If you have AK or Sicherungs forces gathering dust, this campaign is basically their love letter.
Firestorm: Warsaw gives those very specific lists a proper home, instead of forcing them into awkward tournament metas. It aims at short, punchy games that still feel like a full Warsaw Uprising narrative. Consequently, you can run the whole campaign in a single evening or stretch it over two relaxed nights. It is Flames of War, but tuned for cramped streets, desperate pushes, and escalating pressure.
A Compact Campaign That Stands on Its Own
Firestorm: Warsaw is built so you do not need Firestorm: Bagration at all. The booklet includes every rule you require to run the campaign from start to finish. However, it happily reuses the physical Firestorm pieces from Bagration if you already own that box. There are ten Firestorm troops total, five counters per side, which keeps things simple and quick. Then the Soviets show up on turn four, handing the Polish player a sixth counter to represent that late war “someone finally turned up” moment. The designer also hints that dedicated Warsaw tokens should be downloadable, which fits the pick-up friendly design.
Streamlined Rules for Brutal Urban Fighting
Firestorm: Warsaw leans heavily on the Bagration framework, yet it trims anything that slows play in a tight city campaign. There is no Partisans and Polizei phase here, because the entire campaign already focuses on that struggle in Warsaw. There is also no Supply system, since neither AK nor Germans were really cutting each other off in a meaningful operational sense. As a result, you do not have to track fuel lines or depots, which keeps setup brisk and games flowing. Finally, there is no Exploitation, because Warsaw’s streets, choke points, and barricades simply do not support sweeping breakthrough moves. The whole thing is tuned for fast scenarios that still feel tactical, not for sprawling operational shenanigans.
The Warsaw Map and How the Campaign Flows
The map breaks the city into ten areas tied to major Warsaw districts, which keeps the geography readable. Each district has a points value, so grabbing certain zones clearly matters more for victory. Meanwhile, three bridge points connect Praga to the western bank, and those crossings naturally become hot spots. Germans and Soviets both arrive from off-map reserve areas that cannot be captured, reflecting their outside reinforcement base. By contrast, the Polish side is locked inside the city, which really sells the desperate defensive vibe. The whole map comes as a downloadable A3 sheet, and it contains everything you need to track control, Firestorm counters, and progress. In practice, you just print it, throw it on the table, and start pushing your luck in the ruins.
Forces, History, and What You Can Bring to the Table
The booklet includes an overview of the Warsaw Uprising written by Heath Alexander, giving helpful historical context before dice hit the table. It does not drown you in minutiae, but it gives enough background to frame AK and German decisions. On the table, you obviously get to use the bespoke AK and Sicherungs briefings, which is the core draw. However, the designer also suggests broader options for players who want more variety. German players can run lists from Hammer and Sickle or River of Heroes, including SS or Heer formations that historically fought in the city. On the Allied side, you might field Soviet Strelkovy or Tankovy to stand in for LWP forces or elements of the 2nd Tank Army. You can even drop in a British Parachute Company as a “what if” version of Polish paras arriving from England. Ultimately, like any Firestorm campaign, the exact force mix is up to you and your group, as long as everyone agrees on the parameters.
Final Thoughts – A Focused Playground for Warsaw Forces
Firestorm: Warsaw is a tight, self-contained campaign that gives the Warsaw Uprising real legs on the tabletop. It respects the original Firestorm structure, but it removes anything that would bog down a small, urban conflict. Consequently, it hits a sweet spot where historical flavour, fast play, and replayable scenario flow all line up. If you have always wanted a reason to keep running AK, Sicherungs, or related Warsaw forces, this is the perfect excuse. Print the map, grab the PDFs, and you will be fighting over bridges and districts in no time.
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