From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Homeworlds?

Looney Labs English Homeworlds booklet, 16 PDF spreads

If the players are evenly matched in skill, flip a coin. Otherwise, the less experienced player begins.

Official tie-break or fallback

A coin flip chooses the starter when the players' skills are evenly matched.

Rule details

The game opens with a setup round in which each player chooses their Homeworld stars and initial ship.

Source & edition

Homeworlds: Looney Labs rulesLooney Labs · Setup; Who Starts?; The First Turn; PDF pages 2, 3 · Checked 2026-09-23Printed page references: 2, 3, 4, 5
PDF page 2 PDF page 3

All 7 Looney Labs starting rules

Image: © Looney Labs and any cover-art licensors or artists (precise ownership not stated on product page) · Looney Labs

If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.

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<blockquote class="whogoesfirst-rule" cite="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/homeworlds-looney-en/">
  <p><strong>Who goes first in Homeworlds?</strong> If the players are evenly matched in skill, flip a coin. Otherwise, the less experienced player begins.</p>
  <p>Source: <a href="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/homeworlds-looney-en/">Official starting rule on Who Goes First?</a> (Looney Labs English Homeworlds booklet, 16 PDF spreads)</p>
</blockquote>

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