From: Jason Matthews Subject: Re: Medieval period boardgames From: Jason Matthews Eric Writes: "Someone mentioned Ah's Britannia as a good entry-level multiplayer game of the Early Medieval Period. Can you provide a more complete description of play, particularly, are all sides equal during play or is it skewed like Civilization?" I'll be happy to oblige . . . Britannia is a game for 3-5 players. The four player game seems to be the best balanced (I think the designer admits as much in the notes). Each player represents a number of races which established themselves on the British Isles. There are roughly 20 races, and in the four player game, each player represents all the races who's counters are the same color - i.e. the "green" player is the Welsh, Danes, Caledonians etc. At the start of every turn, you consult the "event chart" conviently printed on either side of the map. The event chart indicates which new races appear this turn (turns are ususally about 100 years long), which races have boats (meaning they can attack along the coast), which races have raiders (Gain points for attacking along the coast, and returning to sea), and which races count their points for controlling land. The control of land is the way people score most of their points in the game. Not all land has an inherent value to all races. Every race has a point card which indicates what property they score points for and when. People also get points by killing Romans, destroying Roman forts, and raiding. There are also a few other events which will gain you points (like being elected Breatwalda, and or King in the later stages of the game). In addition to scoring points, land is also important because it provides you with new units. For multiple of 3 areas you control, your race receives a new army. Fractions ae retained, so even a race controlling only 1 space will have a chance to expand. This expansion obviously leads to combat. Combat is resolved by a simple system. When you move into a space containing a different race you engage in combat. If you outnumber a unit 2 to 1, you may move any troops in excess of 2 to 1 the rest of their movement. There are four types of units: Standard Armies (the vast majority - the kill and are eliminated on a D6 roll of 5/6); Roman Armies (they kill on a 4-6 and are eliminated only on a 6); cavalry arimes which behave in the same way as Roman armies; and Roman Forts which are placed whenever the Romans conquer a space. They may not move, but otherwise behave as normal armies. Normal armies move 2 spaces, Romans and cavalry move 3 spaces. Perhaps the most interesting element of the game are the major invasion events. These give a good feel for the "ebb and flow" of the influence of different races in Britian. A major invasion gives a race two consequetive turns (i.e. move/attack - move attack). Furthermore, these major invasions are often are accompanied by an historical leader. Leaders give a movement, and combat bonus - so in conjunction with a major invasion they are pretty powerfull. I have played this game about a dozen times now, and I have seen all four players win the game. Many of the games I have played have come down to a couple of points. So in general, I think this one is pretty well balanced. If any player has a disadvantage is would be purple. Purple controls the Romans who go first, and start the game with a major invasion. The problem is, everybody gets points for killing them, and because they seem to be doing so well at the start - people tend to gang up on the Romans and screw them. This may seem wise policy at the start of the game, but as the game progresses, it becomes clear that the Romans are purple's big point-getters. If you screw them early, they are probably out of the running unless some of their minor races do unexpectedly well. I hope this gives you a reasonable grasp of the game. I highly recommend it as an intro to the hobby. I find it infinitely better than History of the World with which it is commonly compared. Jason Matthews@siucvmb.siu.edu From: Hannu Pajunen Subject: Britannia (was: RE: Medieval period boardgames) Jason Matthews wrote: >I have played this game about a dozen times now, and I have seen all four playe >rs win the game. Many of the games I have played have come down to a couple of > points. So in general, I think this one is pretty well balanced. If anyb pla >yer has a disadvantage is would be purple. Purple controls the Romans who go >first, and start the game with a major invasion. The problem is, everybody get >s points for killing them, and because they seem to be doing so well at the sta >rt - people tend to gang up on the Romans and screw them. Yes, but that doesn't put them into a disadvantage. Played "right" purple is a favorite to win. It doesn't matter, if the others attack the Romans, since the Romans are hard to beat in the first place. Almost all the Romans have to do is to cover the important "limes" areas, so that the others can't take out the fortresses, which yields to an enormous point gain. The Romans score OFTEN over 50 points, which is much when a very tight point race gives each player only about 100 points in total. The other thing the Romans need to do, is to go north. If the Brigantes are stupid enough to try to stop them, all the worst for the red player, who needs badly the Brigante points in order to win. (The almighty Saxon point machine is not enough). Further, the Romans must *tell* the Welsh not to attack Roman forts. That's right, tell them. If they don't comply, a few Romans will wipe most of the Welsh areas clean. This will cost the purple player the game, but the green player (Welsh) will not win either. And in the next game they have learned the lesson. ;-) Britannia is a very delicate game. Everything affects everything. You can't just go and stomp the seemingly worst opponent, because there will be another nation, which will get by too easily, if you have punished THEIR enemy too hard. I've played about 70 games of Britannia. I still like it. If I were to get shipwrecked on an island with three other people, I sure hope I have time to rescue my copy of Britannia. :-) Hannu