How to Play: The Basics of Battle
Mastering the Force: A Beginner’s Guide to Star Wars: Shatterpoint
Part 2 – How to Play: The Basics of Battle
So you’ve picked up the Star Wars: Shatterpoint Core Set—or you’re thinking about it—and you want to know how it actually plays. This guide will walk you through the basics of the game without overwhelming detail. You’ll learn how to build a strike team, take actions, and win the battle using Shatterpoint’s unique struggle-based system.
If you're new to miniature games, don’t worry—Shatterpoint is designed with accessibility in mind. You only need a few key concepts to start having fun.
Building Your Strike Team
Each player builds a strike team made up of:
- 1 Primary Unit (like Anakin Skywalker or Asajj Ventress)
- 1 Secondary Unit (such as Rex, Kalani, or Bo-Katan)
- 1 Support Unit (often a two-model squad like Clone Troopers or Battle Droids)
Each trio forms a squad. Your strike team consists of two full squads—one led by each Primary unit. The game encourages thematic combinations, but you can mix and match across eras for your own custom team.
You can start playing right away using the two pre-built squads in the Core Set, then branch out into other squad packs as you expand your collection.
Browse squad packs and expand your strike team at GameOn.games
The Turn Structure
Shatterpoint uses an activation deck instead of a traditional turn order. At the start of the game, you shuffle your unit cards into a small deck. On your turn, you draw the top card and activate that unit—this creates a dynamic, unpredictable flow that keeps players engaged every round.
Each unit gets two actions on their turn, choosing from:
- Move: Navigate the battlefield using movement tools.
- Combat: Attack enemies using melee or ranged attacks.
- Focus: Improve your next attack roll.
- Ability: Use a special force or character skill unique to that unit.
Most units also have identity abilities and reactions that trigger passively or in response to battlefield events. This makes every character feel unique and cinematic, from Anakin’s aggressive strikes to Maul’s relentless pursuit of enemies.
The Struggle Tracker – How to Win
Instead of tracking victory points, Shatterpoint uses a Struggle Tracker to represent the ebb and flow of battle. The game is divided into struggles—each one is like a round in a boxing match. Players compete to gain momentum by controlling key objectives on the board.
At the end of each player's turn, if they control more active objectives than their opponent, they push the momentum token toward their side. The first player to move the token all the way across the tracker wins that struggle. Win two struggles and you win the game.
This system keeps the pressure high and prevents runaway victories. It also means every unit activation can shift the tide.
Learning Through Play
Shatterpoint is best learned by doing. The Core Set includes an excellent step-by-step tutorial mission to walk you through your first game. Within one or two sessions, you’ll have a solid grasp of the rules and will start to see the depth in squad building and positional tactics.
Here are a few tips for your first game:
- Keep objectives in mind—controlling the battlefield is just as important as dealing damage.
- Don’t worry about memorizing every rule; use the reference cards included in the box.
- Play with the pre-constructed squads first before customizing your own teams.
Start Playing Today
If you're looking for a fun, thematic, and tactical game that rewards creativity and cinematic plays, Star Wars: Shatterpoint delivers. It’s easy to learn, but offers depth for long-term replayability.
Order the Shatterpoint Core Set now at GameOn.games and take your first steps into the battlefield.
Next up in Part 3 of this series, we’ll cover how to expand your strike team, develop your own playstyle, and get the most out of Shatterpoint with expansions, terrain, and community play.