Tag Archives: Levy & Campaign Series

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Across The Bosporus: Bringing Levy & Campaign to Asia Minor

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The medieval era: a clash of swords and armor, archers winning the day against charging knights, the dust and roar of melee, lords’ banners snapping crisply in the breeze, high castle parapets withstanding mighty sieges. These are the familiar images that likely come to mind and captivate the imagination when played out on the table in the brilliant Levy & Campaign series.

My name is Justin Fassino and I am currently designing the next series entry entitled SELJUK: Byzantium Besieged 1068-1071, a game about the maneuvering between the Seljuk Turks and Eastern Roman Empire leading up to the pivotal Battle of Manzikert in August 1071. These military matters would ultimately be the first tremors of a multi-century tectonic shift that would see permanent settlement of Anatolia by central Asian steppe tribes, the First Crusade, the creation of the Ottoman Empire, and the end of Rome as a political identity.

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Inferno – Replay and Tutorial by Christophe Correia, Part 1

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Below you will find Part 1 in an Inferno Replay and Tutorial series from Cristophe Correia originally published on The Boardgames Chronicle blog. Enjoy! -Rachel

Volko Ruhnke’s Levy & Campaign series from GMT Games presents medieval warfare at the operational level in various settings. Volume I, Nevsky, is set on the 13th-Century Baltic frontier with Novgorodan Russia. Volume II, Almoravid, took us to 11th-Century Spain and the Reconquista conflict among Christians and Muslims—you can read Michal’s first impressions and session reports of that volume on The Boardgames Chronicle here. Soon to be released, Volume III, Inferno, will travel to 13th-Century Italy.

Levy & Campaign volumes share core systems simulating medieval Levy of armies by individual great Lords and lesser Vassals, equipping of those armies with transport such as Carts and special Capabilities such as crossbowmen, trebuchets, or stonecutters, to name a few. For each Campaign, players then form stacks of Command cards to preset the order that Lords will March, Forage, Siege, and so on. Logistics loom large, as Provender must be gathered and moved to Feed Troops in the field or suffer curtailed Lords’ Service and Disband.

But each volume in the series features widely different geographic, cultural, and political settings, each with twists on the core rules to help bring out these differences. Inferno concerns fighting between the Guelph and Ghibelline political factions in the well-to-do and densely populated Tuscany of the mid-1200s. You can here all about this setting from Volko directly in this video.

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Advance Copy Preview – INFERNO: Levy & Campaign Volume III

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Printers are whirring away on Levy & Campaign Volume III Inferno! Here Volko shares a gander at an advance copy in action on his game table.

With my proof copy in hand, I set up for the world’s first-ever session of Inferno on a finished set – Scenario B “In Far Vendetta”, the second of six scenarios in the box.

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Art Preview – INFERNO: Levy & Campaign Volume III

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Production art for Inferno is well underway from artist Robert Altbauer. Volko takes us on a gallery walk, along with a little introduction to the historical setting and how Levy & Campaign brings it to life.

Two warring parties divide 13th-Century Tuscany. One favors the Pope, the other, the Empire. Inferno players muster up to six armies for each. Here, Levy & Campaign imbedded artist Robert Altbauer displays heraldry on the inside panels of the screens that hide Lord mats—Guelphs along the top, Ghibellines below.

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Cavallata per Cortona – INFERNO Scenario Replay, Part 6

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The fall of Cortona has put the Guelphs on top, putting the ball in Siena’s court in this closing episode of Volko’s test replay of Levy & Campaign Volume III. All art shown here is playtest only, and game rules featured remain provisional.

Siena’s army stood by, a short march off at Asinalunga, as the Guelphs reduced Cortona. Now it has the next move, with most the second Campaign to go in our test play of Inferno’s introductory scenario. A direct attack on the Guelph army seems attractive, as the latter’s effective numbers are far reduced by its bloody storm of the town. But the enemy would only avoid southward, into Ghibelline territory, probably to Ravage there. So  best path for the Sienese to achieve something is to turn south themselves and use their Hold card, SURPRISE, for a stab at the rebels of Montepulciano.

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Cavallata per Cortona – INFERNO Scenario Replay, Part 5

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As the Ghibellines manuever and ravage, the Guelph army finds itself in a tight spot beneath the walls of stubborn Cortona.Volko’s test replay of Levy & Campaign Volume III proceeds. Neither art nor game rules featured here are final. …

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Cavallata per Cortona – INFERNO Scenario Replay, Part 4

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Opposing armies march out their city gates, as Volko’s test replay of Levy & Campaign Volume III introduces us to Command and Revolt actions in the game. Note that not only the art shown but several game mechanics discussed remain provisional as test and development continues. …

In the last part of our Inferno replay we formed each side’s Plan for the Campaign of early Spring 1259. Not let’s see what Florence and Arezzo’s Guelph and Siena’s Ghibelline forces actually do and where they go.

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Reconquista and Riposte – Almoravid Full Scenario Replay

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Ace Levy & Campaign testers Christophe Correia and John Campbell face off in a run through the full-length scenario of Volume II, Almoravid. The scenario covers the Reconquista years 1085 to 1086 that historically saw Christian conquest of Toledo and a major Almoravid intervention from Africa in response. Christophe played the Muslims and John the Christians, all on Brian Reynolds’ beautiful production Vassal module, play-time for this epic scenario 7-8 hours. Cristophe gives us the blow by blow, including a climactic Battle of Toledo that will decide the conflict, while Volko adds rules orientation and historical comparisons. Enjoy this trip to medieval Spain!

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Cavallata per Cortona – INFERNO Scenario Replay, Part 3

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Volko’s test replay of Levy & Campaign Volume III proceeds into the scenario’s first Campaign, with the formation of each side’s Plan, while he incorporates and explains some ongoing development of the game. All art shown is merely for playtest, not final. …

In the first two parts of our Inferno replay we set up this introductory scenario (set in the Spring of 1259) and then Levied some added forces. Now it’s time to Plan each side’s Campaign—the movement of troops and stuff by marching and gathering supply and their pursuit of objectives by ravaging, besieging, and perhaps even fighting each other.