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Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945
2023
Rules assistance for Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 360–720 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 is a board game released in 2023 for 2 players, 360–720 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Chad Jensen and John H. Butterfield and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
Downfall is a two-player game on the conquest of the Third Reich in World War II. One player controls the Western Allies and the other the Soviet Union in their joint effort to destroy the Axis. Though the two players share the goal of defeating the Reich, each seeks a victory that favors their dominance in post-war Europe. To this end, each player controls two factions: The Western player commands the Western Allies faction and the OKH faction, that is the German and minor Axis armies battling the Soviet Union in the east (Oberkommando des Heeres). The Soviet player commands the Soviet faction and the OKW faction, that is the German and Italian armies facing the Western allies in the west (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht). Gameplay is driven by Downfall’s innovative initiative track. The faction with the initiative chooses an order, pays its initiative cost by advancing their marker along the track, and performs the order. Then, the faction with the initiative (based on the updated positions of the markers) chooses the next order. There is no set sequence of play; initiative expenditures determine who goes next. The progress of faction markers along the track also trigger strategic events, changes in weather, and advancement of game turns. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 is 360–720 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 are: Chad Jensen and John H. Butterfield. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich, 1942-1945 as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.