Red Star Rising: The War in Russia, 1941-1944

About this board game

Red Star Rising: The War in Russia 1941-1944 is a two-player World War II wargame covering the Eastern Front from the German invasion of the USSR in June 1941 through the end of April 1944. Playing time is listed as 3-30 hours, offering a substantial strategic experience for players who want to explore the conflict at theater scale.

One player commands Germany and its allies as the Axis, while the other directs the Soviets. The game focuses on significant aspects of the campaign and the difficult problems faced by the historical commanders, from the opening Nazi storm to the Soviet transformation into the powerful force that would drive the Axis from the USSR.

Red Star Rising is part of Multi-Man Publishing’s International Games Series. It uses a variant of the Victory in the West chit-pull system, adding novel twists to represent the changing rhythm and pressures of the Eastern Front. If the Soviet player can endure the initial assault, the balance of power can turn dramatically during the game.

• Time scale: Each turn represents two weeks to two months.
• Map scale: Each hex covers 22 miles, or 35 kilometers.
• Unit scale: German forces use corps and divisions; Soviet forces use corps and armies.
• Solitaire playability: High.
• Complexity: Medium.

Designed by Masahiro Yamazaki, long regarded as an East Front specialist in Japan, the game reflects more than ten years of development. Released in 2007, Red Star Rising presents a broad operational view of the war in Russia, with a design intended to make the changing fortunes of the campaign central to every play.