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Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42
1986
Rules assistance for Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 90–720 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 is a board game released in 1986 for 2 players, 90–720 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jon Southard and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Simulation.
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About the game
The Desert Sere, serene, eternal, the Western Desert stretches across North Africa. Here, Rommel - perhaps the greatest of Germany's generals - marshalled Italian troops and powerful German panzer forces to sweep the desert in brilliant blitzkrieg. Here, Wavell, Auchinleck and Montgomery fought bitterly to destroy the enemy and defend Alexandria. Here, history's great generals developed the mobile tactics of modern warfare. "Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42" is a two-player wargame, designed by Jon Southard and published by West End Games in 1986, depicting the campaigns in North Africa during World War II using a Point-to-Point Movement map and an unusual sequence of play. The game's Point-to-Point movement system and unique battle reinforcement rules create a sense of sweeping manuever, while channeling conflict along routes of movement and supply. The long buildup periods, that drag on and on in most Desert War wargames, require only moments to play in Rommel in North Africa, while manuever and combat absorb most of the playing time. Players experience the realities and excitement of the Desert War without the boredom. A turn may last a few minutes or much longer, depending on how hard players are willing to push their forces. Like the war itself, periods of relative quiet explode into furious, quick-playing manuever and combat. Three scenarios and the Campaign game: - Rommel's First Offensive: depicts the first dramatic sweep against Eighth Army. - Operation Crusader: picks up with the first successful British counter offensive. - Gazala: a revitalized Afrika Korps is faced by an entrenched Eighth Army. - The War in the Desert: the entire 20-month War, from April '41 to November '42.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- West End Games
Questions and answers
Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 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 Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 is 90–720 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 Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 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.
Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 has a complexity rating of 3.1 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.
Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, 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 Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 are: Jon Southard. 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 Rommel in North Africa: The War in the Desert 1941-42 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.