
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,341
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Cthulhu Wars: Duel
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2020

Rules assistance for Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion is an expansion for Cthulhu Wars released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Sandy Petersen and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling.
The Windwalker features a new and unusual faction, with Ithaqua, the god of Outer Space. His faction is most powerful in the late game, when his mighty army, fueled by his Sweeping Winds, Howl, and Ice Age spellbooks and abilities, dominates play. He also features the dread Gnoph-Kehs, strong monsters whose cost lessens the more numerous they become, setting up a feedback loop that forces other players to take note. In our playtests, Great Cthulhu is traditionally the most powerful faction in Battle. But a late-game Ithaqua has proven equal or greater than Cthulhu's wrecking squad. Players, knowing this, sometimes try to weaken Windwalker in the early game, but he has proven extremely resilient. His cultists are immune to capture, his Wendigos appear for free anywhere a unit is killed in battle, and his lesser Great Old One, Rhan-Tegoth is Eternal, and almost impossible to kill. Ithaqua himself is usually the last Great One One to be awakened, but before that time, Rhan-Tegoth's proves a useful and durable ally. If you are more interested in late-game prowess than early building, this is the expansion for you.
Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion supports 2–5 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 Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion is 90 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: The Windwalker Expansion 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.
Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion has a complexity rating of 3.2 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.
Cthulhu Wars: The Windwalker Expansion belongs to these categories: Horror, Miniatures, and Expansion for Base-game. 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: The Windwalker Expansion 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: The Windwalker Expansion as an expansion for Cthulhu Wars. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Cthulhu Wars to use it. Check that your edition of Cthulhu Wars is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.