Star Wars Board Games: strategy board game
Star Wars Imperial Assault: How Missions Play
Star Wars Imperial Assault (2014) is a tactical miniatures board game for 2 to 5 players, set after the first Death Star is destroyed. One player commands the Empire while the others guide Rebel heroes through a campaign of missions.
- 2014
- 2-5 players
- 60-120 minutes
- Ages 14+
- strategy board game
- Fantasy Flight Games
Designers: Corey Konieczka, Jonathan Ying, Justin Kemppainen
Rebel heroes take two actions, then the Empire responds. Here’s the flow of a round.
The rhythm is simple: a Rebel hero takes two actions, then the Imperial player activates a whole group of figures. Play goes back and forth until everyone has had a turn. The eight steps below cover a round in order. Want to browse more games? See our Star Wars board games page.
Each hero gets two actions when activated: move, attack, interact, rest or use a special action.
A quick look at one round of Imperial Assault
Missions last for a number of rounds. Each round has an Activation Phase, followed by a Status Phase.
Only heroes can spend more than one action on a single attack.
- Step 1:
Activation Phase: Starting with a Rebel player, players take turns activating one hero.
- Step 2:
An activated figure gets 2 actions: move, attack, interact, rest or use a special action marked with an A.
- Step 3:
Move: Gain movement points equal to the figure’s speed. Spend one point for each space moved, diagonals included.
- Step 4:
Attack: Choose a hostile target and roll the attack dice while the defender rolls defense dice. Damage equals hits minus blocks.
- Step 5:
After a Rebel activation, the Imperial player activates every figure in one Deployment group. Then play alternates again.
- Step 6:
The phase ends once every activation token and Deployment card is exhausted.
- 7Step 7:
Status Phase: Increase threat, ready exhausted cards and tokens, then deploy or reinforce Imperial figures.
- 8Step 8:
Resolve any end-of-round effects, advance the round dial and start the next round. Repeat until the mission ends.
The round summary skips setup, the campaign between missions and how attacks work, which can slow down a first game. Below, we cover campaign setup, the five actions, attacks and the Status Phase. For a larger war game in the same galaxy, compare Star Wars: Rebellion.
Star Wars Imperial Assault rules, made clear
Setup
Choose roles. One player takes the Imperial side; the rulebook recommends giving it to the most experienced player. Everyone else controls a Rebel hero.
Each Rebel player chooses a hero sheet and takes that hero’s class deck and figure. Place the basic item cards, those with no XP cost, face up in front of you.
The Imperial player picks an Imperial class deck and takes its basic class card. Then they shuffle six chosen sets of Agenda cards (18 cards) into the Agenda deck.
Before the first mission, the Rebel players make the Side Mission deck with the red cards for their heroes, four green cards they choose and four random gray cards.
If there are fewer than four heroes, each hero gets a Reward card: Legendary in a two-hero game, Heroic with three. One Rebel player controls two heroes.
To set up a mission, the Imperial player builds the map from the Campaign Guide, sets the threat dial to 0 and the round dial to 1, then takes the listed deployment groups. Put initial groups on the map, set reserved groups aside and keep open groups in a secret hand.
The Imperial player reads the mission briefing aloud. The Rebels place their heroes near the entrance token, and each hero takes one activation token.
Turn by turn
Activating a figure
The Rebel players and Imperial player take turns. Each hero activates on its own, while the Imperial player activates all figures matching one Deployment card. Each activated figure gets two actions, in any combination.
Move
A figure gains movement points equal to its speed, spending one for each adjacent space, including diagonals. Spend movement points before or after another action. Terrain and other figures may limit movement.
Attack
Choose a hostile target. Roll the dice listed on the attacker’s card, then have the defender roll defense dice. The target takes damage equal to hits minus blocks. A figure is defeated when its damage equals its Health.
Interact and rest
Interact to open a door or use a crate, terminal or mission token in or next to your space. Only heroes can rest. They recover strain equal to their Endurance, and any extra recovery heals damage.
Surges and abilities
Attackers spend surge results on abilities. The number of surges they can use is the surges rolled minus the evades rolled. Heroes can also suffer strain to use abilities or move extra spaces.
Status Phase
In a campaign, the Imperial player raises threat by the campaign’s threat level and readies exhausted cards. Heroes ready their activation tokens. The Imperial player can then spend threat to deploy groups or reinforce. Resolve end-of-round effects before advancing the round dial.
End of the game and scoring
Each mission’s rules explain when it ends. Between missions, heroes recover all damage and strain, earn 50 credits per crate, and spend credits on items and XP on class cards. The Imperial player spends influence and XP. The campaign ends with a finale mission; winning it wins the campaign.
Key rules
Threat and deployment
Each Deployment card lists a deployment cost, reinforcement cost and group limit. Spend threat to deploy a whole group or reinforce one figure, placing it as close as possible to a green deployment point.
Campaign progression
Rebel players spend credits on items and XP on class cards. The Imperial player draws four Agenda cards, spends influence on them and uses XP on class cards.
Allies
Heroes who earn an Ally may choose to deploy it during the Status Phase. The introductory mission doesn’t use allies.
Skirmish mode
Two players build strike teams and Command card decks, then compete over conflicting objectives. The box includes a Skirmish Guide with the rules.
Tips for your first game
- Start with the tutorial mission. The Learn to Play booklet is designed to teach that mission.
- The rulebook recommends having the most experienced player take the Imperial role.
- Keep the Rules Reference Guide handy for questions the Learn to Play booklet doesn’t cover.
- Heroes should keep an eye on strain. Resting recovers it, and extra recovery heals damage.
Hero damage and strain reset between campaign missions.
The rulebook covers how to play. Next, we look at the game’s background: who designed it, when it came out and where it fits in the Star Wars story. We also explain its two modes, campaign and skirmish. Miniatures fans can compare it with Star Wars: Legion.
The game and its place in the Star Wars story
During the Status Phase, the Imperial player spends threat to deploy or reinforce.
The game
Design and release
Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka and Jonathan Ying designed Imperial Assault for Fantasy Flight Games. It was released in 2014. The rulebook credits game designs by Kevin Wilson and Adam Sadler as inspiration.
Campaign and skirmish
The publisher lists two ways to play. In the campaign, one Imperial player faces up to four Rebel heroes, who earn experience and upgrades over several missions. In skirmish, two players build strike teams and face off.
The film or series it covers
The core campaign is set after the Death Star’s destruction in the original film. The Empire is hunting Rebel forces on the moon Yavin 4. The core box doesn’t retell a film scene by scene.
The rulebook opens with the Empire seeking retribution on Yavin 4 after the Death Star falls. An Imperial beacon lures Rebel operatives into the first mission. The box includes stormtroopers, probe droids and an AT-ST, plus figure packs with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
Scenes and story beats in the game
- 1
The campaign begins after the Death Star is destroyed.
- 2
An Imperial beacon on a small moon kicks off the first mission.
- 3
Darth Vader comes in the Villain Pack, while Luke Skywalker is in the Ally Pack.
- 4
The Empire fields stormtroopers, probe droids and an AT-ST.
What’s inside the Imperial Assault box
- 59 map tiles
- 34 figures, including an AT-ST
- 11 dice: 2 blue, 2 red, 2 yellow, 2 green, 2 black and 1 white
- 54 hero class cards, 6 hero sheets and 36 item cards
- 27 Imperial class cards, 18 Agenda cards and 39 Deployment cards
- 10 story mission cards and 14 side mission cards
- 42 skirmish command cards and 12 condition cards
- Threat and round dial, 4 door tokens, crate, terminal and mission tokens
- Learn to Play booklet, Rules Reference Guide, Campaign Guide and Skirmish Guide
The core box is only the start, because Fantasy Flight kept adding expansions and figure packs after 2014. Each item below says what the publisher’s own pages confirm about it, and all of them work with the core game. See the sci-fi board games hub for other space settings.
Each hero gets two actions when activated: move, attack, interact, rest or use a special action.
Star Wars Imperial Assault expansions
Twin Shadows 2015
An expansion for the core game. Fantasy Flight lists it among the expansions compatible with the base game.
Return to Hoth 2015
An expansion for the core game. Fantasy Flight publishes a rulebook for it on its support page.
The Bespin Gambit 2016
An expansion for the core game, with its own rulebook on the publisher’s support page.
Jabba’s Realm 2016
An expansion for the core game, with its own rulebook on the publisher’s support page.
Heart of the Empire 2017
An expansion for the core game, with its own rulebook on the publisher’s support page.
Tyrants of Lothal 2018
An expansion for the core game, listed by Fantasy Flight among the Imperial Assault expansions.
Ally and Villain Packs
Individual figure packs, like the Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader packs in the core box. Each pack adds two skirmish missions and a campaign side mission.
Star Wars Imperial Assault: Answers to common questions
How do you play Star Wars Imperial Assault?
One player commands the Empire, while the others each lead a Rebel hero. Each figure takes two actions when activated, such as moving and attacking. Missions run in rounds, with an Activation Phase followed by a Status Phase.
How many players can play Star Wars Imperial Assault?
It plays 2 to 5 players in 60 to 120 minutes, ages 14 and up. With fewer than four heroes, Rebel players receive Reward cards to balance the game.
How does campaign play differ from skirmish in Imperial Assault?
The campaign links story missions, with one Imperial player facing up to four Rebel heroes who level up. Skirmish pits two players and their strike teams against each other, using Command card decks.
What does threat mean in Star Wars Imperial Assault?
Threat is the Imperial player’s currency. It increases during the Status Phase, and the Imperial player can spend it to deploy new groups or reinforce figures.
What comes in the Star Wars Imperial Assault core box?
Inside are 59 map tiles, 34 figures, 11 dice, hero and Imperial class cards, mission cards and a Campaign Guide. The Luke Skywalker Ally Pack and Darth Vader Villain Pack are included.
What are the Star Wars Imperial Assault expansions?
The publisher lists six expansions compatible with the core game: Twin Shadows, Return to Hoth, The Bespin Gambit, Jabba’s Realm, Heart of the Empire and Tyrants of Lothal.
Can you play Star Wars Imperial Assault solo?
The core rules support 2 to 5 players. A lone Rebel player controls two heroes, and the publisher links to the cooperative companion app, Legends of the Alliance.
Only heroes can spend more than one action on a single attack.
Hero damage and strain reset between campaign missions.
Sources
- Fantasy Flight Games: Star Wars: Imperial Assault fantasyflightgames.com
- Fantasy Flight Games: Imperial Assault Learn to Play (PDF) images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com