SPACE RULES:
Star Blazers Fleet Battle System

Game cover


Brief Description Space combat system based on the classic Space Battleship Yamato (Japan)/Star Blazers (U.S.) animated television series. Covers fleet engagements, with ships ranging from large capitalships (battleships) to small battlecraft (fighters). Played on a hexgrid. Rules cover power allocation, a wide variety of weapons, many items of special equipment, and damage. Introductory, intermediate, and advanced rules. Includes 8 scenarios.
Period The Gamilon and White Comet Wars, 2199-2201
Scale Tactical. Time and distance scales unstated. Each figure represents an individual spacecraft. Designed for use with the Star Blazers line of miniatures.
Basing Individual
Contents Spiral-bound, 176-page full-size rulebook

ship record sheet

Designer Keith A. Johannsen
Publisher First edition published 1997 by Musashi Enterprises

What You Think

Lane8@mail.swbell.net

I waited many years for a professional product like this!  My gaming groups and I have either gone without or tried to kit-bash other systems (like my total re-write of the rules in the October '87 Space Gamer magazine).

The folks at Musashi have done a fine job.  They have toned down the various races' special weapons (Wave-Motion Guns, et al.), but let's face it - having those weapons function just like the animated series' would make fleet actions pointless.

The real charm of this rules system is the way the different aspects of Star Blazers combat interact.  Each race, and each ship type, have an operational specialty.  Earth battleships have limited but powerful main guns, and carry large fighter complements as well as the WMGs.  Gamilon forces can use their precision bombers in conjunction with SMITE (teleport equipment), or shelter behind a deadly Space Fortress.  Comet Empire fleets have long-range hitting power firmly on their side.

None of the races has an "ultimate" weapon, and tactics account for most of a victory.  Luck still has its place, since this is a dice-rolling game.  Overcoming odds is, after all, a major part of the Star Blazers tradition.

Overall, a fine starting effort!

Richard K. Leclercq (hardlec@execpc.com)
I have played a lot. This game is designed for big actions, and is playable at a level where other games break down. I have played Full Thrust with 20 or more capital ships on the table, and the game is ponderous even with experienced players. With Starblazers, I had 20 capital ships, with escorts, on the table and 6 people who never played before. They all had fun and there was a lot of action.

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Online Resources

Publisher's Website
Includes product listings, availability of new releases, and links to other sites.
Workbench Reports
The Editor builds and paints some Star Blazer ships.

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Last Updates
5 October 1999publisher changes websites
20 November 1998added Technical Manual
6 October 1998added Workbench link
5 July 1998added comments from Lane8
26 November 1997added link to publisher's website
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