Boardgames

Black Orchestra

Experience WWII history from inside as you join the Black Orchestra conspiracy. Strategize, gather resources, and evade the Gestapo to assassinate Hitler.

90
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

Black Orchestra is a deeply engaging and historically rich board game that plunges players into the heart of the World War II era. The game’s setting is one of its most striking aspects, as it takes place amidst the tumultuous backdrop of Nazi Germany, a time fraught with danger and high-stakes political maneuvering.

The game’s title, Black Orchestra, refers to the real-life group of high-ranking German officials who conspired to assassinate Hitler during the war. As players, you become part of this clandestine dissident group, navigating through the treacherous political landscape of the Third Reich. This theme of conspiracy and resistance is not commonly found in board games, setting Black Orchestra apart from its contemporaries.

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Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Black Orchestra is a co-operative board game where 1-5 players plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each component:

1. Game Board: The board depicts a map of World War II-era Europe and features several locations where the players can travel to and perform certain actions. The board also includes the Gestapo Raid track and Hitler’s Military Support track, which impact the game’s difficulty.

2. Plot Cards: The Plot cards represent the various conspiracies to assassinate Hitler. Players must fulfill the requirements listed on a Plot card in order to attempt an assassination.

3. Conspirator Cards: These cards represent the actions and abilities of the players’ characters. Players draw Conspirator cards to gain items, actions, and special abilities that can aid in their plots.

4. Event Cards: Event cards represent significant historical events that occurred during World War II. These events can either help or hinder the players’ plots.

5. Character Cards: Each player assumes the role of a historical conspirator with a unique ability. The Character card shows the character’s stats and special abilities.

6. Dice: Dice are used to resolve assassination attempts and Gestapo raids. The result of a dice roll can determine the success or failure of a plot.

7. Item Cards: Items are necessary to fulfill the requirements of many Plot cards. Items include weapons, keys, signatures, and more.

8. Deputy Tokens: These tokens represent Hitler’s deputies. Deputies can hinder players’ actions and must often be avoided or dealt with.

9. Hitler Token: The Hitler token represents Hitler’s location on the game board. The players must navigate their characters to Hitler’s location to attempt an assassination.

10. Suspicion Tokens: These tokens represent the suspicion that a character has attracted. A higher suspicion can lead to more challenging Gestapo raids.

11. Track Markers: The track markers are used to keep track of Hitler’s Military Support and the status of the Gestapo Raid track.

12. Player Pawns: Each player has a pawn that represents their character on the game board.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Black Orchestra is a cooperative game where players take on the roles of conspirators in the German Resistance during World War II, plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up and start the game.

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

Place the game board at the center of the table where all players can reach it. The board represents different locations in Germany and Europe that players can travel to. Each location has a number of spaces for placing decks and markers.

Step 2: Set Up the Conspirator Deck

Shuffle the Conspirator deck and place it face down on the indicated space on the game board. This deck contains Event, Plot, and Item cards that will aid players in their mission.

Step 3: Set Up the Nazi Deck

Separate the Nazi deck into Stage I, II, and III cards. Shuffle each stage separately and place them on the Nazi deck space on the game board, with Stage I on top, followed by Stage II, and then Stage III at the bottom.

Step 4: Prepare the Evidence and Gestapo Raid Markers

Place the Evidence and Gestapo Raid markers next to the game board. These will be used to track the level of suspicion towards the players.

Step 5: Choose Player Roles

Each player chooses a conspirator card, which represents their character in the game. Each conspirator has a unique ability that can be used during the game. The conspirator card also shows the player’s starting suspicion and motivation levels.

Step 6: Set Up Player Resources

  • Each player takes a Motivation marker and places it on the starting space of their motivation track on their conspirator card.
  • Each player takes a Suspicion marker and places it on the starting space of their suspicion track on their conspirator card.
  • Each player receives three dice to use during the game.

Step 7: Set Up Hitler and Deputies

Place Hitler and his deputies on their starting locations on the game board. The Hitler card should be placed with the Stage I side facing up.

Step 8: Random Elements

Draw the top seven cards from the Conspirator deck and place them face up in the available spaces in the Document Center. These cards are available for players to pick up during the game.

Now that everything is set up, you are ready to start the game. Remember, communication and strategy are key in Black Orchestra as players work together to plan and execute their plot to assassinate Hitler.

Game flow Round and round we go

Black Orchestra is a cooperative board game where players work together to plot the assassination of Adolf Hitler during World War II. This game is divided into seven stages, each representing a specific period during the war. Players take on the roles of conspirators who must avoid suspicion while gathering the necessary items and support to execute their plot.

The game consists of two main phases within each round: the Action Phase and the Event Phase. Here is a detailed explanation of each phase:

1. Action Phase:

In the Action Phase, players take turns performing up to three actions each. There are five possible actions that a player can perform:

  1. Move: The player moves their conspirator pawn to any location on the game board.
  2. Draw a card: The player draws a card from the Conspirator deck. These cards offer various advantages and resources for the players.
  3. Play a card: The player plays a card from their hand. Cards can have a variety of effects, such as reducing suspicion or providing necessary items for a plot.
  4. Conspire: The player rolls dice to generate ‘actions’, ‘suspicion’, or ‘Hitler’s military support’. This is a risky action that can yield great rewards or severe penalties.
  5. Attempt a plot: The player attempts to execute a plot against Hitler. This is the primary goal of the game. The likelihood of the plot’s success depends on various factors, such as Hitler’s current location and the items the player has collected.

2. Event Phase:

After all players have taken their turns, the round progresses to the Event Phase. The top card from the Event deck is drawn and resolved. These events represent the changing circumstances of World War II and can have a variety of effects on the game.

Events can increase Hitler’s military support, move Hitler and his deputies around the board, increase the suspicion level of the conspirators, or even arrest them. Some events can also provide opportunities for the players, such as reducing military support or suspicion.

The game continues with players alternating between these two phases until either a plot against Hitler is successful, or the end of the game is triggered by an event card. If the players have not successfully executed a plot by the end of the seventh stage, they lose the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the ‘Black Orchestra’ board game, a player gets to go through several steps during their turn. Each step is crucial and has the potential to affect the gameplay significantly.

Draw Event Cards:

At the beginning of a player’s turn, they must draw the top card from the event deck. This card will introduce a new condition or event that can affect all players. Some events are beneficial, while others can be detrimental.

Action Phase:

After drawing an event card, the player enters their action phase. During this phase, they can perform up to three actions. The actions that a player can perform include:

  • Move: A player can move their conspirator pawn to any location on the board. This is essential for gathering items, avoiding Gestapo raids, and performing plot attempts.
  • Draw a card: A player can draw a card from the conspirator deck. These cards provide items and abilities that can assist in the plot against Hitler.
  • Play a card: If a player has a card in their hand, they can play it for its text effect. The effects of these cards can greatly influence the game’s outcome.
  • Discard a card: A player can choose to discard a card from their hand. This is useful when a player needs to make room for new cards.
  • Conspire: Players can choose to conspire, which involves rolling dice to gain useful resources like actions or motivation but also runs the risk of increasing suspicion.
  • Attempt a Plot: If a player has a plot card and meets its requirements, they can attempt to execute the plot. Succeeding in a plot can win the game, but failure can increase suspicion and lead to arrest.

Check Suspicion Level:

After the action phase, the player checks their suspicion level. If the suspicion marker is in the red zone, the player is at risk of being arrested during a Gestapo raid.

End of Turn:

At the end of their turn, the player passes the turn to the player on their left. The game continues in this way, with each player strategically making decisions to further their plot and avoid raising suspicion.

‘Black Orchestra’ is a game of strategy and risk, where players must work together while also managing their own hands and actions. The choices made during a player’s turn can greatly impact the outcome of the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Black Orchestra is an engaging cooperative board game where players conspire to assassinate Adolf Hitler during WWII. The game ends under two conditions:

  1. Victory for the conspirators
  2. Victory for the regime

Let’s explore these conditions in detail.

1. Victory for the Conspirators:

This condition is met when the players successfully assassinate Hitler. Here are the steps to be taken:

  • Plot: A player must be in the same location as Hitler and declare a plot from their hand. Note that each plot card has unique requirements, such as needing specific items or conspirators.
  • Roll Dice: The player then rolls a number of dice equal to their motivation level. Success is indicated by rolling a number of targets equal to or higher than Hitler’s current military support.
  • Eliminate Hitler: If the assassination attempt is successful, Hitler is eliminated and the players win the game.

2. Victory for the Regime:

This is met when the deck of event cards runs out before the players can successfully assassinate Hitler. The steps are as follows:

  • Exhaust Deck: Players draw and resolve event cards each turn. If the deck is exhausted, this implies that the war has ended without a successful assassination plot.
  • Arrests: All players can also lose if they are all in prison at the same time. Players end up in prison if they are in a location when a Gestapo Raid event card is drawn or if an event card specifically sends a player to prison.
  • Death: A player’s conspirator can also die if their suspicion level is too high during a Gestapo Raid.

There is no scoring in the traditional sense in Black Orchestra as it is a fully cooperative game. The players either win together by successfully assassinating Hitler, or they all lose if they fail to accomplish this goal. The game is more about the journey and the strategic decisions that players make along the way.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Black Orchestra, the main objective of the game is not to amass points but to successfully assassinate Adolf Hitler. However, it’s important to note that each player’s performance can be evaluated based on certain elements. The game does not inherently include a point system but for players interested in scoring, the following structure can be used:

Successful Assassination:

  • For a successful assassination plot, the player responsible can be awarded 10 points.
  • If the successful assassination plot was a team effort, each participant can be awarded 7 points.

Conspirator Card Elements:

  • Each player can earn 1 point for every plot card they have in their hand at the end of the game.
  • Each player can earn 1 point for every item in their possession at the end of the game.

Motivation Level:

  • Players can earn points depending on their motivation level. For ‘Zealous’, a player can earn 3 points, for ‘Motivated’, they earn 2 points, and for ‘Uncommitted’, they earn 1 point.

Arrests:

  • Points can also be deducted for each time the player was arrested during the game. For each arrest, 2 points can be subtracted from the player’s total.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, the game has a specific set of tie-breaking rules to determine the winner. The tie-breaker is based on the number of remaining actions a player has at the end of the game. The player with the most remaining actions is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest motivation level will be the winner. If a tie still persists, the player who has the least arrests will win. Lastly, if a tie still remains, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

The game ‘Black Orchestra’ is a historical board game that presents players with the daunting task of plotting to assassinate Hitler during World War II. While the game’s rules are fairly straightforward, there are certain rare or special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players must keep in mind.

1. Gestapo Arrests:

In Black Orchestra, the Gestapo can arrest players at any time. However, it is important to remember that players can only be arrested if they are in the same location as a Gestapo Raid card. This is an exception to the general rule that the Gestapo can arrest players at any location.

2. Suspicion Level:

Players should note that their suspicion level does not decrease when they are arrested. This is a clarification of the rule that states that a player’s suspicion level is reset to zero when they are arrested. In fact, their suspicion level remains the same.

3. Plot Cards:

Players must also be aware of a special rule regarding Plot cards. Plot cards are only discarded when a plot is attempted and fails. If a player does not attempt a plot, they do not have to discard their Plot card. This is an exception to the general rule that players must discard their Plot card at the end of each turn.

4. Conspirator Actions:

A player can take any number of conspirator actions during their turn, but they can only take each action once. This means that a player cannot, for example, draw two cards as two separate actions during the same turn. This is a clarification of the rule that states that a player can take any number of actions during their turn.

5. Hitler’s Military Support:

Finally, players should bear in mind that Hitler’s military support does not increase during Stage 1 of the game. This is an exception to the rule that Hitler’s military support increases at the end of each stage.

  • Key Points:
    1. Players can only be arrested by the Gestapo if they are in the same location as a Gestapo Raid card.
    2. A player’s suspicion level does not decrease when they are arrested.
    3. Plot cards are only discarded when a plot is attempted and fails.
    4. A player can only take each conspirator action once during their turn.
    5. Hitler’s military support does not increase during Stage 1 of the game.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Black Orchestra is a board game that reenacts the valiant attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II. In this cooperative game, players work together as conspirators trying to bring down the Third Reich from within. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

  • Plan Ahead: Black Orchestra is a game of strategy and planning. Focus on long-term goals and plan your moves ahead of time.

  • Use your Special Abilities: Every character has a special ability. Use these abilities to your advantage and coordinate with your teammates to maximize their impact.

  • Manage Suspicion: Keeping your suspicion level low is crucial. The higher your suspicion, the more likely you are to be arrested, which can derail your plans.

Beginner Tips:

  • Understand the Game Mechanics: Familiarize yourself with the mechanics of the game. Understanding how the game works will help you make better decisions and formulate effective strategies.

  • Cooperate with your Team: Black Orchestra is a cooperative game. Work closely with your team and communicate effectively to coordinate actions and strategy.

  • Balance Risk and Reward: Taking risks can lead to big rewards, but also big setbacks. Strive to strike a balance between risk and reward.

Common Mistakes:

  • Ignoring Hitler’s Location: Hitler’s location affects the difficulty of the assassination attempts. Ignoring his location can lead to failed attempts and wasted resources.

  • Not Managing Resources Effectively: Items and conspirators are valuable resources. Not managing these resources effectively can lead to missed opportunities and wasted actions.

  • Not Dealing with Gestapo Raids: Gestapo raids can drastically change the game state. Not dealing with them can lead to arrests and game loss.

Optimizing Gameplay:

  • Optimize Conspirator Actions: Each conspirator action is precious. Optimize each action to ensure you’re making the most out of every turn.

  • Use Items Wisely: Items can be used to lower suspicion, increase motivation, and assist in assassination attempts. Use them wisely and at the right time.

  • Choose the Right Strategy: Each game of Black Orchestra is different. Adapt your strategy based on the game state and the characters you’re playing.

Thematics

Mechanics

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Official Rules - EN