Starguard! is a 1974 miniatures wargame created by Michael Kurtick and Jon McEwan and published by McEwan Miniatures. It is a game of tactical-level ground combat of the future.[1] The games Star War 2250 (1975) and Orilla: 1st StarGuard Supplement (1977) were released as strategic companions to Starguard!.[2]

Starguard!
Designers
  • Michael Scott Kurtick
  • John McEwan
IllustratorsC. Hards
Publishers
  • McEwan Miniatures
Publication1974; 50 years ago (1974)
Genres
Languages
  • English
Players2
Playing time120 minutes
Websitehttps://www.tin-soldier.com/sgdp.html

Gameplay

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Players can play as various alien forces, each of which have different weapons and tables of organization and equipment (TOE's).[1]

On a player's turn, they can move and fire and must choose the order these operations. Players have infantrymen, treaded vehicles, and anti-gravity vehicles with different speeds they can use to move around the model map. When firing, a die is rolled to hit the target and a "penetration roll" is made if the shot succeeds, the values of which are referenced to firing charts.[3] There are a variety of weapons, each of which have different ranges, blast radii, damage, and effects (such as smoke).[1]

The winner is the player who destroys all the forces of the other player.

Publication history

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According to Shannon Appelcline, "The Space Gamer #6 ( June/July 1976) [was] the first issue to offer up substantial articles on other publishers' games — including discussions of McEwan Miniatures' Starguard! (1974) and SPI's then-forthcoming StarSoldier (1977)."[4]: 214 

Reception

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Larry Bond and Michael Mornard reviewed Starguard! in The Space Gamer No. 6. They commented that "In summary, Starguard! provides a nucleus for creating a single battle or an extended campaign. It can be played fully with the existing weaponry, or it can be expanded to include any weapon imaginable."[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Bond, Larry; Mornard, Michael (June–July 1976). "Starguard! or What to do after you hit the beach". The Space Gamer (6). Metagaming: 23–25 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ "Command Study". Craft, Model, and Hobby Industry Magazine: 78. November 1978 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ Watson, Tony (April 10, 1978). "Spacelanes #6; STARGUARD". Claw and Fang Magazine (89): 7 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-075-5.
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