
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,021
- BGG rating
- 7.6
General Quarters (Third Edition)
- 2–12 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2006

1975
Rules assistance for General Quarters
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.
General Quarters is a board game released in 1975 90–240 minutes per game and ages 12 and up. It was designed by L. L. Gill and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil.
These two rulebooks contain the original General Quarters rules for naval miniatures. Although first published in the 1970s, their realistic and elegant game mechanics are still usable today. Somewhat counterintuitively, GQI covers World War 2, and GQII covers World War I (plus some optional enhancements for World War II). May be used with any scale naval miniatures.
The listed playing time for General Quarters is 90–240 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.
The catalogue lists General Quarters for ages 12 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.
General Quarters 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.
General Quarters belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil. 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 General Quarters are: L. L. Gill. 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 General Quarters 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.