- BGG rank
- BGG #3,694
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Cataclysm: A Second World War
2018
Rules assistance for Cataclysm: A Second World War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 90–600 min
- 14+
- Complexity 4.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cataclysm: A Second World War
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cataclysm: A Second World War is a board game released in 2018 for 2–5 players, 90–600 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Scott Muldoon and William Terdoslavich and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
About the game
Cataclysm: A Second World War It is the 1930s and the world is still recovering from the Great War and the Great Depression that followed it. A second world war can break out at any time. Can you stop it? Will you start it? Better yet, can you win it? Cataclysm is not your typical game about World War II. The game begins in 1933, not 1939, and is global in scope. Germany is far from dominating Europe. Japan is on the march in Asia. Every crisis is an unexpected opportunity. There is no hindsight and anything can happen. Truly grand strategic in scope, Cataclysm requires players to lead nations, not just armies or fleets. You must craft a diplomatic strategy, develop political support for your policies at home, shift your economy to a war footing, and build up the forces you need to deter or vanquish your enemies. There is no traditional I-go-you-go turn structure in Cataclysm. Counters representing political actions, military actions, units, and possible events are drawn at random from an action cup. As each counter comes out, the owning player resolves it, and play swiftly moves on to the next draw. You have to make plans to execute when your chance comes up, but you have no idea when, or in what order, events will transpire. A game about global war gives every nation armies, air forces, and fleets. But in Cataclysm, military pieces have no numeric values. You know what forces you have and where they are deployed. To resolve combat, each side rolls up to three dice and compares their single highest die. You can devote more resources to a campaign (generating more dice or bonuses), but that does not guarantee a favorable outcome. Your efforts can lead to triumph… or to disaster. In Cataclysm, you are free to explore alternatives. The Soviets can construct a massive long-range bomber force. Japan can build powerful armored forces to overrun Siberia. Germany can invade Britain, or France can take Berlin, provided you craft a strategy that gets you there. When you play Cataclysm, you write your own history of a second world war. "This is my most anticipated wargame of 2018." --Ananda Gupta, co-designer of Twilight Struggle. "I WOULD EAT A KITTEN FOR THIS GAME" --Kuhrusty
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Cataclysm: A Second World War supports 2–5 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 Cataclysm: A Second World War is 90–600 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 Cataclysm: A Second World War 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.
Cataclysm: A Second World War has a complexity rating of 4.0 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.
Cataclysm: A Second World War belongs to these categories: Wargame, Political, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, 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 Cataclysm: A Second World War are: Scott Muldoon and William Terdoslavich. 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 Cataclysm: A Second World War 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.