
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,293
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Russian Campaign
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 1974

Rules assistance for What Happens Next
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
What Happens Next is an expansion for Battle for Moscow released in 1988 for 2 players, 120–480 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Thomas M. Kane and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Grid Movement.
What Happens Next is an Extension Variant for use with the Battle for Moscow FREE wargame by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW Games), which first appeared in "BattlePlan" Magazine, issue #7, by Thomas M. Kane. This expansion allows the Soviet Player a means of continuing the game to 'play out' the Soviet Winter Counter-Offensive. There is a *NEW* set of Victory Conditions based upon victory points in which they are attained by eliminating enemy units, capturing cities and holding them by the time the game ends. For the Germans, there is a *BONUS* if they Capture Moscow. This Variant has a Winter Effects Table, a means for Replacements to effect the creation of a Soviet 'Tank Army', and an extended Turn Record Track to display the entire *NEW* Game's length (including the Turns from the beginning of Battle for Moscow, which is required in order to play this).
What Happens Next 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 What Happens Next is 120–480 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 What Happens Next 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.
What Happens Next has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
What Happens Next belongs to these categories: Wargame, World War II, and Expansion for Base-game. 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 What Happens Next are: Thomas M. Kane. 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 What Happens Next as an expansion for Battle for Moscow. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Battle for Moscow to use it. Check that your edition of Battle for Moscow is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.