- BGG rank
- BGG #24,650
- BGG rating
- 6.0
The Company War
- 2–4 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1983
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,125
- BGG rating
- 5.8
The Forever War
1983
Rules assistance for The Forever War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.9/5
Rules assistant for The Forever War
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Forever War is a board game released in 1983 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by James D. Griffin and its main mechanics are Modular Board and Hexagon Grid.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,370
- BGG rating
- 5.7
The Keep
- 3–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1983
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,044
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Dinosaurs of the Lost World
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,544
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Battles of Westeros
- 2 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,198
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Team Yankee
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #7
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition
- 3–6 players
- 240–480 min
- Complexity 4.4/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #23
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
- 2–6 players
- 60–200 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #107
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy
- 2–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #154
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Twilight Imperium: Third Edition
- 3–6 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #664
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #707
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Nexus Ops
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,388
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Exodus: Proxima Centauri
- 2–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2012
About the game
The Forever War is a science fiction board game, based on the novel "Forever War" by Joe Haldeman. It features squad-level combat in the third millennium. Combat occurs on airless portal planets, where small infantry ground units vie with each other for victory among the frozen wastes. A player can never be sure of whom or what he will find when his troops near the battlefield. Units are equipped with weapons of the latest technology, and embark on their starships. Only weeks or months pass for them, traveling at near-light speeds, but decades pass in the universe surrounding them. The enemy these units meet on the battlefield could be technologically decades ahead or behind them when the battle is joined.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Mayfair Games
Questions and answers
The Forever War supports 2–4 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 The Forever War is 60 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 Forever War 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 Forever War 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.
The Forever War belongs to these categories: Wargame, Science Fiction, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Modular Board 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 The Forever War are: James D. Griffin. 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 The Forever War 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.