← Back to Secret Hitler

How to Play Secret Hitler

Social deduction game for 5–10 players

Overview

Players are secretly divided into two teams: Liberals and Fascists. The Liberals have a majority but don't know who anyone is. The Fascists know each other and must work together to advance their agenda — or elect Hitler as Chancellor.

Roles

Liberals

The majority team. Liberals don't know anyone's identity. They must work together to enact Liberal policies or find and execute Hitler.

Fascists

Fascists know who each other are (and who Hitler is). They must secretly sabotage the government and get Hitler elected Chancellor.

Hitler

On the Fascist team but plays differently. In small games (5–6 players), Hitler knows who the Fascist is. In larger games, Hitler doesn't know who anyone is and must stay hidden.

Game Flow

  1. Election: The Presidential Candidate nominates a Chancellor. All players vote Ja (yes) or Nein (no). If the vote fails, the election tracker advances.
  2. Legislative Session: The President draws 3 policy cards and discards one (face down). The Chancellor receives 2 cards and enacts one. Communication about what cards were drawn is allowed — but lying is too!
  3. Executive Action: Some Fascist policies unlock presidential powers: investigate a player's loyalty, call a special election, peek at the top 3 policies, or execute a player.

Policy Tracks

Liberal Track (5 slots)

Enacting 5 Liberal policies wins the game for the Liberals.

Fascist Track (6 slots)

Enacting 6 Fascist policies wins the game for the Fascists. Each Fascist policy may unlock a presidential power. After the 5th Fascist policy, the Chancellor can veto the agenda.

Win Conditions

Liberals Win If:

5 Liberal policies are enacted, OR Hitler is executed.

Fascists Win If:

6 Fascist policies are enacted, OR Hitler is elected Chancellor after 3+ Fascist policies have been enacted.

Election Tracker

If three elections fail in a row, the country is in chaos! The top policy from the deck is enacted automatically, bypassing the President and Chancellor. The election tracker then resets, and term limits are cleared.

Tips

  • As a Liberal, pay attention to voting patterns and who pushes for which candidates.
  • As a Fascist, blend in! Support some Liberal policies early to build trust.
  • Presidents can lie about what cards they drew — use this to your advantage (or to catch others lying).
  • After 3 Fascist policies, be very careful who you elect as Chancellor — it could be Hitler!
  • The investigation power is incredibly valuable. Pay attention to what the President claims to see.
Play Secret Hitler