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Ancients II
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War of the Worlds
2014
Rules assistance for War of the Worlds
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
Rules assistant for War of the Worlds
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
War of the Worlds is a board game released in 2014 for 1–2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by William L. Banks and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
War of the Worlds is a new game from Bill Banks and is the in-magazine game for the premier issue of the new Ares Magazine (2). War of the Worlds is a two-player game of the conquest of Earth and the survival of humanity! The military forces of Queen Victoria gather to repel an attack by the diabolical Martian forces under the command of the evil Martian overlord. The Martians have huge, mechanical tripod walkers, flying saucers, death rays, missile bases, and giant monsters at their disposal. They can also elicit help from sympathetic (read gullible) human proxies. The humans rely on conventional infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and perhaps a hero, for their main defense. Fortunately, the human player may get assistance from a mad scientist who can field an Infernal Machine that the Martians won't find amusing. The Martians have a choice of five different victory conditions. Part of the challenge for the human player is to determine the Martian overlord's true objectives so they can be best thwarted.
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- One Small Step
Questions and answers
War of the Worlds supports 1–2 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 War of the Worlds is 60 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 War of the Worlds 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.
War of the Worlds has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
War of the Worlds belongs to these categories: Wargame, Science Fiction, and Novel-based. 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 War of the Worlds are: William L. Banks. 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 War of the Worlds 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.