
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Phoenix Command: Advanced Rules for Small Arms Combat
- 2–12 players
- 1986

1986
Rules assistance for Phoenix Command
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.
Phoenix Command is a board game released in 1986 for 2–12 players and 60–240 minutes per game. It was designed by Barry Nakazono and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Role Playing.
Also known as the Phoenix Command Combat System. A small arms combat system for use with miniatures. While primarily thought of as a combat system for Leading Edge's Rhand Morningstar Missions RPG, the original Phoenix Command rules were also intended to be used for wargaming, either on the tabletop or a hex map. The game system concentrates on "ultra realistic" (in the form of ultra-detailed) firearms combat: "Phoenix Command combines accurate simulation of gunshot wounds with detailed aiming and firing rules, and authentic modern weapon data to create a simple, fast-paced game with an incredibly realistic feel." Two sample hex map scenarios were included: The Bridge at Oppenheim (for 6-9 players, a NATO squad holds a bridge against a Soviet advance) and The Defense of the Apollo Ray (for 5 players, SAS versus terrorists hijacking a luxury liner). A number of supplements supplied the statistics for firearms of different eras. These initially included supplements for Modern Military Small Arms (1946-1960), Civilian & Police Weapons (1946-1990), Military Weapons of WWII (1919-1945), and Military Weapons of WWI (1890-1918). More detail description of all book published can be found on RPG Geek.
Phoenix Command supports 2–12 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 Phoenix Command 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.
Phoenix Command has a complexity rating of 4.2 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.
Phoenix Command belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Role Playing. 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 Phoenix Command are: Barry Nakazono. 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 Phoenix Command 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.