Imperial Starfire

About this expansion

Imperial Starfire is a two-player campaign expansion for Starfire (3rd Edition), released in 1993, with an approximately 900-minute play time. It expands the Starfire experience beyond individual battles with rules for managing a larger, evolving science-fiction setting.

The campaign rules cover the creation and operation of a complete game universe. Players can use systems for universe generation, alien races, research, economics, communications, intelligence operations, and supply. Together, these elements provide a framework for extended play in which space combat is connected to broader strategic concerns.

• Universe generation and alien races
• Research and economics
• Communications and intelligence operations
• Supply and campaign management

The Starfire series simulates combat in space at sublight speed. Galactic travel takes place through “Warp Points” that connect star systems in a random manner, while movement occurs on an “endless” hex map divided into six impulses.

Ships are assembled from combat and non-combat systems, with each system represented by a letter or combination of letters. These elements form a ship’s “word.” As damage is inflicted, letters are crossed off from left to right within that word, providing a distinctive system for tracking a vessel’s deterioration until it is destroyed.

With its extensive campaign framework and detailed approach to ship damage, Imperial Starfire is designed for players who want to place Starfire’s space battles within a broader galactic structure. It combines long-form campaign rules with the series’ characteristic warp-point travel, hex-map movement, and letter-based ship design.