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1985: Deadly Northern Lights

1985: Deadly Northern Lights

Thin Red Line Games · 2020
2–4180–5000 min0+ yrs4.2/5 complexity9.1 BGG#11.917 BGG315KidsStrategy
short answer

How do you play 1985: Deadly Northern Lights?

"The waters of the Barents Sea are constantly violated by nuclear armed US submarines and carriers. Nordic Countries must realize that their tacit consent plunges them into the strategic balance between United States and the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics.

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1985: Deadly Northern Lights box art
official art · Thin Red Line Games

"The waters of the Barents Sea are constantly violated by nuclear armed US submarines and carriers. Nordic Countries must realize that their tacit consent plunges them into the strategic balance between United States and the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics."

Public Declaration of State Committee on the State of Emergency in the U.S.S.R. Moscow July 24, 1985

1985: Deadly Northern Lights covers the Warsaw Pact offensive against the Nordic countries during the dramatic events of World War Three. Norway, Sweden, Finland and insular Denmark are in the cross-hair, facing the full might of Northern Fleet, Baltic Fleet and two Soviet Military Districts.

Both sides have only a fraction of the ground forces available in the Central European Front and must overcome the problems dictated by scarce lines of communication and by the harsh environment.

Every aspect of a modern aero-naval campaign is covered: naval and air combat, electronic warfare, nuclear and chemical weapons, special forces, standoff strikes, supply convoys, coastal defenses, mine warfare, amphibious invasions, and more.

Game Highlights

Playable stand-alone or in combination with 1985:Under an Iron Sky
Order of Battle and TO&E are not “generic”, but set exactly in July, 1985
14km per hex, 48 hours per game turn
Division / Brigade / Battalion sized ground combat units
Special Forces, Airmobile, Paratroops, Electronic Warfare, Artillery, SSM, SAM and Air Defense Artillery units
Squadron sized Air and Helicopter units
Extensive air war rules covering Escort, Intercept, SEAD, Wild Weasel, Ground Strike and more
Surface Ships and Submarines, from single flag ships to groups of fast patrol missile boats
Realistic but flowing naval rules. Everyone here remembers the horror of TNW’s 12-turns naval phase
Specific operational tactics like Active Defense and Single-Echelon Assaults
Variable reinforcements, depending by Players’ decisions and external events
Five different scenarios of increasing complexity:
    The Gates of Fire: The initial Soviet offensive in Northern Norway
    The Baltic Will Tell: Warsaw Pact's surprise assault against Stockholm
    Against a Sea of Troubles: Soviet amphibious invasion of Denmark
    Black Become the Sun's Beams: Warsaw Pact's aeronaval assault on Norway
    Nordic Balance: The full World War Three Arctic Campaign

Playable stand-alone or in combination with 1985:Under an Iron Sky and 1985:Sacred Oil

Components: see editions descriptions

(description from the publisher)

🔬 game anatomy
Complexity4.2 / 5
BGG rating9.1 / 10
Vibe
KidsStrategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
180–5000 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
0+ yrs
BGG rank
#11.917

from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does 1985: Deadly Northern Lights cost?
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Q2Where can I buy 1985: Deadly Northern Lights cheapest?
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Q3How do you play 1985: Deadly Northern Lights?
1985: Deadly Northern Lights is a modern warfare game, for 2–4 players, taking ~180–5000 minutes, featuring dice rolling. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about 1985: Deadly Northern Lights — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does 1985: Deadly Northern Lights support?
1985: Deadly Northern Lights is played by 2–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of 1985: Deadly Northern Lights take?
A game of 1985: Deadly Northern Lights takes about 180–5000 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is 1985: Deadly Northern Lights for?
1985: Deadly Northern Lights is recommended from age 0.
Q7How complex is 1985: Deadly Northern Lights?
1985: Deadly Northern Lights has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 4.2 out of 5.
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