Stargard Solstice

About this board game

Stargard Solstice is a two-player wargame recreating the campaigns in Pomerania from 15 February to 6 March 1945, with playing times of 3 to 10 hours. Its game turns represent two days, while each hex covers approximately 3 to 4 kilometers and units range from battalions to divisions.

The game opens with Operation Solstice, one of the last German offensives of the Second World War. German General Guderian originally planned a pincer movement to relieve Küstrin, but Hitler’s desire to preserve troops for the recapture of Budapest changed the operation’s objectives. Players instead face the attempt to relieve Festung Arnswalde and cut the Soviet supply route toward Küstrin.

On the Soviet side, the historical objective is to drive German forces from Pomerania, protect the right flank, and prepare for the capture of Küstrin and the final advance toward Berlin. These opposing goals create a focused campaign covering a pivotal period on the Eastern Front.

Stargard Solstice uses the same wargaming rules system as Plan West, Königsberg ’45, and Army Group Narwa. A Command chit-pull system activates headquarters, which then allow their controlled combat units to move and attack. The game is taught in about 30 minutes and is designed to be easy to digest while still challenging experienced players.

• High solitaire playability
• Medium complexity level
• A1 full-color map
• 286 double-sided counters
• 16-page rulebook and two player aid cards

Players must provide one six-sided die for play. With its compact rules framework and detailed operational scale, this historical wargame offers a substantial Pomeranian campaign in a focused two-player format.