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We shall fight with cards, we shall fight on the seas with tokens, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air (by moving little wooden cubes on the tech board), we shall gain victory points, whatever the cost may be.
Total Domination is a war game that aims to simulate the progress of WWII while keeping gameplay under 90 minutes. Does it deliver? Let’s find out!
Give us the tools and we will finish the job
To encourage the reader to keep going, I will first avoid answering the question above and start, as is customary, with component quality. The artwork effectively captures the WWII vibe, featuring various historical references. Total Domination uses tokens for soldiers, which keeps costs down, but I’d personaly prefer actual miniatures or meeples to give the war map a more traditional feel
And this brings us to the main subject on the component’s review – the world map. The board is double-sided, offering the same map in two designs. The official side presents an abstract map, roughly based on true geography, with the Antarctic at the center. However, it’s not easy to geographically discern where armies are located, which is a drawback since the goal is to simulate the war and compare the map to historical events. While I appreciate the designers’ intent and the gameplay with the abstract map, it did bother me a bit.
The other side offers a more realistic map, also centered on the Arctic, but it can lead to confusing movement due to the game’s original movement restrictions. The game seems designed for the abstract version, while the realistic map caters to those who share my concerns and are willing to pay the price for using it. Overall, the artwork is nice, and the theme is strong.
There are, however, some graphic issues. At times, it feels like you’re playing on an unfinished prototype, and the rulebook could be clearer. A significant example is the rule stating that airplanes can only shoot once a year. The instructions say to flip the token to the “used” side, but both sides of the token look the same! Was this a design oversight? Was this a mistake in the token design or at the rules themselves? We often found ourselves searching online for clarifications not provided in the game. While none of these issues were crucial, they made it feel like the game wasn’t fully polished before release.
Victory points however hard the road may be
Total Domination is intended for four players: two play as the main Allied powers (UK and USSR), while the other two represent the Axis forces (Germany and Japan). There are special rules for two players, and a three-player variant requires one player to control both powers of their faction, which can be a bit confusing but still fun.
Each power earns victory points mainly based on the territories they control. The game ends under one of three conditions: the Axis reaches 29 points by the end of a round, the Allies reach 35 points, or the Allies fail to win by the end of the last round, resulting in an Axis victory. At this point, you might say that the Axis has a big advantage in the win condition. That is absolutely right, and this is one of the things the game does well—it is more intimidating to play as the Allies than the Axis. But we will get to this later.
The heart of the game lies in the cards. Each card allows you to develop technology, allocate points for standard actions like moving troops and attacking, or grant bonuses to a specific nation, in case this nation is the one playing the card.
A round, representing a year from 1939 to 1945, begins with a draft where each player selects a card and passes the rest to the opponent on the left. After drafting, the game proceeds in clockwise order, allowing each player to use one card or pass (they can keep one card for the next round for an advantage). Once all players have run out of cards or passed, cleanup occurs, victory conditions are checked, and a new year begins. There are also various rules to add versatility: Allied troops can start resistance in Axis-controlled areas, the Axis can exploit dummy rulers for more soldiers, and France and Italy change sides depending on who controls them last. Players can even develop A-bombs, and so on.
Every mechanic in this game is simple—attacking simply removes an adjacent enemy unit, moving is free along your controlled territory, and conquering means entering an empty enemy unit. The outcome is fantastic: players take short turns, quickly passing to the next player, resulting in a fast-paced war experience. It's rare for anyone to wait long before their next action, keeping boredom at bay—a quality many war games lack. In fact, we all felt that the game is so abstract it could have been themed differently. This approach aligns with the designer's promise of a “90-minute WWII simulator.”
Blood, toil, tears and lots of fun
In the first year of the game, the German player has one more card than the others, allowing for an extra action. They are also surrounded by many unguarded neutral European countries that can be easily conquered. By the third round, the Japanese player gains an extra action, which at this point he should have already developed a large fleet in the Pacific. Meanwhile, the UK is spread thin across the world—some forces in England, others in India and Canada—without major troops to defend against the German advance. The USSR, with its tanks, must fend off both Japan and Germany largely on its own.
However, the Allied troops have a secret weapon: The allied forces have allies! If played smartly, the UK can persuade the US to join the war, making them a the largest force in the map. The USSR can also rely on small but significant reinforcements from China at Japan’s soft underbelly. This is where the game truly shines. In the early years, the Allies seem doomed, while the Axis players rush to meet their victory conditions and a fast explosive conquest, forcing the Allies to cut their losses. But when the Allies join the fight—either through persuasion or Axis aggression—the tides turn. The Axis must shift to survival mode, while the Allies aim to reclaim the world before time runs out.
This asymmetry is great and it captures the essence of WWII brilliantly. Total Domination is streamlined, turns go by quickly, and the tension is always present. The Axis forces feel unstoppable at the start, only to find themselves in a desperate situation by the end.
Aftermath
I personally really enjoyed Total Domination , despite not being a huge fan of war games. It's abstract enough and runs quickly and smoothly, but don’t be misled—it’s complex to learn, with a lot to keep track of, so it may not be for everyone. I’d place it somewhere between a full-blown war game and a territory control card game with drafting.
I never managed to finish it in 90 minutes, but that’s likely because I played with new players each time, which extends the learning curve. I imagine it could be done in 90 minutes or less with experienced players, but even as a two-hour game, it fits well into a game night with the right group. There are plenty of small details that give the game a solid historical vibe without complicating it too much.
I rate this game a total score of 86, with the extra point coming from my experience as the Japanese player, managing to conquer the entire Soviet Union simply by avoiding conflict with the USA—truly a historical simulator.
Lastly, I found it awkward to play the Axis forces; I didn’t enjoy the feeling of trying to take over the world as Nazi Germany. This aspect might not appeal to everyone. There is a solo variant where you only play as the Allied forces, which could be a better fit for some players.
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