Vendor: Histogame
Type: Board Games
Price: 92.95

Note: This game includes English and German.


1949: Germany, still in ruins from WWII, is split in two, as the Iron Curtain of the Cold War descends. East Germany and West Germany become bitter rivals, each wanting to show its system is superior. Which will reconstruct quicker? Which will make its people happier?

This combined edition brings two games in one box: The award winning "Wir sind das Volk!" and the 4-player expansion "2+2".

In "Wir sind das Volk!" you take the role of East or West Germany. Use your action cards wisely. Build up your economy and increase the living standards of your people. Precise planning is the key to victory. But be careful! Even the best plans may be derailed by events like the 1973 Oil Crisis or the Monday demos. Mass protests, that may seal your fate, are always on the horizon.

With "2+2" the USA and thee Soviet Union enter the game. Players form two partnerships — but there can only be ONE winner! Therefore every decision is a nail-biter: What is more important right now? Your side's interests or your own?

In "2+2", the range of strategic choices is significantly widened, turning it to a completely different game: While you are building up "your" Germany (as in the base game) you also seek to manipulate your partner's choices, or even to sabotage their plans. In addition, the super powers struggle for global dominance and compete in the arms and space race. But most importantly, always remember the need for world peace, otherwise there might be no tomorrow.

Game contents:

– 2 gameboards
– 87 wooden pieces
– 148 playing cards
– 3 sheets of die-cut markers
– 2 set off rules

description from the back of the box

Vendor: Histogame
Type: Board Games
Price: 67.95

Note: This game includes English and German.

Defeat Prussia before the Tsarina dies! Or be Frederick the Great and struggle for survival with a mixture of courageous willpower, sudden inspiration and stoic patience.

It is the summer of 1756. On the eve of the Seven Years War, half of Europe has formed an alliance. Frederick the Great is in deep sorrow: Is the annihilation of Prussia planned? Is it Prussia's defeat or is it Prussia's glory?

All against one – but only one will reign supreme. On a map of Old Europe, players maneuver their generals from city to city. Frederick must retain a part of each Prussian province, while the attacking powers savagely seek out their objectives. The clever use of tactical cards is decisive to winning.

Histogame and Richard Sivél present Friedrich as a novel concept uniting the fascination of board and card games. Accurately based on history while maintaining a slim set of rules, Friedrich offers wide open spaces for chess-like moves and great depth for decision making. Taken into Frederick's era, you will reflect on tactical finesses, smile about interspersed anecdotes, and be perplexed at how often you are not able to count to three...

Note: A common misconception is that Friedrich has player elimination based on the cards of fate making countries leave the game. The game does not have player elimination; it has country elimination, and a player could end up controlling fewer countries than they started with, but players are never eliminated by the cards of fate. 

Details on the Jubiläumsedition

In 2011 Histogame released a slightly revised version of Friedrich, dubbed the "Jubiläumsedition" or "Anniversay Edition" in honor of Friedrich's 300th birthday. Designer Richard Sivél notes the following differences between this edition and earlier ones:

• New cover art.
• Four color images for the patterns of the cards.
• Small rearrangements of cities on the map, such as Falkenau (in northwestern Austria) moving into the spades sector and Gollnow (close to Stettin) getting a diamonds-city neighbor.
• Minor adjustment of some fate cards to clarify the wording.

Vendor: Histogame
Type: Board Games
Price: 43.95

Vendor: Histogame
Type: Board Games
Price: 59.95

Note: This game includes English and German.  For a preview, English rule can be found here.

1949: Germany, still in ruins from WWII, is split in two, as the Iron Curtain of the Cold War descends. East Germany and West Germany become bitter rivals, each wanting to show its system is superior. Which will reconstruct quicker? Which will make its people happier? Socialism vs Capitalism; collectivism vs individualism - which will triumph?

Wir sind das Volk! ("We are the people!" — the main slogan of the East German demonstrators in 1989) recreates the history of the divided Germany, from the Berlin Airlift to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Flowing from how the 84 individually designed action cards are played, each game is different. There are many possible strategies. Will East Germany build the Wall or stem the exodus of its citizens another way?

East vs West: as a player, you take the role of East or West Germany. Use your action cards wisely. Build up your economy and increase the living standards of your people. Don’t fall behind, or you will face widespread unrest. Also win the contest for international prestige. Precise planning is the key to victory. But be careful! Even the best plans may be derailed by events like the 1973 Oil Crisis or the Monday demos. Mass protests, that may seal your fate, are always on the horizon.

Vendor: Rio Grande Games
Type: Board Games
Price: 58.95

MARIA is a game based on the War of the Austrian Succession, where Austria was attacked by Prussia, France, Bavaria and Saxony, while only Great Britain, Hanover and the Netherlands (by forming the so-called Pragmatic Army) helped her.

MARIA is primarily a 3 player game. One player is Austria, the second is France plus Bavaria, while the third player has the schizophrenic role of playing Prussia (Austria's enemy) and the Pragmatic Army (Austria's ally) at the same time. This is made possible by the division of the map into two parts, the Flanders map and the Bohemia map.

MARIA is derived from the award-winning Friedrich, but has its very own character, including politics, hussars, force marches, imperial election, Saxony's betrayal and Prussia's annexation of Silesia. Subtle maneuvers, seizure of fortresses, prudent retreats, and Machiavellian politics are the keys to victory. However, players must be careful: whoever uses his Tactical Cards unwisely in battle can suddenly find himself not on the highway to glory but on the road to ruin.

MARIA takes you to the era of the 18th century's ruthless struggle for power. It can be played in 2 variants: the shorter, simplified introductory game or the longer but richer advanced game, with its simultaneous campaigns in Bohemia and Flanders.

Vendor: Rio Grande Games
Type: Board Games
Price: 70.95

Defeat Prussia before the Tsarina dies! Or be Frederick the Great and struggle for survival with a mixture of courageous willpower, sudden inspiration and stoic patience.

It is the summer of 1756. On the eve of the Seven Years War, half of Europe has formed an alliance. Frederick the Great is in deep sorrow: Is the annihilation of Prussia planned? Is it Prussia's defeat or is it Prussia's glory?

All against one – but only one will reign supreme. On a map of Old Europe, players maneuver their generals from city to city. Frederick must retain a part of each Prussian province, while the attacking powers savagely seek out their objectives. The clever use of tactical cards is decisive to winning.

Histogame and Richard Sivél present Friedrich as a novel concept uniting the fascination of board and card games. Accurately based on history while maintaining a slim set of rules, Friedrich offers wide open spaces for chess-like moves and great depth for decision making. Taken into Frederick's era, you will reflect on tactical finesses, smile about interspersed anecdotes, and be perplexed at how often you are not able to count to three...

Note: A common misconception is that Friedrich has player elimination based on the cards of fate making countries leave the game. The game does not have player elimination; it has country elimination, and a player could end up controlling fewer countries than they started with, but players are never eliminated by the cards of fate. 

Details on the Jubiläumsedition

In 2011 Histogame released a slightly revised version of Friedrich, dubbed the "Jubiläumsedition" or "Anniversay Edition" in honor of Friedrich's 300th birthday. Designer Richard Sivél notes the following differences between this edition and earlier ones:

• New cover art.
• Four color images for the patterns of the cards.
• Small rearrangements of cities on the map, such as Falkenau (in northwestern Austria) moving into the spades sector and Gollnow (close to Stettin) getting a diamonds-city neighbor.
• Minor adjustment of some fate cards to clarify the wording.