- BGG rating
- 6.7
Battle Damage: Code Red
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1982
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,554
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Star Fleet Battles
1979
Rules assistance for Star Fleet Battles
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Star Fleet Battles
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Star Fleet Battles is a board game released in 1979 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Stephen V. Cole and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Hexagon Grid.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Captain's Log #1
- 2 players
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 1983
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Captain's Log #2
- 2 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 1983
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Star Fleet Battles: Commander's Rulebook
- 2–12 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 1983
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Captain's Log #3
- 1–6 players
- 90 min
- 1984
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Star Fleet Battles: Commander's Rulebook Volume II
- 1–12 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 1984
- BGG rating
- 9.5
Captain's Log #17
- 2–3 players
- 1995
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Star Fleet Battles: Module P6 – The Galactic Smorgasbord
- 2–12 players
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1995
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Captain's Log #39
- 2–3 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2009
- BGG rating
- 9.0
Captain's Log #41
- 2–3 players
- 120 min
- 2010
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Module R107 The Nicozian Concordance
- 2–24 players
- 120 min
- 2012
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About the game
Initial publication of the games in the Star Fleet Battles series. This was one of the first Task Force Games Pocket Games. It was re-implemented and expanded several times after the original "Pocket Game." This is the classic game of tactical Starship combat set in the Star Trek universe (the original TV show), though you will never see "Star Trek" anywhere in the game (licensing limitation). Players command one or more ships from the Federation, Klingon, Gorn, Romulan, or Kzinti fleets, sporting all of the expected Star Trek weaponry like phasers, disruptor bolts, photon and plasma torpedoes, and tractor beams. Also includes other weaponry not commonly seen such as drones (homing missiles). Players allocate energy and plot movement before each turn, then move all of the ships simultaneously. Weapons are fired at will during the turn (i.e., not plotted before-hand like movement). Ships have shields and armor for protection. When these are breached, various ship systems are damaged, potentially crippling the combat capability of the ship, and eventually resulting in ship destruction. Game comes with various scenarios for players to reenact battles from the TV series, or provide for solo play. Re-implemented by: Star Fleet Battles (Designer's Edition) Star Fleet Battles (Commander's Edition) Star Fleet Battles Captain's Edition (Current Edition)
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.
- Task Force Games
Questions and answers
Star Fleet Battles supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Star Fleet Battles is 180 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 Star Fleet Battles 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.
Star Fleet Battles 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.
Star Fleet Battles belongs to these categories: Wargame, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Star Fleet Battles 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 Star Fleet Battles 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.