
- BGG rank
- BGG #16
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Twilight Struggle
- 2 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2005

2018
Rules assistance for Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War
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.
Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players and 180–240 minutes per game. It was designed by Kris Van Beurden and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
Europe in Turmoil is a card-driven game set at the beginning of the 20th Century in which two players each assume the role of a political ideology ascendant in Europe at that time, with one side playing the Liberal (representing not just Liberal but also Socialist principles) and the other side playing the Authoritarian (representing the repressive, autocratic regimes of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia). The card playing mechanic is closely related to that of Twilight Struggle or 1989: Dawn of Freedom, with the Naval Arms Race (representing the Dreadnought build-up between Germany and Britain) the closest equivalent to the Space Race / Tiananmen track from the aforementioned games. The map represents the political reality of Europe in the late Victorian era, with the politics of continental Europe dominated by the four superpowers of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany and Russia. The rest of the Nations of Europe (and northern Africa) are represented by 'independent' client states who are to be "taken under the wing" to win the game. Many of the events refer to (historical) crises which could have started a World War. Each of these events will increase the Tension between the European Nations and cause a Crisis roll, a roll modified by both the current Tension and the amount of Alliances that have been made by the major powers of Europe. Eventually, unless Tension is managed carefully, such a Crisis roll will spark the Outbreak of the Great War, ending the game after resolution of the war and a final Scoring. Will the strongly Authoritarian Empires of Central Europe hold out against rising Liberalism? Will the Workers combine forces with land-hungry Farmers and marginalized Intelligentsia to oust the ruling Bourgeois, Nobility and Monarchy? Will “The Great War” break out, shattering the Status Quo? These and other exciting possibilities will soon be open to players.
Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War 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 Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War is 180–240 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.
Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War 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.
Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War belongs to these categories: Wargame, Political, and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War are: Kris Van Beurden. 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 Europe in Turmoil: Prelude to the Great War 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.