How To Play: All Quiet on the Western Front

Overview

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your friends into nervous wrecks with cardboard and tiny plastic soldiers, All Quiet on the Western Front is your game. I’ve spent way too many hours plotting in muddy trenches and yelling, “Why are the artillery shells always aimed at me?” In this guide, I’ll break down the game rules and share the best strategies for winning (or at least surviving).

What’s in the box

• 1 Game Board
• 120 Trench Tiles
• 60 Infantry Tokens
• 24 Artillery Markers
• 10 Leader Figures
• 2 Reference Sheets
• 1 Rulebook
• 40 Command Cards
• 36 Event Cards
• 30 Supply Tokens
• 12 Morale Counters
• 4 Dice

How To Play All Quiet on the Western Front: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, pick your side: Allies or Central Powers. No fighting before the game, folks!
2. Next, deal each player their nation cards and starting resources. Keep your poker face on.
3. Now, lay out the board and place initial trench tiles along the marked lines.
4. Then, shuffle the event and tactics decks, and place them within reach. Don’t hide them under the table.
5. Finally, give everyone their starting units and tokens. No sneaking extras!

Gameplay

1. Players take turns in clockwise order, starting with the youngest (or the one with the best war face).
2. On your turn, you draw a tactics card, collect resources, and reinforce your trenches.
3. Then, you may choose to move your units or launch attacks against enemy positions.
4. Roll dice to resolve attacks; defend by using your trench cards or special abilities.
5. After all players act, flip an event card to see what fresh World War One chaos arrives.

Winning

1. The goal? Control key objectives on the board by the end of round 10 or wipe out the enemy forces.
2. Check victory points after the last round if nobody wins outright. Highest total claims bragging rights for the week.
3. If there’s a tie, the player with the most surviving units wins. So, keep your troops alive!

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Watch for event cards that can change weather or morale and mess up your perfect plan.
2. Trenches offer bonus defense. However, artillery attacks can knock them out, so no getting too comfy.
3. Alliances between players are allowed but beware—betrayals happen more often than I lose at charades.
4. Finally, sudden death occurs if all objectives fall to one side before round 10. Game ends right then, so don’t go make coffee just yet.

With these easy steps, you’ll know how to play All Quiet on the Western Front like a pro—unless you’re playing against me, in which case, good luck!

Best All Quiet on the Western Front Strategies

Dig In or Die: Mastering Trench Placement in All Quiet on the Western Front

Pick Your Ground Wisely

First, always build trenches where you can watch the enemy and cover weak spots. High ground matters! If you see mud, avoid it. A friend of mine once ignored this and we lost faster than you can say ‘No Man’s Land.’

1. Check the map for choke points.
2. Stay away from obvious open spots.

Link Your Trenches

Next, connect your lines so soldiers can move fast. Nothing worse than being stuck behind enemy lines with nowhere to run.

1. Make zig-zag shapes to dodge gunfire.
2. Keep exits clear for quick escapes.

Bunker Down and Hold On

Lastly, pile on defenses like sandbags and barbed wire. My buddies and I once forgot, and we got steamrolled. Learn from our pain!

1. Use obstacles to slow down attackers.
2. Place reserves close, just in case.

If you want to know How To Play all quiet on the western front, start by setting those trenches smartly. It’s your first step to victory!

Mastering the Art of the Perfect Offensive

Pick Your Moment Wisely

When launching an offensive in All Quiet on the Western Front, patience pays off. Wait for the enemy to overextend or leave gaps. I learned this after jumping the gun too early and getting wiped out.

1. Observe your opponent’s resources and morale.
2. Strike when they look weakest or most distracted.

Coordinate with Allies

It helps to gang up with friends for a big push. I once watched my buddy Mike storm the trenches while I flanked. We high-fived in real life, too.

1. Discuss plans before attacking.
2. Support each other’s movements seamlessly.

Preserve Your Momentum

After the first push, keep up the pressure. But remember, you can’t let your guard down. As soon as I paused, my opponent came back swinging. Timing your second wave can decide the game.

1. Plan your follow-up before starting the first assault.
2. Watch enemy reserves and be ready to adjust.

If you want to know How To Play all quiet on the western front, always remember: attack when you see a real opening, work together, and never let up!

Resource Management: The Secret Sauce to Victory

Why Every Supply Matters

Trust me, one careless night and my troops almost starved. If you want to know How To Play all quiet on the western front and actually win, you need to manage every single resource like it’s your grandma’s favorite cookie recipe.

Top Tips for Stretching Supplies

1. Plan ahead each turn—don’t leave troops hungry or out of ammo.
2. Trade with your teammates whenever possible. It saves everyone’s bacon.
3. Only spend resources when it truly matters. Don’t go wild!
4. Always keep backup supplies. The war loves to throw surprises.

Keep Morale High

When you manage resources, your troops stay happy. Happy troops win games. Simple as that!

Ready for the Front Lines!

So, that’s my best advice for winning at All Quiet on the Western Front. Trust me, after a night of dodging cardboard artillery and arguing about the rules, my friends and I have learned one thing: smart trench placement and timing your offensives can save your bacon. Oh, and never let Dave manage the resources. Remember, if you want more help on How To Play all quiet on the western front, just play with people who are worse than you. Works every time! Good luck out there, general!

Want to know what we think of All Quiet on the Western Front? Read our detailed review of All Quiet on the Western Front here