In the early morning hours of June 22nd, 1941, Axis armies – German, Romanian and Finnish – launched a sneak attack on the Soviet Union, touching off the greatest conflict in human history. Millions of men fought and died in what became known as the Great Patriotic War, which would ultimately end with the Red Army mounting its battle flags over the ruins of Berlin.

Defiant Russia is Avalanche Press' fast-playing game of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, known  as Operation Barbarossa. Play is easy; strategy, not so much. The Axis player starts with overwhelming  force, but has a stiff set of objectives to meet. The Soviets will usually see  much of the seemingly-powerful Red Army melt away in the first turns of play,  but powerful reinforcements are on their way.