From: talossa@execpc.com
Subject: "Grand Imperialism" Review

Review of "Grand Imperialism" (Gametime Games, 1978)
by R. Ben Madison (talossa@execpc.com)
22 September 1996

"Grand Imperialism" is a great beer-and-pretzels game of world conquest for up
to six players. I grew up on this game; for years in high school and college,
"Grand Imperialism" was a major draw for my friends and me.

The box cover claims that GI is "A Game of Discovery in the Victorian Era," but
the actual map (mounted and durable) depicts a fictitious world. (It would be
interesting to try the game system out on a map of the "real" world. Any
takers?) In the center there is a large continent called the "Home Island" where
Players' home countries are located. The home countries are unnamed, but their
counters have pictures of soldiers that are identifiably British, American,
French, Japanese, Italian and German. Players can plop their capital city on
whatever Home Island area they choose, so every game is different.

On the periphery of the map are four other continents and assorted islands;
collectively these are the "New World" and are subject to colonization. Each New
World continent is divided into areas bearing vaguely colonial-sounding names
(e.g. Gaboon, Bawanaland, and Kongo in one corner; Buddastan, Kaiber, Bengali in
another, etc.) and pictures of dragons, elephants, Buddhas, pyramids and so
forth.

Colonial areas are either clear terrain, mountains, or deserts. In addition,
rivers and mountain ranges impede movement between areas. The sea is divided
into 36 sea zones (subject to storms and pirates).

Players accumulate "wealth" (we always called it "moneybags," since the wealth
counters feature bags with a big Pound Sterling symbol on them) from their
cities (which they can build by spending wealth) or from their colonies.
Colonies are the better way to go, so most of the game revolves around (drum
roll...) grand imperialism.

Fleets carry armies to a potential colony and plop them on the shore, rolling
for "attrition" (tropical diseases, presumably). A die is rolled to see how many
"natives" there are in the area (shown by black counters with spears and
shields). Once the natives are conquered (not as easy as it was historically;
native armies are as good as yours) another die is rolled to determine the
"wealth value" of the colony. In future turns, a die is rolled for each colony;
if the result is equal to or greater than the wealth value, you get one moneybag
for that colony. Interestingly, wealth units are deployed in the colonies
themselves; to use them, you must transport them back to your home country
(evading pirates, storms, and other players' fleets).

Players can, of course, attack each other rather than natives, or raid each
other's colonies or even attack each other's home countries. Combat is a very
simple system; each side rolls a die and "shoots" at the other, and the more
units you have the more damage you inflict on the other guy. The same rules
apply for naval and land battles.

Moneybags can be expended on new armies or fleets, or on fortifications, ports
and cities. Each of these confers certain advantages and is worth a certain
amount of victory points at the end of the game.

Each turn each player draws a card from a deck provided with the game. This adds
even more uncertainty into play. Card draws can win or lose you wealth, or give
you certain bonuses in war or exploration (e.g. the "hidden trail" card lets you
ignore mountains). There is a "Pharaoh's Treasure" card that's very
lucrative--but it backfires on you if another player holds the "Pharaoh's Curse"
card and springs it on you! My favorite is the "Religious Persecution"
card--this obligates you to spend your wealth building a city for some OTHER
player as the Huguenots (or Mormons, or whoever) flee from your tyrannical rule.
Some of the cards are rather "gamey"; for instance, you can use the "Fog
Scatters Fleets" card against an enemy in a naval battle as if you were calling
on the Fog God to help you out. "Option Cards" allow you to spring a whole host
of tricks, like fomenting rebellion in other players' colonies.

The mathematical calculations to determine the winner aren't easy (just about
every possession and counter on the map is taken into account) and so it is
difficult to know exactly who is winning at any given point. Incidentally, the
game ends whenever the "Game Ends" card is drawn. It's best to situate this
randomly but somewhere in the bottom half of the card deck, or else it could be
a very short game. GI is a very simple game--only a few pages of rules. But with
the right mix of players it is a blast to play. One of my all-time favorites.

R. Ben Madison
talossa@execpc.com