I picked this one up via a pre-order so that it arrived on the first day of release in Oz (29/8/20250) to play with the Grandkids and the more intelligent wargamer………………oops!

The Battle of Hoth is one of the most iconic and thrilling sequences in the entire Star Wars saga, serving as the dramatic opening to The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It is a pivotal moment that effectively showcases the dire situation of the Rebel Alliance against the overwhelming might of the Galactic Empire.

The battle itself is a ground assault on the Rebel’s secret Echo Base on the frozen planet of Hoth, forced after an Imperial probe droid discovers their location.

Although I haven’t played the game yet I will this Friday with some of those more intelligent wargamers (a bit like the weird Al Yankovic song “A genius in France” isn’t it). I have had a few solo run throughs and it looks great.

Counters and hex terrain

The Core System uses the Command and Colors system, designed by Richard Borg and distributed by “Days of Wonder”. This system is simple to learn but has a surprising amount of tactical depth, driven by playing Command Cards to activate units in specific sections of the board.

The standard Memoir ’44 thick card fold out mat

The game does a great job of recreating the “feel” of the movie, featuring excellent, detailed miniatures for AT-ATs, Snowspeeders, Snowtroopers, and Rebel forces. Production value is a high quality. as you would expecty from a Richard Borg game.

Cards, dice and curved card holders – an upgrade on Memoir ’44,

It is more than just a re-skin of Memoir ’44, where different units on both sides have unique rules, such as the Rebels’ Snowspeeders (fast, but with their special attack against the AT-ATs) and the Imperial AT-ATs (powerful but slow). Iconic characters like Luke, Han, Leia, and Darth Vader can be added, each shuffling unique, powerful cards into a player’s hand, adding variety and some cinematic moments, desired variance, and thematic moments.The campaign mode includes two multi-scenario campaigns where the outcome of one battle affects the starting conditions (like gaining unit upgrades) of the next, providing a richer narrative experience.

Lots of cool figures

It’s a fantastic introductory wargame for younger players or non-gamers, being easy to set up and quick to play (around 30 minutes per scenario), yet still offering enough strategy to engage seasoned gamers.

Scenario 2 in action (1)

It is a lighter version of the Memoir ’44 system with less unit variety and no in-built reasons for units to work together which means it is not a game for those looking for strategic complexity. Which is why I was interested in the first place. After all I need a game where I have a chance of beating the Grandkids!

Scenario 2 in action (2)

Scenario 2 in action (3)

A great introductory game and a must for those families besotted by the Star Wars franchise!