Overview

Europa 1945-2030 is a semi-cooperative political game about building the European Union. Players represent European Political Parties trying to win elections across the continent to bring countries into the EU. Over 4 turns spanning from post-WWII to the near future, players place European Pawns on the map, negotiate coalitions, and hold elections. After the Berlin Wall falls (turns 3-4), the Risks of War phase adds conflict that players must collectively address. Players share the goal of expanding the EU while individually competing for Victory Points and Political Points.

Components

• 1 game board (political map of Europe with Political Ladder, Turn Track, Election Order)
• 44 blue Puzzle Pieces (representing 38 countries joining the EU)
• 4 Historical Overlays (Spain/Portugal, Greece/Turkey, Eastern Bloc, Ex-Soviet)
• 42 Country Cards (showing Political Points, nationalist vote threshold, capital, flag)
• 120 wooden European Pawns (20 per player in 6 colors)
• 6 Political Points Markers
• 28 Election Counters
• 99 Victory Point Counters (75x1, 24x5)
• 20 Tension/War Counters (double-sided)
• 1 Turn Marker, 2 ten-sided dice
• 1 Rule Booklet, 1 Quick Start Sheet

Setup

1. Place game board with Historical Overlays showing 1945 Europe. Cover “Rossija” with CCCP counter.
2. Sort Country Cards into 3 groups by turn of entry (turns 1, 2, 3). Set aside Andorra/Liechtenstein/Monaco/San Marino (not used).
3. Each player picks a color and receives starting Political Points based on player count: 6P=20, 5P=24, 4P=30, 3P=40.
4. Place Political Points Markers on the ladder.

Turn Structure

The game has 4 turns, each with 6 phases:

1. Turn Order Phase

First turn: roll dice, highest goes first, then clockwise. Later turns: highest Political Points first.

2. Recruitment Phase

Each player gets European Pawns equal to Political Points divided by 10 (rounded down).

3. Election Order Phase

Shuffle the Country Cards for this turn (adding new countries in turns 2-3). Deal face-up on the Card Track. Place Election Counters on the map to match.

4. Risks of War Phase (turns 3 and 4 only)

Roll dice 6 times to determine areas of conflict:

• EU country rolled: no effect.
• Non-EU country rolled: place Tension marker. If already has Tension, flip to War. If already at War, Tension spreads to non-EU neighbors (domino effect).

Calculate General Level of Conflict: Each Tension = 1 point; each War = double the country’s Black Circled Number.

European Intervention: Players secretly commit Pawns. If total meets/exceeds Conflict Level, all conflict is resolved (top 3 contributors earn 4/2/1 VP). If insufficient, bottom 3 hoarders lose 4/2/1 VP; player with most committed Pawns chooses how to allocate peace efforts (Wars first, then Tensions).

5. Pawn Placement Phase

In turn order, each player places half their Pawns (rounded up), then all place remaining Pawns. Pawns go into non-EU countries (turn 1: any non-overlay country; later turns: countries bordering the EU or connected by dotted lines).

6. Elections Phase

Elections proceed in Card Track order. For each country:

• Europeans need total Pawns in a coalition of up to 3 players that meets or exceeds the Black Circled Number.
• Campaigning: Eligible players propose coalitions.
• Voting: In turn order, each player proposes a coalition. If it gets majority of European votes, it passes.
• Victory: Country joins EU (place blue Puzzle Piece). Political Points divided among coalition members. Each winner gets 1 VP. Winners may move 1 Pawn to an adjacent non-EU country with upcoming elections.
• Nationalist win: Pawns removed; Country Card kept for next turn.

Actions

Elections (Detailed)

• White Number on Country Card = Political Points to divide among winners.
• Black Circled Number = minimum vote to defeat Nationalists.
• Coalition must be 1-3 players with combined Pawns meeting the threshold.
• If 3-player coalition wins a 2-point country, each gets 1 point.
• Tension in a country increases the Black Circled Number by 1.
• War in a country prevents elections entirely.

Peace Intervention

• Pawns committed are permanently removed from the game.
• Ending a War costs Pawns equal to that country’s Conflict Points.
• Ending Tension costs 1 Pawn per country.
• Wars must be resolved before Tensions.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Victory Points (kept secret)

• 1 VP for each election won (per coalition member).
• 4/2/1 VP for top peace contributors (when intervention succeeds).
• -4/-2/-1 VP penalty for top hoarders (when intervention fails).
• VP for being elected EU President.

Political Points (public)

• Earned from winning elections (divided among coalition).
• Determine Pawn count each turn and turn order.
• Player with most at game end becomes EU President (bonus VP).

Game End (after turn 4)

1. EU President (most Political Points) earns 5 VP (or other amount per rules).
2. Count Victory Points. Highest total wins.
3. If all European countries joined the EU, all players share in a collective bonus.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Historical Overlays are removed at the start of turns 2, 3, and 4, opening new countries.
• Countries at War cannot hold elections; their cards are set aside until peace is restored.
• Tension increases the nationalist threshold by 1; War prevents elections entirely.
• The domino effect of War can rapidly spread across non-EU neighbors.
• Victory Points are kept secret throughout the game.
• Political Points are public knowledge tracked on the ladder.
• No player may withhold Pawns from the map during the Placement Phase.
• During elections, if no coalition forms, Nationalists win.
• A player can win an election alone if they have enough Pawns.
• Pawns committed to peace efforts are permanently removed, not available for elections.

Player Reference

Turns: 4 (representing 1945-2030)

Recruitment: Political Points / 10 = Pawns this turn

Elections: Coalition of 1-3 players must meet Black Circled Number on Country Card

Risks of War (turns 3-4): 6 dice rolls for conflict; players commit Pawns for peace

Scoring: VP from elections (1 each), peace contributions (4/2/1), EU Presidency

Win condition: Most Victory Points after turn 4