Battle for Russia: Operation Barbarossa, June – December 1941

Issue game in Command Magazine Japan #134 Battle for Russia (BfD) is a two-player, low-intermediate complexity, strategic-level simulation of the first six months of World War II’s eastern front in Europe. The game presents a unique interpretation of the campaign in that the two German commanders are also simultaneously Soviet commanders. The player who runs the “German Northern Command” also runs the “Soviet Sothern Command,” and the player who runs the “German Southern Command” also runs the “Soviet Northern Command.” In that way both players – when in their roles as German field marshals – are trying to win the game by using their own forces to outdo the competing German player. What matters most is not defeating the Soviets, but accomplishing more than your counterpart German field marshal. In that way you will earn the lion’s share of the credit from the Fuehrer. Of course, since you also command the Soviet forces resisting the advance of your counterpart German field marshal’s advance, those Red Army units are also helping you to win by frustrating him.