GHQ Board Game

GHQ is a fast and strategic two player battle game. Played on a standard 8x8 checkerboard, players command infantry, armored vehicles, artillery, and the powerful airborne regiment, maneuvering to capture the opposing Headquarters. Can you skillfully use real-world combined arms tactics and call on reinforcements at the right time to turn the tide of battle?

Command a compact combined arms battle in GHQ, a fast two-player strategy game designed by author Kurt Vonnegut. Developed from his surviving 1950s notes and prepared for publication decades later, the game presents a contest of manoeuvre on a familiar eight-by-eight battlefield with no random combat resolution.

Each player directs a Headquarters alongside regular and armoured infantry, airborne infantry and several forms of artillery. The different pieces reward coordinated positioning rather than isolated attacks, and reinforcements must be called at the right moment to shift the balance of the battle. Victory comes from manoeuvring across the board and capturing the opposing Headquarters.

The first edition uses deluxe wooden playing pieces and includes player aids for the opposing forces. Its twenty-four-page commentary booklet presents Vonnegut’s design notes, providing context for the game’s unusual journey from an unpublished mid-century project to a modern release. With a playing time of approximately twenty to forty minutes, GHQ offers a concise duel built around tactical clarity and repeated play.

• Combined Arms Tactics: Coordinate infantry, armoured units, airborne troops and artillery
• Headquarters Objective: Win by manoeuvring across the board to capture the enemy HQ
• Eight by Eight Battlefield: Fight a compact contest on a clear sixty-four-square board
• Reinforcement Timing: Choose when additional forces can best turn the course of battle
• Deterministic Strategy: Resolve the duel through positioning and tactical decisions
• Design Archive Booklet: Explore Kurt Vonnegut’s original notes and creative process

Includes:

• 1 Board with 64 Squares
• 36 Playing Pieces
• 1 Rulebook
• Player Aids
• 1 Commentary Booklet

Specifications:

• Manufacturer: Mars International
• Category: Board Game
• Subcategory: Two Player Combined Arms Abstract Strategy Board Game
• Players: 2
• Age: 14+
• Play Time: 20-40 Minutes