
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,815
- BGG rating
- 5.8
The Last Starfighter Combat Game
- 2–10 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1984

1984
Rules assistance for Starship Duel I
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.
Starship Duel I is a board game released in 1984 for 1–2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jordan Weisman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
A game of starship combat between the USS Enterprise and a Klingon Bird of Prey scout. There is no mapboard. Instead, the game is played using two Navigation Wheels that show the relative position and heading of each ship, depending on the maneuvers made by the players. A Statistics card is used to damage and starship systems. Game variations include the option of using a Klingon frigate in place of the Bird of Prey, or playing a solitaire game against a "computer controlled" drone ship. See also Starship Duel II
Starship Duel I supports 1–2 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 Starship Duel I is 30 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 Starship Duel I 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.
Starship Duel I has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Starship Duel I belongs to these categories: Wargame, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Starship Duel I are: Jordan Weisman. 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 Starship Duel I 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.