SCTT.StarCraft Tabletop
crew primer

StarCraft: Tabletop Miniatures Game · crew primer

Get to
the table.

Bryant sent us about two dozen links across three chats. This is all of it in one place: what to buy, what to read, what to watch, and where to play. One starter box gets you a 1,000-mineral army and a real game.

Start the build queue Watch a game first
Unit previewTerranZergProtoss
A painted Terran Siege Tank miniature in blue armor on a grassy battlefield. Painted Zerg miniatures in crimson and bone: hydralisks, zerglings and a large spider-legged creature with a glowing green sac. Painted Protoss miniatures in gold and blue: two large stalker walkers, robed adepts and a gold zealot on a white stone temple.
Siege Tank, Terran expansion set. Promo still.From the Zerg starter set box art.From the Protoss starter set box art. © Archon Studio / Blizzard Entertainment.

Bryant's rule

Only pay for models.

The rules, the list builder and the faction info are free. Your money goes into plastic.

Build queue

Six steps to your first game.

Bryant's order: read the rules first, build a list second. Painting comes later and doesn't block playing.

  1. Read the rules

    The full rulebook is a free PDF. Read it cover to cover once. You won't remember everything, but you'll know where to look it up mid-game.

    Official rulebook (PDF) Or watch the rules review first

    Free

  2. Pick a faction

    Zerg, Terran or Protoss. One each across the crew means every early game is a real matchup. Switching to a hero-led subfaction is optional and can wait.

    Compare the three

    Free

  3. Build a list

    Archon's free web app has the rules, the faction cards and an army builder. Enter as a guest (an account is optional) and put your starter box together as a 1,000-mineral list.

    List builder and game companion

    Free

  4. Buy a starter box and three tools

    One starter set per player: 1,000 minerals, enough for a skirmish against another starter. Add sprue cutters, a hobby knife and super glue, about $20 on Amazon, plus six-sided dice and a tape measure if you don't have them. Skip terrain if you play at a store, and skip paints until you've picked a color scheme.

    Extra credit: one faction hero to lead your army, about $45.

    What's in each box What it costs

    $119–129 + $20

  5. Assemble

    Plan an evening. Bryant's estimate for a first build is 3 to 4 hours for about 16 models. The Zerg box has 26, 18 of them Zerglings, so plan longer. Clip, clean, glue. Painting comes later.

    Build-night checklist

    3–4 hrs

  6. Play

    Get a demo game from Bryant or at a store with StarCraft boards, then play 1,000 minerals against 1,000. Paint over time. As Bryant puts it, the goal is models on the table.

    Where to play

    1k vs 1k

The crew

Three players, three factions.

One of each means every first game is a mirror-free matchup. Bryant brings the experience and offers demo games.

Zerg

Brandon

"I am very excited for some zergies." Bryant's pick for him: the Zerg starter set.

Already has: a Tauren Marine from BlizzCon.

Terran

Josh

Wants Terran stuff, with a Siege Tank on the wish list.

Wish list: Siege Tank expansion.

Protoss

Bryant

Our teacher. He offered to run demo games for the crew and is picking up Protoss.

Brings: experience teaching wargames.

Pick a faction

One starter box. 1,000 minerals.

Each starter is a complete 1,000-mineral army. Every army uses exactly one faction card, which sets its slots and which units it can take (rulebook pp. 41, 73). The rulebook's starter armies use Terran Armed Forces, Zerg Swarm and Daelaam, so switching to a hero-led subfaction can wait.

Terran

Your colors
The Terran Starter Set box, showing blue-armored marines, marauders, white-armored medics and a Goliath walker.
Terran Starter Set. © Archon Studio / Blizzard Entertainment.

Josh's side. The official pitch: "a varied mix of resilient, versatile units."

$119starter set · 1,000 minerals

In the box

  • Marines9
  • Marauders4
  • Medics3
  • Goliath1

17 miniatures, 19 cards and 30 tokens. Unpainted and unassembled.

Subfactions

  • Terran Armed Forces
  • Raynor's Raiders
  • Nova Covert Ops

Heroes and add-ons

Terran starter set

Zerg

Your colors
The Zerg Starter Set box, showing crimson and bone zerglings, hydralisks, roaches and a queen.
Zerg Starter Set. © Archon Studio / Blizzard Entertainment.

Brandon's side. The official pitch: no technology, just "biological adaptation and planned mutation."

$119starter set · 1,000 minerals

In the box

  • Zerglings18
  • Hydralisks4
  • Roaches3
  • Queen1

Plus 3 Roachlings (29 miniatures on the box), 25 cards and 30 tokens. Unpainted and unassembled.

Subfactions

  • Kerrigan's Swarm
  • Zagara's Swarm
  • Zerg Swarm

Heroes and add-ons

Zerg starter set

Protoss

Your colors
The Protoss Starter Set box, showing gold-armored zealots, robed adepts, sentries and two large blue stalkers.
Protoss Starter Set. © Archon Studio / Blizzard Entertainment.

Bryant's side. The official pitch: warriors "enhanced by the combination of technology and formidable psionic strength."

$129starter set · 1,000 minerals

In the box

  • Zealots6
  • Adepts4
  • Sentries2
  • Stalkers2

Plus an Adept Shade and 2 Force Fields (17 miniatures on the box), 19 cards and 30 tokens. Unpainted and unassembled.

Subfactions

  • Daelaam
  • Khalai
  • Nerazim
  • Templar Caste

Heroes and add-ons

Protoss starter set

What it costs to start

Bryant quoted "~$100" in one message and "$119 + Tax" in another. The official US price is $119 for Terran and Zerg and $129 for Protoss. The $100 figure was likely the €99 European price.

US dollars from starcraft-tmg.com, checked October 14, 2026, before tax. The shop warns that US import duties and taxes may apply on delivery, though a Wave 2 post says customs are covered above a minimum order; checkout wasn't tested. The tools figure is Bryant's estimate. Not counted: six-sided dice and a tape measure, which aren't in the box.
ItemTerranZergProtoss
Starter set (1,000 minerals)$119$119$129
Sprue cutters, hobby knife, super glue~$20~$20~$20
Ready for a first game$139$139$149
Optional hero$39$49$49
With one hero$178$188$198

Build night

Three tools, one evening, no paint yet.

Bryant's warning: shops will try to sell you paints before you know what color scheme you want. Build first. Paint over time.

The toolkit

  • Sprue cuttersClip parts off the plastic frame cleanly.
  • Hobby knife (X-Acto)Trim the leftover nubs and mold lines.
  • Super glueHolds the parts together. Bryant's pick for assembly.

About $20 for all three on Amazon.

3–4 hrs

For about 16 models

Bryant's estimate for a first-timer. Terran is 17 models, Protoss 14 and Zerg 26, so Zerg takes longer. Brandon's spare room and cutting mat are finally getting used.

Bryant's rules of thumb

  • Only pay for models.Rules, list builder and faction info are free.
  • No terrain if you play at a store.They have the boards.
  • No paints until you've picked a scheme.Bryant's own regret: trying to do too much and overspending.
  • Build everything, then talk painting.The goal is models on the table.

Paint later. Any scheme goes.

"You can go any way you want on color scheme." These are three schemes Bryant pointed at. They look like Warhammer Tyranids, good Zerg reference, painted by people we don't know.

A large insectoid alien miniature painted sickly yellow-green with dark slate-blue armor plates and pale bone talons, on a base of teal plants.
Bone-green and slateShared by Bryant; original painter uncredited.
A whole army of alien miniatures painted in bright yellow with black stripes, displayed on a mossy display board at a convention.
Hornet yellow and blackShared by Bryant; original painter uncredited.
An alien miniature painted in saturated purple with acid-green armor plates, held in a hand, with a yellow "KAIJU" caption over the photo.
"Evangelion" purple and greenShared by Bryant; original painter uncredited.

Learn and watch

Read it once. Watch a game. Then play one.

Bryant's picks. He calls Art of War "the best in the world," and Play on Tabletop is his go-to for high-quality casual games.

Free · official PDF

The rulebook

All 128 pages, free. The rules, every unit's mineral cost (pp. 94–107), an example 1,000-mineral army for each starter (pp. 108, 110, 112) and nine pre-made terrain maps (pp. 116–124).

Open the rulebook

Free · official web app

List builder and game companion

Archon's free "Command Center" beta: rules, factions and cards, an army builder, missions and deployment maps, and an event calendar. Enter as a guest; an account is optional.

Open the list builder

How a game works, in one minute

Army size
A starter is a Skirmish: up to 1,000 minerals on a 36" × 36" table. Standard games go to 2,000 minerals on 36" × 54".Rulebook p. 73
Rounds
Up to 5 rounds. Each has four phases in order: Movement, Assault, Combat, then Scoring and Cleanup.Rulebook p. 54
Turns
In Movement, Assault and Combat, players alternate activating one unit at a time for one action each. Whoever passes first leads the next phase.Rulebook pp. 54–55
Reserves
Nothing starts on the table. Units arrive from reserves as your supply pool grows, and in the last round it's unlimited.Rulebook p. 55
Winning
Score the most victory points under the game's Mission Card. You control a marker when you have more supply within 3" of it.Rulebook pp. 72, 93
On the table
Six-sided dice, a tape measure in inches, and terrain. About an hour for a small game once you know the rules.Rulebook pp. 31, 33, 78; official FAQ

Start here

An unboxing and rules walkthrough: the quickest way to see how a game runs.

Art of War

Rules review and unboxing

Two Art of War hosts unbox the game and walk through how the rules capture the video game.

Watch on YouTube

Faction deep dives

"Not necessary but a passive thing": how each faction plays. Good background while you build.

Art of War

Zerg deep dive

For Brandon. Bryant sent this one to him directly.

Watch on YouTube

Full games

Complete battle reports, so you can see a whole game before playing one.

Art of War

Raynor's Raiders vs Kerrigan's Swarm

Terran against Zerg at 2,000 minerals, with Jim Raynor leading the Terrans.

Watch on YouTube

Art of War

Terran Armed Forces vs Kerrigan's Swarm

Another Terran and Zerg matchup with a different Terran subfaction.

Watch on YouTube

Art of War

Nerazim vs Kerrigan's Swarm

Protoss against Zerg at 2,000 minerals, with the Wave 2 models and rules.

Watch on YouTube

Play on Tabletop

Zerg vs Terran

Bryant's go-to for high-quality but casual play.

Watch on YouTube

Where to play

Pick it up wherever. Play where the boards are.

"Just pick it up from wherever." Stores have tables and terrain, so bring your built army, six-sided dice and a tape measure.

Highland Park, IL

Second City Games

1350 Old Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
  • Mike, the owner, has full StarCraft boards. You can try the game there before buying anything.
  • Bryant's favorite store.
  • Lists StarCraft TMG online, including Founders Edition starters: the two-player box (Terran and Zerg, with terrain) at $199.99, one box to split, and a Protoss box at $109.99.
  • 2,200 square feet of play space for miniature, card and board games.

StarCraft stock Directions

Chicago, IL

Chicagoland Games: Dice Dojo

5550 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
  • Bryant counts about four people playing StarCraft there.
  • A crew favorite for board, card and miniature games.

The store's website footer still says 2023, so its StarCraft stock couldn't be checked online. Call ahead: (773) 728-3656.

Website Directions

Demo games with Bryant

Bryant offered to run demo games for us with his own models. To try StarCraft before anyone buys, Second City Games has full boards.

Or order direct

The official store sells every starter set and hero in the faction cards above. Prices here come from starcraft-tmg.com.