What Is to be Done?

In 1917, a new kind of war broke out in Russia. Instead of nations and rulers competing for territory and power, social classes fought in a deadly struggle for survival. As World War I still raged, the October Revolution sparked a conflagration of Red and White armies clashing across the territory of the former Russian Empire. The world's first socialist government attempted to entrench its position and further the Revolution as Western democracies sent expeditions to stop the spread of communism. Both sides engaged in brutal repression of class opponents as the war dragged on into the 1920s and the Soviet Union came to be. What Is to be Done? is a card-driven wargame for 2-6 players divided into Reds and Whites. Teammates must coordinate to succeed, but all coordination is public to opponents, so players must be strategic not only about what actions to take but also what information to communicate. The game begins with conflict taking place only in the core of Russia, but as the years pass it will spill over into up to six other regions. Each year, each faction has only six cards which must be divided among mustering, attack, defense, and governance. Bonus effects on cards are activated using Bread and Industry tokens on the map, which must be protected from capture by the enemy and be carefully allocated among actions taken by the team. Success in combat requires a combination of accurate tactical calculation and reading of opponents' intentions. Each faction has a unique set of cards that tells a story about the nature of the conflict, and players can craft their decks over the course of the game according to necessity and taste. The Reds are made up of the Bolshevik party, the Red Guard revolutionaries, and the nascent Red Army. Opposed to them are the White Armies, the Allied Powers, and the Cossacks. Whichever side is able to create and sustain an effective system of governance while holding its own militarily will triumph, or else Russia will descend into chaos and only the strong will survive. WITBD? is the title of Lenin's pamphlet advocating the creation of a vanguard party, and it is also what players will need to ask themselves and their teammates in order to prevail in this grueling conflict. —description from the designer