
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,184
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Retro: Tactical WWII Wargame Variant Rules
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2001

Rules assistance for Special Ops Issue #5
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Special Ops Issue #5 is an expansion for Advanced Squad Leader released in 2014 for 2 players and ages 14 and up. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
Special Ops Issue #5 includes ASL scenarios: O9: Behind In The Count O10: City On The Edge ASLSK scenarios: S56: In Pursuit Of The French S57: Haase To Hold On ASL Map Board 68 In addition, the journal contains the complete game The Battle of Bushy Run and articles covering ASL, Angola!, Lincoln's War, Storm over Dien Bien Phu, Last Chance for Victory, and It Never Snows.
Special Ops Issue #5 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 catalogue lists Special Ops Issue #5 for ages 14 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.
Special Ops Issue #5 has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
Special Ops Issue #5 belongs to these categories: Wargame, World War II, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and 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 catalogue lists Special Ops Issue #5 as an expansion for Advanced Squad Leader. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Advanced Squad Leader to use it. Check that your edition of Advanced Squad Leader is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.