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UFO: Game of Close Encounters
1976
Rules assistance for UFO: Game of Close Encounters
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.7/5
Rules assistant for UFO: Game of Close Encounters
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
UFO: Game of Close Encounters is a board game released in 1976 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Tom Dalgliesh and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
UFO: Game of Close Encounters is a low complexity Tactical level board-wargame themed on an Alien invasion of Earth. The Alien player must land 5 of 8 available ships on Earth to win. The Earth player, with only eight rockets, must defend or perish. Movement is along orbital paths that form 7 concentric rings around the Earth. Each player rolls two dice and moves one rocket or UFO the exact count of for each die. In addition to the UFOs and Earth's rockets speeding around, the moon orbits the Earth destroying all in its path. Combat is not dice based, rather players capture opponents pieces by landing on them by exact orbital move of one die. The advanced game adds dummy counters for the alien player and space stations for additional defence of Earth. It feels really more like an abstract strategy game, but Avalon Hill classified as a wargame simulation. The game consists of -two 8" x 16" map boards with 2 black plastic clips to hold together (not included in later copies). -die cut counters (8 rockets, 5 space stations, 1 moon, 8 saucers, 12 decoy UFOs) -2 six sided dice -1 double sided page of rules. Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 1
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Gamma Two Games
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
UFO: Game of Close Encounters 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 UFO: Game of Close Encounters 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 UFO: Game of Close Encounters 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.
UFO: Game of Close Encounters has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
UFO: Game of Close Encounters belongs to these categories: Wargame and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, 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 UFO: Game of Close Encounters are: Tom Dalgliesh. 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 UFO: Game of Close Encounters 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.