- BGG rating
- 7.4
Unentschieden
- 2–4 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,537
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Drang Nach Osten!
1973
Rules assistance for Drang Nach Osten!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 12000 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Drang Nach Osten!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Drang Nach Osten! is a board game released in 1973 for 2–4 players, 12,000 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Frank Chadwick and Paul Richard "Rich" Banner and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Expansions
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About the game
Introduction: Drang Nach Osten! is a historical wargame/simulation of the German invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 that lead to the gates of Moscow and ultimately to the destruction of the Wehrmacht and the fall of the Third Reich. Drang Nach Osten! is a complete wargame of the largest invasion in history, but may be incorporated into the larger series of game/simulations collectively titled Europa. Drang Nach Osten! carries the Russian Campaign from June 1941 to the end of the Soviet winter counteroffensive in March 1942. Unentschieden (Europa II) continues the campaign through 1944-45. The two games together comprise the entire war in the East, 1941-45. Game Components: Five 21 x 27" mapsheets (numbered Europa 1 through 5). One set of eight unit countersheets (for a total of 1792 counters) consisting of: Two Europa sheet 1 One Europa sheet 2 Three Europa sheet 3 One Europa sheet 4 One Europa sheet 5 (half-sheet) One rules folder and cover. One set of charts and tables consisting of: One Soviet Initial Order of Battle One Soviet Order of Appearance One Soviet Units Appearing Chart One German Initial Order of Battle One German Order of Appearance One German Units Appearing Chart Two Combat Results Tables One Unit Identification Chart One Time Record Chart One Terrain Effects on Combat Chart Notes: Each hex is 16 miles, each turn is two weeks. Ground units are Army HQs, Divisions (and Soviet Tank Corps), Brigades/Regiments, and Battalions. Air units are groups of 40-60 aircraft. There is a fair amount of unit specialisation, although at 20 pages the rules are far less intimidating by today's standards than when they first appeared over thirty years ago. Drang Nach Osten! lasts for 19 half-monthly game turns (Jun II 41 through Mar II 42), so allowing for the initial set up 20 sessions of several hours is a realistic playing time.
Categories
Publishers
- Game Designers' Workshop (GDW Games)
Questions and answers
Drang Nach Osten! supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Drang Nach Osten! is 12,000 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 Drang Nach Osten! for ages 12 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.
Drang Nach Osten! has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Drang Nach Osten! belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Drang Nach Osten! are: Frank Chadwick and Paul Richard "Rich" Banner. 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 Drang Nach Osten! 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.