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Return to the Rock: Corregidor, 1945
- 2 players
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- 2020
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Desert Duel: First Alamein
2008
Rules assistance for Desert Duel: First Alamein
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
Rules assistant for Desert Duel: First Alamein
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Desert Duel: First Alamein is a board game released in 2008 for 2 players and 180 minutes per game. It was designed by Michael Rinella and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid and Simulation.
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About the game
An LPS bonus mini-game for two-players, Desert Duel, by designer Mike Rinella, looks at the first battle of Alamein in 1942, where modern armies fought each other and the desert, in a desperate effort to breakthrough to or defend the path to the Nile. This is not the Monty vs. Rommel El Alamein battle most people think of but an earlier action, July 1 to July 27, 1942. Each turn represents three days of combat, and each hex is about four miles across. Where 2nd El Alamein reminded many of WW1 type conflict, this first battle was pure open desert warfare, of the guy that both sides were developing on the fly, and Rinella’s design captures the feel of the grit and gloom. Low density counter mix, ratio combat results table, supply, leaders, weather, air support, recon screening units, minefields and a special 88 Flak unit make for an interesting mix of mechanics. Desert Duel comes with 88 large 5/8" mounted die-cut counters, and an integrated 17" x 22" full color map with rules and charts. This game was included as a bonus game for subscribers with Against the Odds (ATO) magazine #21 (the Kadesh issue).
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- LPS, Inc.
- Against the Odds
Questions and answers
Desert Duel: First Alamein 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 Desert Duel: First Alamein is 180 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.
Desert Duel: First Alamein has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Desert Duel: First Alamein belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are 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 Desert Duel: First Alamein are: Michael Rinella. 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 Desert Duel: First Alamein 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.