
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,077
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Making Profit: The Boardgame
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2012

2018
Rules assistance for 1918: Death on the Rails
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
1918: Death on the Rails is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Aigar Alaveer and Martti Lauri and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Secret Unit Deployment, and Modular Board.
After the capitulation of Imperial Germany in 1918, German representatives formally handed over political power to the Estonian Provisional Government. On 16 November 1918, an order was given by the Russian Red Army HQ to follow the retreating German units. On 28 November 1918, the 6th Red Rifle Division struck the border town of Narva, which marked the beginning of the Estonian War of Independence. "1918: Death on the Rails" is a challenging, fast-paced block wargame for two players that reflects the struggle between the Estonian and the Russian SFSR units during the Estonian War of Independence. In the game, you maneuver units on a hexagon grid map, trying to be the first to achieve the different scenario goals. When playing 1918: Death on the Rails, it becomes clear just how significant the role of Estonian armored trains was during this defining period in Estonian history.
1918: Death on the Rails supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for 1918: Death on the Rails is 60–120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 1918: Death on the Rails for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
1918: Death on the Rails has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
1918: Death on the Rails belongs to these categories: Wargame. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Secret Unit Deployment, and Modular Board. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 1918: Death on the Rails are: Aigar Alaveer and Martti Lauri. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 1918: Death on the Rails as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.