- BGG rank
- BGG #17,518
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939
2011
Rules assistance for Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.9/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 is a board game released in 2011 for 1–2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brian Train and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Chit-Pull System.
About the game
Designed by veteran designer Brian Train, Summer Lightning is an operational simulation of the invasion of Poland by German, Slovakian and Soviet forces in September-October 1939. The campaign was a brief, bloody, and confusing affair fought between two armies which were considered equals by many in the world. Despite the interesting campaign, there aren’t many war games on the Polish campaign, probably because the conventional wisdom is that it was a very unbalanced contest. This is informed mostly by hindsight. The German Army knew it had superior numbers and organization, but much of its equipment was no better than that fielded by the Poles, the concept of blitzkrieg had not been proven in actual combat, and they were not at all sure that the campaign would not bog down into static fighting. As it was the Germans lost over 16,000 dead in five weeks of campaigning. Summer Lightning uses a proven game system that features an interactive sequence of play and near-diceless combat that both shows the historical German superiority in command and control and is flexible enough to allow players to explore many variations and options, so that the game can be as equal (or unequal) a contest as they want. Options include: variable Polish deployments; greater or lesser surprise and speed of mobilization; changed attitudes of the Soviet Union or neighbouring countries; French intervention; Plan Zachod (the Romanian Bridgehead Strategy); and even the possibility that the Blitzkrieg, so appealing in theory, fizzles out on the battlefield. Also, because so many war games are designed for two but played by one, an optional solitaire play method is included.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Lock 'n Load Publishing, LLC.
Questions and answers
Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 supports 1–2 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 Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 is 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 Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 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.
Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Chit-Pull System. 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 Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 are: Brian Train. 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 Summer Lightning: The Invasion of Poland 1939 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.