- BGG rank
- BGG #3,673
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Panzergruppe Guderian
1976
Rules assistance for Panzergruppe Guderian
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 180–300 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Panzergruppe Guderian
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Panzergruppe Guderian is a board game released in 1976 for 2 players, 180–300 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jim Dunnigan and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
About the game
"Panzergruppe Guderian": The Battle of Smolensk, July 1941, is a wargame simulation of the German campaign to capture Smolensk in July, 1941. The game is played in twelve turns, each one representing 2 days time, on a map scale of 10.5 km/hex. This wargame is famous for its innovative use of "untried" Soviet units. These untried Soviet counters enter play face down, their combat strength unknown to either player, until they take part in combat, at which time they are flipped to reveal their strength and defense numbers. The game also models the effectiveness of German operations by allowing them a full mechanized movement phase both before and after combat, while the Soviets only move prior to combat. In addition, if all of a German division's regiments attack or defend in the same hex, their strength is doubled by a divisional integrity bonus. The German player scores victory points for the capture of cities, and for any Soviet units redirected from the Southwestern Front. The Soviet player scores vp for recaptured cities and destroying entire German divisions (which possess several steps of strength). The game includes: 1 map, counters (AH edition = 260; SPI edition = 200), 1 6-sided die, 1 Soviet reference card, 1 German reference card, 1 rules book, and 1 advanced rules insert.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
Panzergruppe Guderian 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 Panzergruppe Guderian is 180–300 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 Panzergruppe Guderian 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.
Panzergruppe Guderian has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Panzergruppe Guderian 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 Panzergruppe Guderian are: Jim Dunnigan. 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 Panzergruppe Guderian 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.