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W1815
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Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War
2018
Rules assistance for Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–3 players
- 180–240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War is a board game released in 2018 for 2–3 players, 180–240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Hannu Uusitalo and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War is a Tactical level hex wargame for two-three players. The game offers a historical representation of the Battle of Helsinki between 11th and 13th of April and covers the whole battle from the outskirts to the centre of the city. Each hex represents an approximately 300 meters wide area and each unit represents a company sized force. A few months after Finland made its Declaration of Independence from Russian rule at December of 1917 a civil war broke out between Finnish Reds and Whites. The paramilitary Red Guards formed by the worker class took control of Helsinki on the 27th of January 1918. The Senate fled from Helsinki and declared the White guards as their official troops. On the 3rd of April 1918 the German Baltic Sea Division landed in southern Finland. By the 11th of April they had reached the outskirts of Helsinki and their commander Rüdiger von der Goltz launched an attack to conquer Helsinki. The Russian Navy had a significant naval base and fortifications in Helsinki, but respecting the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk they left Helsinki and did not take part in the battle. The Red Guards made a hasty decision not to surrender but to defend Helsinki. The White Guards had built their own underground paramilitary organization and were waiting for the right moment to take control of the centre. The German player must execute a well-planned advance to defeat the Reds and avoid high casualties especially in skirmishes on the streets of the centre. The Red player’s focus is to maintain a high fighting spirit and recruit new groups to reinforce the defence. Meanwhile the White player must wait for the right opportunity to deploy their hidden troops onto the streets of Helsinki. Helsinki 1918 contains: 1 map (1050 mm x 850 mm) 1 rulebook 41 event cards 76 unit and HQ markers 6 6-sided dices Scenarios for 2 and 3 players
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- U&P Games
Questions and answers
Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War 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 Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War is 180–240 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 Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War for ages 14 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.
Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War 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.
Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War belongs to these categories: Wargame, Civil War, and World War I. 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 Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War are: Hannu Uusitalo. 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 Helsinki 1918: German Intervention in the Finnish Civil War 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.