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NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's
1973
Rules assistance for NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.6/5
Rules assistant for NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's is a board game released in 1973 for 2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jim Dunnigan and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
"NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's" is a simulation on a brigade/division level of a possible attempt by the Warsaw Pact forces to "liberate" Western Europe from the NATO alliance sometime in the 1970's. It postulates that this War in West Germany could occur without a massive strategic nuclear holocaust. Essentially, the game progresses from "M," the day' the Warsaw Feet decides to launch an offensive, to day "M + 50," when a decision of some type (even a stalemated war) is assumed to have been reached. The game may be played starting with "M + 1," with the forces as they actually are in peacetime, or at "M + 31," after both sides have reached planned strength. The increment of forces, as NATO transfers its scattered strength and Warsaw Pact sends forth additional member and Russian garrison divisions, is fully charted between the 'two game-versions. NATO depicts the essential elements of modern warfare (even Future warfare) with unusual elements such as Air-transportable units, Airmobile units and the newly proposed US Army Tricap (triple capability) divisions. Two basic scenarios (4 if nukes are used in two of them) and three variants (Warsaw Pact Unreliability, NATO Neutrality and Chinese Intervention). The map portrays Europe from East Germany to France and from Denmark to Switzerland. Game Scale: Game Turn: 2 days Hex: 10 miles / 16 kilometers Units: Brigade to Division Game Inventory: One 22 x 34" four color map One single-side printed countersheet (400 1/2" counters) One 10-page rulebook One player aid fold-out sheet Solitaire Playability: Low Complexity Level: Light Players: 2 Playing Time: 4-15 hours
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
- Simpubs Ltd. (SPUK)
Questions and answers
NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's supports 2 players 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 NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's is 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 NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's 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.
NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. 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 NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's are: Jim Dunnigan. 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 NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970's 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.