Star Wars Miniatures - Gameplay

Gameplay

In Star Wars Miniatures, ten different factions are available for play. They are Rebel, Imperial, Republic, Separatist, New Republic, Yuuzhan Vong, Old Republic, Sith, Mandalorian, and Fringe. Each game requires that each player chooses one of the above factions to play as and then builds a squad using miniatures from that faction. The only exception is Fringe, which is a "neutral" faction, whose figures can be used in any squad. Players agree on a point total (100, 150, and 200 being the official standards) and create a squad that does not exceed the chosen point total for one of the following formats:

• Free-for-all: Each player makes a single faction(possibly including Fringe) squad for the battle. Factions may battle factions of different eras or even the same faction. This is the format used for sanctioned tournaments.
• Era Play: Players select an era then choose one player to play a light side faction and one to play a dark side faction from that era. Fringe characters may mix with either player's squad. The eras are:
  • Old Republic: Old Republic vs. Sith (or Mandalorian)
  • Rise of the Empire: Republic vs. Separatist (or Imperial).
  • Galactic Civil War: Rebel vs. Imperial.
  • New Republic: New Republic vs. Imperial.
  • New Jedi Order: New Republic (or Imperial) vs. Yuuzhan Vong.

• Light Side vs. Dark Side: Players make a multi-faction squad with one player representing the light side (Old Republic, Republic, Rebel Alliance, & New Republic) and the other representing the dark side (Sith, Mandalorians, Separatists, Imperials, & Yuuzhan Vong) Fringe may belong to either side.
• No Faction: Players make a squad using any combination of characters.
• Sealed: Players open a predetermined amount of Starters and Boosters and make a No Faction squad with the miniatures contained inside.
• Draft: 4 or more Players each open one of three booster boxes at a time, select one miniature inside and pass the box to the next player. The Players then make a squad out of only the miniatures they draft in this way. This can be played No Faction or Factions, if multiple players have the same Faction, they are termed as No Faction for play.

After players agree on a point total and play format and build their squads, one of several play maps representing different locations of the Star Wars Universe is chosen and set up. The maps feature a one inch square grid overlay that indicates where characters can move, as well as being used to determine range and the ability to see a target. Different maps influence the game in different ways. For instance, the map included in the "Revenge of the Sith Starter" represents the interior of a battered starship, with small hallways and rubble-filled rooms, but is considered the only "huge-friendly" map as it is the only one where a huge character can travel from one starting area to the other. Some of the official maps are:

• Death Star (Rebel Storm Starter)
• Tatooine: Mos Eisley (Updated League Prize ONLY, Ultimate Missions: Rebel Storm version NOT tournament legal)
• Cloud City (Updated League Prize ONLY, Ultimate Missions: Rebel Storm version NOT tournament legal)
• Muunilist (Clone Strike Starter)
• Coruscant: Undercity Streets (Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike)
• Geonosis: Arena Pit (Ultimate Missions: Clone Strike)
• Starship (Revenge of the Sith Starter)
• Invisible Hand (General Grievous's flagship)/Imperial Base (Ultimate Missions: Revenge of the Sith) (New Starter Set)
• Mustafar (Ultimate Missions: Revenge of the Sith)
• Hoth: Plains (AT-AT Colossal Pack)
• Hoth: Shield Generator (AT-AT Colossal Pack)
• Forest Moon of Endor: (Attack on Endor)
• Yavin 4: Jedi Praxeum (Attack on Endor)
• Rancor Cave (Attack on Endor)
• Ruined Base (Attack on Endor)
• Korriban: Valley of the Dark Lords (Wizards League Kit) (New Starter Set)
• Hoth: Echo Base Outpost (Battle of Hoth)
• Hoth: Echo Base Outskirts (Battle of Hoth)
• Ossus: The Great Jedi Library (reverse side of the promotional Legacy of the Force gallery poster)

The objective of the game can vary, but in standard play the winner is the player who earns an amount of victory points equal to or greater than the Squad limit or the player with the most victory points when a tiebreaker is called (no characters have made offensive actions in 10 rounds). Players score victory points equal to the cost of characters they defeat. In a variant designed to discourage players from hiding, known as Gambit format, players also score 5 victory points at the end of every round in which they have a character within 4 squares of the center. Gambit format is the format used in sanctioned tournaments.