
- BGG rank
- BGG #638
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Space Empires 4X
- 1–4 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2011

1975
Rules assistance for Stellar Conquest
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Stellar Conquest is a board game released in 1975 for 2–4 players, 240–480 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Howard Thompson and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
First published by Metagaming in 1975 (later as a boxed edition in 1979), Stellar Conquest is considered to be one of the first 4X (eXplore, eXploit, eXpand, eXterminate) board wargames. It plays four, but can be adapted for more players with the addition of extra sets of pieces. It is also possible to replace the deck of stars with random generation tables.
Stellar Conquest supports 2–4 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 Stellar Conquest is 240–480 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 Stellar Conquest 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.
Stellar Conquest has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Stellar Conquest belongs to these categories: Economic, Wargame, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, 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 Stellar Conquest are: Howard Thompson. 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 Stellar Conquest 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.