From: Roberto Chiavini Subject: Eight reviews BELISAIRE (Vae Victis 5) Belisaire is an area movement game on the wars fought by the emperor Justinian against the Vandals in Africa and the Goths in Italy from 533 to 553 AD. One player takes the role of the various byzantine generals (Belisaire and Narses are the most famous among them), while the other player, depending on the scenario, could be the Vandals, or the Goths, or both (there are even rules for the Franks, that may fought for both sides). The system is playable even in solitaire (I've played solo), but there are several rules which add to the fun of the play if you fight against another person (in particular, the stratagem rules and the use of dummy counters). The leaders (the only pieces that you actually move on the map) are rated for strategic and tactical rating; the first rating affect the number of activation points that you may use in a turn to take the various different activities (movement, combat, interception, siege, etc.) for the commander of the army, while the subordinate commanders use their strategic rating eminently for interception reasons. The tactical rating affects field and siege combat. All the combat units have value for strength (you may exchange lesser value units if you take losses in combat or in attrition), a letter for morale (from A to D, very important in combat) and for the type of unit (even this very important for combat reason). A few units (mostly byzantinian) have also an asterisk to note their missile capability. There are four seasonal turns each year (a scenario may last from 3 to 20 turns). Each summer and winter the sequence of play starts with a random events phase. Then, in each turn there is the supply phase (unsupplied units check for attrition), reinforcements, and then the heart of the system: the operation phase. In this phase each player draws from a cup a numbered chit and add the result to the strategic value of his chief commander: the total are the points that he may spend in that turn for all his activities. Each commander may move up to six area (if he enters an occupied area he risk interception); the more he moves, the more his army risks attrition (with percentage losses). Combat happens only as a result of interception or if both players want to fight an open battle. There is a tactical display where the battle are fought. The Byzantine player have normally better units, so most of the times the Barbarian player will try to avoid combat and risk siege. Siege is for the cities (which have an intrinsic militia value and a fortification value) in the area. There are rules for lasting sieges, entrechments, siege tower, etc. There are also simple but effective naval rules. The strategem counters (that you may draw luckily from the same cup where you put the activation chits) are very important for the two players game and may add spice to the game. All in all, Belisaire is another little gem from the mine of Vae Victis, a game that may last from two to ten hours (depending on the scenario), with the usual great graphics, a simple system (different from the others appeared on this magazine) and a lot of fun. I rate this game 8 out of 10.