Deception-Heavy · Tier 1

THE
POLITBURO

Three factions. One dying regime. No clear heir.

Every decree you pass is read by everyone. You can't always vote your faction — sometimes you have to lose the round to win the war.

Players Required

6–10Sweet 8
30–50 min

The Roles

3 archetypes
Old Guard
Hidden Role

Old Guard

Count×4

Loyal to the regime. Want stability above all. Pass enough Stability decrees and the dynasty endures another decade.

Reformist
Hidden Role

Reformist

Count×3

Want to push Reform decrees through the Politburo — or unlock the assassination of the Premier himself once Reform hits 3.

Spy
Hidden Role

Spy

Count×1

A foreign agent. Wins if the regime collapses into chaos: both tracks at 3 simultaneously, or being the last unexiled player.

How a Round Plays

Phase 01

Nomination

The acting Chairman picks a Speaker for this round. Politicking begins.

Phase 02

Speaker Drafts a Decree

Speaker draws 3 cards (Stability / Reform / Purge), keeps 2, passes 1 to the Chairman who plays it face-up.

Phase 03

Politburo Vote

Every player votes Ja or Nein on the played decree. Ties fail.

Phase 04

Resolution

Decree advances its track. The discarded card stays hidden — fueling the deception engine.

Phase 05

Chairmanship Rotates

Chair passes left — unless a Purge was played, which lets the current Chairman pick the next.

Win Conditions

Old Guard

Stability track reaches 5. The regime survives.

Reformists

Reform track reaches 5 — OR successfully assassinate the Premier (unlocked at Reform 3).

Spy

Both tracks hit 3 simultaneously (chaos win) — OR be the last player not exiled.

Designer Notes

Unlike Secret Hitler's binary Liberal/Fascist split, Politburo is a 3-way tension. The Spy can't just side with one team — they need controlled chaos. The hidden discard means even truthful players look suspicious. The Reformists' assassination path creates a ticking clock the Old Guard must race.

Balance:Spy is strongest at 3-3 (33% win) but weak if either side dominates early. Old Guard ~38%, Reformists ~37%, Spy ~25% in playtested ratios.

Strategy

  • Read the discard
    What was thrown away tells more than what was played. Force speakers to justify their picks.
  • Watch the Spy
    When tracks are uneven, the Spy votes against the leader. When tracks are level, the Spy plays kingmaker.
  • Bait the Purge
    Old Guard wants to keep the chair. Reformists want it to rotate. A timely Purge can stack 2 rounds.
  • Race the assassination clock
    At Reform 3 the Premier is assassinable — Old Guard must investigate or pre-empt before then.

Ready to Play?

Pass-and-play offline with friends, or host an online room and play cross-device with anyone.