Full Thrust is a science fiction strategy wargame written by Jon Tuffley and published by Ground Zero Games of England. It is usually played with miniature figurines representing imaginary starships, although cardboard chits representing the vessels can also be used. Unlike many games, the publishers encourage the use of any miniatures rather than only "official" ones, though Ground Zero Games does also sell an extensive miniature range. Full Thrust is one of the most popular games representing starship battles. The game has its own military science fiction/space opera universe. However, the rulebook states that this background is entirely optional; the game is intentionally designed to allow players a high degree of creativity within the rule set. There are also many unofficial conversions to other sci-fi universes like Star Trek (sometimes called Full Trek), Star Wars and Honor Harrington. History The most current Full Thrust rules set is generally known as version 2.5, though this is not the title of any official release; it refers to the rules from Full Thrust, Second Edition (1992) as extensively amended by the two Fleet Book volumes (published in 1998 and 2000). Version 2.5 is often played with some rules from More Thrust, the most common being fighter morale. The plain Second Edition rules set is known as version 2, and itself incorporated several changes from the previous, now out of print, First Edition published in 1991. A Version 3.0 is planned for some time in the future, but no date has been set. However, the Second Edition and the Fleet Books are all available as free downloads in PDF form on the Ground Zero Games online store. Plot and universe Although the authors of the game stated that their universe is of second importance to the rules, nonetheless the universe as developed in the rulebooks has been adopted and expanded by many fans. The official universe is an example of a military space opera with numerous stellar factions fighting for control of the known space. The main political entities include four major human powers, dozens of smaller human powers and three alien races. The game is set around the year 2188. Major human empires: NAC — The "New Anglian Confederation" was formed in 2057. The NAC colonies fall under a constitutional monarchy. Their Royal Space Navy descended from the British Royal Navy, and is an amalgam of former British, Canadian and United States forces.