The Weimar Republic was a complex and dynamic period in German history. The years between the Great War and Hitler’s appointment as chancellor witnessed both economic collapse and severe political violence – some of which almost led to civil war – but also major cultural and scientific achievements. The fledgling democracy was under constant attack from extremist groups of all kinds and struggled with enormous war reparations, hyperinflation, mass unemployment, and a disgruntled army. But at the same time it proved to be a fertile ground for progressive reforms, creative movements, and innovative individuals, some of whom came to define the very essence of modernity.

The Weimar Republic models this chaotic era in an abstracted yet tangible way by presenting four playable factions that compete for power and influence. Each faction has its own set of abilities and weaknesses, but some of the faction-specific mechanics overlap in several ways.

The Democratic Coalition, composed of the Social Democrats, the Liberals, and the Centre Party, constitutes the German government; the only major political force standing between the young Republic and the totalitarian movements. While initially backed by a large portion of the population, the Coalition will find it increasingly hard to stay in power as the economic crisis deepens and political violence erupts all over Germany.

As the ruling faction, the Coalition has the entire state apparatus at its disposal. This provides the Coalition player with powerful, albeit limited and sometimes unreliable, instruments. However, as it is beset by enemies on all sides from the get-go and also has to deliver reforms by managing Germany’s unstable economy, the government will have to fight hard to maintain the upper hand. Another major challenge is the loyalty of the armed forces: Reichswehr army units and their reactionary officers may simply refuse to act in defense of democracy, while the Freikorps militiamen, mainly composed of WWI veterans with no great love for the Republic, may potentially defect and join the ultra-right Radical Conservatives. Since there is no way of knowing the loyalty of a unit beforehand, the Coalition must be very careful while suppressing extremist groups and engaging in combat.

The Communist KPD and Hitler’s NSDAP are diametrically opposed on the political spectrum and will find it hard to peacefully co-exist, yet share several mechanics: they both have a strategic stance that provides varying tools depending on the situation. For example, staging coups is easier if your stance is revolutionary, while elections will go smoother with a more democratic stance (this does not mean that a democratic stance reflects democratic ideals, just that the party employs a parliamentary strategy).

Players may opt to use the stance mechanic in several ways: strike a balance between violence and democracy, or go all-in for either of the two? In either case, both movements will have to struggle to establish a real foothold in the political landscape – the Communists need to build momentum for a revolution in a time of violent anti-communism, while the NSDAP starts off as a splinter faction of the stronger Radical Conservative movement and inevitably grows in its shadow until it can make it on its own.

The Radical Conservative faction is perhaps the most elusive of the factions, as it is neither a political party nor a homogenous movement but a loose conglomeration of army veterans, reactionary intellectuals, landed nobility, and wealthy industrialists. These groups have neither a unified leadership nor a stable parliamentary presence, and their only common denominator is their hatred for democracy and the Treaty of Versailles.

The rules reflect this by making the Radical Conservative faction work differently than the other extremist factions, both in terms of influence placement and unit recruitment – the former is conducted through a “spider web” of conservatice cliques and economic leverage, while the latter can be achieved by making Freikorps units desert the Coalition and join the Radical Conservative cause.

The asymmetric nature of these factions and their interdependence on each other makes The Weimar Republic a dynamic and unpredictable game, with plenty of room for diplomacy and backstabbing. Regardless of whether your faction is trying to defend democracy or undo it, player interaction will be at the core of any successful strategy. Reflecting the violent and rapidly shifting political landscape of the historic Republic, the game encourages players to engage in temporary alliances, unorthodox deals between political opponents and well-timed support for enemies’ enemies. No means are to be shunned, as only the most ruthless and shrewd will prevail in this harsh struggle for Germany’s future.

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