Norman Conquests 

Conflicts of the Normans and Their Successors 1053-1265

by

GMT Games

 The Nordmannorum, or Normannorum, (either has been used in Latin texts), burst forth from the north of Europe or Hell itself, according to the Roman Catholic Church. These were the people who went 'a Viking' (Viking actually being a verb and not a noun) all across Europe and some of Asia and North America. The first Northmen raid is usually listed as taking place in 793. From that one raid, a hurricane of death and destruction was unleashed. The southern Europeans did not really have any way to counter them. So, it became rather commonplace to offer them land and riches in return to defend the coast against others of their brethren. The Northmen would then become baptized and join the status quo. The most recognizable of these areas is the aptly named Normandy. Men of Iron Volume V follows through these Northmen to their sons, grandsons, and beyond. 

 The Men of Iron Series is composed of this game and four others:

Men of Iron - Warfare in the Middle Ages

Infidel - The Supremacy of Cavalry in the Crusader Era 11th - 12th Century

Blood & Roses - Battles of the War of the Roses 1455 - 1487

Arquebus - The Battles for Northern Italy 1495 - 1544

 GMT Games released a tri-pack of the first three games Men of Iron, Infidel, and Blood & Roses. Unfortunately, the first printing sold out, but it is on their P500 list for reprint.

Close-up of the front cover

A portion of the back of the box

 These are the battles that come in Norman Conquests:

Civitate 18 June 1053 – Normans from Sicily and southern Italy clash with the Pope and allies.

Fulford 20 September 1066 – Norwegians (Vikings) come to lay claim to the English throne. Saxon nobles raise their levy and give battle in northern England.

Stamford Bridge 25 September 1066 – Saxon King Harold II hurries north and catches the Norwegian invaders with their pants down.

Hastings 14 October 1066 – Saxon King Harold II hears of the Norman invasion of England and rushes south. Facing off with William, Duke of Normandy, on a hill in the south of England, Harold learns that arrows are pointy.

Tinchebrai 28 September 1106 – Lacking primogenitor, two of William’s children battle over his legacy. King Henry I of England and Robert, Duke of Normandy, face off in Normandy.

Lewes 14 May 1264 – King Henry III, great-great-grandson of Henry I, and a coalition of his Barons clash over Baronial rights.

Evesham 4 August 1265 – Edward (later Edward I, the Hammer of the Scots) fights Simon de Monfort to free his father King Henry III.

 Of the seven included battles, three of them are about the year 1066 and the two different invasions of England one by the Norse under King Harold Hardrada, and the other from Normandy under William the Bastard, soon to be William the Conqueror. The first battle, Civitate, might seem surprising to some. We are used to reading about the Popes and the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperors meeting on the field of battle, or at least their followers. Robert Guiscard was not the leader of the Normans against the Pope at Civitate, but he was the one that won the battle that led to the Pope's capture. Robert was also the father of Bohemond of Antioch who figured so prominently in the First Crusade. Bohemond also has a big part to play in the other Men of Iron game Infidel about the battles in Outremer during the Crusades.

 The next battle, Tinchebrai, has two of William the Conqueror's sons fighting over the realms that William had left as his legacy. Lewes and Evesham are battles that were fought between the Plantagenet Kings of England and their barons, mostly because of John Lackland, or Softsword, and his losing battles to the barons.

 This is what GMT Games has to say about Norman Conquests:

"The Normans, and their successors, had a large impact on history. Normans, from Nortmann (northman), were originally Viking raiders that settled in what would now be northern France. Normans gained territory as far away as southern Italy and Sicily, and modern day Syria. They were Crusaders, they were Kings, they were princes, and they were scoundrels. They began as raiders from the north that fought on foot and transformed themselves into Dukes, Kings, and princes that fought from horseback.

How many games include a battle with a Papal army? Very few, so Norman Conquests visits Italy and the Norman Count of Apulia fighting with, and capturing, the Pope. Stretching the definition to include the Norwegian King Harald (III) Hardrada (undoubtedly a northman) and his invasion of England allows us to include all three battles for the throne of England in 1066, including the most famous Norman William the Conqueror and his invasion of England. Next we catch up with two sons of William I, the Duke of Normandy and the King of England, feuding over his lands years after his death. We end with the Baron’s War between William I’s great-great-great-grandson Henry III and his barons who were led by Simon de Montfort."

 This is what comes with the game:

Three 22" x 34" Maps (2 back-printed)

Two 1/4 Sheets of 9/16" Counters

Three Player Aid Cards

One Rules Manual

One Battle Book

Two 10-sided Dice

 I usually do not discuss/describe the box, but here I will make an exception. The box cover artwork is done by Kurt Miller and shows a Norman Knight on horseback facing numerous infantry. It could represent numerous battles, but it definitely gives me a Hastings vibe. The battle maps are split up as follows: 

Evesham and Lewes are full maps on the back of each other.

Stamford Bridge and Tinchebrai take up half a map each with Fulford and Civitate, both a half map, on the reverse side.

Hastings takes up a full one side of the last map.

 The maps are well done and the ones, like Hastings, that have a good amount of different terrain are very nice to look at. Most of the battles at this time were fought on flat featureless areas and the other maps represent this. There are two hard card stock Players Aids that come with the game. These are 11" x 17" foldouts They are in full color and have the different terrain charts for the seven different battles. They also have the Fire/Shock Tables and everything else the player needs. There is also a single-sided 8.5" x 11" that has the 'Flight Point Track' and the 'General Track. Next up is a 28-page Rules Manual. This is in full color. It is called the Norman Conquests/Men of Iron Tri-Pack Rules Manual. So, it has the rules for all four of those games (If you do not own the Men of Iron Tri-pack which has the games Men of Iron, Infidel, and Blood & Roses in it, you should really pick up these great games at a great bargain.) The Battle Book comes in at 24-pages and in essence is the scenario/battle playbook. It has the setups and any rules particular to each of the different battles. Included are also some examples of play. I have left the best for last. The two and 1/4 counter sheets are really well done. At 9/16" the counters are nice and large. The colors and the illustrations on them are superb. So, the game certainly measures up in the component category.

 The series was first designed by the master of wit and wisdom, Richard Berg (some might add venom to the mix). This game was designed by Ralph Shelton. Having played the original games, I believe Mr. Shelton has completely caught the essence of them. Whether this was done completely by thinking and playing or if it had a bit of necromancy thrown in, I am not certain. 

 The game rules are like a very advanced rock, paper, and scissors game, but really so is Napoleonic tactics. The player has to learn combined arms to be very proficient in the game. You cannot just launch your heavy cavalry every battle and expect to come out the winner. The timing of your armored horseman's attacks is crucial. Supposing, of course, that your troops are even able to move. I really like the 'Continuation Activation' mechanic used in the game series. This rule allows a player who has successfully activated one 'Battle' (Battle was the term for the separate units of an army at this time), to continue to attempt to activate another Battle or even an entire Army activation, if the player had just successfully activated his army. This captures the feel of momentum in battles. Each side is also given a certain number 'Seizure Counters', depending on the scenario, to be used in the game. If a player tries for Continuation Activation, the other player can try and negate this with one of his Seizure Counters. The reverse of the Seizure counters also has effects that effect the units in the game. These can rally your troops or disorder the enemy. 

 The battles are on the smaller side of what you usually see in hex and counter wargames. There is nothing wrong with this. It means that the games can be quicker, and the player is not drowning in stacks (although I really like that at times). The game system to me is like the Great Battles of History series, only on a more playable level. You still get the historical feel and immersion, but at a much more playable size. The length of the battles means that you do not need to have them setup on a table for a week or two, unless you want to and have the room. The games that I have played have been mostly fast and frenzied. You get to release thundering knights on their charges and also to counter-charge them at times. I have been a fan of the series for a bit and in my eyes the mantle has been taken over and GMT Games has another great release. Having some Norman blood in me, I can highly recommend the game.

 

Robert

GMT Games

GMT Games

Norman Conquests: Conflicts of the Normans and Their Successors 1053-1265 by GMT Games

GMT Games - Norman Conquests: Men of Iron Volume V

Men of Iron Tri-Pack 2nd printing P500

GMT Games - Men of Iron Tri-Pack, 2nd Printing

 Warfare in the Age of the Crusades

The Latin East

by

Brian Todd Carey, Joshua B. Allfree, and John Cairns

 

 This is a larger than usual book in two ways. 1st, it comes in at over 300 pages. 2nd, and most importantly, its name is deceiving. I had imagined it to be just a book about the warfare of the time. Meaning that it would tell us the different composition of the armies of the period and the troops that were used etc. It actually does that amazingly well. However, it also gives an excellent military history of the period in question: from the First Crusade to about the year 1453 (the fall of Constantinople). 

 The book distinguishes itself from other military history books by having many clear and readable maps. It also has two glossaries for the reader, one being of important personalities, and the other of military terms used in the book. In the center is a group of full color pictures from either the period or later and nowadays shots of some of the areas mentioned. The book also starts out with 'Chapter Chronologies'. This is a write-up about every battle or campaign that happens during said chapter. This is very handy for the reader to keep track of the different goings on. It not only has everything listed about the current book's scope of history, but also some taking place around the globe.

 I cannot praise this book enough. Usually, my mind flits from one age of history to another and I have at least several books that I am reading at one time. Very rarely do I read a book straight through from cover to cover and this is one of them. The writing and information in the book make it a sheer pleasure to read. The book will appeal to someone like me that already has read a lot about the time period, but also to the neophyte to this period of history.

 The writers and publisher should be congratulated on this tour de force. I cannot wait to start reading its brother 'Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, Europe'. Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this extremely well-done book about the warfare and history of the Latin Kingdoms in Outremer and more.   

Robert

Book: Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, The Latin East:

Warfare in the Age of Crusades - Casemate Publishers US

Publisher: Pen & Sword:

Search Results Grid - Casemate Publishers US

Distributor: Casemate Publishers:

Military History Books - Casemate Publishers US

1212 Las Navas de Tolosa

by

Draco Ideas

 The year is 1212 and El Cid has been dead for thirteen years. The deadly conflict between the Muslims and Christians for Spain is still going on. In fact, the Reconquista will continue for almost three hundred years. The tide had turned and the Muslims, commanded by their Caliph Muhammad al-Nasir, were taking a good number of Spanish fortresses. It had gotten so bad that the pope, Innocent III, had called for a crusade in Spain. I am simplifying the historical tale. Both the Christians and Muslims were a loose group of smaller states that fought each other as often as they fought against their supposed enemies. The crusaders and a number of Christian states banded together to fight against a similarly made-up army under the Caliph. This is the backdrop behind the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.

 This is an excerpt from a written account of the time:

 "They attacked, fighting against one another, hand-to-hand, with lances, swords, and battle-axes; there was no room for archers. The Christians pressed on." – (The Latin Chronicle of The Kings of Castile)

 This is what comes with the game:

Board

54 Unit Markers

9 Combat Cards

6 help cards

12 special cards (6 from each side)

 

 This is what Draco Ideas has to say about the game:

 "1212: Las Navas de Tolosa is an asymmetric, two-player wargame in which Almohad and Christian troops face each other, reliving the emblematic battle of the Reconquista.

Fast games and a very contained deployment, in which the battle is decided in about 30 minutes, with a card engine to determine the initiative and the outcome of the combat.

Although small in size, 1212 Las Navas de Tolosa perfectly integrates the theme in a reduced number of components, placing special emphasis on the asymmetry of the sides to revive the different strategies that took place in the battle that would change the course of the Reconquista.

Among other features, Christian units receive bonuses if they are activated by cards with their King’s shield, adding a further decision to the player on when to play the cards in his hand.

For his part, the Almohad player can use a free ‘Tornafuye’ (karr wa-l-farr) action, which allows him to make a counterattack after a Christian cavalry charge, and also has special units such as the Black Guard protecting the Caliph an-Nasir, or the Jihad Volunteers, fanatical troops that will throw themselves into combat advancing if they manage to create a breach in the Christian defense."

A Muslim Counter

 I know it is a cliche, but sometimes good things do come in tiny boxes. Most of the parts of the game are small. The board is a mounted one. It measures around 11 3/4" x 8". It consists of eighteen rectangles (nine for each side). It is pretty much made up of open terrain with a few trees and the Caliph's stockade on the edge of one side. The counters are large at 18mm and come pre-rounded. Each counter comes with a very nicely done picture in the middle of it. The designer/artist (Pablo Sanz) has drawn them to look like period pieces of the battles' time. The Rulebook is small, about half the size of a normal Rulebook. It is however, done in full color. It is only twenty pages in length with the last page being a quick reference for the rules. The regular rules are fifteen pages in length. Then there is a two-page Advanced Variant for the rules. The game comes with two Rulebooks: one in English and one in Spanish. Next up are the Victory Conditions and a Historical Context. The Cards come with six cards for quick refence. On one side is English and the other is in Spanish. There are nine regular cards to be played with the normal game. A further 12 cards (six per side) are used with the Advanced Variant. That sums it up for the game's components. Draco Ideas does put a lot into the physical presentation of their games.

One of the Cards for the Regular Game

 The game was designed to take up a very small footprint and to be played in about thirty minutes. Draco Ideas has succeeded in both of these endeavors. This is a quick playing fun game that also has both strategy and tactics built into it. The addition of the Advanced Variant makes it so the game does not get stale or boring. The regular game is a good game, but it might get too repetitious for some people. The Advanced Variant Cards are either commanders in the game or units. These Cards give the player either Action Points or extra attack power when played. 

 This is the Sequence of Play:

Initiative Phase: 1 card from each player. The highest wins the initiative and ties go to the Christian player.

Action Phase: 2 cards for Action Points, playing alternative turns.

Exhaustion: Tilted units (exhausted units) can neither attack or rally. They recover at the end of the turn.

 These are a few of the rules:

Ties in the standard attacks = 1 damage per side.

If there are no cards left in the game deck, turn over the discard pile Without Shuffling.

 Action allowed per turn:

Maximum 3 units per board zone

Maximum 2 combat actions per turn

Maximum 1 archer attack per turn

Christian Counter

 The Victory Conditions are:

The Christian Player wins if Caliph al-Nasir's unit is eliminated.

The Muslim Player wins if the Christian Player is not occupying any of the nine Muslim zones and there are less than four Christian occupied zones.

Either side wins if they control twice as many zones as the other side.

 1212 Las Navas de Tolosa was designed to be a fun short game that can be setup and taken down with ease. The price point of the game is also easy on the player's wallet. This is not just a beer & pretzels game. It is certainly not as deep as some wargames but to win you have to put on your thinking cap. 

 Thank you Draco Ideas for allowing me to review this game. This game and their SCOPE series of games are built on the same premise. Please take a look at their War Storm series of games. They are tactical gems of games. Their two games on the Spanish Civil War (A las Barricadas! and Help Arrives) are two of the finest tactical games on the subject.

Robert

Draco Ideas:

Draco Ideas editorial | Boardgames publisher

1212 Las Navas de Tolosa:

1212: Las Navas de Tolosa (English) | Draco Ideas editorial

 Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany 1259-1261

by

GMT Games

  Most people would equate the name Hohenzollern with the German Empire. These were parvenus to the Emperors of the Hohenstaufen dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. Two Emperors from this line were named Frederick. The first was Frederick I Barbarossa (red beard), the second Frederick II was nicknamed 'Stupor Mundi' (the wonder of the world). Both had problems with the Italian city states and the different Popes. Since Pope Leo III crowned and invested Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 there had been a power struggle between the Popes and Emperors. The citizens of the Italian states were divided over their allegiance to Pope or Emperor. The Ghibellines stood behind the Emperors, and the Guelphs stood behind the Pope. This of course is a oversimplification of the rivalry and fighting for power between the Italian families and states. 

 On the back of the box is a quote from Dante Alighieri's Inferno:   "You thirsted for blood now drink your fill". Sometimes it is translated as “You did thirst for blood, and with blood I fill you”. The meaning is much the same. However, the latter seems to me to be an even darker way of saying it.

 This is what GMT Games has to say about the game:

"Tuscany, 1259. As wealth from crafts and foreign trade elevated northern Italy's urban families above the landed lords, rivalries within and among their cities hardened into conflict between two great parties. Ghibellines aligned with the Hohenstaufen imperial dynasty that ostensibly ruled Italy, while Guelphs backed rival imperial claimants and the greatest challenger to each Emperor's authority, the Pope. Should any faction gain advantage, others coalesced to resist.

 

The comuni (republics) of Firenze (Florence) and Siena dominated inland Tuscany at the head of these competing alliances. As Guelphs sealed their control of the populous Firenze, Ghibelline Siena turned to Hohenstaufen King Manfredi of Sicily for reinforcement. Local rebellions and reprisals escalated on each side, as political exiles stirred the pot. After Manfredi dispatched German knights to protect his loyal Tuscans, Firenze mustered its people and allies to march on Siena, which responded with its own great army. Pisa and Lucca, Lombardia and Orvieto joined in. Guelph and Ghibelline in September 1260 at last faced off en masse in the center of Tuscany, at Montaperti—the result, a bloody Florentine defeat. But when Ghibelline exiles returned as masters of Firenze, its Guelphs rallied to Lucca and Arezzo, portending an eternal conflagration.

 

Inferno—the third volume in Volko Ruhnke's Levy & Campaign Series—fires up the cauldron 13th-Century Tuscan warfare, factional conflict fueled by the gold florins and teeming populations of up-and-coming cities and well-to-do valleys. Expert Italian wargame designer Enrico Acerbi brings the age to life within Volko's accessible medieval-operation system. Gathering transport and provender may not be as much the challenge here as the sudden treachery of rebel towns and castles along key roads. Italy's plundering berrovieri horsemen, famed elite crossbowmen, and distinctive palvesari shield bearers are just a few of the unique inhabitants of this volume. Muster, mount up, and find out whose blood will make the Arbia run red!"

The Game Setup

 This is a few hundred years before Machiavelli, but the Tuscan Lords and all of the personages that took part in this bit of history seem to know his tenets by heart. The two earlier games in Volko Ruhnke's Levy & Campaign games (Nevsky and Almoravid), did make the player have to worry about treachery. However, in this game it becomes almost a byword. 

The Game Map

 

  This is what comes with the game:

One 17x22 inch Mounted Map

175 Wooden pieces

106 Playing Cards

Three full-color Countersheets

15 cardboard Lord and Battle mats

One Lords sticker sheet

Four Player Aid sheets

Two Screens

Rules Booklet

Background Booklet

Six 6-sided dice

Command Card Sample

 The components are as beautiful as any Euro game that I have seen. Which, of course, is exactly what the designers and artists were looking for. Let us take for example this next piece from the game. This will show you the artistry that went into the design of this game.

Front Picture From one of the Screens

 

 The map itself is on the small size. However, it is definitely bellissimo! I am not sure if wargames are male or female in Italian. From the illustrations that adorn it to the actual Middle Ages look of it, it oozes the work of an artisan. The map picture above makes it look much smaller and busier than it actually is. There is plenty of room on the map for things not to get congested. It has the Turn Record Track at the top of it. The wooden pieces are all copacetic as far as size goes. They also have smooth edges. They are on the small size and if your dexterity isn't what it once was it might be a bit of a problem. The Playing Cards are divided into four decks. Each side has a 'Command' and an 'Arts of War' deck. The Command Decks have a Lord or City name on the front side along with its associated coat of arms. In the Command Deck you will find both 'Pass' cards and 'Treachery' ones. The Art of War decks have a nice picture of a knight on the back. The front has the instructions for the use of the card along with some nice pieces of art around the sides of the card. The counters are very colorful and come in a few different sizes. The large rectangular ones are for the Lords or Cities. The most numerous counters are 5/8" in size and come pre-rounded. These come out of the sprues with ease. There are a number of 1/2" counters that need to be cut the old-fashioned way. If you have looked at either of the other Levy & Campaign games, then you know that they come with Lord & Battle Mats. These are hard 5" square mats to keep track of troops etc. I first saw these in Almoravid and have been a fan since then. The mats help keep track of each Lord and city thereby keeping clutter on the map down. Next up, we have the small round Lord stickers. These fit on top of the round wooden pieces. There are twenty-eight of them so, one for both sides of the Lord token. There are four Player Aid sheets. These are made of hard stock and are just as nice looking as the rest of the game components. One of the sheets shows the Guelph (boo hiss) Lords and Vassals while the other side has the Ghibelline Lords and Vassals (Yay!). The next sheet shows the Revolt against Guelphs and Ghibellines Tables. The obverse side has the Revolt & Treachery Summary. The next two sheets fold out to make four Player Aid cards, one for each player. On these are:

Commands

Forces

Battle & Storm

Sequence of Play

A Selection of Art of War Cards

Assorted Command Cards

  We have already talked about the Screens. The Rules Booklet is thirty-two pages long. It is in full color and the pages are shiny like a magazine with thick pages. The rules are twenty-five pages long. The next pages have the setup for the game's six scenarios. Then comes a two-page index. Now we come to the Background Booklet. It is sixty-four pages long and has to be seen to be believed. This booklet is chock full of full-page examples of play. Reading the booklet will give you all of the necessary information you need to know. I also think that reading it should give you at least one credit toward a college course on Medieval Italy. It also goes through the information on every card in the game. The bibliography spans two pages. The only problem for me is that the books that are in English I have already read. The rest of the books are in Italian. Unfortunately, the only Italian that has stayed with me cannot be used in mixed company. Oh, and there are six die. They are three for each side; one set is in purple and the other gold. 

Assorted Lord/City Maps

 This is the 'General Course of Play' per GMT Games:

"In Inferno, players take one of two enemy sides, Guelphs (purple) 

or Ghibellines (yellow-orange, hereafter “gold”). The wealthy 

city-state republic of Firenze leads an alliance of Guelph towns 

aligned with the Pope. The Ghibellines comprise city-states Siena 

and Pisa and allied landholders. Guelph expeditions from northern 

and eastern Italy can join in, while Manfredi Hohenstaufen, King 

of Sicily, sends German detachments to back the Ghibellines.

In turns covering 60 days each, Guelph and Ghibelline players 

will levy lords and vassal forces, gather transport, and recruit specialists. Each lord’s forces and assets are laid out on a mat. Players then plan and command a 60-day campaign with their lords.

Cylinders on the map show the lords’ movements, as they seek to 

take strongholds by siege, storm, or revolt and perhaps face each 

other in battle. Markers on a calendar show how long each lord 

will serve, varying by hunger, pay, political events, and success or 

failure in their campaigns"

Ghibelline Lords and Vassals Player Aid

  I understand completely why the years 1259-1261 were chosen for the game. If I had my druthers, I would wish that it took place earlier during Frederick I Hohenstaufen's campaigns to put down the Guelphs in Northern Italy. Putting my own thoughts aside, we have a game that, just like its brethren, give a wargamer the chance to try and herd Jello or cats if you like. Playing either side gives you a good look, not just a glance, into how medieval campaigns were run. You must make a plan for each sixty-day turn. Then you may or may not see the plan completely destroyed before the other player even moves a piece. Your Lords and Vassals may decide to show up and be a part of your grand scheme. However, they might decide to leave you in the lurch or even worse, try to stick a nicely made Italian dagger in your back. Each turn will see you being taught another lesson from the school of hard knocks. After all, this is the arena where Machiavelli learned everything he wrote down. So, while you are herding your vassals toward your objective, and looking over your shoulder for the glint of steel, good luck.  The immersion in the game is highly palpable. You might want to take a short course on impolite Italian and the correct way to bite your thumb at an opponent. 

 Logistics and supply are a large part of the game. It does you no good to have a group of knights ready to descend on your enemy, only to have them fall out of their saddles from starvation. This is where your planning each turn really shines. You must carefully amass enough supply and carts to assist your forces in their endeavors. Conversely, you can put a monkey wrench in your opponent's plans by stopping him from foraging and ravaging his lands.

 My favorite scenarios are C and F. Scenario C has German Knights from Manfredi Hohenstauffen helping to stop some Guelph rebellions. Scenario F is the Campaign Game. There is also a nice learning scenario about the Battle of Montaperti. This was the largest battle of the time fought in1260. This is included to teach you how a battle works in the game.

 

Commands

 "I come to take you to the other shore, into eternal darkness, into heat and chill" (Inferno III 86-87)

 Thank you, GMT Games for allowing me to review this bright new star in the firmament. All of the game components were designed for utility and also beauty. Even if the gameplay was sadly lacking, and it isn't, any player would be proud just to show off the game on his table. If you have played any of the Levy & Campaign games, then you will not find this game hard to play. Each of the Levy & Campaign games have to have some tweaks to reflect the different situation. However, gameplay is pretty similar across the board.

Robert

GMT Games:

GMT Games

Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany 1259-1261:

GMT Games - Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261

 Men of Iron Tri-Pack

by GMT Games

Including the Games:

Men of Iron, Infidel, Blood & Roses

 This set of games is pretty amazing. It goes from the rebirth of infantry, to the acendency of the English longbow, and finishes with the armored knight having to deal with gunpowder weapons. The list of battles is very long and a delight to Middle Ages boardgame fans. This is what comes with the game:

Five double-sided 22x34” maps and one 11x17" map

Seven and one half counter sheets

One series rulebook

Three battle books

Eight player aid cards

Two ten-sided dice

 This is the list of battles:

"Dorylaeum – Northwest Anatolia, 1 July 1097 - The Crusader line of march, including the people’s Crusade and Peter the hermit, as well as all the great 1st Crusade Leaders, are “ambushed” by Kilij Arslan and his crack Seljuk cavalry.   

Antioch – Northern Syrian, 28 June 1098 - The exhausted, starving and depleted Crusaders – they had few horses left – have just taken Antioch and are now faced with a large Turkish army, under Kerbogha, sent to retake the city.   

Ascalon – Southern Palestine, 12 August 1099 - The Crusaders, having seized Jerusalem, turn south to fend off the suddenly active large army of the Fatimids, with their crack Mamluk heavy cavalry.   

Harran – Crusader Kingdom of Antioch/Edessa, 7 May 1104 - Baldwin II of Edessa seeks to maintain control of his little kingdom in northern Syria, something Soqman, Atabeg of Damascus, is not happy to allow. One of the first major Crusader defeats.   

Montgisard – Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem, 25 November 1177 - Saladin attempts to destroy a small army from the Kingdom of Jerusalem with an army more than five times its size. Though there are only 400 knights, the Crusaders are led by the remarkable Baldwin IV, The Leper King. The outcome - one of the greatest Crusader victories. See if you can carry off this stunning upset!   

Arsuf - Ayyubid Kingdom of Jerusalem, 7 September 1191 - The classic battle between Richard I Lionheart and the Ayyubid Army of Saladin highlighting the major facets of each army in an unusual moving battle.

Falkirk - Scotland, 22 July 1298 - Wallace's great disaster, despite his massive schiltron. Good infantry is fine, but it needs support. The ultimate solitaire scenario. 

Courtrai - Flanders, 11 July 1302 - The Battle of the Golden Spurs. The Flemish shook the elite French army with one of the earliest displays of the power of solid infantry using defensive positions. 

Bannockburn - Scotland, 23-24 June 1314 - Robert the Bruce's famous triumph over a numerically superior, but literally bogged down English army. 

Crecy - France, 26 August 1346 - The first great battle of the Hundred Years War. It showed that infantry, supported by archers, could defeat the best knights in Europe. 

Poitiers - France, 19 September 1356 - The French fight dismounted this time and almost win. But the longbow, and solid English infantry prevail again. 

Najera - Castile, 3 April 1367 - The Black Prince goes to Spain with a marvelous combined arms force to further English plans of "expansion". 

Agincourt – Artois, 25 October 1415 – Henry V wins a mighty victory against the flower of French chivalry. 

1st St. Albans – Herefordshire, 22 May 1455 - Marks the first major engagement in the Wars of the Roses. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was killed during the battle. York also captured Henry VI and forced Henry to appoint him Constable of England  

Blore Heath – Staffordshire, 23 September 1459 - Greatly outnumbered Yorkist infantry used the longbow and a defensive position to drive off the Lancastrian Men-at-Arms. 

2nd St. Albans – Herefordshire, 17 February 1461 - The Lancastrians drove the Yorkists out of the town and then destroyed Warwick’s strangely deployed army, even when sturdily defended by hedges, caltrops and spiked netting. 

Towton – Yorkshire, 29 March 1461 - Easily biggest battle in the box and the biggest in the entire series. It uses over 200 combat units and, much like the actual battle, will probably take a long time to play. It is mostly crash and bash, with little room for maneuver, all fought in a blinding snowstorm!!  

Barnet – Greater London Area, 14 April 1471 - A classic battle of planned deployments, but overlapping wings, cries of treason in the lines, fog of war (actual fog), and the excellent use of reserves. 

Tewksbury – Gloucestershire, 4 May 1471 - A battle that shows one of the key terrain features of the battles in this era, extensive hedges and thick underbrush in otherwise clear fields. 

Bosworth – Leicestershire, 22 August 1485 - The best-known battle of the wars and the tragic (I think) death of King Richard III in a battle he should have won. Using the latest information as to where the battle took place, let’s see if you can cancel out the Tudor dynasty."

Falkirk Setup and Map

 This is a list of some of the historical commanders in the game:

"The great English King, Edward III and his son, The Black Prince, William Wallace and The Bruce, Captal de Buch.  Crusaders Stephen of Blois, Bohemond of Taranto, Raymond of Toulouse, Bishop Adhemar of Le Puy, the leper King Baldwin IV, Raynald of Chatillon, and King Richard I. Saracen leaders Kilij Arslan, Kerbogha, Atabeg of Mosul,  Fatimid Vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah, Soqman the Artukid of Diyar-Bakr and Aleppo, and Saladin. King Henry VI, Richard, Duke of York, King Edward IV, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, King Richard III, and Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond (and founder of the Tudor dynasty)."

 The Men of Iron series was originally produced as four separate games:

Men of Iron

Infidel

Blood & Roses

Arquebus

 This is another in a long line of GMT Games giving the gamer a big package of previously released separate games and/or add-ons that were produced after the original game was put out. In this case the Battle of Agincourt was only released in the C3I magazine. So, you get all the battles of the three games with the bonus one Agincourt, and for an excellent price. Please understand that this is not just a rehash of the older separate games. The tri-pack has all of the errata added in along with updated counters and maps.

 The maps are very well done, even if they are mostly empty or devoid of different types of terrain. Almost all Middle Age Battles, and Ancient ones, took place of flat featureless areas. The counters are smaller at 1/2" (except for the Agincourt ones that are 9/16"), but even my old eyes can read the names and data. The European leaders have their heraldic sign on their counters, while the Islamic leaders have a crescent moon on their counters. There are two of each of the player's aids for Blood & Roses, Infidel, and Men of Iron. Men of Iron and Infidel are both four pages, while Blood & Roses is six pages in total. Each game has its own full page Flight Turn Track and General Track on one full page. The Rules Manual is in full color, and is twenty-eight pages long. Each of the three games has its own Battle Book (in full color). These contain all of the setups for the different battles, along with some historical information, and any special rules for each scenario. All of the components are up to the GMT standard of excellence.

 I already own, and have played, the original release of Blood & Roses, and Arquebus the fourth title in the series. I really like the system and both games, so I was excited to see what this release was going to add. This is the sequence of play:

"A. Activation Phase

• If this is a Free Activation, choose a Battle, Army Activation

(6.1), Standard (15.2), or Pass (6.1). If Pass is chosen, the

non-Active player gets a Free Activation; the Time marker

may be moved (16.1).

• If a Standard is Activated skip to Phase D or move the

Standard and skip to Phase E (15.2).

B. Move/Fire Phase

During Army Activation, Activated units may only Move (7.0).

During a Battle Activation any or all units of the Activated

Battle may Move (7.0) and/or Fire (11.0).

• Place any replacement leaders (5.5).

• Before any unit is moved or fires, first the Non-Active

player plays any Battle Cry or Unsteady Troops Seizure

counters, then the Active player plays any Battle Cry or

Unsteady Troops Seizure counters (6.3).

• Before any unit is moved or fires check Command status

for all Activated units (5.2 & 5.3).

• A foot unit armed with missile weapons may fire only at the

end of its move. Light Cavalry Archers, Medium Cavalry

Archers, and Genitors units may fire before, during, or at

the end of their move. A unit may fire without moving.

• Each unit must finish its movement/firing before another

unit may begin to move/fire.

• The Non-Active player’s units may qualify for Reaction/

Return fire (11.2) or Counter-Charge (13.9) depending on

the Active player’s actions.

• After movement in an Army Activation skip to Phase E.

C. Shock Phase

During a Battle Activation, after all movement/firing for the

activated Battle is complete, Shock combat (12.0) and Charges

(13.0) may be initiated.

1. The Active player designates which of his units are

attacking which defending units, including Charges (13.0).

2. Pre-Shock activities:

a) One at a time, the Active player places each Charging

unit adjacent to its target. Any Reaction Fire caused by

this is resolved (11.2).

b) Roll for terrain-induced Disorder checks for attackers;

apply automatic terrain-induced Disorders.

c) Roll for Shock/Charge Reluctance (13.5).

d) Any Retreat Before Combat (12.2) by the defender is

resolved.

e) The defender attempts any Counter-Charges (13.6) of

which he is capable.

3. The Active player resolves all his Shock and Charge

attacks, in any order he wishes. The Charge Table is used

as long as at least half of the units in an individual attack

succeeded in Charging (not Disordered by Reaction Fire

or Counter-Charged); otherwise the Shock Table is used.

Continued Attack (14.7) markers are placed and Advances

(12.4) are taken.

Exception: Attacks by a single attacker against multiple

defending hexes are resolved at the same time, and they are

considered to be going on simultaneously, with results (which

can be cumulative for the attacker) applied after both attacks

are resolved.

4. All Continued Attacks (14.7) are now resolved. Begin again

at Step 1, except that only units marked with Continued

Attack markers Shock and they must declare a Shock attack;

Charging and Counter-Charging are not allowed.

D. Rally Phase

During Battle Activation, Rally (15.0) any Disordered units that

did nothing for the entire Activation and that are currently not

adjacent to an enemy unit. If a Standard was Activated, Rally

(15.0) any Retired unit belonging to that army in or within one

hex of the Standard, and not adjacent to an enemy unit.

E. Continuation Phase

Make any Battle Flight rolls, and then any needed Pursuit rolls

(14.8 and 14.9). If the completed Activation was a Free Activation, both players make a Loss Check (3.0). If the game does

not end due to Loss Check, Pass or choose to Continue with a

Battle or Army Activation (6.2).

• This cannot be the Battle that just Activated, unless the

Active player has only one Battle.

• Army Activation can only follow an Army Activation. A

Battle Activation can follow Activation of a Battle, Army,

or Standard.

• The Non-Active player may attempt to Seize Continuity

(6.3). If so, he plays a Seizure Opportunity counter

and chooses one of his Battles to Activate. The Active

player may play a Seizure Negation (6.3) counter and the

Continuation attempt is then resolved, otherwise the NonActive player makes a Seizure DR attempt. If successful,

he Activates that Battle and proceeds from Phase B with

that Battle. If not, the Active player gets a Free Activation,

proceed to Phase A; this Free Activation may even be used

to Activate the Battle that just completed Activation.

• If no Seizure attempt occurs, make a Continuation DR attempt

(6.2). If successful, Activate that Battle or Army and proceed

from Phase B. If not, or the Active player Passes, the NonActive player gets a Free Activation and proceeds to Phase A"

 As you can see, there are no real 'turns' for each player. The first player can continue to activate his troops if he is lucky enough with his die rolls. The second player can attempt to stop him using a 'seizure counter' to begin activating his own units. However, the first player can also use a 'seizure negation counter' to stop the second player from taking initiative control. Victory in each battle is achieved by eliminating named leaders and enemy units. One very interesting Special Rule is that of 'Timed Engagement'. This is meant to make one side act historically and force them to attack within a certain time period, rather than maneuver about the battlefield. During many of these battles knights became 'fire and forget' weapons that just launched themselves at the first enemy they saw. This would include complete loss of brain function and force the knights to attack at the worst possible time and place. Roughly this equates to when a male elephant goes into 'musth' from a huge testosterone boost. The knights would only think of striking an enemy and being the first to do so. Hence, the wall of dead seen in front of the English archers in many of the Hundred Years War battles. 

Do you like Long Odds?

The individual Battle Books are amazing in the historical detail and all of the information needed for setup and play for each battle. There are also some funny quips added to the mix, "Say goodnight Gracie" being one of them. To say that I really like the series is a complete understatement. I think that this is one of the finest designs that Richard Berg ever came up with. I would love to have an ancients game using this system. I normally do not mention prices, but this game is a true steal at under $100. All three games were probably in the $70 range when released, so you really get some bang for your buck. Even if you do not know a York from a Lancaster these games will be an excellent addition to your collection. Easy rules, relatively short game times, and a small map footprint mean that you will have them on your table in no time. The choice of battles in Europe and Outremer is incredible in its scope. Thank you so much GMT Games for letting me review this new edition of this Berg masterpiece.

Robert

GMT Games:

https://www.gmtgames.com/

GMT Games Men of Iron Tri-Pack:

https://www.gmtgames.com/p-718-men-of-iron-tri-pack.aspx

Men of Iron Tri-Pack Rules:

https://gmtwebsiteassets.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/miv1/MOI-3P_Rules_Final_Lo-Res.pdf