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Imperium: Empires in Conflict – Worlds in the Balance
- 2 players
- 180–300 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
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Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France
1978
Rules assistance for Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
Rules assistant for Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France is a board game released in 1978 for 2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Marc W. Miller and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
The 1978 release of Verdun, though based on the 1972 release from Conflict Games (designed by John Hill), is a completely new game with a new designer (Marc W. Miller). "Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France" is an Operational level board-wargame simulation of the 1916 German offensive that was supposed to "bleed the French white" in a single great battle of attrition, but instead turned into a bloody debacle of 10 months of slaughter. The mechanics of the game are mostly conventional for hex and counter wargames. Movement, stacking, and Zones of Control are typical of most other games. Combat consists of artillery barrage and infantry assault. Artillery can play a big part in the game, as it did historically in the battle. Players are limited in using their artillery by the ammunition factors they must keep track of on the Ammunition Availability Chart. Artillery expends ammunition factors when it fires, which may cause shortages. So, despite a large number of artillery units on both sides, players must use their guns judiciously. Assault is done after movement and after artillery bombardment. Attackers must designate their assaults during the movement phase before artillery fire. As a result of artillery fire, both an attacker and defender can be severely affected. Attackers must carry out their assaults regardless of losses from artillery, which can be disastrous. Supply rules are typical of many wargames. The rules provide means of destroying the opposing players artillery ammunition stocks and for interdicting rail lines and roads that serve as supply lines. The game adds some chrome with German pioneers (who aid in assaults), balloons spotting for artillery, road interdiction (which affects French supply), and gas attacks. There are also rules for the Germans reducing the fortresses that surround Verdun. While control of the city of Verdun is a primary victory condition for the game, the real key to victory is the amount of attrition each side does to the other.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Game Designers' Workshop (GDW Games)
- Conflict Games
Questions and answers
Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France 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 Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France is 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 Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France 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.
Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War I. 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 Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France are: Marc W. Miller. 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 Verdun: A Dagger at the Heart of France 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.