
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Master Europa 102: Western Front – Invasion
- 2 players
- 3600 min

1994
Rules assistance for Second Front
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Second Front is a board game released in 1994 for 2 players, 60–1440 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Astell and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Second Front, Europa Game XII, depicts the western Allied campaigns in Italy, France and Germany from 1943 through 1945. All the tactical forces of the western Allies and all the problems they face to defeat the German armies and win victory in Europe are in this game. The greatest coalition in history awaits your orders. Plan your campaign and ready your forces-for you lead the crusade in Europe against the Nazi regime. Second Front builds on the Europa System featuring: • A detailed ground operations System. • New and improved air rules. • An expanded naval system with task forces and carrier groups • Detailed airborne and amphibious invasion systems. • Political and strategic rules covering everything from Allied cooperation to Italian surrender to the collapse of Germany Grand Europa This game contains order of battle information, counters, and charts that will be used when the Grand Europa project is complete. The charts used with Grand Europa are labeled as Grand Europa charts. Order of battle information begins with Apr I 43 and counters representing these forces are provided with this game. GAME COMPONENTS: 4800 Die Cut Counters 4 Maps 2 OB Books Rules Book Chart Set Full list: PLAYING TIME: 12+ Hours TIME SCALE: Two Week Turn MAP SCALE: 16 Miles Per Hex UNIT SCALE: Divisions, Regiments, Brigades, Battalions Game Credits: Designer: John M. Astell Development & Design: A E Goodwin, Victor A. Hauser, David Hughes Art Direction: Barbie Pratt, Winston Hamilton (from the back of the box and user's description)
Second Front 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 Second Front is 60–1440 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 Second Front 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.
Second Front has a complexity rating of 4.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Second Front belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. 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 Second Front are: John Astell. 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 Second Front 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.