
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,742
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Mława 1939
- 2 players
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1999

1996
Rules assistance for Szczury Pustyni
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Szczury Pustyni is a board game released in 1996 for 2 players and 480 minutes per game. It was designed by Wojciech Zalewski and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
Szczury Pustyni (Desert Rats) depicts several battles fought in Libya between 1940 and 1942. Counters and scenarios are for Operation Compass (British victory over the Italians), Rommel's first offensive (pushing the British back to Egypt), Operation Battleaxe (first and failed attempt by the Allies to relieve Tobruk), Operation Crusader (successful Allied attempt to relieve Tobruk) and Battle of Gazala (Rommel's second thrust that reached Egypt). The game uses simplified rules of the B35 (Battles of World War II 1943-1945) system designed to simulate medium battles of World War II with some additional rules too, dealing with specific aspects of desert warfare. Counters represent battalions, one hex represents 3000m, one turn represents one day.
Szczury Pustyni 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 Szczury Pustyni is 480 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.
Szczury Pustyni has a complexity rating of 3.4 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.
Szczury Pustyni belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. 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 credited designers of Szczury Pustyni are: Wojciech Zalewski. 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 Szczury Pustyni 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.