In case you took a survey of a fan’s favourite Star Trek captain, I’m guessing it will likely be a two-horse race between Picard and Kirk. Regardless of there being a complete host of superior captains from Star Trek lore, these two are those which have captured the glory. For myself, I’d go together with Captain Sisko (don’t @ me). Deep House 9 was an incredible sequence, and Sisko was somebody you didn’t wish to mess with.
Circling again to immediately’s overview, we’re going to be taking a look at Star Trek: Captain’s Chair, a brand new recreation designed by Nigel Buckle and Dávid Turczi. If these names sound household, it’s as a result of they’ve teamed up earlier than, notably on Voidfall and the Imperium line of video games. It’s that final line that’s related as a result of Star Trek: Captain’s Chair is considerably primarily based on the mechanics of Imperium. So set your phasers to enjoyable as we try their newest providing.
Gameplay Overview:
In case you’ve ever performed a recreation of Imperium (Classics, Legends, Horizons), you then in all probability can have a good suggestion for the complexity degree of Star Trek: Captain’s Chair. Spoiler Alert: this isn’t a lightweight recreation. With that in thoughts, I’m solely going to offer you a short overview of the gameplay, if you need the total ins and outs, you’ll be able to obtain a PDF of the rulebook right here.
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair is performed over a variable variety of rounds. What’s necessary to know is that this recreation solely performs with 1 or 2 gamers. Every participant will management one in all 6 captains from the Star Trek Universe: Picard, Sisko, Burnham, Koloth, Sela, and Thy’lek Shran. Every captain has their very own distinctive deck, together with a set of reserve and improvement playing cards.
In your flip, you first examine if in case you have management of any impartial planets. Planets are managed by sending ships and away groups there. In case you do, you add the planet to your tableau, activating any management powers.
You then enter the motion section. Every card has 2 methods you should utilize them. The primary is for his or her “play” impact if they’re in your hand. This often enables you to transfer ships round, beam crew to ships or planets, purchase new playing cards from the market, or eliminate incidents. Typically these actions price an motion token (you get 3 per flip), and different occasions they don’t.
The second manner a card can be utilized is for its activation energy. These are much like the play actions however can solely be used whereas the cardboard is deployed into your tableau. A few of them are passive as properly (like elevated hand dimension). Your captain, Planets, and Ships are the simplest ones to get into play. You’re additionally allowed to have one responsibility officer in play as properly.
Your flip ends with a cleanup section. This may refresh your playing cards, take away a token from the Stardate card, and draw again as much as your hand dimension. This final half is necessary as a result of when you could reshuffle your deck, you’ll be able to acquire the highest card of your reserve deck. As soon as that deck runs out, you can begin shopping for your highly effective improvement playing cards.
The sport ends when both the incident deck runs out (rather more uncommon), or all of the Stardate playing cards have been emptied of victory factors. Gamers will acquire factors from a number of sources, and the participant with probably the most factors wins.
Sport Expertise:
I went into Star Trek: Captain’s Chair fairly contemporary. I’ve by no means performed an Imperium recreation (though I’ve heard of them) and didn’t even know the mechanics right here have been primarily based on that sequence. I’ll admit although, struggled at first to be taught the sport. I learn the rulebook, a few occasions, and had a common really feel for it. However I ultimately wished a gameplay video on-line as a result of the general gameplay loop simply wasn’t clicking.
However finally, I received it, and issues began to circulation easily. I performed a number of video games, after which a number of extra, and some extra after that. I like the sport—and for many who haven’t seen it, it even got here in as my #3 board recreation of 2024. I actually appreciated how distinctive every of the 6 captains’ decks really feel. Not solely have they got their very own playing cards, however they’re one level with the theme of their captains. Picard is closely into diplomacy, Sela and Koloth are each very assault and aggressive, and Burnham should cope with inert dilithium.
However that is a type of video games the place, whereas the mechanics don’t change, the way you play every character will really feel fairly totally different. Fortunately, the sport features a primary solo mode the place you don’t even face off in opposition to a bot, which provides you an opportunity to be taught the decks interstices. I’m glad that’s there as a result of the few occasions I jumped straight into 1v1 or 1vBot it positively didn’t play at peak talent. However when you begin studying what playing cards are in your varied decks, and the place your strengths lie, there’s a lot you are able to do to generate factors.
The deck-building side of the sport can also be actually attention-grabbing. In most deck-building video games, you wish to purchase lots of playing cards at first of the sport (as a result of your starter deck is fairly generic). However with Star Trek: Captain’s Chair, you acquire a free reserve card everytime you cycle your deck, that are playing cards tailor-made to your captain. Nonetheless, there are 4 various kinds of market playing cards, and plenty of occasions your missions will concentrate on particular key phrases on these, so that you additionally don’t wish to ignore them. So, it’s a effective steadiness of what impartial playing cards to purchase vs how briskly are you able to cycle your deck to get these reserve and improvement playing cards.
And I haven’t even touched on the observe specialties but. Every captain has 3 tracks to advance on: analysis, affect, and navy. Most playing cards you purchase will both have a set variety of victory factors or be well worth the a number of on one of many aforementioned tracks. In order that analysis observe, for those who get it to 5x on the finish of the sport, abruptly, every analysis card you acquire at the moment are value 5vps every.
And that’s one of many enjoyable issues about Star Trek: Captain’s Chair, aside from attempting out how every totally different captain performs, there are lots of methods to attain factors. Do you wish to concentrate on a particular observe and the accompanying card shade? Or possibly you wish to transfer all of them up and diversify your playing cards. You’ll be able to even not pay that a lot consideration to them, after which go for the straight VP incomes playing cards and your captain’s missions. There’s a lot to unpack with Star Trek: Captain’s Chair, so that you’ll have loads of content material to dive into.
Truthfully, my solely actual grievance with the sport (aside from the shortage of Captain Kirk) is simply the training curve. The rulebook might have used extra gameplay examples or perhaps a tutorial e-book. As a result of the sport isn’t really that tough, it’s only a complicated recreation with lots of key phrases. And among the mechanics aren’t fairly what you’re used to. However wrap your head across the system and also you’ll be rewarded.
Ultimate Ideas:
Star Trek: Captain’s Chair was a shock hit for me in 2024. It’s a recreation that was solely passively on my radar, however as soon as I sat right down to play it, I used to be all in. I’ve tried each captain, each cadet mode and in addition vs bot (or one other participant). And every one has a lot depth, and so many nice thematic ties, that I maintain eager to play once more. I hope this line does properly, as a result of I’d like to see some extra captains by way of expansions. However for followers of the Star Trek sequence, in case you are pleased with the principles overhead, it is a should personal!
Ultimate Rating: 4.5 stars – A chunky Star Trek themed recreation with tons of replay worth and rewarding gameplay.
Hits:
• Tons of replay worth
• Thematic use of every captain
• Performs nice each solo and versus
• Deep, rewarding gameplay
• Some ways to attain factors
Misses:
• Considerably steep studying curve
