
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Cthulhu Wars: Duel – Family Reunion
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- 2022

2020
Rules assistance for Cthulhu Wars: Duel
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.
Cthulhu Wars: Duel is a board game released in 2020 for 2 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Sandy Petersen and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling.
The Old Ones have risen. Monsters walk the Earth. Humanity is finished, but the struggle continues. Which Great Old One will rule the ruins of Earth? Now, you take charge! Cthulhu Wars: Duel is a fast-moving two-player strategy game in which you play as Great Cthulhu himself or the Black Goat, a cosmic goddess of hideous fertility. Each side is strikingly different with unique units, abilities, and strategies available. In Cthulhu Wars: Duel, the giant plastic miniatures have been replaced with cardboard standees. This not only allows the game to be more affordable, but also makes it travel friendly and saves table space. This means you can drop a box of Cthulhu Wars: Duel in a bag and take it to your game night with minimal space requirements. Cthulhu Wars: Duel also doesn't take up as much table space as the original, allowing it to be played in smaller spaces. In short, this is the most accessible version of Cthulhu wars ever made! —description from the publisher
Cthulhu Wars: Duel 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 Cthulhu Wars: Duel is 20–30 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 Cthulhu Wars: Duel for ages 8 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.
Cthulhu Wars: Duel has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
Cthulhu Wars: Duel belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling. 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 Cthulhu Wars: Duel are: Sandy Petersen. 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 Cthulhu Wars: Duel 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.