From: Roberto Chiavini Subject: Two reviews Great Medieval Battles (Strategy & Tactics) Even if my opinion could be discussed by other players, I normally I'm very happy when Decision Games republish old SPI's titles in Strategy & Tactics. In the case of Great Medieval Battles, I'm really very happy, because I already had Tamburlaine the Great and that was a game that I played again and again several years ago. In this "new" edition, with only a little graphical restyling, I have the opportunity to play Robert at Bannockburn, another redux from the original late SPI quad. And, after the playing, I'm still convinced of the good return of these old games on the tables of the younger players of today. After this long (and probably vain) prologue, it's clear that I like this system and that I think that it's probably one of the better and more playable system on the market for this historical period (I prefer it over the one used by Rob Markham in his several 3W's quad games, for example). Yes, it's not very historical probably (with limited rules for facing, no ZOCs, perhaps too simple effects for the different kind of units involved), but it's furiously fun and faster than many other games on the same scale. Both battles (Bannockburn and Angorra, the latter fought in early XV century by Tamburlaine the Great against a Balkan coalition) used a standard rules system plus specific rules for each single battle. Units are rated for morale and movement, other than have a letter indicating the type of weapon or armor used by the unit itself. Leader are used almost only for rally and have a rating for movement only. Both games last 10 turns. Victory is based on the elimination of enemy units. Each turn is divided in phases. First of all, there is the movement of routed units in both camps toward their supply lines. There are up to 4 rout levels. When an unit exceeds the 4th level is eliminated instead. After that, the phasing player my rally units from rout if a leader is over them. Then, the phasing player moves his units. After that there is the simultaneous fire phase (were the various bow units may fire). Then the phasing player has his melee battles. Last, the other player may melee with unrouted units on his side still in contact with enemy units. Then, all the same phases, are repeated by the second player. Both fire and melee are resolved with a roll of two dice: if the modified result is inside the range indicated on the CRT (that take in account the various weapon type of the units involved), the defender must check on the morale table to see how many rout levels, if any, he gets. As you can see, most of system turns around morale. There are also particular rules for wagons, lances, command control, naphta contingents and so on, but it's only a little chrome, nothing really serious or very important for play. Both battles are fun to play, even solo, with my preferences going to Angorra, the most balanced of the two. But even Bannockburn is great fun (at least for the Scottish player). In all cases, you have a little gem with Great Medieval Battles and it's a real fortune that DG has decided to republish at least two of the original games in a new package for the younger among us that weren't already wargamers in the late Seventies. I rate this game 7 1/2 in a 1-10 scale (single battles are 8 Angorra, 6 1/2 Bannockburn).