
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Tide of Iron: Days of the Fox
- 2–4 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2008

2007
Rules assistance for Tide of Iron
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.
Tide of Iron is a board game released in 2007 for 2–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Goodenough, Corey Konieczka, and Christian T. Petersen and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Modular Board.
Tide of Iron was released by Fantasy Flight Games in 2007. Tide of Iron: Next Wave was released under license by 1A Games in 2014. Even though Tide of Iron: Next Wave is essentially a second edition of Tide of Iron, things are a bit confusing here on BGG since the two games have separate Board Game Links. For more information about the newer 2014 version of Tide of Iron: Next Wave, you can Click Here. Tide of Iron is a game of World War II tactical conflict for two to four players. The components in this base game allow players to simulate the dramatic struggle that took place between American and German forces in Northern Europe during the years 1944 and 1945. Tide of Iron is a scenario-based game, with the available forces, objectives, map, and victory conditions being set by each given scenario. It features loads of plastic figures, including soldiers, equipment, heavy weapons, and combat vehicles, cards, dice, cardboard markers, and modular game boards that will represent the customizable terrain of this scenario-based wargame. The twelve double-sided map tiles, plus the dozens of included terrain hexes, allow for limitless potential combinations, and each scenario can be enhanced by special rules, objective markers, troop allotments, and other variations. The only limiting factor is your imagination!
Tide of Iron 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 Tide of Iron is 120 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 Tide of Iron 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.
Tide of Iron has a complexity rating of 3.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Tide of Iron belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Modular Board. 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 Tide of Iron are: John Goodenough, Corey Konieczka, and Christian T. Petersen. 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 Tide of Iron 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.