
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,746
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Warhammer 40,000 (Third Edition)
- 2–6 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1998

Rules assistance for Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge is an expansion for Judge Dredd: I am the Law – Starter Set released in 2019 for 2–8 players, 60–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Andy Chambers, Gavin Thorpe, and Roger Gerrish and its main mechanics are Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game.
Potential Judge candidates are usually inducted into the Academy of Law at the tender age of five. Here, they are subject to rigorous academic training in all aspects of the law that governs the North American Mega-Cities. By the end of the process, they have acquired a level of knowledge that would exceed those of the most senior lawyers and justice officials of the early 21st century. In parallel to their academic training, they undergo an intensive physical and mental exercise programme that hones their firearms and close combat skills whilst also preparing them to endure the various injuries and physical hardships that life patrolling the streets will throw at them. Whilst the life of a cadet is mostly taken up by study and training, if a particularly serious situation or crisis demands the Justice Department deploy more manpower, cadets may be armed and sent out onto the streets, usually as part of a carefully monitored team engaging in fairly low intensity operations. One highlight of a cadet’s continual assessment is the ‘Hotdog Run’ where a group of cadets accompanied by Senior Judges are sent on patrol in the radioactive hell of the Cursed Earth beyond the Mega-City’s walls. However, during the Necropolis and Chaos Day incidents cadets were deployed into highly dangerous situations normally only handled by a fully qualified Judge. Many cadets performed bravely and well, as befitted their training, but the losses incurred had serious future implications for the Justice Department when it was already struggling to maintain enough qualified Street Judges. —description from the publisher
Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge 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 Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge is 60–240 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 Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge 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.
Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge belongs to these categories: Comic Book / Strip, Wargame, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Scenario / Mission / Campaign 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 Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge are: Andy Chambers, Gavin Thorpe, and Roger Gerrish. 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 Judge Dredd: Cadet Judge as an expansion for Judge Dredd: I am the Law – Starter Set. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Judge Dredd: I am the Law – Starter Set to use it. Check that your edition of Judge Dredd: I am the Law – Starter Set is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.