This week’s Monday Night Gaming / Secret Hitler
While at the Emerald City Comicon 2016, we participated in a Worldbuilders charity gaming event. We got to play the game Secret Hitler with Cards Against Humanity producer Trin Garritano.
Publisher: Self-Published
# of Players: 5-10
Best with: 10 Players
Playing Time: Varies based on luck & the players. With 10 of us, it took 30 minutes the first time and 10 minutes the second time.
# of Expansions: None
Secret Hitler is similar in play to Ultimate Werewolf and other games of deduction and guessing who’s who. Lots of players lying and betraying to further their agenda.
The game is set in 1930’s Germany and each player receives a randomly assigned role as either a liberal or fascist. One player is Secret Hitler. It’s the job of the fascists to breed distrust amongst the players without giving themselves away so that they can install Hitler as the leader. The liberals on the other hand must find who is Hitler and stop him from gaining full control.
General Mechanics: At the start of the game, players close their eyes. Fascists reveal themselves to one another. Hitler keeps his eyes closed and reveals himself to the fascists. Hitler doesn’t know who the fascists are, but the fascists do. The liberals don’t know who anyone is. Each round, players elect someone to be the President, who then tries to elect a Chancellor. They work together to pass a law from a random deck. If they pass a fascist law, players have to figure out whether the law passed due to bad luck, being tricked, or through a fascist.
As the game progresses, different powers come into play based on how many fascist or liberal laws are passed.
How to Win/Lose: The liberal objective is to pass all five liberal policies or assassinate Hitler, while the fascists want to pass six fascist polities or elect Hitler as chancellor after three fascist policies have passed. If any of these conditions are met, that side wins. Also, if the president assassinates Hitler (assassination is a power that pops up), then the fascists lose.
What I Liked: I had a lot of fun as a liberal acting like a fascist and confusing the hell out of everyone. I like bluffing games like this.
What I Didn’t Like: Nothing really. It was a lot of fun.
Overall Rating/Impression: It’s a fun party game. 8/10
