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Berlin '85: The Enemy at the Gates
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The Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe
1978
Rules assistance for The Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 360 min
- 14+
- Complexity 4.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe is a board game released in 1978 for 2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jim Dunnigan and Mark Herman and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
The Next War is a brigade/divisional level simulation of a Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of the central European front of NATO in the late 1970's. The three maps cover the area from the far north of Denmark, through Germany and Austria to the industrial heartland of Italy. The standard rules constitute the fast game, and contain all the rules necessary to play "The Next War" land game - a complete game that can be played independently. The most notable mechanic is the combination of combat within the movement of land units, with the ability of units to greatly exceed the basic movement allowance at increased risk of fatigue/attrition. Optional rules cover weather, supply, chemical/nuclear warfare, air and naval operations, airborne/airmobile and amphibious operations, helicopters and special forces, and electronic warfare and add can considerably to the record keeping and playing time. The campaign game covers the first 60 days after mobilization in three basic scenarios, Sudden War, Spring Maneuvers, Tension. The differences between these three concern the timing of the outbreak of war and the resultant state of readiness of the respective forces. Due to the large number of optional rules, however, the players may in fact choose from a vast array of possible Campaign Game situations. Six smaller scenarios depict smaller areas of operations over briefer periods of time in the regions of Berlin, Vienna, The Baltic, Fulda, North German Plains, and the Main Front (Fulda + North German Plains). The game components: three 22" x 35" map sheets plus one 6" x 8" and one 10" x 12" map extensions, 2400 die-cut 1/2" counters, one 32 page rules book, one 40 page Scenarios and Situation Briefing book, two identical 4 page Charts & Tables folders, and one 17" x 22" Air Allocation Display.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
The Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe is 360 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe for ages 14 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe has a complexity rating of 4.2 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe are: Jim Dunnigan and Mark Herman. 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 Next War: Modern Conflict in Europe 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.