Drang Nach Osten!

About this board game

Drang Nach Osten! is a historical wargame and simulation for 2–4 players, with a listed playing time of 12,000 minutes, covering the German invasion of the Soviet Union from 22 June 1941 through the end of the Soviet winter counteroffensive in March 1942.

Designed as a complete game of the largest invasion in history, it presents the campaign on a large operational scale. Each hex represents 16 miles, while each turn covers two weeks, creating 19 half-monthly turns from June II 1941 through March II 1942.

The game includes a broad range of military formations and specialized units. Ground forces consist of Army HQs, divisions, Soviet Tank Corps, brigades and regiments, and battalions. Air units represent groups of 40–60 aircraft, adding further unit specialization to the simulation.

• Five 21 × 27-inch mapsheets, numbered Europa 1 through 5
• Eight countersheets containing 1,792 counters
• German and Soviet initial orders of battle and appearance charts
• Combat, terrain, identification, and time-record charts

With a 20-page rules set, Drang Nach Osten! is described as less intimidating by modern standards than it was when first published more than thirty years ago. The initial setup and extended campaign make approximately 20 sessions of several hours a realistic playing schedule.

The game may also be incorporated into the wider Europa series. Its follow-up, Unentschieden (Europa II), continues the campaign through 1944–45; together, the two games cover the war in the East from 1941 to 1945.