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To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917
1978
Rules assistance for To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 240–1020 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 is a board game released in 1978 for 2 players, 240–1020 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by David C. Isby and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
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About the game
To the Green Fields Beyond is an operational simulation of the Battle of Cambrai, 1917, the first great tank battle in history. David Isby : From the Designers Notes "As I write this I am sitting at my typewriter in my extremely comfortable office, a mug of hot, sweet tea by my right hand, and telling you what the Battle of Cambrai was like. That is a delusion. All I can do is provide you with cardboard pieces and a paper map, and instructions on what to do with them, and maybe some words of historical commentary. Can you feel the confusion and chaos, the reports, false and true, that filled British Headquarters when the counterattack hit ? Can you think what it was like to see the ranks of feldgrau figures appear two hundred yards away, peering through the fogged eyepiece of a gas mask into the back sight of a Lee-Enfield rifle ? I cannot tell you what was in the minds and souls of men who fought the battle. I'm no artist. I design wargames" "Through the mud and the blood to the green fields beyond." This quote, attributed to Brigadier General Hugh Elles, who led the Tank Corps into action at Cambrai, succinctly states the British objective-to penetrate the German trenches and break into their rear areas. The idea of a breakthrough to the green fields beyond had dominated Allied thinking since 1915. Cambrai was to be as close as they were to come before the final breakthrough of 1918. To the Green Fields Beyond is an operational level simulation of the Battle of Cambrai which lasted from 20 November to 7 December, 1917. There are two players, one commanding the British and the other the German forces. The game consists of three scenarios and a campaign game. The players should start with a scenario- the British Breakthrough is best- before attempting the full 17 turns of the campaign game. Players should note that each game turn in To the Green Fields Beyond requires many decisions, and will probably take between 30 and 75 minutes to play. To the Green Fields Beyond is uncommon amongst games in that both players get the opportunity to take the offensive. The campaign game provides opportunities for both sides to attack. The British Breakthrough and Battle for Bourlon scenarios have the British attacking, while the German Counterattack scenario obviously has them as defenders, although they can still often mount attacks as well. Each hex on the mapsheet represents 1250 yards from side to side. Each Game Turn is equivalent to 24 hours. Contents: Rules booklet 400 Die cut counters 1 34" x 22" Map 1 Die
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
- Decision Games (I)
- Excalibre Games, Inc.
Questions and answers
To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 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 To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 is 240–1020 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 To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 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.
To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 has a complexity rating of 3.6 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.
To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. 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 To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 are: David C. Isby. 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 To the Green Fields Beyond: The Battle of Cambrai, 1917 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.