Any Fool Can Build an Empire – It Takes a Great Ruler to Keep It

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or Why spend your precious game time researching pottery when you can defend an empire? There are no shortage of civilization building games out there. Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea, however, is MORE than just another Civilization BUILDING game – it is a Civilization SURVIVAL game – and one with an elegantly built-in, if subtle, […]

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Designer Blogs

Introduction to The Weimar Republic: Factions

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The Weimar Republic was a complex and dynamic period in German history. The years between the Great War and Hitler’s appointment as chancellor witnessed both economic collapse and severe political violence – some of which almost led to civil war – but also major cultural and scientific achievements. The fledgling democracy was under constant attack

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Designer Blogs

Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East Design Background and Differences from Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea Part 1: General Background

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Introduction by Fred Schachter: I’m having a Game Developer’s blast working with Designers Chris Vorder Bruegge and Mark McLaughlin on Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea (ACIS)’s successor, Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East (ACME… yeah, we’re aware of the Coyote/Road Runner cartoon alliteration, seems worth a guffaw or two, eh?). The purpose of this

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Designer Blogs

Commands & Colors: Medieval vs Ancients Comparison Part 3: Comparative Play

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Welcome to my third and final part of the Commands & Colors Medieval and Commands & Colors: Ancients series. In my effort to compare the two series, I have focused my first two publications on major changes (here) and minor changes and subtleties (here). But enough of looking into the rules and paragraphs–what better way

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Strategy Articles

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Iserninus

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Like Patrick, Iserninus was born in Roman Britain, but he was apparently a fluent Celtic speaker; perhaps his family stayed with the old language of the Britons instead of fully adopting Latin as their language at home. Tradition says that he was ordained as a deacon at Auxerre in Burgundy along with Patrick and Auxilius.

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Designer Blogs, Inside the Game as History

Norway 1940 Campaign: Nobody Expects…

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The three Operational scenarios, WESERÃœBUNG (the initial invasion), SICKLE (Allied counter-landings and evacuation), and JUNO (the final Allied evacuation), allow players to refight three key episodes in the Norway campaign that were hotly contested. To really appreciate the difficulties and decisions faced by the opposing sides, however, players can essay the Campaign Scenario. Unlike the extended

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Designer Blogs

Paths of Glory — 1917 Scenario Variant

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Below is another fantastic article from The Boardgames Chronicle, this time discussing the 1917 Scenario variant for Paths of Glory. You can check out his previous series discussing the major and minor similarities/differences between Commands & Colors: Ancients and Commands & Colors: Medieval here. Enjoy! -Rachel

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Scenarios/Variants

Introduction to FAB: Crusader Part 1 – Why We Fight

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Why did we decide to do a game of Operation Crusader? Despite the fact that we love making games, we’re not entirely sure ourselves. There are many reasons why we think that the battles of North Africa make great gaming stuff and why the campaign was so fascinating, but at the forefront must be the

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Designer Blogs, Developer Notes

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Ciarán

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The first of the early Irish missionaries to actually be born in Ireland was Ciarán. He was born into the ruling family of Osraige, but before this, his mother had a dream that a star fell into her mouth. The druids interpreted the dream to mean that she would bear a son who would be

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Designer Blogs, Inside the Game as History

Space Empires: Close Encounters — More Ways to use Alien Technology

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The Alien Technology deck is a fun feature of the Close Encounters expansion that rewards you for colonizing deep space planets by giving you access to unique technological upgrades. You could end up with Cryogenic Stasis Pods that reduce the maintenance costs of your boarding ships and troop transports, or a Microwarp Drive that increases the

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Scenarios/Variants
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