Defiant Russia

About this board game

Defiant Russia is a two-player, 120-minute board game about the 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union, placing players in command of the actual units that fought in the campaign.

The Axis side fields German, Finnish, Italian, Hungarian, Spanish, and Romanian formations, with most units representing army corps. German tank units provide the main striking power and are the strongest forces in the game, while German infantry is both numerous and effective. Other Axis formations are generally less powerful, although the Hungarian unit is capable and Romania contributes a cavalry corps.

Soviet forces are generally represented by armies. Some can stand up to the Germans, but the first Axis turn is particularly difficult for the Red Army. The Soviet player must place forces carefully and decide when and where to launch counter-attacks.

The Soviet player also has distinctive tools for resisting the invasion. Fleets in the Baltic and Black Seas can support combat and enable landings behind enemy lines. Soviet tank units are numerous, though weaker than German panzers, while paratroopers and shock troops provide special capabilities unavailable to the Axis.

• Play as the Axis or the Soviet Union in the 1941 campaign.
• Command German, Soviet, and allied formations represented by playing pieces.
• Use naval fleets, landings, paratroopers, and shock troops to shape the battle.
• Explore an introductory 1939 invasion of Poland scenario and additional Operation Barbarossa variations, including Turkish intervention.

Originally published in 2004, Defiant Russia received an updated Player’s Edition from Avalanche Press in 2016. That edition includes 200 playing pieces, up from 140, along with a larger 28×22-inch map and more scenarios; the original map measured 22×17 inches.