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The Arab-Israeli Wars: Tank Battles in the Mideast
- 2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,716
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Longest Day
1979
Rules assistance for The Longest Day
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 5400 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Longest Day
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Longest Day is a board game released in 1979 for 2–8 players, 5,400 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Randall C. Reed and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
The Longest Day is an Operational level Monster board-wargame depicting the assault, buildup, and breakout of the World War II Normandy Invasion. The game includes 2603 counters representing Battalion sized units and command units up to Corp level of the Allied and German armies in Northern France. Seven map boards depict the invasion beaches and areas as far east as Cabourg, as far west as Coutances, and as far south as Avranches/Argentan. The counters are in the style of German WW2 military symbols representing armor, infantry, artillery, assault guns, bicycle units, etc. Five separate scenarios are presented using the programmed instruction approach learning only what's needed to play a scenario before moving on to the next scenario. Once all the rules have been learned then the campaign game is played which can take up to several months to finish. Avalon Hill complexity rating - 8
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
The Longest Day supports 2–8 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 Longest Day is 5,400 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 Longest Day 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 Longest Day has a complexity rating of 4.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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 Longest Day belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, 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 Longest Day are: Randall C. Reed. 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 Longest Day 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.