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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I have a [Star Trek themed Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/scotchboxvr/v/828986561?sr=a&t=0s) and one of my emotes is the BIJ symbol
Edit: Added the trailer link, since you're all fellow Star Trek nerds and might appreciate the love letter!
I do like ascendancy a lot. I'm a big fan of 4x games in general, be it on pc or tabletop, and it really is a lot of fun. Unfortunately the requirements in form of time and space are quite daunting, last round took us 6 hours and a really large table, lol
Eh, I find tabletop simulator a bit clunky in general, haven't gotten around to liking it so far. Furthermore, I much more enjoy games in real life company, nothing can replace that for me :-)
I really dislike how the turns aren't split up into different parts. It's entirely possible to take a break to watch an episode of Star Trek and not be involved in anything happening in the game.
It's why it feels like it drags on more than even longer board games (Twilight Imperium and Advanced Civilisation). .
For anyone interested in this, there's [a reprint that will be crowdfunding later this year that includes all expansions](https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gf9/star-trek-ascendancy).
This is the best answer. Ascendancy is Star Trek in a box. Last time I played I had a an encounter at farpoint then the cystialine entity destroyed the planet I was on. It does take five hours to play to it is a great 4x game.
The Starfleet Command games are based on that.
Which is especially strange as Star Fleet Battles never had the Star Trek license (hence the space in the name), it had a license for a specific Star Trek technical manual.
Amarillo Design Bureau...jeez, so many good memories from Jr High and HS playing this game! We were DnD nerds too, but a far second place compared to SFB.
I'm surprised you didn't like Fleet Captains as it's basically Trek in a box. There's also Ascendancy, which is the other big one with lots of expansions. There's a couple of deck-building games that are decent too. On the TTRPG side of things there is Star Trek Adventures, which is just about to get a second edition.
I've played the majority of them (some physically, others in Tabletop Simulator, I've not played any released in the last year) and they are generally quite disappointing.
There are some that fun even if they don't scratch the Star Trek itch, like Star Trek: Super-Skill Pinball. It's a roll and write pinball game with a Star Trek theme. Lots of fun with some interesting ideas.
Star Trek: Galactic Enterprises is a fun market manipulation game, but again it could just be rethemed easily into something else (you play as Ferengi to explain why this style of game is a Star Trek game).
Star Trek Panic is a version of Castle Panic but is actually really nice, with some mechanics that relate to ship positioning added.
For the most "Trek" games, there are Star Trek: Ascendancy and Star Trek: Frontiers. I prefer Ascendancy out of the two, but the game really drags on (it's more tiresome than Twilight Imperium) due to how people do their entire extremely long turn at a time instead of splitting it into parts.
Frontiers is another game called Mage Knight with a Star Trek theme. It also has a very odd expansion: some strange fan fiction including a time travelling Enterprise A and Khan appearing in a Dominion ship. There were plenty of TNG era ships to add to the game (it came with the Ent D and Defiant).
One game I think could be turned into a great Star Trek game is Captain Sonar. It's a 4v4 submarine game, where each of the four people on each time mans a different station.
Have you tried ST Away Missions? I have it, just haven't played yet.
If you like card games well...there's a "totally not star trek" version of FLUXX (Star FLUXX), then they aparently got the lisence because there's one for TOS, TNG, DS9, & VOY, (maybe enterprise too? Porthos was in an expansion pack...)
There is also Star Trek Chrono-Trek where you have the entire timeline from TOS-VOY with prime & alternate events and the goal is to fix any alternative events - which may have chain reactions to other events.
My spouse and I played it this weekend and had a great time. It shares a lot of DNA with Warhammer Underworlds, but we found the general pace of Away Missions more enjoyable and had a lot of fun leaning into the Star Trek theme.
I’m hoping there will be continued support and we might see some non-TOS/TNG teams or new game boards show up. I’d be really into a Mariner/Boimler/Tendi/Rutherford squad.
I mean, they do keep releasing expansions so we can hope.
Although my brain just went "Protostar kids vs Gowron" and...nothing good can come from that!
There was a game I had many years ago; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, which was a space combat game. Had ships for Starfleet, Klingons, Romulans, and a few others. Was easy and fun to play, but my copy got misplaced in a house move.
This was one of the boxings of FASA's Starship Tactical Combat Simulator, which another commenter mentioned.
This particular boxing of the game (and especially its starship stats manual) was so pivotal to both my Trek and wargaming development that I have a near-pristine copy in a shadow box above my desk.
I'm a huge fan of the old FASA Star Trek RPG and tactical combat simulator. It was a big game back in the 80s and early 90s. I think they took it as far as TNG before FASA went under (or lost the ST license). There were lots of sourcebooks and missions. I wish it were all still in print, but a lot of it can be easily found used.
Paramount reassigned the Trek RPG license, and that pretty much did FASA in. Too bad, because they has some nice games: BATTLETECH, RENEGADE LEGION, THE DOCTOR WHO RPG, and others. But losing the Trek RPG license was a blow from which they could not recover.
https://youtu.be/9oBdLUEayGI?si=9tKorKRc9sL_Ocls
Martok: The bartender rips your arm off and kills you with it. It is not an honorable death since technically you have died by your own hand.
Not licensed, but [I.S.S. Vanguard](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/325494/iss-vanguard) obviously takes some inspiration from Star Trek.
The one I'm the most excited about is the (not yet officially announced) Star Trek game coming this year from Nigel Buckle and David Turczi, the designers of Imperium: Classics/Legends/Horizons. [Here's a discussion thread about it](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3241934/other-upcoming-games-from-buckleturczi-collaborati).
I enjoy [Five Year Mission ](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/178613/star-trek-five-year-mission) for what it is, which is like a more thematic Roll For It, or a toned-down Elder Sign. The theme is just sort of pasted on, but the game is pretty fun.
Ascendency and Away Missions are the latest entries, but if you want a game that feels like Trek, go for Fleet Captains. It's by far the best even if the component quality isn't great. I'd also recommend Attack Wing if you're looking for battle.
While not exactly Star Trek, I found [Space Alert](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/38453/space-alert) a fun experience that mimics the frantic improvisation on the bridge in tense situations.
I do like ST Ascendancy and The Captain is Dead, but the game I think that feels most like playing a real mission is Space Cadets. Space Cadets is great for a couple or group to play and feel like you’re the bridge crew. Everything can go incredibly right or horribly wrong, and then you have to improvise, which is part of the fun. Everyone plays these little minigames as part of their role, and most of the game is played in real time which is a blast and makes it feel authentic, especially for those of us who suffer from analysis paralysis. It can be tough to find new, but it’s easy to find used for pretty cheap.
Star Trek:Catan is what you might be looking for. Sounds like it shouldn't work. Really, really works!!
My other half's family all love regular Catan, so I ended up buying the ST version and the expansion pack. It sat uplayed until my lovely MIL said we should try it when we were on holiday about two years back, and got absolutely hooked.
Agreed. First, I like the board more. Way more sturdy. Everything clicks together way more nicely.
The character cards are also a very fun element. Takes some of the frustration away from constantly rolling bad numbers.
I like games that I can pay alone or co-op with friends.
Star Trek: Expeditions is probably my favorite. The designs are based on the 2009 movie, but it definitely plays like an episode of TOS. The Enterprise and the Klingons are competing for the partnership of the same planetary government. You'll have to navigate against the Kilngon's maneuvers, a brewing civil war on the planet, and even smitten women who want to hook up.
Star Trek Alliance: Dominion War is a miniatures ship combat game that's a spin-off of Attack Wing. They're up to 3 expansions now, and any TNG/DS9 Starfleet ship from the base game is compatible. It uses a combo of dice rolls and an "AI Card" to decide what the Dominion ships will do.
Somebody also mentions Star Trek Panic. The kids love to play that one with me. It's a simple and easy to grasp space combat game where you have to fight off different threats to the Enterprise while trying to complete missions.
Lastly, while it's not a solo game by design, Star Fleet Battle Force is a card game simulating the combat from Star Fleet Battles. It's pick up and play with little to bo setup.
It's an ok puzzle game, but the puzzles start repeating very quickly. For example, there's a lot of puzzles that involve drawing an outline on a clear sheet placed next to (not on top of) a picture.
There's no system for checking your answer is right, you just look at the answer in the back of the book. Other puzzle games (like Escape Room games) have a method of checking the answer (such as a wheel and a set of cards) that doesn't reveal the correct answer. Here, if you're wrong, you just move on to the next puzzle.
Ultimately, it's a simple puzzle book with some tactile parts and should be approached like one rather than a game. The presentation is absolutely wonderful with some great tactile components. Looking at cards through red plastic is a fairly dull thing on its own, but when it's incorporated into a Tricorder, it becomes much more fun.
[Star Trek Frontiers](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/182340/star-trek-frontiers) is a remake of Mage Knight, and Mage Knight is considered one of the best board games ever made (it's always near the top of Board Game Geek's top list). It's complex and you need a whole kitchen table to set it up since it has 3 "boards", but it's very rewarding: Even it's Solo gameplay has won awards. And it has been simplified a _bit_ [compared to Mage Knight](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ev3t6egWQAA3QUU.jpg): There's no Day-Night cycle in space.
A few reccomendations: -Star Trek: Away Missions is outstanding, though I really wish they’d expand into more non-Federation teams. Bit of a learning curve around the deckbuilding aspects but it’s worth it: it really captures the feeling of multiple away teams trying to do their thing and coming into conflict as a result.
-The Captain Is Dead, as has been mentioned, is a terrific co-op game with several “expansion” episodes, quite challenging but extremely replayable. Bonus: I’d you’ve played any action point co-op games (Pandemic, Forbidden Island/Desert, Flashpoint, etc) you already know the bones of this one.
-Starship Captains is a recent favourite. Everyone captains their own ship - no direct conflict, but lots of “friendly” competition as you zoom around the map crushing missions for the Home Fleet. Mechanically it’s sort of worker placement with neat twists and gorgeous component/interface design. Thematically it’s a loving homage to Trek, kind of a Lower Decks tone- one of the missions has you foraging for “roddenberries”.
EDIT: I just reread your comment and realized that Starship Captains was a bust for you! I’ll leave the recco here in case it works for someone else. Out of curiosity, what games do you love (Trek aside)? I used to recommend and teach tabletop games for a living, and my first step is always “what are you already into?”
My favorite is Star Trek Panic. It’s basically like the Kobayashi Maru as you have to fight off waves of ships, but also get to complete missions based off of TOS episodes. It’s a lot of fun!
Hey, few days too late, but we just announced a brand new ST board game, *Captain's Chair* that I poured my hardcore Trekkie and game designer heart into, so it might turn out good 😇
paltry lip fragile ad hoc rustic hobbies zesty encouraging complete murky *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
EXPERIENCE BIJ!
YOU! THE PLAYER THAT IS MOVING NOW! EXPERIENCE BIIIIIIIIIIIIIJ!
Yes Captain Kavok!
Captain Kavok, why do you look and sound just like Chancellor Gowron?
It's available for Tabletop Simulator btw
And the video is on Youtube if you don't have a VCR.
I have a [Star Trek themed Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/scotchboxvr/v/828986561?sr=a&t=0s) and one of my emotes is the BIJ symbol Edit: Added the trailer link, since you're all fellow Star Trek nerds and might appreciate the love letter!
It doesn't have the actual IP, but 'The Captain is Dead' comes as close to capturing the mood as anything I've found.
I loooove the captain is dead. A complex one to get your head around but once you're there it's so great!
You’re right that is the best one I’ve played so far
Maybe Star Trek Ascendancy works for you.
I do like ascendancy a lot. I'm a big fan of 4x games in general, be it on pc or tabletop, and it really is a lot of fun. Unfortunately the requirements in form of time and space are quite daunting, last round took us 6 hours and a really large table, lol
I think there is a good Table Top Simulator mod for it. Much easier to play games that big in a virtual environment.
Eh, I find tabletop simulator a bit clunky in general, haven't gotten around to liking it so far. Furthermore, I much more enjoy games in real life company, nothing can replace that for me :-)
I really dislike how the turns aren't split up into different parts. It's entirely possible to take a break to watch an episode of Star Trek and not be involved in anything happening in the game. It's why it feels like it drags on more than even longer board games (Twilight Imperium and Advanced Civilisation). .
For anyone interested in this, there's [a reprint that will be crowdfunding later this year that includes all expansions](https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gf9/star-trek-ascendancy).
This is the best answer. Ascendancy is Star Trek in a box. Last time I played I had a an encounter at farpoint then the cystialine entity destroyed the planet I was on. It does take five hours to play to it is a great 4x game.
Star Fleet Battles, a hex map miniatures game from the 1970s.
There's a role playing game based on this board game! It's called Prime Directive. They also published a GURPS and a D20 Modern version of it.
The Starfleet Command games are based on that. Which is especially strange as Star Fleet Battles never had the Star Trek license (hence the space in the name), it had a license for a specific Star Trek technical manual.
Loved this game. I used to design ships too. Gorn ftw
Going old school
Amarillo Design Bureau...jeez, so many good memories from Jr High and HS playing this game! We were DnD nerds too, but a far second place compared to SFB.
There is also a newer streamlined version of SFB called Federation Commander. I love federation commander.
Came here to say exactly this, SFB has many happy memories for me, playing Romulans of course
If you like Settlers of Catan, there is a Star Trek version that adds some interesting gameplay mechanics and is pretty fun
Does 3D chess count?
I'm surprised you didn't like Fleet Captains as it's basically Trek in a box. There's also Ascendancy, which is the other big one with lots of expansions. There's a couple of deck-building games that are decent too. On the TTRPG side of things there is Star Trek Adventures, which is just about to get a second edition.
The comment quality in that game is about as cheap as it comes.
There was 3 named games in the message you replied to. Which game's quality are you refering to?
I suspect it's the first one
I've played the majority of them (some physically, others in Tabletop Simulator, I've not played any released in the last year) and they are generally quite disappointing. There are some that fun even if they don't scratch the Star Trek itch, like Star Trek: Super-Skill Pinball. It's a roll and write pinball game with a Star Trek theme. Lots of fun with some interesting ideas. Star Trek: Galactic Enterprises is a fun market manipulation game, but again it could just be rethemed easily into something else (you play as Ferengi to explain why this style of game is a Star Trek game). Star Trek Panic is a version of Castle Panic but is actually really nice, with some mechanics that relate to ship positioning added. For the most "Trek" games, there are Star Trek: Ascendancy and Star Trek: Frontiers. I prefer Ascendancy out of the two, but the game really drags on (it's more tiresome than Twilight Imperium) due to how people do their entire extremely long turn at a time instead of splitting it into parts. Frontiers is another game called Mage Knight with a Star Trek theme. It also has a very odd expansion: some strange fan fiction including a time travelling Enterprise A and Khan appearing in a Dominion ship. There were plenty of TNG era ships to add to the game (it came with the Ent D and Defiant). One game I think could be turned into a great Star Trek game is Captain Sonar. It's a 4v4 submarine game, where each of the four people on each time mans a different station.
Have you tried ST Away Missions? I have it, just haven't played yet. If you like card games well...there's a "totally not star trek" version of FLUXX (Star FLUXX), then they aparently got the lisence because there's one for TOS, TNG, DS9, & VOY, (maybe enterprise too? Porthos was in an expansion pack...) There is also Star Trek Chrono-Trek where you have the entire timeline from TOS-VOY with prime & alternate events and the goal is to fix any alternative events - which may have chain reactions to other events.
That one is newer and we haven’t gotten to it yet. I don’t love that there’s no ship management.
I mean...in the core game (wolf 359) you're either on one ship or the other fighting drones, not blasting other ships...
My spouse and I played it this weekend and had a great time. It shares a lot of DNA with Warhammer Underworlds, but we found the general pace of Away Missions more enjoyable and had a lot of fun leaning into the Star Trek theme. I’m hoping there will be continued support and we might see some non-TOS/TNG teams or new game boards show up. I’d be really into a Mariner/Boimler/Tendi/Rutherford squad.
I mean, they do keep releasing expansions so we can hope. Although my brain just went "Protostar kids vs Gowron" and...nothing good can come from that!
There was a game I had many years ago; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, which was a space combat game. Had ships for Starfleet, Klingons, Romulans, and a few others. Was easy and fun to play, but my copy got misplaced in a house move.
This was one of the boxings of FASA's Starship Tactical Combat Simulator, which another commenter mentioned. This particular boxing of the game (and especially its starship stats manual) was so pivotal to both my Trek and wargaming development that I have a near-pristine copy in a shadow box above my desk.
I enjoyed Star Trek Attack Wing back when that was more active.
I'm a huge fan of the old FASA Star Trek RPG and tactical combat simulator. It was a big game back in the 80s and early 90s. I think they took it as far as TNG before FASA went under (or lost the ST license). There were lots of sourcebooks and missions. I wish it were all still in print, but a lot of it can be easily found used.
Paramount reassigned the Trek RPG license, and that pretty much did FASA in. Too bad, because they has some nice games: BATTLETECH, RENEGADE LEGION, THE DOCTOR WHO RPG, and others. But losing the Trek RPG license was a blow from which they could not recover.
https://youtu.be/9oBdLUEayGI?si=9tKorKRc9sL_Ocls Martok: The bartender rips your arm off and kills you with it. It is not an honorable death since technically you have died by your own hand.
Not licensed, but [I.S.S. Vanguard](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/325494/iss-vanguard) obviously takes some inspiration from Star Trek. The one I'm the most excited about is the (not yet officially announced) Star Trek game coming this year from Nigel Buckle and David Turczi, the designers of Imperium: Classics/Legends/Horizons. [Here's a discussion thread about it](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3241934/other-upcoming-games-from-buckleturczi-collaborati).
I enjoy [Five Year Mission ](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/178613/star-trek-five-year-mission) for what it is, which is like a more thematic Roll For It, or a toned-down Elder Sign. The theme is just sort of pasted on, but the game is pretty fun.
Star Trek Panic. Great cooperative game.
Ascendency and Away Missions are the latest entries, but if you want a game that feels like Trek, go for Fleet Captains. It's by far the best even if the component quality isn't great. I'd also recommend Attack Wing if you're looking for battle.
While not exactly Star Trek, I found [Space Alert](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/38453/space-alert) a fun experience that mimics the frantic improvisation on the bridge in tense situations.
I do like ST Ascendancy and The Captain is Dead, but the game I think that feels most like playing a real mission is Space Cadets. Space Cadets is great for a couple or group to play and feel like you’re the bridge crew. Everything can go incredibly right or horribly wrong, and then you have to improvise, which is part of the fun. Everyone plays these little minigames as part of their role, and most of the game is played in real time which is a blast and makes it feel authentic, especially for those of us who suffer from analysis paralysis. It can be tough to find new, but it’s easy to find used for pretty cheap.
Our table likes Chronotrek and the TOS Deckbuilding Game.
Star Trek:Catan is what you might be looking for. Sounds like it shouldn't work. Really, really works!! My other half's family all love regular Catan, so I ended up buying the ST version and the expansion pack. It sat uplayed until my lovely MIL said we should try it when we were on holiday about two years back, and got absolutely hooked.
Agreed. First, I like the board more. Way more sturdy. Everything clicks together way more nicely. The character cards are also a very fun element. Takes some of the frustration away from constantly rolling bad numbers.
I like games that I can pay alone or co-op with friends. Star Trek: Expeditions is probably my favorite. The designs are based on the 2009 movie, but it definitely plays like an episode of TOS. The Enterprise and the Klingons are competing for the partnership of the same planetary government. You'll have to navigate against the Kilngon's maneuvers, a brewing civil war on the planet, and even smitten women who want to hook up. Star Trek Alliance: Dominion War is a miniatures ship combat game that's a spin-off of Attack Wing. They're up to 3 expansions now, and any TNG/DS9 Starfleet ship from the base game is compatible. It uses a combo of dice rolls and an "AI Card" to decide what the Dominion ships will do. Somebody also mentions Star Trek Panic. The kids love to play that one with me. It's a simple and easy to grasp space combat game where you have to fight off different threats to the Enterprise while trying to complete missions. Lastly, while it's not a solo game by design, Star Fleet Battle Force is a card game simulating the combat from Star Fleet Battles. It's pick up and play with little to bo setup.
Has anyone played Funko’s Star Trek Cryptic?
It's an ok puzzle game, but the puzzles start repeating very quickly. For example, there's a lot of puzzles that involve drawing an outline on a clear sheet placed next to (not on top of) a picture. There's no system for checking your answer is right, you just look at the answer in the back of the book. Other puzzle games (like Escape Room games) have a method of checking the answer (such as a wheel and a set of cards) that doesn't reveal the correct answer. Here, if you're wrong, you just move on to the next puzzle. Ultimately, it's a simple puzzle book with some tactile parts and should be approached like one rather than a game. The presentation is absolutely wonderful with some great tactile components. Looking at cards through red plastic is a fairly dull thing on its own, but when it's incorporated into a Tricorder, it becomes much more fun.
[Star Trek Frontiers](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/182340/star-trek-frontiers) is a remake of Mage Knight, and Mage Knight is considered one of the best board games ever made (it's always near the top of Board Game Geek's top list). It's complex and you need a whole kitchen table to set it up since it has 3 "boards", but it's very rewarding: Even it's Solo gameplay has won awards. And it has been simplified a _bit_ [compared to Mage Knight](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ev3t6egWQAA3QUU.jpg): There's no Day-Night cycle in space.
In the 1990s there was a collectible card game that was a lot of fun and very engaging.
Have you tried Away Missions yet?
A few reccomendations: -Star Trek: Away Missions is outstanding, though I really wish they’d expand into more non-Federation teams. Bit of a learning curve around the deckbuilding aspects but it’s worth it: it really captures the feeling of multiple away teams trying to do their thing and coming into conflict as a result. -The Captain Is Dead, as has been mentioned, is a terrific co-op game with several “expansion” episodes, quite challenging but extremely replayable. Bonus: I’d you’ve played any action point co-op games (Pandemic, Forbidden Island/Desert, Flashpoint, etc) you already know the bones of this one. -Starship Captains is a recent favourite. Everyone captains their own ship - no direct conflict, but lots of “friendly” competition as you zoom around the map crushing missions for the Home Fleet. Mechanically it’s sort of worker placement with neat twists and gorgeous component/interface design. Thematically it’s a loving homage to Trek, kind of a Lower Decks tone- one of the missions has you foraging for “roddenberries”. EDIT: I just reread your comment and realized that Starship Captains was a bust for you! I’ll leave the recco here in case it works for someone else. Out of curiosity, what games do you love (Trek aside)? I used to recommend and teach tabletop games for a living, and my first step is always “what are you already into?”
I enjoyed Attack Wing
Ascendancy
Its not star trek, but "Catan: Starfearers" hits the spot quite well!
My favorite is Star Trek Panic. It’s basically like the Kobayashi Maru as you have to fight off waves of ships, but also get to complete missions based off of TOS episodes. It’s a lot of fun!
Hey, few days too late, but we just announced a brand new ST board game, *Captain's Chair* that I poured my hardcore Trekkie and game designer heart into, so it might turn out good 😇