Star Trek: Captain's Chair – To Boldly Go
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You have three cards in hand, your opponent plays their flagship. You can attack them, but they've just conquered a planet worth diplomatic points. You, however, need science to activate your best crew. In the end, nobody talks about who shot first.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
The captain's chair awaits you in the Star Trek galaxy
From David Turczi and Nigel Buckle, designers of Voidfall and the Imperium series, comes a strategic deckbuilding game that puts you in command of one of the most powerful seats in the galaxy. You can embody James T. Kirk, Khan Noonien Singh, Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery, Rebner (the Pakled commander from Lower Decks), and other iconic captains. The game engine belongs to the Imperium Engine family, a line of deckbuilders where cards don't list generic actions but make you do exactly what they represent.
Each captain has a unique asymmetric deck that reflects the character's personality, abilities, allies, and resources. You command ships, crews, and landing parties while managing resources and alliances. True to Star Trek, antagonism isn't enough to win: you'll need to pursue diplomacy, exploration, and science, with captains excelling in different paths. Each deck creates different strategic directions based on the common cards available and the opponent's strategy.
What they say abroad
"From David Turczi and Nigel Buckle, designers of Voidfall and the Imperium Series"
From David Turczi and Nigel Buckle, designers of Voidfall and the Imperium Series
— WizKids
To Boldly Go has just been released: this is an initial review based on official materials and the mechanics of the Imperium Engine family. The board will be updated as soon as we get our hands on the game and gather feedback from the community.
— FroGames
Star Trek: Captain's Chair – To Boldly Go
The game includes an official solo mode designed to test strategy and skill against the galaxy. It loses direct interaction and opponent reading, but the experience of deck construction and multiple paths remains intact.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first reading: based on rulebook and official presentation, updated with first playsYour command deck
What you find in your captain's deck
Asymmetric decks
Each captain has a unique deck of cards that reflects personality, abilities, and allies. Kirk plays differently from Khan, Georgiou differently from Rebner. Zero symmetry.
Common cards
Iconic characters, objects, planets, and events available to both players. Contests, timing, market control: who takes what changes everything.
Multiple paths
Military conquest, diplomacy, exploration, science. Each captain excels in different paths, but no one wins by just shooting. You have to balance.
Area Majority
Control of territories, influence over planets, management of strategic resources. Each conquered area opens new options and closes those of the opponent.
Recommended sleeves 263 cards in 2 sizes ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with transparent sleeves to make them last a long time.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 63.5 × 88 mm | 250 |
| 70 × 120 mm | 13 |
| Total cards | 263 |
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
A turn lasts only a few minutes, but every card played opens and closes options for the rest of the game.
You draw until you have five cards in your hand. Your deck is built by you during the game: unique captain cards plus common cards you have acquired.
You play cards from your hand to activate actions: recruit crew, deploy ships, conquer planets, accumulate resources. Each card tells you exactly what it does, no generic actions.
You use resources to take cards from the common market or from your captain deck. Acquired cards go into your discard pile and will return to your draw cycle.
You discard remaining cards, your opponent plays. At the end of the round, you count points: area control, diplomatic objectives, scientific advancements. Whoever reaches the threshold wins.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Choose your captain
Open your captain's deck, read the special cards, and immediately realize that this is not a normal deckbuilder. Each card has unique text, no generic actions. Each captain plays like a different game.
First moves, first doubts
You draw five cards, play your first actions. Your opponent takes a common card you wanted. You realize that the market is a silent war: what is taken now changes the next three turns.
The engine starts
You've built a combo, your deck is starting to flow. But your opponent controls two planets and is accumulating diplomatic points. Do you attack or build science? Each choice closes a door.
The moment you will remember
You play a crew card that lets you draw three cards, activate a starship, conquer a planet, and unlock a key resource. All in one turn. Your opponent watches you, realizing they've lost control. Or maybe not.
Who won and how
You count the points: diplomacy, science, conquest, exploration. The one who shot the most doesn't win; the one who balanced best wins. Someone immediately suggests a rematch with two different captains. It always happens.
🐸Good to know beforeThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know before
Three things you need to know
Steep learning curve
Imperium Engine is not a gateway game. Each captain has a deck of 30-40 unique cards, each with specific text and complex interactions. First game with open rulebook, it takes time to absorb the mechanics. If you're looking for a deckbuilder that explains in 10 minutes, this is not the game.
Deep asymmetry means perceived imbalance
The captain decks are radically different. Kirk plays aggressively, Khan is a card engine, Georgiou is diplomatic. In the first game, you'll feel that one captain is stronger than the other. This is normal: it takes one game to understand the strengths of your deck. Real balance after 2-3 matches.
Only 1-2 players, zero scalability
This is a tactical duel designed for one or two players. There is no 3-4 player mode, it's not a party game, it's not a family game. The game is at its best with two: the game state changes little between turns, and you can plan while the other plays. If you're looking for a group game, look elsewhere.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The one who shoots the most doesn't win. The one who builds the best engine and balances the right paths wins.
Victory
- Reach the victory point threshold through diplomacy, science, conquest, or exploration
- Control key areas and accumulate majority points before your opponent
- Build a card engine that generates resources and actions faster than your opponent
Defeat
- Your opponent reaches the victory threshold before you do
- You focused on only one path (e.g., only conquest) and your opponent surpassed you with multiple paths
- You acquired cards without building combos: your deck is bloated and slow, theirs is streamlined and lethal
Star Trek: Captain's Chair brings the Imperium Engine into one of the most beloved IPs of all time. If you are looking for a deep, asymmetric, and saga-faithful tactical duel, this is your chance.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Star Trek: Captain's Chair – To Boldly Go
Do I need to know Star Trek to play?
No, the mechanics work even without knowing the saga. But if you know the characters, the experience is much stronger: each card reflects the captain's personality and history. Kirk plays like Kirk, Khan plays like Khan.
What mechanics does Star Trek: Captain's Chair use?
Asymmetric deckbuilding with hand management, area majority, move through deck. Each captain has a unique deck and multiple victory paths (diplomacy, science, conquest, exploration). Imperium Engine family.
Is it compatible with the first Captain's Chair?
Yes, To Boldly Go is standalone but can be combined with Star Trek: Captain's Chair to create even more captain combinations. You can play Kirk (To Boldly Go) against Picard (base game).
Is the solo mode robust or is it an added gimmick?
It is official and designed to test strategy and skill. It loses direct interaction (reading the opponent, market control), but the experience of deck building and multiple paths remains complete. David Turczi is known for robust solo modes.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. The cards have significant text (each card has unique abilities), so a good understanding of the language is required. There are no official Italian translations at the moment.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Star Trek: Captain's Chair – To Boldly Go is a strategic deckbuilding game for 1-2 players designed by David Turczi and Nigel Buckle, authors of the Imperium series. You can play as James T. Kirk, Khan Noonien Singh, Philippa Georgiou from Discovery, Rebner from Lower Decks, and other iconic captains, each with a unique asymmetric deck that reflects the character's personality, abilities, and allies. True to the spirit of Star Trek, antagonism is not enough to win: you will need to balance diplomacy, exploration, science, and conquest. Duration 60-120 minutes, recommended age 14+, includes official solo mode. Published by WizKids. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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