
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Storm over Arnhem: The Crossing
- 2 players
- 60–300 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 1982

1981
Rules assistance for Storm Over Arnhem
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.
Storm Over Arnhem is a board game released in 1981 for 2 players, 300 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Courtney F. Allen and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
This is the first of the Area-Impulse games done by Avalon Hill which later included Thunder at Cassino, Turning Point: Stalingrad and Breakout Normandy. The game simulates the ferocious battle for the Arnhem Bridge on September 18-21, 1944. The game begins with the British holding the area around the bridge, surrounded by the Germans. They try to hold out for as long as they can. Each full turn covers 8 hours and includes many mini-turns (or impulses). Each impulse, the player can move or fire a small number units. Once moved or fired, the units are "committed" and cannot move or fire again until the next turn. Combat is handled by calculating attack and defense values with each side adding the roll of 2 dice. The difference (if the attacker has the higher total) in final point values is the number of casualty points the defender must lose by retreating or destroying units. The games is of relatively low complexity for a wargame and rates 3 (out of 10) on AH's difficulty scale.
Storm Over Arnhem 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 Storm Over Arnhem is 300 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 Storm Over Arnhem 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.
Storm Over Arnhem has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
Storm Over Arnhem belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, 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 Storm Over Arnhem are: Courtney F. Allen. 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 Storm Over Arnhem 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.