Sweep of History Games Magazine #2 Page 1 Sweep of History Games Magazine #2, Spring 2006. Published and edited by Dr. Lewis Pulsipher, [email protected]. This approximately quarterly electronic magazine is distributed free via http://www.pulsipher.net/sweepofhistory/index.htm, and via other outlets. The purpose of the magazine is to entertain and educate those interested in games related to Britannia ("Britannia-like games"), and other games that cover a large geographical area and centuries of time ("sweep of history games"). Articles are copyrighted by the individual authors. Game titles are trademarks of their respective publishers. As this is a free magazine, contributors earn only my thanks and the thanks of those who read their articles. This magazine is about games, but we will use historical articles that are related to the games we cover. This copyrighted magazine may be freely distributed (without alteration) by any not-for-profit mechanism. If you are in doubt, write to the editor/publisher. The “home” format is PDF (saved from WordPerfect); it is also available as unformatted HTML (again saved from WP) at www.pulsipher.net/sweepofhistory/index.htm. Table of Contents strategy article in Issue 1, is one of the “sharks” from the World Boardgaming Championships. 1 Introduction Nick has twice won the Britannia tournament 1 Playing Purple in Avalon Hill there, and is also (not surprisingly) successful at Britannia by Nick Benedict WBC Diplomacy. 7 Britannia by E-mail by Jaakko Kankaanpaa 11 Review of game Mesopotamia: I confess, I’m fascinated to see what strategies the “sharks” will devise for the Second Edition, which by George Van Voorn Birth of Civilisation I understand will be used at this year’s 12 Trying to Define Sweep of History tournament. and Brit-like Games by Lew Pulsipher 13 Some Tips About Approaching and Playing Purple in Playing Britannia (written for novices) by Lew Pulsipher Avalon Hill Britannia 15 Book Reviews by Lew Pulsipher Nicholas Benedict (USA) 16 Brief enumeration of differences In the North American Britannia hobby, purple between Brit 1 and Brit 2 by Lew Pulsipher and red are widely regarded as being the two 18 Historical Walk-thru of Britannia by strongest sides. Tournament results bear this out. Lew Pulsipher Of those two, playing red isn’t all that different 21 Poll Results from the other colors. Of course, there are 23 The End significant differences between red, blue, and green, but their similarities outweigh these. For example, they all have one big dominant people in This issue has been delayed by the emergence of England sometime in the mid-game which you the Fantasy Flight version of Britannia. Of course, expect to score 50 or so points and win some the more contributions I receive, the sooner an kingships (Saxons, Angles, Danes), a tribe that issue will appear, as well. My thanks to Nick and starts off on the board whose main goal is to Jaakko. I am particularly interested in articles survive and pick up 20 points or so (Brigantes, about “Sweep” games other than Brit. Picts, Caledonians), and a minor nation that’s highly dependent on luck (Irish, Belgae, Jutes). We begin with an article about playing Purple in the Avalon Hill edition of Britannia (most of it Playing purple is significantly different. also applies to the Gibsons edition). I want to remind those who have the FFG edition that the There are two reasons for this. First, structural changes to the game make its details quite factors mean that purple’s points will generally different from the first edition; yet the have a limited upside but also a limited downside. fundamental truths about the unique situation of Second, the relative weakness and geographical Purple (now Yellow in the Second Edition) still restrictions of purple’s midgame peoples means apply. Keep in mind that point values were all that the purple player will have less opportunity doubled in FFG Britannia to avoid use of half than the other three to play a “game balancing” points. role. As experienced players know, you must not only strive to maximize your own score, but also Nick Benedict, like David Yoon who wrote our Sweep of History Games Magazine #2 Page 2 ensure that no other color gets an undue competent blue or red player will advantage. realize that you might be running away with the game and will use The challenge for purple, then, is that it needs to stacks of 6 Angles or 6 Saxons to play game balancing the most. However, it has blast away 3 point forts. So the least opportunity to do so. Structural factors there’s a realistic maximum of limiting its upside imply that purple is unlikely to about 25 points. On the lower win a high-scoring shootout with another player end, you are guaranteed by the who is inching toward 125 points. The limited rules to have 10 legions for turn 4 downside means that in a game without a breakout and turn 5 (the raiding turns), so player, purple is usually in it until the end. 10 legions should be able to defend 15-20 points even with Successful players have solved these challenges bad luck. and leveraged purple’s natural advantages (and o The end result is that it’s hard for there are plenty – as noted above, purple and red the Romans to score less than 45 win a disproportionate number of games). But or more than 60. You don’t want before we move onto strategy, let’s prove our two to score 60 or more with the key propositions: first, that purple is structurally Romans anyway – it will just biased to score in a tight range; and second, that make everyone pay attention to purple has a limited ability to play a game you, and, as we’ll discuss, the balancing role. Once we’ve proven these points, purple nations are highly then we’ll turn strategies and tactics that can allow vulnerable to being ganged up a purple player to be successful. on. Don’t be the early leader as purple (not until your Scots are 1. Scoring in a tight range well established, anyway) Purple will generally score around 90-110. It’s Limited upside for other peoples: Unlike hard to score less or to score more. There are a the Romans, the other purple peoples can few reasons for this: easily fall flat on their face (though with the Norweigians it takes some work). Unique position of the Romans: However, like the Romans, these peoples’ o The absolute maximum a Roman upside is limited by the point cards: player can score by turn 3 is 36 points. That includes the Welsh o The Romano British can’t score areas, which are hard to conquer points for territory after turn 7 and generally a terrible idea to do o The Norwegians have a (we’ll explain why when we maximum of 14 territory points discuss game balance). Taking on turn 15 (and one per area on out all of the Welsh areas except turn 16), Devon leaves a maximum of 33. o The Scots pretty much only get Those 33 are all pretty easy to get points for Scotland, and trying to – the worst that normally happens maximize your Scottish score to the Romans is they only get often means spending turn after one of Alban and Dalriada turn fighting two entrenched instead of both. So that’s 30 enemy armies in a highland area points. Maybe a couple of while breeding slowly. Belgae survived in Lindsey or o Dubliners get two areas that are you didn’t get Devon. So for worth more than 1 point. That’s territory, you are looking at only it. about a 5-point range (28 to 33). Other players have a lot of time and o Similarly, with Limes, you’re just ability to react to you: Other colors have not going to get all of the an ability to strike a “death blow” that potential points. You won’t gives them a dominant position that can have enough units to protect all resist even combined attacks from other your forts, and if you do, any players and give them the win. Saxons Sweep of History Games Magazine #2 Page 3 piling on kingship after kingship can have British, Scots, or the game effectively won by turn 13 or so. Dubliners are strong A Danish invasion that clears the board enough to succeed when can do the same for green around the their key neighbors are same time. Or a highly-successful Angle cooperating against game that has not only scored a lot of them. And no matter points but decimated potential opponents how good your Roman of the Normans can have the game in blue game, you need these hands. Purple – much harder. other peoples (especially the Scots) to throw in o Roman scores are inherently 25-30 points at an balancing: Other players can’t absolute minimum. control how well your turn 1-3 However, if purple isn’t goes, but if you score high and doing so well, rewards have lots of legions left, nations like a generous deal for that raid your forts can take more the Scots vis-à-vis the risks and go after better-defended Picts, or York being and more valuable areas to offered to the Dubliners reduce your score. Similarly, uncontested are not when things are going badly, the uncommon. rest of the board may open up. In While this type of game- the World Boardgaming balancing diplomacy Championship semifinals in moderates all colors’ 2004, I played the Romans and total scores, it affects was down to, literally, three purple more since A) it’s legions by the end of turn 2.