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Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942
2014
Rules assistance for Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 180–240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 is a board game released in 2014 for 1–2 players, 180–240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Michael Rinella and Lembit Tohver and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Ratio / Combat Results Table, and Area-Impulse.
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About the game
Though now largely forgotten the successful defense of Cholm by Kampfgruppe Scherer ranks as one of the great small unit sieges of the Second World War and perhaps of all time. Now you can relive the first ten days of this epic battle, when the underfed soldiers of the Soviet 3rd Shock Army attempted to capture the town, its food, and its vital road hub “on the march” and avoid what would ultimately become a long and unsuccessful siege. As the Soviet side you have more men, stronger artillery, and armor. As the German side you have the town, the high ground, and air power. Hitler has declared Cholm a festung: there will be no withdrawal. In the waist-deep snow and sub-zero temperatures the battle will be fought to the last man and the last grenade. Circle of Fire by designer Michael Rinella utilizes an updated version of the low-complexity area-impulse system first used in the award-winning Avalon Hill classic Storm Over Arnhem. Unlike that game, however, this design includes a hallmark of later area-impulse games: the “sudden death” mechanism to end turns unpredictably. The game includes a full size area map produced directly from aerial photographs and situational maps, and 176 large counters. Easy to learn, quick to set up, and fast to play, Circle of Fire is both a great introduction to the area-impulse system and a great introductory conflict simulation game. Map - One full-color 22"x34" mapsheet Counters - 176 full-color 5/8" die-cut pieces Rules length - 8 pages Charts and tables - 2 pages Complexity - Low Solitaire suitability - Low
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- LPS, Inc.
- Against the Odds
Questions and answers
Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 supports 1–2 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 Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 is 180–240 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 Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 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.
Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Ratio / Combat Results Table, and Area-Impulse. 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 Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 1942 are: Michael Rinella and Lembit Tohver. 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 Circle of Fire: The Siege of Cholm, 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.