
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,955
- BGG rating
- 7.8
GD '42: Grossdeutschland
- 1–2 players
- 300–600 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2009

1993
Rules assistance for GD '40
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
GD '40 is a board game released in 1993 for 2 players and 360–1200 minutes per game. It was designed by Dean Essig and Wig Graves and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
GD '40 - The Battle for Stonne, France 1940, is game 5 in the Tactical Combat Series by The Gamers and covers the battle for Stonne, France in 1940. It is the first in the series to cover the Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland in World War II. The German breakthrough at Sedan opened the way for Guderian’s dash to the English Channel. What is not commonly known is that this advance proceeded at a pace which the German General Staff thought to be too aggressive, if not rash. It is not an understatement to say that had the French significantly threatened the Sedan bridgehead, the 1940 campaign could have developed quite differently. The French lost their best opportunity to do just that at the village of Stonne. In GD’40, players have the chance to change history. A successful French player may cause OKW to put the brakes on Guderian’s advance, which could give the French army time to react to the surprise German blow at Sedan. Failure will allow history to take its course—one of the most decisive victories of modern time. GD’40 is the first in a series of TCS games which will portray the Grossdeutschland throughout the war—from an infantry regiment in 1940 to a Panzer Corps in 1945. (Note: Just so that no one continues any misconceptions...the Grossdeutschland was a German Army unit; it was not in the Waffen SS.) Game Scale: Game Turn: 20 minutes Hex: 125 yards / 114 meters Units: Infantry platoons, individual vehicles Game Inventory: One 22 x 34" full color maps Three dual-side printed countersheets (840 1/2" counters) One 28-page TCS version 3.0 system rulebook One 8-page Grossdeutschland, 1940 specific rulebook Two 6-page TCS version 3.0 Charts & Tables folders Four Player Aid cards Two 6-sided dice Solitaire Playability: High Complexity Level: High Players: 2 or more Playing Time: 6-20 hours
GD '40 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 GD '40 is 360–1200 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.
GD '40 has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
GD '40 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 GD '40 are: Dean Essig and Wig Graves. 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 GD '40 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.