[Blitzkrieg! Review] Experience World War II in 20 minutes! An innovative board game that exquisitely combines luck and strategy
If you're looking for a serious strategy experience in a short space of time, this is the game for you.
Blitzkrieg! is an innovative board game designed by Paolo Mori. It's one of those rare games that lets you truly enjoy the strategic tactics of World War II in just 20 minutes.
In this article, we'll reveal why this game continues to captivate so many people through actual player testimonials and in-depth game analysis.
Game Basics
Players take command of the Allied and Axis forces, respectively, and aim to dominate five major battlefields.
- Players: 1-2
- Playtime: 20 minutes
- Ages: 14 and up
- Designer: Paolo Mori
- Publisher: PSC Games
Instead of traditional dice and card combat, Blitzkrieg! awards victory points by allocating military resources across campaigns in each theater of war.
The game's core mechanic is "bag building," where players draw military unit tiles from a bag and place them on the battlefield according to the battle situation.
The placement rules are clear: naval units can only be placed on sea, and land units on land, but air units have the flexibility to be placed anywhere.
The appeal of Blitzkrieg!: Unpredictable battle situations created by "bags"
The biggest feature of this game is the innovative gameplay with "The Bag".
Innovative gameplay with the magic bag "The Bag"
The biggest feature of this game is "The Bag." All unit tiles are placed in a bag, and all but three are drawn blindly.
It's like "closing your eyes and choosing chess pieces," and you can enjoy the fun of responding to situations that don't go as planned.
The Bag strikes a fine balance between sometimes making you go "this game is amazing!" and other times derailing your campaign and making you swear like a WWII soldier.
A deep strategy experience in a short space of time
Actual play often ends in under 15 minutes, fulfilling the promised short play time.
Despite its simple ruleset, the interlocking elements create an incredibly deep experience, offering multiple layers and a series of difficult choices.
"Once you play it, it's somehow addictive, you can easily reset and start again, and even if things aren't going well, just wait 20 minutes and things will change, just like the weather in Scotland."
Strategic depth and learning curve
Players can only use the units they have on hand, and each deployment is simultaneously a victory and an acceptance of defeat.
Placing it in one battle zone will remove it from another, potentially leaving your opponent free rein.
Players only take one meaningful action per turn, keeping gameplay fast-paced and designed to prevent analysis paralysis.
Concerns and solutions
The luck element of "The Bag" creates uncertainty, but there are appropriate countermeasures.
Uncertainty due to luck
It is true that the luck element of "The Bag" can sometimes create situations where your opponent is unable to act at all.
Countermeasure: Understand this characteristic before playing, and take advantage of the ease of playing "one more round" that is unique to short games.
Abstraction of themes and mechanics
Whether this is a war game or not is debatable, given its highly abstract nature: no historical events or anecdotes are mentioned.
Tip: This game is best enjoyed as a WWII-themed strategy puzzle game, not a historical simulation.
Solo mode challenges
In solo mode, the AI bots rely heavily on the human player for their choices, requiring the player to filter and execute the AI bots' priorities.
Tip: The first game will take nearly an hour, but after about six games you can cut that down to 20-30 minutes.
Recommended for these people and occasions
It is designed as "the perfect wargame for non-wargamers" and is suitable for a wide range of players.
The ideal player
Board Game Beginners: Designed as "the perfect wargame for non-wargamers," it's a great introduction to lightweight strategy games.
Time-constrained families: Ideal for gaming sessions lasting no more than an hour in a hotel room on a family vacation, its compact size and portability make it ideal for those times.
Strategy game lovers: This game far exceeds expectations, achieving much more than its small size and deceptively easy gameplay would suggest.
Recommended play scenes
Casual Game Nights: Minimal setup time and interesting turn-by-turn choices make this a great in-between game night.
Spending time together as a couple: It's so addictive that you'll naturally want to play another round afterwards, enriching your time together.
Expected effects
There's enough variety to easily play 2-3 games in one stretch.
The strategy never feels too daunting, leaving you cursing the decisions you made minutes ago and secretly pumping your fist when you discover a path to victory.
Special Attraction: Nippon Expansion and Godzilla
The Nippon expansion offers a surprising scenario.
The Nippon expansion features a surprise scenario in which, after the Axis powers win World War II and Germany occupies the United States, Japan invades its former ally Germany with the help of Godzilla.
The latest version includes the Nippon expansion as standard with the base game, offering a larger box, larger player screens, and a double-sided board.
Blitzkrieg! is a masterpiece that I recommend to anyone looking for a fast, hardcore strategy experience.
"For those craving something short and very sweet, better book a dentist appointment, because Blitzkrieg may become the favorite dish on your table."
A perfect balance of luck and strategy, unpredictable developments, and a simple game that can be completed in just 20 minutes. Please try out this miraculous game that combines these three elements.
Check the product on the online store page
Free shipping throughout Japan. Orders placed before 3pm will be shipped the same day.
Reference source/quote source
- Blitzkrieg Board Game Review - Beware the Bag - There Will Be Games
- Blitzkrieg Board Game Review Including Nippon Expansion - PSC Games
- Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes Game Review – Meeple Mountain
- Video Review: Blitzkrieg!: World War II in 20 Minutes from PSC Games – The Players' Aid
- Review of Blitzkrieg! - RPGnet RPG Game Index
- Blitzkrieg! Game Rules
- Blitzkrieg! — solo play review
- BLITZKRIEG! by PAOLO MORI (INCLUDES NIPPON EXPANSION) – The Plastic Soldier Company