Battle for Germany

SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.), Decision Games (I), Hobby Japan · Board game · 1975
2–4 · best 2 180 min Weight 2.1/5
rating Ludopedia
7.2 rating BGG
Buy · from US$ 60.00
rating Ludopedia
7.2 rating BGG
Our Verdict
FOR GENRE FANS

Fans of historical wargames will love this SPI classic. The duality of controlling both sides of the war is brilliant!

Highlights
  • Intense strategic duel
  • Simple yet effective combat
  • Variants for more players
Keep in mind
  • Can be long for beginners
  • Slow unit replacement
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About the game

What you do in a play session

Battle for Germany is a classic wargame simulating the final stages of World War II in Europe, starting with the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944. The game has a unique strategic twist: each player controls both an Allied army (Western Allies or Soviet Union) and a German army (Western or Eastern Front). This means you'll have to think about both attacking and defending, adding an extra layer of challenge. The Eastern Germans face the tough task of holding the line against the Soviets, while the Western Allies must exploit their mobility to advance. The map is compact, in the style of SPI games, with cities worth victory points (Berlin is the big prize at 10 points). Combat is resolved with a probability-based results table and a die roll, and eliminated units can return to the game, but slowly and often weaker. There are even variants for 3 and 4 players and a wild scenario where Allies and Soviets clash with help from the remnants of the German army!

Rules videos

Learn by watching before you open the box

1 videos

Best player count

BGG community vote

2–4 players
2 BEST
3 REC
4 OK

Where to Buy

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Categories

Families

Components: Map (Continental / National scale) Continents: Europe Country: Austria Country: Germany Country: Italy Country: Soviet Union Country: United Kingdom Country: USA Digital Implementations: VASSAL Magazine: Strategy & Tactics Players: Wargames with Rules Supporting Only Two Players Region: Balkans War Level of Command: Operational
Publisher SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.), Decision Games (I), Hobby Japan, Kilovolt Design, Kokusai-Tsushin Co., Ltd. (国際通信社)
Designer Jim Dunnigan, Michael Bennighof
Artist Christine Lockwood, David McElhannon, Mark Simonitch, Redmond Aksel Simonsen

Community

Data from BoardGameGeek

1,377owners
137wishlist
33want to play

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

5 questions
How long does a game take?
Around 3 to 4 hours on average, depending on player experience.
Does it need many players?
Best with 2, but has variants for 3 or 4 players.
Is it hard to learn?
Medium weight (2.1/5 on BGG), good for those familiar with wargames.
Any special components?
Compact SPI-style map with military unit tokens.
Worth it for history buffs?
Yes! It captures the tension of Europe's final war months well.

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