How to Play

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

2-5 players 60-120 min 8.0 Board Game Geek Rating

This Star Wars tactical combat game features two modes: a campaign where one player controls the Empire against up to four Rebel heroes, and competitive skirmish battles. Players move figures across mission maps, rolling dice for attacks and using special abilities. Campaign heroes gain experience over multiple connected scenarios, while skirmish mode involves building custom strike teams with command cards for one-off battles over objectives.

Published 2014

Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Build your army
Spend up to 40 deployment points on figures from the same faction unless playing a Temporary Alliance card
2
Determine initiative
Player who spends the least amount of points receives initiative
3
Understand deployment limits
Deployment card bars reference how many figures deploy in the group (ie: Stormtroopers = 3 bars)
4
Observe copy restrictions
Maximum of 1 copy of each unique, 2 identical elites (red), 4 identical regular (gray)
5
Build command deck
Total card count cannot exceed 15 cards
6
Respect command point limit
Total card cost cannot exceed 15 points
7
Match card traits
Command Cards are locked to trait types (ie: Force User, Trooper, Leader, unique name)
8
Check card limits
Card limit icon in bottom left corner shows how many copies allowed in deck
9
Select mission
Choose a Skirmish mission/map
10
Gather map components
Collect map tiles and map items (doors, crates, terminals)
11
Gather tokens
Collect damage tokens, status effect tokens, and markers
12
Gather dice
Collect all required dice
13
Set up VP tracker
Gather threat dial used to track Victory Points
14
Draw starting hand
Draw 3 command cards and keep them secret

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Resolve start abilities
Resolve start of round abilities on any cards at the beginning of each round
2
Activate deployment groups
Alternate turns with opponent, activating one complete group before the next
3
Pass option
If player has fewer deployment cards, they may pass activation until inactivated groups are equal
4
Perform actions
Each activation allows 2 actions per figure
5
Gain movement
Receive movement points (MP) equal to speed value, usable any time during turn
6
Navigate opponents
Moving through opponent costs 1 extra MP
7
Handle difficult terrain
Blue tiles cost 1 extra MP per square; red tiles block movement entirely
8
Interact with objects
Use an action to interact with doors, objectives, or map objects
9
Use special abilities
Spend an action on Deploy/Command card Special Abilities marked with the special icon
10
Free abilities
Abilities without the Special Ability icon cost no action (ie: Assault, Heroic, Cunning, Tempt, Relentless)
11
Attack limit
Limited to 1 attack action per activation, including Special Abilities performed as attacks
12
Double attack abilities
Some abilities allow both actions to be attacks (ie: Assault, Heroic, Draw!, Enraged)
13
Non-attack damage
Special Abilities that damage without stating "perform as an attack" don't count as attack actions (ie: Force Choke, Force Lightning)
14
Calculate attack results
Damage symbol = damage dealt, # symbol = range accuracy, surge symbol = surge abilities
15
Check ranged accuracy
Adjacent ranged attacks must have minimum 1 range accuracy rolled
16
Spend surges
Each surge ability can only be used once per attack
17
Calculate defense
Block symbol reduces damage, evade symbol cancels surges, dodge symbol negates all damage
18
Resolve dodge
Dodge negates all damage but surges can still trigger non-damaging abilities (ie: Recover, Stun, Focus)
19
Suffer strain
Strain is suffered as -1 damage to health or by discarding top card from command deck
20
End of round cleanup
Resolve any end of round abilities on cards
21
Draw command cards
Draw 1 command card during status phase
22
Terminal bonus
Draw 1 additional card if controlling a terminal (standing on or adjacent to uncontested)
23
Ready cards
Ready all exhausted deployment cards
24
Pass initiative
Pass Initiative Token to opponent unless retained by command card

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Eliminate groups for points
Victory Points are earned when an entire deployment group is eliminated
2
Calculate VP from eliminations
Deployment card cost equals the VP amount earned
3
Complete objectives
Victory Points are also earned via skirmish mission objectives
4
Track victory points
Use the threat dial to track accumulated Victory Points throughout the game

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Star Wars: Imperial Assault настольная игра

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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