Hungarian Nightmare
2011
Lead Soviet and Romanian forces or a fractured German-Hungarian defense in a brutal, time-pressured struggle for Budapest.
300
minutes
2 - 2
player(s)
14+
Medium Heavy
About this board game
Hungarian Nightmare is a two-player wargame of the brutal battle for Budapest, with an approximately 300-minute playing time. Set during the winter fighting of late 1944 and early 1945, it covers the struggle for the twin cities of Buda and Pest.
One player commands two full Soviet fronts and a corps of newly allied Romanian troops, whose doubtful quality adds uncertainty to the offensive. The other controls a mixed German and Hungarian force, from remnants of SS cavalry divisions and panzer kampfgroups to rear-area units, police formations, assault gun companies, and World War I veterans.
The Axis defense faces dwindling fuel, supplies, and manpower energy, while the Soviet player must contend with a demanding timetable and the loss of key units needed to repel relief efforts. Both sides confront difficult command situations and have the opportunity to outperform the historical result, which counts as a draw in game terms.
- 280 counters representing the varied forces involved in the campaign
- An area-movement map of Buda and Pest, with each space covering about one square kilometer
- Three-day turns spanning the entire siege and battle
- Opposing challenges based on supply, unit quality, time, and reinforcement pressures
Designed by Mark Stille, Hungarian Nightmare brings a rarely explored World War II campaign to the tabletop. Whether you are attempting to break into the surrounded city or hold on against overwhelming odds, the game places the assault on Budapest in your hands.