Red vs White vs Blue: A Russian Civil War 1918-1922

Overview

Red vs White vs Blue: A Russian Civil War 1918-1922 is a two-player block wargame simulating the Russian Civil War from 1918 to 1922. One player commands the Bolshevik Red forces while the other controls the various White, Nationalist, and Interventionist (Blue) forces opposing them. The game uses block mechanics for fog of war, as blocks stand upright facing their owner, hiding unit identities and strengths from the opponent. Players maneuver armies across Russia, fighting battles and seeking to control key regions.

Components

• 1 Map of Russia and surrounding territories
• Wooden blocks (representing military units for Red, White, and Blue factions)
• Unit stickers (applied to blocks)
• Cards (for events and strategic actions)
• Dice
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the map in the center of the table.
2. Apply stickers to blocks if not already done.
3. One player takes the Red (Bolshevik) forces; the other takes the White and Blue forces.
4. Place starting units in their historical positions as indicated by the scenario setup.
5. Shuffle event/strategy cards and deal starting hands.
6. Determine first player per scenario rules.

Turn Structure

Each game turn represents a period of the civil war and consists of:

1. Card Play Phase: Players simultaneously select and reveal strategy cards that determine initiative and available actions.
2. Movement Phase: The player with initiative moves their units first, followed by the opponent. Units move between regions along roads and rail lines.
3. Battle Phase: Resolve battles in contested regions. Blocks engage based on their combat values, rolling dice to inflict hits.
4. Supply Phase: Check supply lines for all units. Unsupplied units may be reduced or eliminated.
5. Reinforcement Phase: Place new units or reinforce existing ones using available reinforcement points.
6. End Phase: Check victory conditions and advance the turn marker.

Actions

• Move Units: Relocate blocks between adjacent regions, respecting movement limits and terrain.
• Attack: Initiate battle in a region containing both your and enemy units.
• Reinforce: Add strength steps to existing blocks or deploy new units.
• Play Cards: Use strategy/event cards for special actions, bonuses, or historical events.
• Supply: Ensure units are connected to supply sources; cut enemy supply lines for advantage.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Red Victory: Control key cities and regions across Russia, eliminating organized White resistance.
• White/Blue Victory: Prevent Red consolidation of power by maintaining control of critical areas or by capturing Moscow/Petrograd.
• Specific victory conditions depend on the scenario being played.
• Automatic victory may occur if one side achieves total military dominance.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Fog of War: Blocks stand upright facing their owner. Opponents cannot see unit identity or strength until battle.
• Block Rotation: When a unit takes damage, the block is rotated to show reduced strength. When reduced to zero, it is eliminated.
• Multiple Factions: The White player controls multiple distinct factions (White, Nationalist, Interventionist Blue) with different capabilities and objectives.
• Rail Movement: Rail lines allow faster movement but may be disrupted or controlled by the enemy.
• Historical Events: Card events introduce historical occurrences that affected the civil war.
• Attrition: Units in harsh conditions or without supply suffer attrition losses.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Card Play	Select and reveal strategy cards
Movement	Move units between regions
Battle	Resolve combat in contested regions
Supply	Check supply lines
Reinforcement	Place/reinforce units

Red Goal: Control key cities, eliminate White resistance White/Blue Goal: Prevent Red consolidation, hold critical areas