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Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918
2017
Rules assistance for Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 180 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 is a board game released in 2017 for 1–2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Kurt Keckley and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Secret Unit Deployment, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 is a 2-player hex-based strategic level block war game set on the Western Front of the First World War. Players take control of the Allies or Central Powers fighting the war on land, at sea, and in the air all the while making tough economic and technological decisions at home. Fields of Despair has a unique block system designed to maintain the fog of war throughout the entire game. In most games, block combat values range from one to four. In Fields of Despair the range is zero to twenty. The range in values makes Fields of Despair a very deceptive game. Players can build up a large force with a single block instead of giving away their strategy with a stack of blocks. Movement is simple and free flowing. Players are allowed to “make change” during the movement phase. Thus a block with a combat value of 16 could be broken in two blocks of 8 before moving, or conversely two blocks could be combined into one. Zero-value blocks known as “Deception” blocks could also be part of the exchange. Thus after every movement phase you never really know the strength of your enemy. The fog of war isn’t lost after first contact with the enemy. Blocks remain hidden even when enemies occupy the same hex and stay hidden until one player decides to allocate an air squadron for reconnaissance or sends his men across no man’s land. Components: 1 Mounted Board 22" x 34" 1 Rule Book 1 Playbook of Scenarios and Examples of Play 2 Player Boards (to track Econ and Tech) 140 Blocks and Stickers - 48 Black - 49 Light Blue - 30 Tan - 10 Olive - 3 Orange 240 Counters - 162 5/8” Counters (+14 blanks) - 18 1/2" Counters - 60 1” Counters (Air, Artillery, Tanks) 74 1/4” wood cubes (Economic Points) - 30 Blue (Allied Naval/Production) - 30 Black (CP Naval/Production) - 12 Red (Eastern Front) - 2 White (Naval, no effect) 2 Bags for drawing Naval War and Eastern Front chits/cubes Various Player Aids (Solo & 2-Player)
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 supports 1–2 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 Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 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 Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 for ages 13 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.
Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 has a complexity rating of 3.1 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.
Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Secret Unit Deployment, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 are: Kurt Keckley. 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 Fields of Despair: France 1914-1918 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.