Absolute War! The Russian Front 1941-45

A two-player simulation of the Eastern Front, covering the 1941–1945 struggle between German invasion forces and the Soviet Union. Play uses low counter density and area movement to model sweeping maneuvers, exploitation and encirclements across vast map areas while local city sieges allow contested battles within the same area. Combat and events are resolved with separate German and Soviet card decks instead of tables or dice; cards generate battle outcomes and trigger events such as major offensives, partisan raids, siege artillery and replacement levels. Setup and play are streamlined for faster scenarios or a full campaign, with a simple economic model that tracks Soviet growth and German attrition. Victory depends on capturing map objectives and exploiting short-term goals provided by event cards.

Players: 1–2 best 2
Playing time: 120–300 min
Age: 14+
Complexity: 3.4 / 5