
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,176
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Oz
- 1–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2021

Rules assistance for Stalag 18
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Stalag 18 is an expansion for Stalag 17 released in 2012 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Óscar Arévalo and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
Stalag 18 is the expansion of Stalag 17. This new version takes the basic game, focused in a familiar public, to become it to a more tactic game, deeper, for a more demanding players. The expansion is ready to play with all or just few of the new rules, so the complex grade is decided by the players. New actions are added to the basic ones. Now all the cards, even the no useful for the jailbreak plan in a turn, can help with the tactics. The new warehouse cards can be taken during the game to help, in a critic moment, to the players to get all the objects. But the guardians will keep an eye on them, if they realize who is dealing with these new cards. And finally, now the player can choose among 6 prisoner tokens which prisoners will attempt to escape in each jailbreak phase. Each prisoner has two special skills and different prisoner values, what gives to the game a deeper theme. And finally the expansion bring all components for a six player game. Stalag 18 es la ampliación para el juego Stalag 17 que transforma el juego básico, enfocado a un público familiar, en un juego más táctico y mucho más profundo para jugadores más exigentes. La ampliación está preparada para que los jugadores puedan añadir al juego básico todas o algunas de las nuevas reglas, por lo que el grado de complejidad lo ajustan los jugadores a su gusto. Se añaden nuevas acciones a las básicas, que harán que todas las cartas, incluso los objetos que no sean útiles para el plan de fuga de ese turno, sean útiles para las tácticas de los jugadores. Las nuevas cartas de almacén pueden ser elegidas en medio de la partida para ayudar a los jugadores a tener el objeto necesario en el momento crítico, aunque los guardias los vigilarán más al verlos negociar con ellos. Finalmente los jugadores podran, cada turno de fuga, elegir los prisioneros que serán los que intenten escapar entre su grupo de soldados, cada uno con sus habilidades especiales y sus puntuaciones de prisioneros diferente, lo que da una profundidad temática muy grande. Finalmente se añaden componentes para un sexto jugador.
Stalag 18 supports 2–6 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 Stalag 18 is 30 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 Stalag 18 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.
Stalag 18 belongs to these categories: Card Game, Dice, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. 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 Stalag 18 are: Óscar Arévalo. 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 Stalag 18 as an expansion for Stalag 17. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Stalag 17 to use it. Check that your edition of Stalag 17 is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.