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Patrol!: Man-to-Man Combat in the 20th Century
- 1–3 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,865
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Central America
1987
Rules assistance for Central America
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 360–1200 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.2/5
Rules assistant for Central America
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Central America is a board game released in 1987 for 2 players, 360–1200 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by James H. McQuaid and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Central America is a comprehensive, dynamic simulation that encapsulates the multiple elements of modern land and air combat. Conventional and guerrilla warfare are combined in a fluid, interactive game system. Players choose for themselves the intensity of the game and the level of detail involved. Four Introductory Scenarios teach the basics of the game. Five Intermediate Scenarios offer a night's play. Seven Campaign Scenarios cover the vast potential of war in Central America, from the historical fall of Somoza, to a US invasion of Nicaragua, to World War III.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Victory Games (I)
Questions and answers
Central America 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 Central America is 360–1200 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 Central America 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.
Central America 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.
Central America belongs to these categories: Wargame, Modern Warfare, and Civil War. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Central America are: James H. McQuaid. 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 Central America 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.