Star Wars: Legion VS Shatterpoint

If you're a Star Wars and miniatures wargaming fan, you're living through a golden age! But with great games come difficult choices. The launch of the new edition of Star Wars: Legion has led many wargaming newbies down a rabbit hole. Right now, there are not one but two major Star Wars tabletop games available. Both offer distinct experiences: Star Wars: Legion and Star Wars: Shatterpoint. They’re published by Atomic Mass Games and feature awesome miniatures and exciting gameplay but they differ in scale, mechanics, time investment, and playstyle.

So, for players who are on the fence about which game to dive into, we’ve compared them across the most important differences.

Join us along the way and may the Force be with you!

1. Large-Scale Wargame vs. Hero Skirmisher

Star Wars: Legion is a large-scale wargame, simulating full-blown battles between major factions like the Empire, the Rebel Alliance, the Separatists, and the Republic. Players command entire squads of troops, vehicles, and iconic characters (like Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader) across a sprawling battlefield. You might end up with with a lot of miniatures on the tabletop. The game emphasizes strategic deployment, unit orders, managing suppression, and battlefield positioning during large-scale engagements. It’s methodical, strategic, and simulation-oriented.

Imperials vs Rebels in Star Wars: Legion

The appeal is clear: you really feel like you're re-enacting massive Star Wars battles. Whether it’s Hoth, Endor, or Geonosis. The focus is on armies, not individual heroes. That means it’s a high-stakes game where many units are lost per round. It’s even possible for beloved Jedi heroes to fall under a barrage of fire from nameless stormtroopers. Also, Legion is asymmetric in the sense that you might field an elite strike force while your opponent controls a massive horde of battle droids. That’s pretty cool since your way to victory might be totally different from your opponent. 

To paint a better picture:

If you're a PC gamer, think Total War or Command & Conquer without the base-building.

If you're a wargamer new to Star Wars: think Warhammer 40K, but more dynamic thanks to alternating activations.

Star Wars: Shatterpoint, on the other hand, is a skirmish-level game focused on iconic Star Wars characters. Instead of controlling full armies, you command a small Strike Team of powerful heroes in fast-paced tactical missions. The action is zoomed-in, personal, and packed with cinematic flair like in martial arts battles and lightsaber duels! You can even flip though different fighting stances for your characters like the lightsaber fighting styles Ataru and Soresu. 

 Bigger but fewer Minis in Shatterpoint 

Picture this: Mandalorians leaping to rooftops only to be Force-pushed off by a Jedi. Then a Sith Lord ambushes the Jedi to seize the initiative! Shatterpoint is that quick and dynamic.

A cool bonus in terms of how the game works: if you hate seeing your favorite characters die, Shatterpoint is for you. Characters can be injured or temporarily knocked out, but they rarely die. They tend to recover and dive right back into the action.

Shatterpoint has a more "boardgamey" or even "arcadey" feel. It’s less of a simulation and more focused on fun. Some mechanics may feel counterintuitive from a realism standpoint. For example, line-of-sight and cover rules are streamlined, sacrificing realism for clarity. While Legion is asymmetrical Shatterpoint is much more symmetrical. You usually play 8 vs 8 Characters (with some exceptions). And all characters feel viable in combat. Even the Ewok Chief Chirpa can stand toe-to-toe with a Jedi (only using a sharp stick)! For some lore purists, this might break immersion, but for others, it opens up amazing "what-if" scenarios.

To get a sense of it:

If you're a PC/console gamer, think Super Smash Bros. meets X-Com.

If you're a wargamer, think Kill Team from Warhammer 40K.

2. Gameplay

Legion games are longer. Typically at least 2 to 3 hours. It has a deep strategic layer, especially during listbuilding (choosing units and upgrades before the game). You’ll make decisions like:

Should I field elite troops or a swarm of infantry? Should I include vehicles or Jedi? What Force powers or command upgrades should I take?

There are excellent apps like Tabletop Admiral to help with listbuilding. This aspect is beloved by players who enjoy tweaking and perfecting their forces. The rules are medium to challenging in complexity, but offer deep tactical options. There are different missions, deployment zones and conditions. No game ever feels the same. Legion has a super high replayability.

If you're new, don’t worry because there’s a great starting format called a Recon Game (600 points per army). These are shorter and ideal for learning the rules. Speaking of rules. You can check out the full rules for both Legion and Shatterpoint on the official Page of Atomic Mass Games. Have a glimpse and see if you like it.

Shatterpoint, by contrast, offers faster play: around 90 minutes per game. It's more accessible, with mechanics designed for quick resolution and fast-paced action. It feels like a duel between elite teams where every move counts.

Shatterpoint introduces with the Struggle Tracker a unique rubber-banding mechanic. A dynamic objective system that keeps both players in the fight. It avoids “feels bad” moments and ensures close, exciting games until the very end. Where Legion is more strategic (long-term planning), Shatterpoint is more tactical (reacting and adapting in the moment).

In terms of listbuilding, Shatterpoint uses a modular system: each Squad has a Primary, Secondary, and Support unit. Instead of granular point costs, the focus is on synergy between characters. What I like about it is that Faction restrictions are relaxed. So Vader and Luke can fight together as father and son to rule the galaxy! But once again, lore purists might dislike this feature.

Both games can be played casually and competitively. There are big tournaments for both games but Legion has the bigger player base as it is the older game of the two.

3. The Hobby Aspect

Both games come with unpainted and unassembled miniatures.

Legion has more models per game, including troops, vehicles, and heroes. Assembly and painting are more time-consuming. However  many find it relaxing and rewarding (painting can be like meditation! Same goes for assembly. Just ask the Gunpla guys). Legion typically uses a 6x3 ft board (183x91.5cm) with plenty of terrain. Line of sight, cover, and movement-blocking are essential, so terrain isn’t just for show but rather gameplay-critical. You can either craft terrain yourself or purchase it. 

Expect a higher entry cost for Legion, especially if you're building full armies. However, starting small with Recon games can help manage this.

The Starter set gives you a 600 Points Recon.  Force. A Standard Game is 1000 Points.

 For Shatterpoint: that's a complete Strike Team 

Shatterpoint uses larger miniatures (40mm vs. Legion’s 32mm), making them easier to paint and assemble. Each Strike Team has fewer models, which means faster setup and less hobby time required. It uses a 3x3 ft board (91x91cm) but also needs terrain. In Shatterpoint elevation matters even more than in Legion. Characters climb, leap, and duel across rooftops, making this a truly 3D experience.

Have a look at the different aesthetics between the two games:

   Legion has a more grounded and realistic tone.

Shatterpoint resembles the Clone Wars series and looks more cartoony.

Obviously you can play and collect both games at the same time. I love to switch it up depending on my mood and my gaming buddies. Sometimes I want to play a cerebral duel of Shatterpoint and sometimes I want to have the feel of a huge simulation-oriented battle. But if you only want to play one game...

You should choose Legion if…

You want large-scale battles with squads, vehicles, and cinematic warfare.

You enjoy collecting, building, and painting lots of miniatures.

You have the space, time, and budget for a full wargaming hobby.

You prefer deep strategic planning and realistic simulations.

You want to recreate massive Star Wars battles on your tabletop with a more grounded or realistic aesthetic.

You should choose Shatterpoint if…

You prefer shorter, fast-paced games focused on heroes.

You're a fan of up close and personal fights.

You like manageable hobby requirements like fewer models and smaller play areas.

You enjoy games with a fun, arcadey feel rather than realism.

You like games without frustrating feels-bad moments that are open until the very end.

You love tactical decision-making and combo-based gameplay.

You like the more stylized, cartoony Star Wars aesthetic.

Verdict

Star Wars: Legion and Star Wars: Shatterpoint (alongside Marvel Crisis Protocol) are some of my absolute favorite games. Both 10/10, you can’t go wrong with either. That said, they offer different Star Wars experiences. Legion is about simulating strategic, large-scale warfare. Shatterpoint is about fast, tactical, cinematic skirmishes.

Your choice depends on how much time, space, and budget you want to commit. And, more importantly, what kind of Star Wars story you want to bring to life on the tabletop.