UK duo embark on 30-year quest to finish world's most complex board game, The Campaign for North Africa

Two UK board game enthusiasts, Andy Taeger and James Purcell, have committed to what may be the longest tabletop endeavor ever attempted: completing The Campaign for North Africa, widely regarded as the most complex board game ever published. The game, a detailed simulation of the WWII North African campaign, is notorious for its staggering playtime—estimated at over 1,500 hours—and its exhaustive rules covering logistics, supply, and even pasta consumption for Italian troops. Taeger and Purcell, having completed an 18-month practice run of just six turns, now project a 20- to 30-year timeline to finish the full campaign. Their dedication highlights the extreme niche of hardcore historical wargaming, where players embrace multi-decade commitments for the sake of simulation fidelity. If they succeed, they may become the first people in recorded history to complete the game, a feat that would resonate across the global board gaming community. Their journey underscores a growing trend of marathon gaming sessions and long-term collaborative play, proving that for some, the ultimate victory is simply finishing the game.