Zorndorf

About this board game

Zorndorf is a detailed two-player simulation of the 1758 Battle of Zorndorf, with a playing time of approximately 360 minutes. It recreates a pivotal Seven Years War confrontation between 43,000 Russians and 36,000 Prussians.

By mid-August, the Russian offensive had reached the Oder River and laid siege to the fortress of Küstrin. Frederick marched from Silesia through intense summer heat, seeking a decisive battle before further threats to Prussia could develop.

On 25 August, the opposing armies fought near the village of Zorndorf for nearly 10 hours. The battle produced staggering losses—nearly half the Russian army and one-third of the Prussian army became casualties—yet neither side yielded, and both later claimed victory.

The game presents warfare in the age of linear tactics, providing a framework for maneuvering historic armies and exploring how different combinations of units and formations can lead to victory or defeat. Its scale is precise: each hex represents 100 yards, each turn covers 20 minutes, and units represent infantry battalions, cavalry regiments, and artillery sections.

• Three 22 × 34 inch game maps
• Two countersheets with 280 counters each
• Second-edition standard series rules, including updates for Kolin
• A 28-page booklet of special rules, scenarios, and historical commentary

The second game in the Battles from the Age of Reason series, Zorndorf combines an expansive historical setting with a carefully defined ground and time scale. After the battle, the Russians withdrew into Poland while the Prussians moved toward Saxony and a new Austrian threat.