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Guns of the Askari
2012
Rules assistance for Guns of the Askari
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–3 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Guns of the Askari
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Guns of the Askari is a board game released in 2012 for 2–3 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Gorkowski and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
(from ATO website :) Guns of the Askari (GoA) recreates the imperial struggle for East Africa during WWI. This often overlooked campaign featured classic land battles, naval engagements between lake flotillas, cruiser duels at sea and finally hit and run guerrilla engagements. It opened with conventional force-on-force battles dominated by infantry, machine guns, and trenches. But the low troop densities and wide open spaces enabled a war of movement spearheaded by South African cavalry that broke the stalemate in mid 1916. This left Von Lettow-Vorbeck a choice between surrender or guerrilla war. He chose the latter and dragged his weary pursuers through a series of running battles in Portuguese East Africa. Designed by WWI game specialist John Gorkowski, Guns of the Askari features 280 half-inch full color counters that represent forces as varied as rifle companies, armored cars, naval units for oceans or lakes, and the supply units on which both sides depended. There are even artillery units back-printed with the other side’s colors, so that they can be captured and used again. The game offers four different scenarios, from the complete campaign to the 1918 guerrilla operation and two periods in between. Combat mechanics change as the nature of the conflict evolves, and each turn has a variable end point. The game can be played by two OR THREE players, giving the option for German, British, and Belgian players, and making it possible for the “neutral” Portuguese to (perhaps) join the German side! Can you, commanding greatly superior numbers, do better than the Allied commanders? Can you, commanding a mix of Europeans and native troops (including sailors from a scuttled German cruiser), manage the right balance of caution and audacity to keep your foes off-balance and elude destruction? The choices are yours in Against the Odds Magazine #38, Guns of the Askari. Map - One full color 22"x34" mapsheet Counters - 280 full color 1/2" die-cut pieces Rules length - 12 pages Charts and tables - 2 pages Complexity - Medium Solitaire suitability - Average Playing Time - 6 to 8 hours
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- LPS, Inc.
- Against the Odds
Questions and answers
Guns of the Askari supports 2–3 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 Guns of the Askari is 360 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 Guns of the Askari 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.
Guns of the Askari has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Guns of the Askari belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. Its main mechanics are 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 Guns of the Askari are: John Gorkowski. 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 Guns of the Askari 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.