In the Shadows - EN

In the Shadows is a two-player card-driven game about the desperate struggle of the French Resistance against the occupying Nazi and collaborating French forces between January 1943 and June 1944. In the game you will play as either the Resistance or the Occupation in a fight over the hearts and minds of the French People. The game strives to have players better understand the nuances of the resistance and the clandestine nature of the fight that led to the founding of the fourth French Republic.

The gameplay of In the Shadows is driven by Event cards and Actions based on suits. The game relies on three different suits (the Resistance Cross, the Victory Cross, and the Iron Cross) to determine the cost and effectiveness of your Actions. Narratively, this is meant to represent the vital importance of local networks and resources. You may be working with resources in Paris but need to perform Sabotage Actions in Vichy. In this way, the game can better replicate the choices that the leaders of the Occupation and Resistance needed to make.
The goal of the game for the Resistance is to reduce the Occupation’s authority and recruit others to the movement. For the Occupation, players will be trying to uncover Resistance cells and make arrests. The game will end immediately if either the Resistance has no presence on the map or the Occupation authority reaches the point of collapse.
In the Shadows also uses a Resolution deck in lieu of dice. Represented as newspapers, a vital line of communication for the Resistance, these cards allow players to resolve an action with the flip of a card. This unique system allows for a streamlined game that lets players focus more on strategy and less on luck, making for a compelling and quick-playing gaming experience.