
- BGG rank
- BGG #257
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Commands & Colors: Ancients
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2006

Rules assistance for The Battle of the Hydaspes
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.
The Battle of the Hydaspes is an expansion for Alexander the Great released in 1975 for 2 players, 120–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
An expansion for Avalon Hill's Alexander the Great published in the company's in-house magazine "General" volume 12 issue 4 in 1975. Included a cardstock counter sheet and a 3-page article on the battle with setup/victory conditions for "The Battle of the Hydaspes"
The Battle of the Hydaspes 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 The Battle of the Hydaspes is 120–240 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 The Battle of the Hydaspes 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.
The Battle of the Hydaspes belongs to these categories: Wargame and Ancient. Its main mechanics are 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 The Battle of the Hydaspes as an expansion for Alexander the Great. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Alexander the Great to use it. Check that your edition of Alexander the Great is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.