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1st Blitzkrieg

1st Blitzkrieg

Phalanx Games Polska
2–4180 min14+ yrsStrategy
short answer

How do you play 1st Blitzkrieg?

1st Blitzkrieg simulates the course of the military operations in Central Europe at beginning of the World War II, where the new doctrine of Blitzkrieg, based on armored and air forces was used by the aggressor to crush the defender within weeks rather than months.

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1st Blitzkrieg box art
official art · Phalanx Games Polska

1st Blitzkrieg simulates the course of the military operations in Central Europe at beginning of the World War II, where the new doctrine of Blitzkrieg, based on armored and air forces was used by the aggressor to crush the defender within weeks rather than months.

Game scale: Units are generally Divisions and Brigades. Each Turn represents 4 days. Each hex represents ca. 25-30 km

Mechanics is hex and counter, of course. Activation uses the chit - pull system. Generally one chit represents one army and units can only be actvated once during the turn. Except for German panzer and motorized units, which can also be activated by special chit "Schenlltruppen". That makes the Polish player feels like he can be really outmaneuvred by the Germans.

Important factor is use of the air force. It can either support combat or interdict movement of ground units and rail transports. Luftwaffe can really dominate the sky.

Combat table seems to be pretty "normal" - it has 6 rows, but you are rolling 2 dice instead of one. Unlike many other games, the results are not added but substracted... The range is from 0 to 5. After calculating the probability you may notice, that 1 is the most likely result (16,6 %) and 5 is the less likely result...

Depending on the scenario, the players take part in:

  • the historical First Blitzkrieg – German strike on Poland in September 1939,
  • the alternative Red Blitzkrieg coming from the East, or
  • the hypothetic Blitzkrieg of 1938 (the defense of Czechoslovakia).

In the 1939 historical scenario Wehrmacht is superior to Polish forces. But do not worry, PL gains VP either for holding terrain objectives or inflicting causalties to German units. German player must eliminate PL unit to gain VP for it. Therefore, usually the Polish player has more VP during the game - and the German player must perform a really good Blitzkrieg to gain victory.

What is more, the players will get a chance to play the Red Blitzkireg scenario, and check how Polish Army can act vs. the Red Army. This scenario shows the actual Soviet deployment of 1939 versus Polish defense plan East, which was only theoretical.

Another what if scenario is Czechoslovakian defense of 1938, supposing that the Munich dictate was rejected. There are quite heavy fortifications along the border, and the Wehrmacht isn't as strong as it was it 1939. In expanded version, this scenario is going to be for 4 players: Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland and USSR.

🔬 game anatomy
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
180 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
14+ yrs

from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does 1st Blitzkrieg cost?
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Q2Where can I buy 1st Blitzkrieg cheapest?
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Q3How do you play 1st Blitzkrieg?
1st Blitzkrieg is a dice game, for 2–4 players, taking ~180 minutes. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about 1st Blitzkrieg — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does 1st Blitzkrieg support?
1st Blitzkrieg is played by 2–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of 1st Blitzkrieg take?
A game of 1st Blitzkrieg takes about 180 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is 1st Blitzkrieg for?
1st Blitzkrieg is recommended from age 14.
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