- BGG rank
- BGG #3,800
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Nightfall: Martial Law
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Rules assistance for Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.3/5
Rules assistant for Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand is an expansion for Nightfall released in 2011 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by David Gregg and its main mechanics are Take That, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
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About the game
Ausnahmezustand is the German edition of Nightfall: Martial Law. It is an expansion for Nightfall. It is not playable without the base game. It contains 207 cards opposed to the 312 cards of Martial Law. Martial Law is a standalone game, playable on its own. Nightfall is a deck-building game featuring direct head-to-head combat. Before the game begins, there is a draft to determine which cards are available for purchase, and by whom. During this draft players select two cards from the set for their personal archives, and they also select cards to put into the common area. The cards drafted into personal archives may only be purchased by the player who drafted them. After the table has been set with the private and common cards, players begin play. The meat of Nightfall is in the chaining mechanic. Each card has a main color and two linking colors. If you can match the main color of a card to one of the linking colors of the previous card, you can chain those cards together. Once a chain is started, players all get an opportunity to link additional cards onto the chain during that turn. Cards in the chain resolve in reverse order: first in, last out. Instant effects fire off as cards come off the chain, doing damage to your opponents or bringing characters into play to defend you and attack your opponents. The object of Nightfall is to put wounds into your opponents’ decks and end the game with the least amount of wounds in your deck. But beware: the more wounds a person has, the more enraged they become and the faster their deck works.
Editions
- Nightfall: AusnahmezustanddeAlderac Entertainment Group, Pegasus Spiele2011
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Alderac Entertainment Group
Questions and answers
Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand supports 2–5 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 Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand is 45 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 Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand 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.
Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Take That, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. 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 Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand are: David Gregg. 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 Nightfall: Ausnahmezustand as an expansion for Nightfall. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Nightfall to use it. Check that your edition of Nightfall is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.