
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,124
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Objective Nuremberg: 7 Days to the Rhine, Volume 1
- 1–2 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2020

2016
Rules assistance for Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 120–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ty Bomba and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
This near-future what-if is set at 20 miles per hex, with divisions and brigades as the units of maneuver. It covers the first month of the war that could result if Putin decides to abandon the "opaque war" (a.k.a. "gray war") approach and go for it big time. The idea being to take advantage of the West's (particularly the "old NATO" countries') distraction with the jihad to try to win back all or some of the "Near Abroad" on Russia's European flank. Before you ask: the difference between this game and "Putin's War," which will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Modern War, is that "Putin's War" is a strategic (army-corps at 55 miles (90km) per hex) treatment with operational undertones, whereas the present game "Putin Strikes" is an operational-level treatment with strategic overtones. The system will be a further-evolved version of the one I used in NNN2, but better adapted to modern real-world military circumstances. In particular, I'm crafting the combat sub-system to emphasize the growing debate on the appropriateness of the "brigading of everything." The growing complaints are that brigades, BCTs, etc., are too small and weak to last long in an eyeball-to-eyeball First World conventional war, while also being too big to be nimble enough to properly prosecute an urban counterinsurgency war.
Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe 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 Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe is 120–240 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 Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe 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.
Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. 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 Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe are: Ty Bomba. 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 Putin Strikes: The Coming War for Eastern Europe 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.