
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,219
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Wooden Ships & Iron Men
- 2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1974

1991
Rules assistance for Field Command
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.
Field Command is a board game released in 1991 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Walter E. Johnston, IV and its main mechanics are Square Grid, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
In Field Command each player controls an army of 40 units comprised of Artillery, Cavalry, Infantry, a General, and Guerillas. Cavalry and Infantry are divided into 3 ranks, denoted by a triangle, a circle, or a square. The battlefield is an 11x11 grid which contains forests and plains across 3 levels of elevation. Players can move up to 12 units per turn and movement is simultaneous. Battle is resolved with a rock-paper-scissors system which is modified by both rank and terrain. The goal of the game is to remove the other player's general from the battlefield.
Field Command 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 Field Command 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.
The catalogue lists Field Command for ages 10 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.
Field Command has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Field Command belongs to these categories: Wargame and Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Square Grid, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement. 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 Field Command are: Walter E. Johnston, IV. 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 Field Command 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.