- BGG rating
- 7.0
LA-1: When Laws Fail
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,357
- BGG rating
- 7.9
LA-1
2025
Rules assistance for LA-1
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–5 players
- 90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for LA-1
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
LA-1 is a board game released in 2025 for 1–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Richard Launius, Pete Shirey, and Taran Lewis Kratz and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, and Variable Set-up.
Expansions
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About the game
Most detective work done in the city of LA-1 takes place under the perpetual dark clouds that still linger from the bombs. Even so, you plan to work together to gather clues, interrogate suspects, and go on stakeouts in a world that is divided by class and dominated by status. Use your skills to solve the case before the all-consuming darkness closes in forever. In the story-driven, co-operative adventure game LA-1, you take on the role of detectives working for Mace & Doyle Investigations who are helping one another to resolve cases in the post-apocalyptic city that was once Los Angeles. Each case can be played individually or as part of a campaign. Because of the multiple cards that can send investigations in different directions, it's possible to play each case more than one time, having different situations and outcomes each time. But cases must be solved before the Darkness closes in on all the investigators. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- Trick or Treat Studios
Questions and answers
LA-1 supports 1–5 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 LA-1 is 90 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 LA-1 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.
LA-1 has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
LA-1 belongs to these categories: Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Point to Point Movement, and Variable Set-up. 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 LA-1 are: Richard Launius, Pete Shirey, and Taran Lewis Kratz. 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 LA-1 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.