Stalin’s War

About this board game

Stalin’s War is a two-player, card-driven hex-based game of the Eastern Front, with sessions lasting about 240 minutes. Players maneuver Axis Armies and Panzer Corps against Soviet Fronts and Armies across a large map stretching from Berlin to the Urals.

Simple but effective rules support a wide range of strategic and tactical choices. Mechanized forces can break through the front line and exploit deep into the opponent’s rear, creating opportunities for the great encirclement battles of World War II. The Soviets must endure the slashing Panzer attacks of Operation Barbarossa and Case Blue, while the Axis player must withstand the crushing Soviet Deep Battle operations of 1944.

Each side commands a deck of 55 cards. These cards help launch offensive operations, mobilize forces, replace losses, introduce new weapons, and respond to the wider strategic context of a World at War. Events add historical character and uncertainty to the campaign.

• Combat leaders and weapons, including German Tiger Tanks
• Manstein’s Backhand Blow and interference from Stalin and Hitler
• The 1944 Warsaw Uprising and the Battle of the Bulge
• Unexpected events, including patriotic Soviet mice nibbling panzer wiring

Alongside the full campaign, Stalin’s War includes a shorter tournament scenario covering June 1941 through Winter 1943 over eight game turns. Combining operational movement with card-driven strategic depth and tactical detail, it challenges both players to manage forces, timing, and the shifting momentum of the most important theater of World War II.