
- BGG rating
- 5.7
History of the Second World War: Part 2 – The Overrunning of the West
- 2 players
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1985

Rules assistance for History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia is a board game released in 1985 for 2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Nick Schuessler and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
Planned to be a nine-part series of games covering all of WWII based on the B.H. Liddell Hart book of the same name. This is a grand strategic hex and counter turn-based WWII wargame. Hexes are 175km, a turn is one month. Combat is by dice on CRT and based on both attack/defense ratings and type of attack/defense. This was Part 1: Hitler Turns Against Russia, and was the intial release for the series. Part 2: The Overrunning of the West was also published before the series was discontinued. The remaining 7 parts were never published.
History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia 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 History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia is 360 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 History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia 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.
History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. 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 History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia are: Nick Schuessler. 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 History of the Second World War: Part 1 – Hitler Turns Against Russia 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.