Overview
A hidden-team game set in 1930s Germany. Liberal players try to stop a Fascist takeover while elected governments enact policies under incomplete information.
Edition scope. Standard 5–10 player game. The original team catalogue said 4–8, but the official base rules support 5–10. Use the Fascist track for the starting player count, even after executions. No fan variants.
Key terms / 关键词. President (总统); Chancellor (总理); policy (政策); enact (颁布); eligible (有资格); veto (否决); party membership (党派身份); secret role (秘密角色)
Objective
Liberals win with five Liberal policies or Hitler’s execution. Fascists win with six Fascist policies, or Hitler elected Chancellor when at least three Fascist policies were already enacted.
Setup
- Use the role-count table and matching Fascist board. Shuffle 6 Liberal and 11 Fascist policies into one face-down deck. Set the Election Tracker to zero.
- Prepare one envelope per player with a secret role, matching party card, and Ja/Nein ballots. Hitler has Fascist party membership. Shuffle envelopes and deal secretly; choose the first President candidate randomly.
- At 5–6 players: everyone closes eyes, then Hitler and the ordinary Fascist open eyes to identify each other; close eyes, then everyone opens. At 7–10: only ordinary Fascists open eyes; Hitler keeps eyes shut and raises a thumb; Fascists identify Hitler; eyes shut, thumb down, then everyone opens.
How to play
President candidate nominates Chancellor → all living players vote → check Hitler condition → President draws 3, passes 2 → Chancellor enacts 1 → resolve any power.
Nominate an eligible Chancellor
The President candidate chooses another living player. Normally the last elected President and Chancellor cannot be nominated Chancellor. With five or fewer living players, only the last elected Chancellor is barred. These limits do not stop someone becoming President.
Vote together
All living players reveal Ja or Nein together. More than half must vote Ja; ties fail. A failed vote advances the Election Tracker and passes candidacy clockwise. At three failed governments, enact the deck’s top policy without using its printed power, reset the tracker, and clear term limits. Policy-track wins still apply.
Check Hitler, then legislate
If the election passes while three or more Fascist policies are already enacted, check whether the new Chancellor is Hitler: if yes, Fascists win immediately. Otherwise the President secretly draws 3 policies, deliberately discards 1, and passes both remaining policies together. The Chancellor discards 1 and enacts 1. No communication during this selection; discards stay hidden.
Resolve powers and continue
Enacting any policy resets the Election Tracker. If a normally enacted Fascist policy unlocks a power, the President must resolve it before continuing. Follow the matching board. At the end of a legislative session, if fewer than three policies remain, shuffle the remainder with discards. Pass candidacy clockwise, except for a Special Election.
Role counts
| Players | Liberals | Ordinary Fascists | Hitler |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
Presidential powers
| Power | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Investigate loyalty | Inspect one other player’s Party Membership, not Secret Role. Hitler appears Fascist. A player cannot be investigated twice. The President may lie about the result. |
| Special Election | Choose another living player as the next President candidate. After that special election, resume clockwise from the President who called it. Normal Chancellor eligibility still applies. |
| Policy Peek | Privately view the next three policies and return them in exactly the same order. |
| Execution | Remove another living player. If Hitler, Liberals win; otherwise their identity stays secret. Executed players cannot speak, vote, or hold office. |
Veto after five Fascist policies
In later legislative sessions, the Chancellor may request a veto after receiving two policies. If the President agrees, discard both and advance the Election Tracker once. If the President refuses, the Chancellor must enact one. An accepted veto does not erase the elected government’s term limits and can trigger the third-failure top-deck policy.
Worked example
Eight players, four Ja and four Nein: the government is rejected. Five Ja would be needed.
Three Fascist policies already enacted: Hitler wins by being elected Chancellor. Becoming President is not this win condition. If the third Fascist policy is enacted during Hitler’s current Chancellorship, that alone does not trigger the election win retroactively.
Ending & scoring
Stop immediately on five Liberal policies, six Fascist policies, Hitler’s execution, or Hitler’s election as Chancellor after at least three Fascist policies were already enacted. Dead players still share their team’s result. There is no individual score. A policy enacted by the Election Tracker can win the game, although it grants no presidential power.
Rules to double-check
- Investigations reveal party membership, never Hitler’s secret role.
- Term limits refer to the last elected government, not the last rejected nominees.
- After five Fascist policies, a veto needs both officials; an election alone does not reset the tracker.
- Do not reveal discarded policies or use random selection to avoid responsibility. After selection, players may discuss and lie about what they saw.
- Do not let executed players advise the table or reveal a non-Hitler identity.
Player tips / 玩家建议
Beginner suggestions based on the rules, not guaranteed winning moves. DMs can share these with the whole table before play.
- Track public evidence. Record governments, votes, and policy claims. A Fascist policy might come from the deck rather than a deliberate choice.
- Ask for specific reasons. Discuss nominations and intended power targets before voting.
- After three Fascist policies, choose Chancellors carefully. A successful Hitler check proves only “not Hitler,” not “Liberal.”
- For hidden Fascists, credibility matters. Supporting a Liberal policy can gain trust; obvious sabotage may remove future opportunities.
Sources & edition notes
Secret Hitler · official rulebook ↗
Names follow the supplied On Board catalogue. Edition details may differ.
Box artwork: Goat, Wolf & Cabbage · via Board Game Bandit. Image source ↗. Artwork belongs to its respective rights holders; packaging may vary by edition.
Rules sources checked on 13 November 2026. Teaching scripts and practice tasks are suggested hosting aids. The publisher’s rules and the edition in the box remain the reference for exceptions.