How to Play

Triumph & Tragedy: European Balance of Power 1936-1945

2-3 players 240-360 min 8.1 Board Game Geek Rating

Three players control competing ideologies—Capitalism, Communism, and Fascism—vying for European dominance from 1936-45. Players secretly build military forces, conduct diplomacy, and develop economies through card-based mechanics. Victory comes through economic hegemony, technological supremacy (atomic bomb), or capturing two enemy capitals through warfare. This geopolitical strategy blends diplomatic maneuvering with potential military conflict.

Published 2015

Triumph & Tragedy: European Balance of Power 1936-1945

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Arrange maps by player count
On a 3' x 4' or larger table, place the CnC map inverted above the T&T map in a "North Polar" orientation for 3-5 players; use Long Table setup for 6 players
2
Assign faction partnerships
Militarists control Axis (ETO) and Japan (PTO); Communists control Russia (ETO) and Siberia (PTO); Capitalists control Western Europe (ETO) and United States (PTO)
3
Set up Germany
Place 14 cadres totaling 14 CV: Berlin 6, Ruhr 4, Munich 2, Konigsberg 2
4
Set up Italy
Place 8 cadres totaling 8 CV: Rome 4, Milan 2, Tripoli 2
5
Set up Japan
Place fixed units (Tokyo: 4 CV Fleet & 3 CV Carrier; Osaka: 1 CV AF & 1 CV Fleet; Mukden: 3 CV Infantry; Carolines: 1 CV Fort) plus 17 cadres from POP and defense positions
6
Set up Britain
Place fixed units (London: 4 CV Fleet; Glasgow: 1 CV Fleet; Gibraltar: 1 CV Fort) plus cadres including BritEmp units in New Delhi, Calcutta, Dacca, Singapore, Sydney
7
Set up France
Place 3 CV Fort in Lorraine plus cadres in Paris 2, Marseilles 1, Algiers 1
8
Set up United States
Place fixed forts (Los Angeles 4 CV, Seattle 2 CV, Washington 4 CV, New York 2 CV) and 4 CV Fleet in Los Angeles, plus cadres across territories
9
Set up Nationalist China
Place 2 CV Militia each in Nanking, Suchow, Wuhan, and Fukien plus cadres
10
Set up Russia
Place 12 cadres totaling 12 CV across Moscow, Leningrad, Baku, Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Stalingrad, and Urals
11
Set up Siberia
Place 1 CV Fort in Chita plus cadres in Novosibirsk, Tashkent, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, and border defense positions
12
Set up Red China
Place 2 CV Fort, 1 CV Militia, and Partisan in Sian
13
Draw starting action cards
Axis draws 14, Japan draws 7, Western Europe draws 8, United States draws 12, Russia draws 6, Siberia draws 6
14
Record starting production values
Track Industry, Population, and Resources on each faction's Production Track
15
Place Blockade markers
Mark BritEmp territories as initially unavailable due to inadequate shipping
16
Keep card decks separate
T&T/ETO cards and CnC/PTO cards are never transferable between theaters or partner factions

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Roll turn order
A single die roll determines turn order for both partner factions to play simultaneously in their respective theaters
2
Hold yearly conferences
Following the turn order die roll, partner factions may hold private 5-minute strategy conferences
3
Resolve New Year events (1939-1945)
Receive automatic Influence and/or units at no cost as indicated on Production Tracks
4
Gain Capitalist Public Opinion
US automatically gains one Influence over British Empire in 1939-1941; Western Europe gains one Influence over USA in 1941-1944
5
Receive US Rearmament units
At New Year 1942-1944, one US AF, Fleet, Infantry, and Tank arrive in ETO USA at increasing CV (1942: 1 CV, 1943: 2 CV, 1944: 3 CV)
6
Receive US Naval Construction units
At New Year 1942-1944, one US Fleet, Carrier, and Sub arrive in PTO USA at increasing CV
7
Execute Production phase
In turn order, each faction builds units and buys cards belonging to its own theater
8
Trace POP/RES correctly
Friendly-controlled POP/RES contribute to the economy of the partner with that Home Theater
9
Transfer Production Points
Factions with Accord or Alliance may transfer 1-2 PPs to their partner if a Trade Route exists between Production Centers
10
Build Capitalist relationships
Progress from Independence to Accord (1+ mutual Influence) to Commitment (3+ Influence over partner) to Alliance (both have Commitments)
11
Play Diplomacy cards
Place Influence markers on neutral nations in your Home Theater
12
Trigger Inter-Theater Diplo Effects
Certain actions in one theater grant automatic Influence in the opposite theater
13
Research Technology
Regional Techs only work in their theater; Global Techs apply to both theaters
14
Duplicate Partner Techs
Play a single matching dedicated Tech card to copy a partner's revealed technology
15
Play Command phase
Each partner faction plays a Command Card (or Pass) in their theater
16
Designate Supreme Command
Place marker on the card determining joint Command Priority for both partners
17
Move units
Factions can command their own units in either theater; Allied Capitalists can use up to half their commands on partner units in their Home Theater
18
Conduct inter-theater movement
Units moving into Secondary Theater become subject to partner's Peace/War conditions
19
Declare War properly
A faction can only issue DoWs in its Home Theater
20
Observe Home Seas rules
DoW required before occupying a Sea/Ocean adjacent to rival Home Territory unless also adjacent to your own
21
Apply DoW crossover effects
Militarist DoWs have no external effects; Communist-Capitalist DoWs may apply in both theaters depending on Alliance status
22
Trigger Violations
Attack on PTO British units/territory constitutes Violation of British Empire; attack on ETO US units/territory constitutes Violation of America
23
Resolve battles
Cross-commanded units can Aggress; partner units under Emergency Command absorb losses but cannot Fire or Retreat
24
Rebase after Sneak Attack
Japanese ANS units can return through enemy seas to their original starting point
25
Trace Supply lines
Supply can trace through either theater but cannot trace through Drake Passage

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Achieve Economic Victory
Partnership wins immediately with 45 total VPs at any New Year Victory Check, with each partner having at least 15 VPs
2
Achieve Military Victory
Partnership wins immediately if it controls 4 Enemy Main/SubCapitals plus all of its own
3
Achieve Atomic Victory
The achieving faction alone wins an Atomic Victory; partner faction does not share the victory
4
Achieve Hegemony Victory
Following completion of 1945, the partnership with the greatest total VPs wins
5
Apply US DoW penalty
US Declarations of War cost 2 VPs
6
Calculate Individual Victory (Optional 4-5 players)
Players controlling a single faction can double their VPs to compare with total Partnership VPs for Individual Hegemony Victory
7
Calculate Militarist Individual Victory (Optional)
Axis or Japan wins immediately with 25 total VPs at any New Year Victory Check, or doubles their VPs for Individual Hegemony comparison

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

How to Play Triumph & Tragedy, Part 4 - Beginners' Tips and German Strategy (Greek Subbed)

How to Play Triumph & Tragedy, Part 4 - Beginners' Tips and German Strategy (Greek Subbed)

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How to Play Triumph & Tragedy, Part 5 - Soviet Strategy (Greek Subbed)

How to Play Triumph & Tragedy, Part 5 - Soviet Strategy (Greek Subbed)

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