
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,484
- BGG rating
- 5.8
¿Pasáran? The Spanish Civil War
- 1–2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2004

2000
Rules assistance for Cold Days in Hell
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cold Days in Hell is a board game released in 2000 for 2–4 players, 300 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dirk Blech and Andreas Bertram and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
Sub-title-'Eastern Front, 1939-1945'. Part III of the 'Empires of Apocalypse' games series, but completely playable as its own stand-alone game. This covers not only the Russian Front, but any other areas NOT covered by the 1st 2-parts - Morsecode ···– or Triumph & Fall of the Desert Fox. The components consist of the following: 1400-Full COLOR die-cut cardboard counters; 6-Full COLOR paper Mapsheets encompassing an area stretching from Eastern Germany to the Urals, & from Turkey to Northern Scandinavia; 1-E.o.t.A. Series RULES Book; 1-Special 'Eastern Front' RULES & Scenario Book; 5-Full COLOR Player Aid Cards; 3-BLACK & WHITE Player Aid Cards; 1-Full COLOR Charts & Table sheet; & a cardboard storage Box. Some of the 'New' inclusions are: Completely Revised 'Research' concepts and a 'New' Research Table; Diplomacy 'intrigue'; Lend-Lease; gradual involvement by the U.S.A; and even more Partisans! The Mapsheets have 5-'Front' lines for additional Scenarios such as: 'Winter '41'; 'Fall Blau'; 'Stalingrad'; 'Summer '44'; & 'The Fall of the Reich'. There are also shorter Scenarios for quicker games, although you can extend them up until the actual end of the massive conflict in 1945 if you'd like. These are: Poland-1939; The Balkan Campaign-May,1941; Barbarossa-June, 1941; & Kursk, Summer-1943. Plus the entire Eastern Front Campaign-1941~1945. For those most adventurous folks, they can even combine ALL the 3-parts for one massive, full-fledged, all-consuming game of their lifetimes!
Cold Days in Hell supports 2–4 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 Cold Days in Hell is 300 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 Cold Days in Hell 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.
Cold Days in Hell has a complexity rating of 3.0 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.
Cold Days in Hell belongs to these categories: Fighting, Wargame, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Cold Days in Hell are: Dirk Blech and Andreas Bertram. 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 Cold Days in Hell 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.