Sturm Nach Osten

About this board game

Sturm Nach Osten is a strategic-level, two-player World War II wargame covering the Eastern Front from June 1941 through May 1945. With one-month turns and an approximate playing time of 360 minutes, it focuses on the changing military situation across the entire campaign.

The game uses variable victory conditions that reflect the historical ebb and flow of the conflict. Victory is measured by control of key cities at key moments, giving the campaign objectives that can change as the game progresses rather than relying on a single final tally.

Players use a range of formations and supporting pieces, including fronts, armies, corps, static garrisons, and Soviet factories. Soviet factories must be moved eastward by rail before they can be captured, adding an important logistical concern to the struggle for territory.

• Weather, terrain, supply, and zones of control rules
• Markers for fortification, artillery, overrun or blitz, and dispersal
• Key-city objectives tied to specific moments in the campaign
• Shorter scenarios with different start and end dates
• A simplified version with fewer units and streamlined rules

These options allow Sturm Nach Osten to represent the full four-year Eastern Front or provide shorter and more accessible ways to play. The scenarios change the scope of the game, while the simplified version reduces both the number of units and the rules overhead.

Sturm Nach Osten was first published as a designer-produced Game Kit, featuring color-copied counters on blue and red paper and a black-and-white map that players could color in. The second edition appeared in The Wargamer Magazine, Vol. I, #19.