Moscow ’41

About this board game

Moscow ’41 is a light-to-medium wargame for 1–2 players, with games lasting about 120 minutes. It covers the German Army Group Centre offensive against Moscow during Operation Barbarossa, and offers excellent solitaire suitability.

After the German invasion of Russia begins on 22 June 1941, Army Group Centre advances through a campaign shaped by the stunning early successes of the Wehrmacht. The German armies have reached the outskirts of Smolensk, but the road to Moscow is threatened by stretched supply lines, stiffening Soviet resistance, infantry struggling to keep pace with the Panzers, and the approach of winter.

One player commands the Germans, seeking a decisive victory before winter arrives. The other commands the Soviets, conducting a fighting withdrawal while preparing to deliver a decisive blow against the invaders. Though rooted in a historical campaign, the game allows the players to alter the course of operations.

• Historical focus: Army Group Centre’s offensive toward Moscow in 1941.
• Two-sided challenge: German momentum faces Soviet resistance and strategic endurance.
• Flexible play: Designed for two players, with strong solitaire suitability.
• Barbarossa Trilogy: The first chapter alongside Leningrad ’41 and Kiev ’41.

The wider campaign also brings the possibility of experienced Siberian veterans entering the struggle in November, after Soviet forces are freed from garrisoning the Far East. In Moscow ’41, the German commander must push forward while the opportunity remains, whereas the Soviet commander must evoke the Patriotic War and stop the invasion at any cost.