
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,887
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Verdun 1916: Steel Inferno
- 2 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2020

2016
Rules assistance for The Lamps are Going Out: World War I
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Lamps are Going Out: World War I is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 180–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Kirk Uhlmann and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
The Lamps Are Going Out is a fast-paced game of strategic decision making in the First World War for two to four players. There are two Alliances – Central Powers and Triple Entente – each divided into two Factions. The Central Powers player controls the Germany and Central Allies (Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria) Factions while the Triple Entente player has the Western Allies (Great Britain, Belgium, France and Italy) and Eastern Allies/US (Russia, Serbia, Romania and United States) Factions. A game turn consists of: Event Card Phase Movement Phase (up to two units may be moved) Combat Phase (cards are played to support combat) Production Phase (players spend production points to rally armies, invest in new technology, or lend points to other players) Players must make critical decisions each turn as to how to spend their scarce resources. Production Points are required to Refit spent units, build new units, construct trenches, conduct research, etc. The combat system is very simple, but yields tremendous excitement and that “just one more attack should do it” feeling. Event cards allow for all sorts of historical situations, conditions, leaders, political events and so on. Everything that would be important in a WWI simulation is considered in this game.
The Lamps are Going Out: World War I 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 Lamps are Going Out: World War I is 180–240 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 Lamps are Going Out: World War I 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 Lamps are Going Out: World War I has a complexity rating of 2.7 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 Lamps are Going Out: World War I belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. 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 The Lamps are Going Out: World War I are: Kirk Uhlmann. 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 Lamps are Going Out: World War I 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.