Afrika Korps

About this board game

Afrika Korps is a two-player historical war game with an approximately 180-minute playing time, recreating Rommel’s battles against the British in North Africa during World War II. Originally released in 1964, it is an accessible early Avalon Hill beginner war game with a complexity rating of 2 on the company’s 1-to-10 scale.

The game covers the campaign from April 1941 through the climactic battle at El Alamein in later 1942. One player commands the Axis forces, including Rommel’s Deutsches Afrika Korps and Panzerarmee Afrika, while the other leads the Allied British Eighth Army defending Egypt and the Suez Canal.

Each monthly game-turn reflects the shifting fortunes of the desert campaign. Initiative may pass between the German and Allied players as both sides confront the central challenge of the theater: a highly mobile conflict where tactical opportunities are shaped by severe logistical demands.

Designed to be easy and fun, Afrika Korps offers an approachable introduction to historical wargaming while capturing the legend of “The Desert Fox.” Its focus on the North African campaign makes it a compact choice for players interested in World War II history, maneuver, and the contest between opposing armies.

• For 2 players
• Approximately 180 minutes of play
• 44 × 14-inch mounted mapboard of North Africa
• Die-cut Axis and Allied military unit counters
• Combat results table, time record card, die, and rules

With its focused historical setting and low complexity rating, Afrika Korps presents Rommel’s desert offensives and the British defense of Egypt in a format suited to newcomers as well as experienced players seeking a straightforward campaign game.