
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Federation Ship Recognition Manual
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1985

1983
Rules assistance for Star Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Star Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator is a board game released in 1983 for 2–6 players, 30–120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Forest Brown, Wm. John Wheeler, and David F. Tepool and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
Step into the command seat of a starship for the Federation, the Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, Gorn Alliance, or an Orion pirate raider with the Star Trek Starship Tactical Combat Simulator. Using an all new and revised system, the Starship Tactical Simulator provides improved rules for: Movement, Deflector Shields, Detailed Starship Damage, Damage Control, Crew Causalities, New Weapons. The game gives you a fast-paced and detailed game of space combat. The rules are presented in a learn-as-you-go, three part format.
Star Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator supports 2–6 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 Star Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator is 30–120 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 Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator for ages 10 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 Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
Star Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator belongs to these categories: Wargame, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement. 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 Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator are: Forest Brown, Wm. John Wheeler, and David F. Tepool. 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 Trek: Starship Tactical Combat Simulator 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.