon Wars: Zero Dark is 45–150 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 Horizon Wars: Zero Dark 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.
Horizon Wars: Zero Dark 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.
Horizon Wars: Zero Dark belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Horizon Wars: Zero Dark are: Robey Jenkins. 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 Horizon Wars: Zero Dark 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.