Recently, there has been a lack of quality Star Wars games in the tabletop genre. In fact, our list of the best Star Wars board games felt incomplete. But now, we finally have something to add to that list: Star Wars Shatterpoint, a new miniatures game. With the release of this game, there are now two major lines of Star Wars-themed wargames, including Star Wars Legion. This has raised questions about how these two games differ and if one will overshadow the other. Today, we will take a closer look at Shatterpoint and try to answer those concerns.
What’s in the Box?
When you open the box of Star Wars Shatterpoint, you’ll notice that it’s filled with plastic. Lots and lots of plastic. At first glance, it might remind you of an Airfix model kit rather than a game. However, there is a rulebook on top of the package to remind you that it is indeed a game. Most modern miniatures games are made up of plastic sprues that need to be assembled with a craft knife and polystyrene cement, so this is to be expected. But for Star Wars fans, it might feel a bit underwhelming to open the box and not see their favorite characters right away.
Fortunately, the figures in this game are relatively easy to build, despite the lack of instructions in the box. You can find the assembly instructions online. The figures have angular joints that fit together in specific poses, making assembly a breeze. However, the lightsabers on some of the models are quite flimsy, so you have to be careful. The droids are a bit more challenging to put together due to their ball joints. The figures are 40mm scale, making them easier to handle compared to popular Games Workshop figures which are 28 or 32mm scale. The box includes parts for sixteen different figures, all from the Clone Wars cartoon series. The main characters include Anakin and Ahsoka Tano in blue, and Lord Maul and Asajj Ventress in red. While the sculpts are good, they are not outstanding. The Mandalorians with jetpacks are a nice touch. The box also includes chunky scenery to assemble, including lofted gantries that allow for action in three dimensions.
Rules and Gameplay
Shatterpoint comes with a hefty rulebook that might seem intimidating at first. However, if you watch a rules explanation video online, you’ll find that the core gameplay flow is not that difficult to understand. The complexity comes from the various conditions and edge cases that can arise in miniatures games like this. Shatterpoint is a skirmish game, which means it focuses on small squads of troops engaging in cinematic action. This is in contrast to Star Wars Legion, which covers larger battles with less granularity.
The game starts with each player selecting their figures. Each player chooses two characters, which provide a points allowance to spend on a secondary character and a support unit. The box provides everything you need for two players to play a game. After selecting the figures, players choose a mission, which determines the placement of objective tokens on the tabletop. Three random struggles are drawn, indicating which objectives will be active at different phases of the game. Accumulating points from securing objectives and eliminating enemy characters allows players to win the struggles. Objectives change once a struggle is won, making the battlefield unpredictable. Winning two struggles results in winning the game.
Each character has a card that goes into an order deck, along with a Shatterpoint card, which is wild. At the start of your turn, you draw a card and activate the corresponding unit. Alternatively, you can pay a “force point” to put the card into reserve, allowing you to activate it later. Force points are also used during the turn to enable characters to use powerful abilities. They are scarce, refreshing only when the order deck is reshuffled. Effectively managing force points adds a challenging tactical element to the game.
Activated figures can take two actions, such as moving and fighting. Movement is facilitated by tools provided in the game, eliminating the need for a tape measure. In addition to ground moves, figures can jump, climb, take cover, or focus. Taking cover provides a small movement and a defensive bonus, while focusing adds dice to the next attack. With only two actions per turn, players must make trade-offs and take risks to achieve their objectives.
Combat in Shatterpoint incorporates several interesting mechanics but can feel a bit clunky and overcomplicated. Each figure has values for melee and ranged attacks, rolling the corresponding number of dice to look for hits and criticals. The target then rolls defense dice to block hits, with criticals being unblockable. Both types of dice can also generate “expertise,” which triggers additional effects based on the character’s card. While this can slow down gameplay, it allows each character to feel unique and adds strategic depth to the game.
The damage system in Shatterpoint is not as straightforward as unblocked hits equating to damage. Instead, each character has a chart with multiple branch points and different combat effects. Each hit allows players to make a move on this chart, selecting which effects, including damage, to apply to the target. Some characters even have multiple charts, adding even more variety and depth to gameplay, albeit at the expense of a longer playtime.
In addition to the expertise and combat chart systems, each character has their own set of special abilities. For example, Jedi characters like Anakin can deflect blaster bolts, while droid units can buff other droid units in close proximity. Maul, on the other hand, gets immediate revenge attacks and buffs from wounds. Combined with dynamic movement mechanics, these abilities contribute to a highly engaging and narrative gameplay experience. You can almost hear the hum of lightsabers as you play.
Where to Buy
If you’re interested in Star Wars Shatterpoint, be sure to check out our list of the best board games in general. We also have recommendations for the best board games for adults and the best strategy board games.