Science-Fiction Ground Combat — Miniatures & Boardgames
A practical, researched buyer’s guide to ground-combat sci-fi gaming (no starship-only titles): ranked for Skirmish · Platoon/Company · Board/Hex, with notes on scales and 3D-print ecosystems.
Scope & filter: Only titles where primary gameplay is ground/infantry/armour on a table or board.
Space-naval/4X are excluded. If a game spans space and ground, we assess only the ground modules.
How We Rated (evidence-based)
- ★★★★★ Excellent — Robust rules, clear scenarios, active support, easy minis/STL options.
- ★★★★ Good — Strong core with some caveats (scope, availability, learning curve).
- ★★★ Average — Playable with effort; narrower support or dated materials.
- ★★ Poor — Major obstacles (rules bloat, availability, fragile ecosystem).
Top In-Print Picks (Ground Combat only)
Board/Hex & Standalone Skirmish Boxes
- Undaunted 2200: Callisto — lunar ground fights with mechs; solo/2/4-player; clear support docs. Board ★★★★★
- OGRE / G.E.V. — asymmetric cybertank vs combined arms; definitive sci-fi ground box line. Board ★★★★★
- BattleTech — hex-based mech warfare; Alpha Strike accelerates play. Board ★★★★★
- Core Space — narrative skirmish with modular terrain; strong solo/co-op. Board ★★★★
- Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps — cooperative corridor combat; reprint cycles. Board ★★★★
- Space Hulk — classic CQB; OOP; modern CQB via Kill Team Gallowdark. Board ★★★★
- Red Dust Rebellion — COIN insurgency on Mars; great scenario seeds. Board ★★★★
Miniatures — Skirmish to Platoon/Company (current support)
- Star Wars: Legion — platoon-level with live CRB/points; broad factions. Skirmish Platoon ★★★★★
- Infinity (N5) — elite near-future firefights with reactive ARO system; free rules. Skirmish ★★★★★
- Kill Team — cinematic squad actions; frequent support. Skirmish ★★★★
- Grimdark Future: Firefight — free, model-agnostic, STL-rich. Skirmish ★★★★
- Deadzone — fast grid skirmish; accessible factions. Skirmish ★★★★
- Stargrave — narrative crew actions with healthy supplement line. Skirmish ★★★★
- Dropzone Commander — 10 mm dropships + urban objectives. Platoon/Company ★★★★
- Zone Raiders — post-singularity, model-agnostic, campaign + AI. Skirmish ★★★–★★★★
Miniatures by Level
Skirmish (5–20 figures)
- Infinity (N5) — hallmark ARO/reactive-turn engine; official rules free. ★★★★★
- Stargrave — crew-based narrative campaign; robust Osprey line. ★★★★
- Grimdark Future: Firefight — free rules + expansions; huge STL library. ★★★★
- Zone Raiders — mobility-focused, solo/coop AI modules. ★★★–★★★★
- Deadzone — cube-grid speed, low bookkeeping. ★★★★
- Core Space (hybrid) — narrative crews, excellent on-ramps. ★★★★
Platoon / Company (vehicles + infantry)
- Star Wars: Legion — current CRB & points; broad faction range. ★★★★★
- Tomorrow’s War — hard-SF platoon battles; Force on Force lineage. ★★★★
- Dropzone Commander — 10 mm combined arms with dropships. ★★★★
- Dirtside II (free) — generic combined-arms sandbox still referenced by designers. ★★★★
- Hammer’s Slammers — hover-tank mercenaries; rock-solid scenarios. ★★★★
Campaign / Frameworks
- Starvation Cheap — stitch table fights into wider wars; resource-scarce ops. ★★★★
- Hell by Starlight — heavier campaign layer; classic feel. ★★★
- Warlaser — ultra-light experiments; great for teaching nights. ★★★ (niche)
Older / Free GZG Gems
- Stargrunt II — infantry-centric with vehicles, morale/suppression & leadership depth (free PDF). ★★★★
- Dirtside II — three-part PDF; excellent toolbox for combined arms. ★★★★
Classics & Out-of-Print (still excellent with proxies)
- Starship Troopers (Avalon Hill, 1976) — Heinlein-inspired ground battles; foundational scenarios. Board ★★★★
- Terminator Genisys: The Miniatures Game — cinematic humans vs endos; OOP but playable. Skirmish ★★★
- Space Hulk — benchmark CQB design; OOP; many spiritual successors. Board ★★★★
Scales, Terrain & 3D Printing
- 6–10 mm (epic/Dropzone): mass armour, long LoS; economical armies; great for OGRE cross-overs and dense city tiles.
- 12–15 mm: sweet spot for combined arms (easy printing, affordable vehicles). Pair with generic sci-fi roads/structures.
- 28–32 mm: best for skirmish narrative; deep terrain ecosystems and abundant STLs.
- STL ecosystems: OPR offers free rules + commercial STLs; many third-party sculptors provide compatible infantry, drones and terrain.
Summary Table — Sci-Fi Ground Combat (ranked)
| Title | Format | Scale | Support | Our Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undaunted 2200: Callisto | Board (tactical) | -- | Active | ★★★★★ | Mechs, high-ground rules, solo/2/4p; strong official support. |
| OGRE / G.E.V. | Board (hex) | -- | Active | ★★★★★ | Asymmetric cybertank vs combined arms; iconic, well supported. |
| BattleTech / Alpha Strike | Board (hex) / Minis | 6 mm | Active | ★★★★★ | Deep mech tactics; faster play via Alpha Strike. |
| Core Space | Board-minis hybrid | 28–32 mm | Active | ★★★★ | Narrative skirmish; solo/co-op; modular terrain. |
| Aliens: Another Glorious Day… | Board (co-op) | 28 mm | Intermittent | ★★★★ | Hadley’s Hope missions, expansions; reprint cycles. |
| Star Wars: Legion | Miniatures | 28–32 mm | Active | ★★★★★ | Live CRB/points; broad factions; strong terrain support. |
| Infinity (N5) | Miniatures | 28–32 mm | Active | ★★★★★ | ARO/reactive system; free official rules. |
| Kill Team | Miniatures | 28–32 mm | Active | ★★★★ | Cinematic CQB; frequent box support. |
| Grimdark Future: Firefight | Miniatures | 28–32 mm | Active | ★★★★ | Free rules; huge STL ecosystem; model-agnostic. |
| Dropzone Commander | Miniatures | 10 mm | Active | ★★★★ | Dropship-centric urban warfare; current rules. |
| Tomorrow’s War | Miniatures | 15/28 mm | PDF/OOP | ★★★★ | Hard-SF platoon battles; Force on Force lineage. |
| Stargrunt II | Miniatures | 15/25 mm | Free PDF | ★★★★ | Morale/suppression-forward design; still respected. |
| Dirtside II | Miniatures | 6–15 mm | Free PDF | ★★★★ | Generic combined-arms sandbox; design reference. |
| Red Dust Rebellion | Board (COIN) | -- | Announced | ★★★★ | Mars insurgency at operational level; scenario seed factory. |
| Starship Troopers (AH, 1976) | Board (hex) | -- | OOP | ★★★★ | Foundational sci-fi ground scenarios; worth study. |
We intentionally excluded starship-only titles and 4X strategy.
Practical Notes & Scenario Building
- Seed tabletop from board: Convert an Undaunted 2200 map’s LOS/objectives to a 28 mm Kill Team board, or turn an OGRE breakthrough into a 10 mm Dropzone table.
- Campaign glue: Starvation Cheap and Hammer’s Slammers provide economies, missions and escalation that slot over Stargrave/Legion/Dirtside.
- Hard-SF feel: For near-future tones, Tomorrow’s War and Stargrunt II model suppression, leadership and combined arms credibly.
Stargrunt II
A range of Free generic rules from GZG. Click Here for the direct link
