- BGG rank
- BGG #1,043
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Squad Leader
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,617
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Overlord
1973
Rules assistance for Overlord
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Overlord
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Overlord is a board game released in 1973 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Hill (I) and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
"Overlord" is an operational wargame of the Allied invasion and breakout from the Normandy peninsula. Overlord is a historical game/simulation of the fighting in Northwestern France through the months of June, July, and August, 1944, including the periods of the Cobra Breakout, the German Mortain Counteroffensive, and the cataclysmic Battle of the Falaise Pocket, which broke the back of German armor in the West. For the Allies, it is a desperate race against time - a struggle to clear the Germans from Normandy in preparation for the drive across France to the Rhine. For the Germans, it is a game of careful defense, of tenacious holding actions followed by hammer counterattacks. Overlord provides victory conditions and initial set up locations for each of these three periods, allowing players to recreate, in a series of one month games, the distinct phases of the campaign. Of course, a complete campaign game is also possible.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Game Designers' Workshop (GDW Games)
- Diseños Orbitales
- Conflict Games
Questions and answers
Overlord 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 Overlord is 180 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 Overlord 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.
Overlord has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Overlord belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement. 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 Overlord are: John Hill (I). 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 Overlord 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.