- BGG rank
- BGG #15,835
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Electronic Detective
- 1–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,009
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Generals
1980
Rules assistance for The Generals
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 10 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Generals
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Generals is a board game released in 1980 for 2 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Julius Cooper, James R. Becker, Fredric M. Kuriloff, and Sofronio H. Pasola, Jr. and its main mechanics are Secret Unit Deployment.
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About the game
The Electronic Game of Strategy & Suspense Each player commands an army of 21 pieces – from Five Star General to Private – including 2 power Secret Agents. You must capture your opponent’s flags or maneuver your own flag to his front row to win. Using strategy – and courage – you position your “army” for battle. An attack is made! Your piece is challenged when your piece and an enemy piece occupy the same square. The AMAZING COMPUTER goes into action. It electronically signals – with light and sound – which piece is the victor. That piece wins the position. The defeated piece is removed from play. Because the strength of each piece is hidden, suspense builds with every move. Every Move is a Calculated Risk Electronic Arbiter reveals which piece has the higher rank. Flashing Lights signal victory or Defeat for each attack. Electronic Signals sound during a challenge and salute the victory of the game.
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- Ideal
- Arxon
- MindMasters, Inc.
Questions and answers
The Generals 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 Generals is 10 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 Generals for ages 8 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 Generals has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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 Generals belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Electronic. Its main mechanics are Secret Unit Deployment. 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 Generals are: Julius Cooper, James R. Becker, Fredric M. Kuriloff, and Sofronio H. Pasola, Jr.. 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 Generals 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.