Soldiers: Man-to-Man Combat in World War II

About this board game

Soldiers: Man-to-Man Combat in World War II is a two-player game of individual combat, with each session taking about 90 minutes. Released in 1987, it focuses on the actions and abilities of single soldiers rather than treating units as anonymous groups.

In Soldiers, each counter represents one man with specific skills. Every soldier receives a number of action points based on experience, and those points determine when the soldier can move and which activities he can perform.

A soldier’s status also affects the cost of action. For example, a cautious soldier requires more action points to attempt a risky activity, creating a direct connection between a man’s condition and the decisions available to him. Managing these action points is central to making the most of each soldier.

Initiative is contested through bidding. The player who wins the initiative moves one soldier, after which play continues as players act soldier by soldier until the turn is complete. This structure keeps attention on individual choices and the timing of each action.

• Each counter represents a single man with particular skills.
• Action points depend on experience and govern movement and activities.
• Soldier status can increase the cost of risky actions.
• Players bid for initiative before moving a soldier.
• A scenario generation system provides additional variety.

With its emphasis on experience, status, action points, and initiative, Soldiers presents World War II combat through the decisions of individual men. Its scenario generation system adds variety across plays while preserving the game’s focused man-to-man combat framework.