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Air Cav
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Descent on Crete: May 1941
1978
Rules assistance for Descent on Crete: May 1941
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 4.0/5
Rules assistant for Descent on Crete: May 1941
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Descent on Crete: May 1941 is a board game released in 1978 for 2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Eric Goldberg and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
Descent on Crete is a tactical, company level simulation of the largest German airdrop of World War II. The entire scope of the operation is taken in, as players are given the command decisions throughout the operation. Special rules covering the air drop, air strikes, supply, leadership, fatigue, and British Armour are included. Depending on the scenario being played, players gain points for various objectives and for eliminating their opponent's units strength points. The player with the most points, after a set number of turns, is the winner. Game scale: 640 meters/hex, on two 22" x 34" maps. 2 hours/day-turn; 4 hours/night-turn. Infantry units are companies. Artillery units are batteries. Armor units which do not represent 1 tank each are platoon-equivalents. [Taken from sections 4.1 and 4.6 of the Rules.]
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
Descent on Crete: May 1941 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 Descent on Crete: May 1941 is 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 Descent on Crete: May 1941 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.
Descent on Crete: May 1941 has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Descent on Crete: May 1941 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Descent on Crete: May 1941 are: Eric Goldberg. 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 Descent on Crete: May 1941 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.