
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Solitaire Scenarios for Use with Panzer, Armor, and 88
- 1 player
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1981

1980
Rules assistance for 88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 is a board game released in 1980 for 2–10 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by James M. Day and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
(from the game box:) 88 is an intense tactical-level game of ground combat in Africa's Western Desert in World War II, the famous struggle between the British "Desert Rats" and the German and Italian Afrika Korps. 88 duplicates the strengths and weaknesses of the German, British and Italian units involved with 50 data cards that display all the information needed to move and fight. The game system, shared with our earlier popular Panzer game (which covers battles on the Eastern Front), easily incorporates myriad details such as armor thicknesses at various points, shots from various angles, heights, and altitudes, and the effects of terrain. The rules cover the important aspects of small unit tactics - armor piercing shots, small arms fire, high explosives, artillery barrages, air support, communications, turret rotation, gun depression, mines, roadblocks, barbed wire, smoke, and much more. The flexible scenarios cover a variety of combat situations that are resolved on the six-piece geomorphic mapboard, which also features movable terrain pieces. The types of units include infantry, anti-tanks guns (including the deadly 88mm), Matildas, Crusaders, Bren Carriers, Long Range Desert Group Trucks, Honeys, Grants, Shermans, M13/40s SEM 41s, a large variety of Pz IIIs and IVs, halftracks, and much, much more.
88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 supports 2–10 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 88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 is 60 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 88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 for ages 12 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.
88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement. 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 88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 are: James M. Day. 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 88: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front, 1940-1942 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.