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- BGG rating
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Apocalypse: The Game of Nuclear Devastation
- 2–4 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1980
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,020
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Classic Warlord
2012
Rules assistance for Classic Warlord
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Classic Warlord
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Classic Warlord is a board game released in 2012 for 2–7 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Hayes and its main mechanics are Area Movement and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
Originally self published by Mike Hayes in 1974 as "The Warlord" - this edition came in a red box. It was reprinted by Mike in 1978 as "Warlord" and came in a blue box. It was released by Games Workshop in 1980 in a smaller version (only western half of the Warlord board) as "Apocalypse". As of October 2012, the game is now available again as Classic Warlord, a limited edition in a gold box, with two sets of rules and an FAQ booklet, counters in pouches for up to seven players and a single large D6, along with the full eight-section mapboard. This version sees the game revert back to the original Warlord with new rules to reflect over thirty years of play. Objective - to dominate the board and destroy opponents. Mechanics - similar to Risk, you get more armies for the more territories you hold. Allocation is on basis of territory held: city, industrial or agricultural. Mountainous, waste, and sea spaces gain you no armies. Gaining territories through combat is an elegant use of cunning and bluff. Instead of rolling dice, the attacker simply chooses with a single D6 how many pieces they wish to attack with (subject to restrictions based on terrain). The D6 is then concealed and the defender attempts to guess it. If they guess correctly the attacker loses that number of armies; if they guess wrongly one defender is lost, and if the territory is now left unoccupied the selected number of attacking pieces or greater are advanced into the territory to capture it. Alliances are allowed (and can be broken at will). A-bombs and the more devastating H-bombs are used in the game. A-bombs are a reward for successful combat, and H-bombs are gained as a result of launching an A-bomb. These can be placed to act as deterrents against other players, and can be launched to clear enemy territory prior to an advance. Nuclear damage however will render map spaces impassable for the remainder of the game.
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Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Classic Warlord supports 2–7 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 Classic Warlord is 360 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 Classic Warlord 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.
Classic Warlord 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.
Classic Warlord belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Area Movement and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Classic Warlord are: Mike Hayes. 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 Classic Warlord 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.