
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,738
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Less Than 60 Miles
- 1–4 players
- 180–600 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2019

2018
Rules assistance for 1985: Under an Iron Sky
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.
1985: Under an Iron Sky is a board game released in 2018 for 2–6 players, 120–8640 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by Fabrizio Vianello and Marco Cimmino and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
"The increasing destabilization of the political and economic situation in the Soviet Union is undercutting our positions in the world. The pride and honor of the Soviet people must be restored in full." Public Declaration of State Committee for the State of Emergency in the U.S.S.R., June 11, 1985 1985: Under an Iron Sky is the spiritual successor of The Next War by SPI: an operational, highly detailed simulation of a NATO - Warsaw Pact conflict in Central Europe. Being a so-called "Monster", 1985 is not exactly a beer and pretzel game. Rules include every aspect of modern warfare, leaving little or nothing on an abstract level: air war, helicopters, electronic warfare, special forces, revolts, nuclear and chemical warfare.....you name it. In order to survive, both sides must keep a constant eye on the front line, the rear areas and on the sky above. Game Highlights Order of Battle and TO&E are not “generic”, but set exactly in July, 1985 14km per hex, 48 hours per game turn Division / Brigade sized ground combat units Squadron sized Air and Helicopter units Extensive air war rules covering Escort, Intercept, SEAD, Wild Weasel, Ground Strike and more EF-111 and Yak28 PP Offensive ECM Squadrons E-3 Sentry and A-50 Mainstay AWACS Squadrons Special Forces, Airmobile, Paratroops, Electronic Warfare, Artillery, SSM, SAM and Air Defense Artillery units Rules for Chemical Warfare, Nuclear Warfare and uncontrolled escalation to Strategic Nuclear Exchange Specific operational tactics like Airmobile Antitank Battalions, Active Defense and Single-Echelon Assaults Variable NATO reinforcements, depending on players’ decisions and events in the battle of North Atlantic Variable Warsaw Pact reinforcements, depending on Pact’s decision for Mobilization and Norway Invasion Unrest and Revolts in Warsaw Pact countries Two different Campaign Games: “Forward, Comrades!”, the classical Warsaw Pact offensive in Central Europe “It Started in the Shipyards”, NATO intervention in support of widespread revolts in Warsaw Pact satellite countries Four smaller scenarios: “Checkpoint Charlie”, the battle for West Berlin “A Damned Nice Thing”, Warsaw Pact main attack against NORTHAG “Mind the Gap”, Warsaw Pact secondary attack against CENTAG "Para Bellum", Warsaw Pact offensive against Italy following a stalemate on Central front Playable stand-alone or in combination with 1985:Deadly Northern Lights and 1985:Sacred Oil Components: see editions descriptions (description from the publisher)
1985: Under an Iron Sky supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 1985: Under an Iron Sky is 120–8640 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 1985: Under an Iron Sky for ages 16 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.
1985: Under an Iron Sky has a complexity rating of 4.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
1985: Under an Iron Sky belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 1985: Under an Iron Sky are: Fabrizio Vianello and Marco Cimmino. 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 1985: Under an Iron Sky 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.