
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,136
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Thunderbolt/Apache Leader
- 1 player
- 15–300 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1991

Rules assistance for Hornet Leader II: Cold War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hornet Leader II: Cold War is an expansion for Hornet Leader II released in 2006 for 1 player, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dan Verssen and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Role Playing.
Overview: Cold War is an expansion to the Hornet Leader II game system. To use this expansion you must own Hornet Leader II. Ownership of Carrier Air Group is also highly recommended. This expansion adds several new types of aircraft including the A-7 Corsair II and RA-5c Vigilante. Two new WWIII campaigns are included: Atlantic 1980 and Mediterranean 1980. Also included are 2 new F-14 Tomcat pilots, and 2 new A-6 Intruder pilots. This expansion also adds more 2 Promotion levels of cards for each of the pilots from Carrier Air Group. This gives you a huge number of possible squadron pilot and aircraft selections! Key Points: - Cold War is a solitaire game expansion. No opponents needed! - Play high stress campaigns against the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact during World War III of 1980. - Command a mix of aircraft types. - Each mission can be played in under 30 minutes. Component List: - Built-in Tutorial and Help Windows - 81 Full Color cards - Full Color counters Game Formats: Virtual Tabletop PDF Download Other Leader series games by Dan Verssen Expands Hornet Leader II
Hornet Leader II: Cold War supports 1 player 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 Hornet Leader II: Cold War is 60 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 Hornet Leader II: Cold War 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.
Hornet Leader II: Cold War has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Hornet Leader II: Cold War belongs to these categories: Card Game, Wargame, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Role Playing. 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 Hornet Leader II: Cold War are: Dan Verssen. 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 Hornet Leader II: Cold War as an expansion for Hornet Leader II. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Hornet Leader II to use it. Check that your edition of Hornet Leader II is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.