Quick answer

Buy Star Realms United: Assault first if you want permanent ships and bases that slot into normal deckbuilding turns. Buy Star Realms United: Heroes first if you already own the base game or Colony Wars and want one-shot effects that can trigger ally abilities. If you plan to collect all four United packs, the six-of-each display is the more efficient route.

What each pack actually adds to your games

United: Assault is a 12-card pack of multi-faction ships and bases, including 2 Alliance Transport, 2 Blog Bot, 2 Coalition Patrol, 1 Embassy Base, 1 Exchange Point, 1 Lookout Post, 2 Trade Star, and 1 Union Stronghold. These are cards you acquire and keep in your deck, so they change how your turns develop over the long game and reward planning around faction pairings.

United: Heroes is a 13-card pack with a rules card and 12 new Hero cards. Heroes are acquired directly into play for immediate effects and can trigger ally abilities. You can scrap them right away or hold them for the perfect moment to use them again. That makes Heroes a burst-oriented pack: it creates big single turns rather than permanent board presence.

How the two packs compare on the table

Assault and Heroes pull your deck in different directions. Assault adds durable ships and bases that support multi-faction strategies, so it pairs well with players who like building an economy and grinding out advantage. Heroes adds one-shot effects that can be timed for ally triggers, so it rewards players who can read the table and sequence their acquisitions.

One practical difference is card count: Assault gives you 12 cards, while Heroes gives you 13 including the rules card. That extra rules card matters if you are new to the Hero card type, because it explains how Heroes enter play and how scrapping them works. If you already know the system, the extra card is simply reference material.

Cost and collection math

At catalog prices, United: Assault is listed at USD 4.13 and United: Heroes at USD 3.71, both below their comparison prices. If you only want one pack, the price gap is small enough that the decision should come down to play style rather than savings.

If you intend to own the full United line, the United Display with 6 each of 4 packs is listed at USD 90.57 and contains 6 United: Assault, 6 United: Heroes, 6 United: Command, and 6 United: Missions. That is 24 packs and 288 cards total. Buying the display is the better value per pack if you are a completionist or splitting packs with a play group.

Where Crisis: Heroes fits in

If you are drawn to the Hero card type but want a different flavor, Star Realms Crisis: Heroes is a 12-card pack that introduced the Hero card type to Star Realms. It includes named cards like 2 Cunning Captain, 1 Admiral Rasmussen, 2 Ram Pilot, 1 Blog Overlord, 2 War Elder, 1 High Priest Lyle, 2 Special Ops Director, and 1 CEO Torres. It is designed to combine with the Star Realms Deckbuilding Game and/or the Colony Wars expansion.

Crisis: Heroes is not part of the United line, so it does not add multi-faction ships and bases or Mission cards. It is a good pick if you want more Hero-style effects but do not need the United faction-mixing theme.

Trade-offs at a glance

  • Permanent vs. burst: United: Assault adds ships and bases that stay in your deck and shape the whole game. United: Heroes adds one-shot effects that create a single explosive turn but do not build permanent board presence. Choose Assault for steady growth, Heroes for swing turns.
  • Ally triggers vs. faction mixing: Heroes are acquired directly into play and can trigger ally abilities, so they reward faction-aware sequencing. Assault's multi-faction ships and bases reward building around several factions at once. If your group already plays heavy ally combos, Heroes fits naturally; if you like multi-faction decks, Assault is the smoother add.
  • Single pack vs. display: A single Assault or Heroes pack costs under USD 5 and gives you 12-13 cards. The United Display costs USD 90.57 and gives you 24 packs across all four United releases. Buy singles to test the waters; buy the display if you already know you want the full United line.
  • United vs. Crisis: United: Heroes is part of the United line and pairs with United: Assault, Command, and Missions. Crisis: Heroes is a separate 12-card pack that introduced the Hero card type and combines with the base game and/or Colony Wars. Stay in United if you want the full multi-faction system; pick Crisis: Heroes if you only want more Hero effects.

Product facts

  • Star Realms United: Assault: United: Assault is a 12-card pack of multi-faction ships and bases, including 2 Alliance Transport, 2 Blog Bot, 2 Coalition Patrol, 1 Embassy Base, 1 Exchange Point, 1 Lookout Post, 2 Trade Star, and 1 Union Stronghold. These are permanent deck additions, so Assault rewards long-term deck building and faction mixing rather than one-shot turns.
  • Star Realms United: Heroes: United: Heroes is a 13-card pack with a rules card and 12 new Hero cards that are acquired directly into play for immediate effects and can trigger ally abilities. They can be scrapped right away or saved for the perfect moment to do it again. Heroes create burst turns and ally triggers, which suits players who prefer timing and combo potential over permanent board presence.
  • Star Realms United Display 6 Each of 4 Packs: The United Display contains 6 each of United: Assault, United: Heroes, United: Command, and United: Missions, with 12 cards per pack. If you want the full United set or share packs with a group, the display lowers the per-pack cost and guarantees you get every faction and Mission card.
  • Star Realms Crisis: Heroes: Crisis: Heroes is a 12-card pack that introduced the Hero card type and includes named cards such as 2 Cunning Captain, 1 Admiral Rasmussen, 2 Ram Pilot, 1 Blog Overlord, 2 War Elder, 1 High Priest Lyle, 2 Special Ops Director, and 1 CEO Torres. It combines with the Star Realms Deckbuilding Game and/or the Colony Wars expansion. Crisis: Heroes is an alternative Hero-style purchase if you want the mechanic without committing to the United multi-faction and Mission card system.

Which pack should you buy first?

Buy United: Assault first if you...

  • Prefer permanent ships and bases that develop your deck over many turns
  • Want to mix multiple factions and build around ally abilities
  • Are adding to a collection that already has the Star Realms base game or Colony Wars

Skip United: Assault for now if you...

  • Want immediate, one-shot effects rather than long-term deck building
  • Already own a full set of multi-faction ships and bases from other expansions
  • Prefer to test the United line with the lowest-priced single pack