‘Homeworld Fleet Command’ is the Fastest Space-Fleet Combat Game I’ve Ever Played
Homeworld Fleet Command has epic space battle feel without needing to commit an entire evening. And you can try it right now for free!
There are plenty of other space battle games out there. But Homeworld Fleet Command has a fleet-sized list building with skirmish playtimes. It’s the sort of game that values the players’ time and keeps the game moving quickly. I was fortunate enough to be invited to play a game with Modiphius founder and co-designer of the game, Chris Birch. So I can attest to the game’s claims.
Homeworld Fleet Command is wrapping up its Kickstarter campaign right now. However, if you want to give the game a chance before you back it, you can check it out on Tabletopia and play through one of the scenarios for free!
Epic Space Battles In Record Time
During my playthrough, I played as the Taiidan and Chris was the Kushan. In the roughly 90 minutes we were on the call, not only did I completely learn the rules of the game, but we got far enough along to make it clear I would be winning on the next round. And so, we called the game in my favor.
Homeworld Fleet Command uses a You-Go-I-Go turn structure so you’re never more than a minute away from taking an action. Additionally, the game has a Defensive Fire mechanic which meant that I was making attacks even on Chris’s turn.
Plus, the Valor Token is granted to the player who loses the first initiative. That player can turn the Valor Token over to the other player to reroll any dice pool, even their opponent’s! Also, Interrupt cards can be used to interrupt enemy movement, attacks, and more. All of these mechanics and systems work to nearly completely erase any downtime, since you might be doing things on your opponent’s turn as well.
Streamlined Army List Building
The game is designed to allow players to build their own list and even upgrade them over several games. But, the “points” used for list building still keep the game balanced even when one player in your group accumulates more upgrades than you.
Each faction can gain different ships, upgrades, special leaders, and more. This grants players a ton of ways to build their ideal space fleet, but also offers different tactical options depending on the situation. But even with tons of upgrades, you’re not building 2000-point lists. This is more in the range of 10 to 20, which means you won’t need a spreadsheet to build your list.
Homeworld Fleet Command on Kickstarter
Homeworld Fleet Command plays a lot bigger than it is. It doesn’t have a huge footprint and could easily fit on my coffee table. It’s a game that’s got a ton of content packed into every hex.
You can check out the Kickstarter page, which is wrapping up in a few days. But there will be late pledge options. So if you miss it, don’t worry. But the Kickstarter version will have to be something of a “deluxe” edition that won’t be available in retail stores.
