Tannhäuser is set in an alternate-history version of 1949 where the Great War never ended, Tannhäuser features small squads of troops of the "Army of the Union" in their attempts to track down and stop the Reich's "Obscura Korps", who use a mixture of technology and occult magic to further the cause of the Fatherland. Tannhäuser blends together alternate history, science fiction, and magic to create a wholly original game world.

Tannhäuser is the first game to utilize the revolutionary "Pathfinding System" -- a game mechanic that uses colored circles on the game board that aid players in determining both movement and line-of-sight, making combat resolution quick and simple.