In the Levy & Campaign system, players conduct operational campaigns subject to transport, supply, and logistical constraints of the geography. In this article, the designer dives into the Epipolae (P500) map design, and the supply and route constraints of ancient Sicily. All map art is prototype playtest art, and not final.
Below you will find Part 2 in a Plantagenet replay series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. You can read Parts 1 and 2 here and here. Enjoy! -Rachel
Upcoming game Žižka: Reformation and Crusade in Hussite Bohemia, 1420-1421 comes with a bunch of new mechanics such as new Assets, new rules for Crusade, for immediate surrender of some types of Strongholds, new multi stronghold Locale (Prague), or the whole new multi-purpose deck of so called Cause cards. It also relies heavily on mechanics already introduced with the Levy & Campaign system by Volko Ruhnke. When the series system is good, merely tackling its parameters and prerequisites can provide very different historical narratives from previous volumes. In this first part of the design diary, let’s take a look at how the already-known ruleset provides a new story and new challenges for the players by simply changing a few numbers or conditions.
In Nevsky, Almoravid, and Inferno, the map could be roughly divided into your and your enemy’s territory. This is not the case in Žižka as both Hussites and Catholics considered Bohemia their own country. The land is not a subject of dispute here, while the faith and the ruler are. With that, the first parameter changes come. The VP award for Ravaging is not 1/2 VP but 0 VP. Gone is the familiar hunt for VPs by inflicting as much damage on the opponent’s land? as possible. There is still an incentive for Ravaging as it helps to force Strongholds to surrender, brings the armies more food, and may prolong the sides’ will to fight (more on those later).
Below you will find Part 2 in a Plantagenet replay series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. You can read Part 1 here. Enjoy! -Rachel
After the defeat and the death of Henry VI and Somerset at the Battle of Ipswich, Richard York becomes King of England for the next 10 years. However, things go badly between him and Warwick – his old ally.
The sons of Richard York and Warwick fight for power – and when York chooses his sons Edward and Richard (of Gloucester) over Warwick, the latter decides to rebel against them by joining the Lancastrians.
Below you will find Part 1 in a Plantagenet replay series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. Enjoy! -Rachel
Levy & Campaign Series developer Christophe Correia and his friend John O’Reilly face off in a run through the full-length scenario of Volume IV, Plantagenet. The scenario covers the full War of the Roses between 1459 and 1485. The scenario is composed of three smaller parts, that represent the 3 periods of activity of the War. Christophe played the Lancastrians and John the Yorkists. The Playtime for this epic scenario was around 15 hours. Christophe gives us the blow by blow, including all the many battles that will decide the conflict. Enjoy this trip to medieval England!
Protagonists will enter and leave the field, as they die and new pretenders arise! In the full-length scenario of Plantagenet, the Lancastrians and Yorkists fight across three different, shorter scenarios, representing the three main periods of fighting. The Lords of those scenarios are split between Heirs, who can end up being King, and lesser magnates, who are there to support the Heirs and help their side.
Here the designer of Epipolae: The Athenian Expedition in Sicily, 415-413 BCE (P500), presents his thoughts on why the Levy & Campaign system works well for ancient settings. (All images are public domain from the Illustrated History of the World, 1881.)
The Levy & Campaign (L&C) series of games was designed from the ground-up to model operational-level medieval military campaigns. This includes some modeling of the feudal system of Lords and vassals, obligations and fealty, and organization and service. [1]
Key features in the series include each turn of the game consisting of a Levy phase and a Campaign phase. Each Levy phase is used to muster allies, vassals, capabilities, transportation, and supplies. Each Campaign phase allows players to plan and command the movement and various actions of their Lords and armies, subject to the logistical constraints of the previous Levy phase(s). Each game board has two features: a calendar and a map. The calendar serves as a turn record track that is used to track the availability and service of various Lords and vassals. Each map is point-to-point, where Locales are connected by Ways, which control movement and supply routes. Victory conditions vary, but can be achieved through conquering strongholds, defeating enemies in battle, and ravaging and plundering. [1]
Key Features
Here the designer of Levy & Campaign Volume IV, Plantagenet (shipping as we post this), gives us a quick rundown of how this new entry alters certain game mechanics from the Series’ first three titles, Nevsky, Almoravid, and Inferno, to better represent unique aspects in the Wars of the Roses. (Be sure as well to catch my video take on the history and mechanics in the game.) Enjoy! -Volko
Below is a great video from The Recreation Department on YouTube ranking all six factions from the first three Levy & Campaign series titles: Nevsky, Almoravid, and Inferno. Enjoy! -Rachel
Below you will find Part 3 in an Inferno Replay and Tutorial series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. You can read Parts 1 and 2 here and here. Enjoy! -Rachel
Below you will find Part 2 in an Inferno Replay and Tutorial series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. You can read Part 1 here. Enjoy! -Rachel
