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Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15
1972
Rules assistance for Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 is a board game released in 1972 for 1–2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Lenny Glynn and David C. Isby and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Soldiers is a tactical company level game of warfare in the brief, mobile phase at the beginning of the First World War. This was the time before paralyzing trench lines had been dug and consolidated. The original rules credit both Isby and Glynn as designers, but the errata indicates Isby was the designer, and Glynn was the developer. In Moves #4 Isby describes Dunnigan suggesting the design to him in the original S&T basement premises a good two years before the game was published, giving him an extended time (compared to the usual SPI schedule) to research, design and test his prototype. He was able to trial 40 scenario proposals before settling on the set provided. This helps explain why it is such a good polished game which still holds up; the recent S&T game First Blood, Second Marne by Ty Bomba draws heavily on it.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 supports 1–2 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 Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 is 120 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 Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 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.
Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. 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 Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 are: Lenny Glynn and David C. Isby. 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 Soldiers: Tactical Combat in 1914-15 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.