Race to Berlin

About this board game

Race to Berlin is a two-player board game with an approximately 150-minute playing time, portraying the final months of World War II in Europe. Players command the Soviet and Western Allied armies as they advance toward the ultimate prize: Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany.

The Western Allies begin after the landing in Normandy and the German withdrawal from France, standing at the borders of the Reich and preparing to cross the Rhine. In the East, the Red Army prepares its final offensive toward Berlin. Both sides are set for a race to victory.

Each player also commands German armies positioned in front of the opposing Allied force. The player directing the Red Army controls German troops on the Western Front, while the player controlling the Western Allies commands German troops on the Eastern Front. These forces must delay the opposing advance toward Berlin.

• Command the Soviet or Western Allied armies.
• Control German armies delaying the opposing player.
• Seize strategically important regions of Germany.
• Compete for Berlin and shape the post-war balance of power.

Capturing Germany’s strategically important regions matters beyond the immediate race, as these areas will later be administered by occupying troops. The outcome helps determine the post-war spheres of influence created by the victorious powers.

In Race to Berlin, the struggle for the German capital is also a contest over the political landscape that follows World War II. The winner’s advance can influence the balance of power during the Cold War, giving the two-player confrontation consequences that extend beyond the battlefield.