
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,659
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Hearts and Minds: Vietnam 1965-1975 (Third Edition)
- 1–2 players
- 45–360 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2019

2014
Rules assistance for Storm Over Dien Bien Phu
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Storm Over Dien Bien Phu is a board game released in 2014 for 1–2 players and 180 minutes per game. It was designed by Brian Youse and Nick Richardson and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
Storm Over Dien Bien Phu is a 2-player wargame simulating the Battle of Dien Bien Phu from March to May 1954, focusing on the French central strongpoints of Gabrielle, Anne–Marie, Beatrice, Eliane, Claudine, Huguette and Dominique. One player controls the French forces, and the other player controls the Viet Minh forces. In the spring of 1954, General Giap shocked the world by doing what had previously been considered impossible—defeating a Western occupying force. Storm Over Dien Bien Phu simulates the climactic moment when the isolated French forces (composed of French legionnaires and elite paratrooper units), and crumbled under the unrelenting pressure of the Chinese–backed Viet Minh forces. Using the Area Move system redefined in Storm Over Stalingrad, the game features the use of cards to augment game play, adding to the tension experienced by both sides. The rules are similar in length to those seen in Storm Over Stalingrad, and are of the same level of complexity, with additions made for the situations encountered in this battle. Additional rules added to the game include sapping, assaulting, and the French supply situation. In addition to these new rules, new cards have been created in order to represent events encountered during the battle. These include “Detonate Mine Shaft”, “Rats of the Nam Yum”, “Giap Demands Success”, “Propaganda”, “Débouchez à Zéro!”, and “B-26 Bombers”. Game Scale: Turn: 1 week Map: Area Unit: Infantry Platoons/Companies Game Inventory: One 22" X 34" mapsheet One and a half countersheets (264 5/8" counters) One 12 page Game Rulebook Card deck with 55 full-color cards Four six-sided dice Complexity - Low Solitaire suitability - Low Playing time - Up to 3 hours Designer: Nick Richardson Developer: Brian Youse Game Artwork: Nicolas Eskubi
Storm Over Dien Bien Phu 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 Storm Over Dien Bien Phu is 180 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.
Storm Over Dien Bien Phu has a complexity rating of 2.6 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 Dien Bien Phu belongs to these categories: Wargame, Modern Warfare, and Vietnam War. 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 Dien Bien Phu are: Brian Youse and Nick Richardson. 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 Dien Bien Phu 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.